Hi, my name is Jessica12! Can I still claim PIP if I go to Spain for 3 months?

Jessica12

I suffer with chronic arthritis and have suffered badly this last winter. My friend lives in Spain and keeps asking myself and my husband to stay with her for 3 months during the winter as the heat and Sun will help me immensely.
If I decided to do this can I still claim my PIP allowance as we could not afford to do it otherwise. Also would this effect taking other holidays during the year? Although I have looked online it is very vague as to whether it is allowed. Thank you.

janer1967

Hi there 

From what I have read you can go for up to 13 weeks and still claim PIP 

However I dont know but this maybe an annual amount

You would be best ti contact welfare rights 

If you claim any other benefits they are affected differently 

calcotti

https://www.gov.uk/claim-benefits-abroad/illness-injury-benefits

Going abroad temporarily
You can claim the following benefits if you’re going abroad for up to 13 weeks (or 26 weeks if it’s for medical treatment):

• Personal Independence Payment

Tell the office that deals with your benefit that you’ll be away.

As janer says, rules for other benefits are different. 

Jessica12 said: Also would this effect taking other holidays during the year? 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/910729/admc2.pdf

C2056 In certain circumstances a person who is absent from GB can be treated as present. This applies to four groups
1. Claimants who are temporarily absent
2. Claimants who are temporarily absent in order to receive medical treatment abroad...

C2057  A claimant is temporarily absent if, at the beginning of the period of absence, their absence is unlikely to exceed 52 weeks.

C2058  A claimant who is temporarily absent from GB shall be treated as present for the first 13 weeks of absence. At the end of that 13 weeks, ..the claimant will cease to satisfy the condition of entitlement to PIP that they be present in GB.

I can't find any explicit guidance on repeated absences.

Take note that it is 13 weeks - not three months. I also can't find guidance where a day when you leave GB or arrive back in GB counts as a day in GB or whether you have to be here for the full 24 hours.

calcotti

woodbine said:

At the moment no one is going on holiday and that will probably be the case until June or July this year.

I assumed they were thinking ahead to next winter.

Jessica12

Well as this winter is nearly over its obvious I meant next winter if restrictions allow!!

Jessica12

Looked it up eventually and now know what to do if I decide to go.
Thanks for info.

Jessica12

It's the bad months Woodbine like Dec Jan, Feb they have crippled me this year. Haven't been out much so lockdown was neither here not there. Apart from not catching it obviously!!

Tori_Scope

I'm glad you were able to find an answer @Jessica12