PIP Review

plasfron

My wife was granted the top rate of PIP in 2002, and advised it would not be reviewed until after May 2030. This gave us the confidence to enter into a three year contract with Motorbility, ending July 2023. We have now been advised that PIP will end in September 2022 and she has to reapply, despite there being no change in her condition. When we queried it, we were informed the date of May 2030 was a 'typing mistake'. Apart from the stress of having to reapply and possible loss of support, if her application is denied, we will obviously lose the Motorbility car and/or suffer financial penalties due to ending the agreement prematurely.
Any advice or details of similar experiences would be welcome.
Thank you.

calcotti

I assume 2002 means 2020?

In your decision letter does it say the end date and also say we will contact you on or after a date.

If the date is repeated more that once typing mistake doesn't make sense. 

plasfron

Sorry, typo. PIP started May 2020. Letter says, " We will also contact you while you are getting PIP to see if your needs have changed and to look at the amount you get. This will be after 1 March 2030."

poppy123456

I don't know how 2030 can be a typo against 2022. Evidence you send doesn't have to recent. As long as it's relevant and it states how your conditions affect you then send it. If it doesn't then ask yourself, is that useful.

Add a couple of real world incidents of exactly what happened the last time you attempted that activity for each descriptor that applies to you. Include detailed information such as where you were, what exactly happened, did anyone see it and what the consequeces were.

calcotti

poppy123456 said:

I don't know how 2030 can be a typo against 2022. 

I agree. Sounds as if OP was given an ongoing (10 year award) which DWP are now going back on. I confess I can't think my way around the legitimacy of that.

poppy123456

Though they can reassess you at anytime. It still doesn't make sense to go from 2030 to 2022. If it was me, then i'd be ringing to request a call back from a decision maker. Remember, when we ring then we are ringing a call centre.

plasfron

Wife has resent all the relevant information and supporting material online. First time around, of course, she had to attend a face to face examination. Not sure if this will be required this time, or just how long the whole process will take before we get a decision?

poppy123456

Another assessment is most likely because most people have them. This can be either by telephone, face to face or video call. Waiting time can be as long as several months.

plasfron

To update, my Wife went through a telephone assessment early July, but, as we had not heard anything, we telephoned to check on the progress of her application. During the conversation, we again raised the question of why she had to reapply (not a reassessment) when her original award was to March 2030. For once someone used their initiative and put us through to the person handling the application. After explaining to problem she said she would check through the file and see why this was happening. Within 30 minutes she phoned back to say it had all been a 'mistake' and apologised, no reapplication was required, she would cancel the reapplication and reinstate the original award until March 2030. If only someone had checked back in April!

However, something else came up during our discussion concerning being out of the country on holiday. We know about the four day or thirteen day rule, but, apparently, there is also a rule that says you cannot be out of the country on more than seven separate occasions in any three year period, starting from the date you first went away. In addition, you cannot be away more than a *total* of 104 weeks (12 months) in any previous 156 week (3 year) period. Not a problem as we hadn't exceeded either of these rules, but, worrying that we hadn't been informed previously.

And, here someone might be able to assist. After the first three year period, it's not absolutely clear what each successive three year period covers, given its the previous three years??

Eg, If the first three years was from January 2022 to 31st December 2024, does a new three year period start on January 2025, going forward, as rule refers to 'previous'? In other words, does the 'three year period' roll forward?

Thanks for any clarification.

plasfron

On reflection, the three year period moves forward from the first day away at the start of the second three years, so earlier periods of absence drop out, at the same rate as new periods of absence are added.
It's rather like the 90/180 rule for visiting the EU..

easy

Well done @plasfron so pleased someone had sense and checked it out for you.
What a lot of unnecessary worry.  

L_Volunteer

How are things going for you at the moment @plasfron? I appreciate it has been a little while since you last posted on this thread now.

I hope things are going well for you at the moment. Please don't hesitate to let us know if we can do anything to support you though 

plasfron

Thank you for your concern L_Volunteer.

As I posted Aug 7th, on 5th August we were informed it had all been a mistake and no reapplication was required and existing award would continue until 2030, and, that, in any case, her reapplication had been successful (although, now irrelevant). Imagine our surprise, therefore, to, now receive a letter from the DWP, addressed to me (rather than my Wife) informing me that, as my Wife's award was due to stop on September 2nd, my Carer's Allowance would also stop! No mention of her second application or the conversations around it. Problems with this is, of course, my wife's award is not, we believe, ending on September 2nd, AND, while I am my Wife's registered Carer, I don't receive Carer's Allowance, as I am in receipt of a state pension..
Today, we spent yet, another hour on the phone to PIP, explaining, once again, the situation. The (different) person we spoke to promised to investigate and get back to us.
It is so frustrating..

calcotti

That may simply be CA not yet having received up to date information from PIP. 

(Even though you are not receiving CA if the PIP were ending then CA would still need to inform you that your ‘underlying entitlement’ to CA would end.)