Many PIP questions

Nashville

I am new to all this and haven’t even managed to get the PIP form to fill in yet.  My friend aged 65 and pre pension age has had a stroke and lost his language skills.  He is now out of hospital and getting carers 4 times a day to help him.  He is too young for attendance allowance but is entitled to PIP support I think.  As the process of applying requires speaking on the phone he will need to fill in the forms.  I sent for the forms by post over 3 weeks ago.  They have still not come.  His claim starts when the forms are returned.  Can this be right?  All views sought.  Am I in for a long haul?  Is this just the start of a ridiculously complicated process?  Why are the forms not downloadable?  Has anyone had the same problem?

wilko

Hello and welcome, as your friend has a speech problem because of his stroke it could be wise to try and inform the DWP of the friends condition and that you will be his representative you may need a formal consent form signed by your friend if he’s able.

woodbine

There could be a catch 22 question with this, firstly has he qualified for PIP for 3 months? and likely to for another nine months?, it could well be that he becomes over 66 during this period and may well have to wait until he is 66 and qualifies for Attendance allowance, the big difference is that AA has no mobility component and pays less.
You should have received the forms by now, I would chase them up if he will qualify. Successful claims for PIP or AA are back dated to the day they receive the applications.

Nashville

Many thanks for your useful comments.  He had a stroke in February 2020 and has been debilitated ever since.  Fortunately his right side is okay and he is right handed so can sign.  Apart from me rewriting to the Pip centre in Wolverhampton there seems no way of getting a form.  He will be due his pension in January 2021. He cannot take his own weight so is heavily dependent on care.  He will require extensive care for the rest of his life.  I have seen a copy of the form online - all 37 pages of it.   Your comment Woodbine regarding a potential 9 months need after application would take him over pension age and on to AA.

Because he keeps forgetting stuff and can’t speak clearly or for long, I have had a bit of a job getting his national insurance number And  
bank account etc but now think I might have enough info to make a telephone application on his behalf.  

I haven’t worked out how to inform DWP of anything other than writing a letter as there is no email or phone apart from an application line unless I have missed something Wilko.  

Many thanks to both of you for your comments. Do either of you have a magic number or email address for Pip?  

I haven’t seen my friend since early March because of the lockdown and feel for him as after his stroke he then caught Covid 19 in hospital and got discharged to an extra care facility and then got pneumonia and back into hospital again two more times.  Having survived all that I am trying to do my best for him.  His care funding in currently still covered by nhs covid 19 funding so I have a bit of time yet to sort things out.  No doubt all will be easier when the lockdown eases. 

woodbine

 0800 121 4433. PIP helpline,   but be prepared for a 40 minute wait to be answered best trying around 8 a.m before they get mad busy.
Hope that helps.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

mikehughescq

If the form was requested over the phone then the date of claim is the date of the phone call and not the date the form is returned and processed. As he’s claimed before pensionable age the issue of AA does not arise. The 9 month rule is nothing to do with whether it’s PIP or DLA. It’s solely to do with whether he qualifies for PIP.

A quick follow up call is the quickest way to get the form re-sent and then you explain on the actual form why it should run from the date of the earlier call.

If the form was requested in writing then you simply mention the date you wrote in and request they consider an award from the date it ought to have been received. 

The issue you have here is that whilst the 3 month backwards test is met, the 9 months forward test might not be. 4 months after a stroke it’s obviously easier to see the likely extent of recovery but you will need strong medical evidence to show that this level of care needs are going to be there 5 months further down the line. 

If he doesn’t qualify for PIP because of a lack of evidence re the forwards test then realistically he may not qualify for AA either. Whilst the criteria for PIP DL and AA are entirely different he’s still going to need to demonstrate a level of need and it doesn’t follow that not getting PIP means he will get AA. 

Nashville

Many thanks for this info.  That pip helpline has never answered yet,  but will have another go. After 4 2 hour waits,  I have given up on the helpline and rewritten to Wolverhampton for the forms.  It could be that the pip award can only be gained 3 months after leaving hospital.  I am not sure if he has even left hospital yet administratively as he was shipped out of the ward to an extra care facility and given carers funded by the covid 19 local authority award.    I Have submitted a claim with the  ESA people as I know he paid in backdated insurance stamps to get a full pension next year.  Added complication on this is that the poor man has forgotten how to read.  I have the lasting power of attorney forms filled in but they need signing and of course, reading to him.  

He will undoubtedly qualify for support in future as his prognosis is not good regarding regaining strength.  I have been considering starting the continuing care path as his mobility and communication is so impaired.  The lockdown has created a backlog of assessments for that too.

Hey ho.  Thanks for your help everyone.  I hadn’t thought of ESA.  We shall see.  

rgds