DWP confirms it is increasing the automatic extension period of existing PIP awards awaiting review

Sue_Alumni

The DWP has confirmed that with effect from 6 September 2022 it is increasing the automatic extension period of existing PIP awards awaiting review from 3 months to up to 12 months and will do this 35 days before their end date. It is said that the longer extension period will "provide greater certainty for claimants" and help to maintain access to other support linked to their awards.

In addition the DWP confirms that:-
"From 31 October, a letter will be sent out automatically to claimants confirming continuing entitlement for up to 12 months.  Until then, we will continue to update claimants by text message that their award reviews have been extended.

Anyone needing a statement before 31 October can contact the helpline on 0800 121 4433 and we will issue a statement.  Otherwise claimants do not need to contact us unless their circumstances change. "

poppy123456

Thanks sue. That sounds so much better than the constant 3 months extensions a lot of people are continuing to have. It will hopefully help people to at least try to relax a little more.

claregrace

Hi, I am really new to all this and don't really understand the process or what this change means. So if my award end in say feb 2025 does it mean that they will send me a review in Jan 2025 and then we have 12 months instead of 3 to complete the  process? Do you know what would happen if the  review decision was reached in say October 2025 and was different either higher or lower, when would the change in payments start? Apologies if I have completely misunderstood this topic. 

poppy123456

claregrace said:

Hi, I am really new to all this and don't really understand the process or what this change means. So if my award end in say feb 2025 does it mean that they will send me a review in Jan 2025 and then we have 12 months instead of 3 to complete the  process? Do you know what would happen if the  review decision was reached in say October 2025 and was different either higher or lower, when would the change in payments start? Apologies if I have completely misunderstood this topic. 

An award that ends in Feb 2025 would mean they would contact you anytime from around a year before that award ends and they will send you a review form. 

You will then need to fill that out with all your information and return it with all your supporting evidence. Another assessment is most likely because most have them.
If the decision is a lower award then it starts from the date the decision is made. If it’s higher then usually it’s from the date the decision is made.
If it’s a refusal it’s from the date the decision is made and your award will end. A new decision always overrules your current award.
This thread is because of the backlogs of people waiting for a review and will have their current award extended until a new decision is made.

claregrace

Great thankyou for the explanation.

dee4848

@poppy123456
Hi so if mine ends January 2024 I could be contacted January 2023?

OverlyAnxious

Thanks for posting this.  I'm not sure this will help us relax though.  The decision could still come through at any point couldn't it?  So can't make long term plans regarding rent or car payments for example.  

If they'd fixed the extension for 12 months - so that the award couldn't be ended before that point, that would have given me a little more peace of mind personally.

bg844

Hi so if mine ends January 2024 I could be contacted January 2023?

Yes. It’s usually 6 months before although some are being reviewed earlier due to the backlogs.

poppy123456

Oddball said:

Does this apply to those who asked for a Review and pending an assessment? Meaning I applied last year for  reassessment due to my health condition worsening not because my Claim was ending. Although it will be in 2024!

I would like to think that a decision would have been made by 2024. 

MadCow1

Hi,

My PIP Award runs out in January 2023 & have already returned my review form in March of this year. Does this 12 months extension apply to me,or is it just for reviews due after 6th September? I am confused.

poppy123456

OverlyAnxious said:

If they'd fixed the extension for 12 months - so that the award couldn't be ended before that point, that would have given me a little more peace of mind personally.

That wouldn’t work though because any new decision would still overrule any existing award.

poppy123456

MadCow1 said:

Hi,

My PIP Award runs out in January 2023 & have already returned my review form in March of this year. Does this 12 months extension apply to me,or is it just for reviews due after 6th September? I am confused.

What Sue posted here applies to all reviews.

Sue_Scope said:

The DWP has confirmed that with effect from 6 September 2022 it is increasing the automatic extension period of existing PIP awards awaiting review from 3 months to up to 12 months and will do this 35 days before their end date.

Which means the extension won't apply until 35 days before your award is due to end, if a decision hasn't been made by that time.

SMW83

So my award comes to an end at the end of this month and is being stopped because of I wasn’t informed that I’d need to be reassessed. However, the letter informing of me of this was sent on 31st August. 

Does this have any effect on my claim?

poppy123456

SMW83 said:

So my award comes to an end at the end of this month and is being stopped because of I wasn’t informed that I’d need to be reassessed. However, the letter informing of me of this was sent on 31st August. 

Does this have any effect on my claim?

You will need to ring PIP to ask them. If you knew your PIP was ending is there any reason why you didn’t contact them?

OverlyAnxious

poppy123456 said:

OverlyAnxious said:

If they'd fixed the extension for 12 months - so that the award couldn't be ended before that point, that would have given me a little more peace of mind personally.

That wouldn’t work though because any new decision would still overrule any existing award.

Yeah, that's my point.  It doesn't make any difference whether it's extended by 3 monthly intervals or 12 monthly intervals, there's still no financial security from the extension. 

SMW83

poppy123456 said:

SMW83 said:

So my award comes to an end at the end of this month and is being stopped because of I wasn’t informed that I’d need to be reassessed. However, the letter informing of me of this was sent on 31st August. 

Does this have any effect on my claim?

You will need to ring PIP to ask them. If you knew your PIP was ending is there any reason why you didn’t contact them?

I didn’t know. I was of the understanding that my award came to the end at the end of December from letters I received from the court’s service so assumed I would receive the paperwork to reapply shortly.

SMW83

Having just spoken to PIP they claim to be unaware of any change in the extension of awards. I’ve been passed through a number of departments and they are all saying the same.

poppy123456

SMW83 said:

Having just spoken to PIP they claim to be unaware of any change in the extension of awards. I’ve been passed through a number of departments and they are all saying the same.

You will be speaking to someone from a call centre who may not know anything about this.

Cartini

SMW83 said:

poppy123456 said:

SMW83 said:

So my award comes to an end at the end of this month and is being stopped because of I wasn’t informed that I’d need to be reassessed. However, the letter informing of me of this was sent on 31st August. 

Does this have any effect on my claim?

You will need to ring PIP to ask them. If you knew your PIP was ending is there any reason why you didn’t contact them?

I didn’t know. I was of the understanding that my award came to the end at the end of December from letters I received from the court’s service so assumed I would receive the paperwork to reapply shortly.

Hi SMW83,

I`m not an advisor on here, but I saw a similar thread on Benefits & Work with the following being a response from one of the advisors:

"If you win at a Tribunal, you need to note the end date of the claim and apply to the DWP 6 months before the end to renew your claim. You will then be sent a new claims form, not a review form, although I have come across claimants who have been sent review forms after a successful Tribunal claim."

happyfella

my end date for PIP is May 2023, i have never been for a review before, can anyone explain when i would receive a letter to tell me about the review and what date i can expect and what happens please.

poppy123456

happyfella said:

my end date for PIP is May 2023, i have never been for a review before, can anyone explain when i would receive a letter to tell me about the review and what date i can expect and what happens please.

If you were awarded by DWP usually they send you the review forms (shorter than the PIP2 forms) around 6 months before your award is due to end. As the backlogs are so long for those waiting for reviews they may send you the form before the 6 months.

You will need to make sure you treat it as a new claim, even if there's been no changes. Don't just put "no change" then move on to the next one. Give as much information as possible, without telling your life story. Include a couple of real world examples of what happened the last time you attempted each descriptor that applies to you.

You should expect another assessment because most people have them. This can either be by telephone, video call or face to face at an assessment centre.