Changes in circumstances

solly1902

I have applied for pip in November 2021 and sent my application which was received by dwp. Since then my mental health has worsen, I am still waiting to be assessed. I am not sure what to do, am I supposed to fill in a new form ? Or do I inform them via phone call ? If so does that mean  increase in time to be assessed?

Libby_Scope

solly1902 said:

I have applied for pip in November 2021 and sent my application which was received by dwp. Since then my mental health has worsen, I am still waiting to be assessed. I am not sure what to do, am I supposed to fill in a new form ? Or do I inform them via phone call ? If so does that mean  increase in time to be assessed?

Hi @solly1902  

How are you today?

Thank you for your post. I can imagine that was a huge relief submitting your application and well done for completing it . I'm sorry to hear that your mental health has worsened. Firstly, are you in contact with your GP about your mental health? Do you feel supported with this?

With regards to informing the DWP, I think it would be best to call the PIP enquiry line, as stated below:

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP): Change of circumstances - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

I'm not entirely sure if updating your case will prolong your time for an assessment. This is something that you could potentially ask over the phone and they will be able to give you a clearer idea about timelines etc.

I hope that's helpful and please let us know if there's anything else we can do to help.

Libby

poppy123456

With a worsening of condition it must have been present for at least 3 months so you don't need to contact them. You simply tell them everything during your assessment because most people have them.

solly1902

Thank you so much. Yes I have notified my gp and also getting support from a local mental health team. 

L_Volunteer

Hi @solly1902

I am really pleased to hear you are in contact with and receiving support from your GP and local mental health team. How are you currently feeling? 

mikehughescq

My goodness. What is this thing with the PIP helpline? They have zero technical knowledge and their sole reputation is for what could politely be described as **** poor advice. DWP staff have no advice giving function. No duty of care. The kind itself is now outsourced too. It’s essentially a con. A bunch of people with a set if scripts for given scenarios. They are the last place to seek any kind of benefits advice. 

If you have had a deterioration in your condition it’s important to remember that that in itself is not a change of circumstances and never has been. A CoC is something which would impact entitlement. So the first thing to do is to decide how many points you would be likely to score in the first place and then whether the deterioration would have any impact at all. So, for example, if a WR adviser thought you were obviously on for 12 points and enhanced rate then there’s nothing to be shined by reporting anything. Bottom line. Https://advicelocal.uk. Get advice. 

solly1902

mikehughescq said:

My goodness. What is this thing with the PIP helpline? They have zero technical knowledge and their sole reputation is for what could politely be described as **** poor advice. DWP staff have no advice giving function. No duty of care. The kind itself is now outsourced too. It’s essentially a con. A bunch of people with a set if scripts for given scenarios. They are the last place to seek any kind of benefits advice. 

If you have had a deterioration in your condition it’s important to remember that that in itself is not a change of circumstances and never has been. A CoC is something which would impact entitlement. So the first thing to do is to decide how many points you would be likely to score in the first place and then whether the deterioration would have any impact at all. So, for example, if a WR adviser thought you were obviously on for 12 points and enhanced rate then there’s nothing to be shined by reporting anything. Bottom line. Https://advicelocal.uk. Get advice. 

thank you.

mikehughescq

Apologies for the spelling. Virtual meetings are talking a toll on my vision.