PIP review - states do not send GP letter

Cloud

Hi,
I am new to this forum. Hope I am doing this right..
I received my paperwork for a PIP review.  It arrived 9 days after the dated form.  So already lost 9 days.  I tried to get help with local organisation to help me fill it in but no appointments until 4 days after forms had to be returned by.  So I rand DWP, they gave me a new date (extension). They did not send me any confirmation despite me asking for it  Then Saturday they send me another letter saying the form has to be back in 4 days time! (the original date) So they've gone against their word....
This means I only have 4 days to get it all filled in and return and not get the help I intended from the charity.  Also it says "do not send Supporting GP letter".
I found this strange.  Surely that is medical evidence?  I have always sent GP letter in the past.  Why are they now saying not to?  This then leaves out crucial medical evidence.  Has anyone else experience either of these 3 dilemas?  Sorry but my anxiety is on overdrive as I'll never get the forms back in 4 days with no help and not being allowed to send it GP letter either.  I am very worried.
Hope someone can advise me what I can do please.

Government_needs_reform

1st @Cloud you've asked for an extension which is 2 weeks extra, the letter received is only a reminder of the first date your form had to be back by, if your concerned just give the DWP a quick call about that extra time you've been given.

2nd, Always add medical evidence no matter what they say. But make sure its more about how you function on a daily basis. PIP is not just done on the diagnosis but it helps that you have been diagnosed.

Hope this helps.

Cloud

Thank you for your swift reply.  Yes I will ring them first thing tomorrow to clarify that I still have the 2 week extension.  I thought having a 2 week extension would've cancelled my original return date though?  So it alarmed me by getting that in the post. 
I apologise for posting twice (I am new and still learning) the 1st time it said 'rejected' so I did it again.  Apologies.  My anxiety doesn't help as all this process with time demands is enflaming my anxiety.  Many thanks for your help.

Government_needs_reform

@Cloud No problem. Ive had it in the past where the return by letter has come after putting in for the extension. Its a good idea just to check you have the extra 2 weeks.

Dont worry about the posting twice.

Remember add your medical GP evidence.. If it corroborates to your daily functionality & is consistent with all your medical evidence you should be ok, mine was consistent with everything i added as i moved from indef DLA to PIP ongoing no ftf for me.

let us know how you get on.✅

woodbine

As above the original extension will stand and be the date BUT make sure you get it in the post at least 9 days before that new date.
Most GP letters are about what conditions you have a GP won't know how you are affected on a day to day basis and for that reason they will carry no weight at all.
And remember photocopy the claim and when you send it get proof of postage (don't send it registored post it will delay it at their end)

Cloud

Thank you both for your advice. It's much appreciated.

I'll ask for proof of posting then. Would it be worth sending it 'signed for' or not?

Wow dla -pip with no f2f... I'm dreading the f2f.  My anxiety and social phobia is terrible. I will be at a great disadvantage due to my severe anxiety. I won't be able to explain myself adequately and I'll be at a great disadvantage as I'll just want to get it over with asap as I really struggle face to face.
I'm hoping that if I can send enough info that hopefully I'll get a paper based review. But from what I've heard that is a rarity.

poppy123456

Hi,

The letter you received is an automatically generated letter and the extension you've received to return the form will not stop that letter because the "computer" doesn't know you have the extension but there will be a note added to the computer saying you've been given 14 extra days.

Do be aware though that i've heard there's huge backlogs of mail going to DWP so it could take some time for your forms to arrive. My advice is to fill out the form as soon as possible and get that posted. Signed for delivery is a waste of money and doesn't mean it will arrive with DWP any sooner than normal post because it doesn't. It will be signed for by someone from Royal mail sorting office and letters to DWP are not classed as arriving until they've been added to the computer. Proof of posting is fine and it's free.

Make sure you fill out the form with as much information as possible about how your conditions affect you. Adding a couple of real life examples of what happened the last time you attempted that activity for each descriptor that applies to you.

I agree with others here, letters from DWP aren't the best evidence to send because a GP will very rarely know how your conditions affect you, which is why DWP advise not to send them.

Paper based assessments are very rare and for this reason i'd advise you to expect the face to face assessment because most people have them.

Cloud

Thank you for your help.It is much appreciated.  I rang DWP and they said my extension is written on the screen.  So that's a relief, as the letter said that unless it was returned by 6th that my PIP would stop.  This lead to a very anxious weekend. 
If the 'computer' sends out an automatic letter I only hope it doesn't then automatically stop my existing payments as it threatened to do.
I would've hoped that the system was more joined up than that.  It causes unneccessary alarm for people by sending out these incorrect letters.
I am so glad that you have explained it all to me.  Thank you.

Government_needs_reform

@Cloud
Just seen your reply,  i don't reply much on here these days as i'm into running campaigns against the wrongdoings of the DWP.

Yes i was lucky to have my PIP done without a f2f, but as i've sent the correct information thats needed, my medical team is amazing. I have heard its only a 3% chance to be done paper based.

Glad you're getting there now, i knew you would be ok with your extension, but always worth checking. 

Also to add if you ever need further information just tag my good friend @poppy123456 she is well adversed in giving the right information you may need.

She will slap me for saying that🤣

Anyway your welcome & hope all goes well for you.✅

poppy123456

@Government_needs_reform i'll let you off this time, as i know how busy you are with that campaigning you're doing!

@Cloud regardless of receiving the letter, your PIP wouldn't stop because of the extended time you've been given to return the form.

mikehughescq

1 - please don’t send it by any kind of recorded delivery. See https://community.scope.org.uk/discussion/65439/sending-benefit-forms-or-evidence-by-any-kind-of-recorded-delivery#latest. It is far more valuable to simply keep a copy. 

2 - there is no legal requirement for a PIP form to be returned by a specific date. They’ll give a 2 week extension no questions asked but I’ve had a 9 week extension in 1 very particular set of circumstances. I’ve also had several cases where extensions have been extended, but only where the circumstances justified that.

3 - GP evidence is almost never “crucial”. Wholly understand your anxiety but your focus should be on anecdotal evidence. Good little thread to which I recently contributed sums it up nicely here. See post number 3. https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/15304/