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PIP Appeal wait timescale

ataloss2018
ataloss2018 Community member Posts: 48 Courageous
edited February 2018 in PIP, DLA, and AA
Hi to everyone, appreciate this question may have been asked a thousand times already but here goes. 

My wife is disabled and has been waiting on an appeal time date for 29 weeks now and still we haven't heard anything, we've rang the appeals service but  they say they can't give a date when the appeal will be heard.

We are struggling financially and she has had a lot of hospital appointments lately, these hospital appointments all entail a round trip of 130 miles and the constant worry about the PIP appeal and the possible outcome is adding to her ill health.

Any pointers on how long the maximum waiting times for an appeal to be heard would be gratefully received.

Just for Info purposes,  she was initially on DLA and was transferred to PIP and had been on it for  3 years, in April last year she was assessed by a nurse from Atos and went from previously been awarded Enhanced Daily Living/Standard Mobility Component to zero points.  
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Comments

  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,793 Disability Gamechanger
    edited February 2018
    Hi @ataloss2018, and welcome to the community!

    What a frustrating situation for you and your wife to be in. So sorry to hear that you've had to wait for such a long time, especially on top of dealing with ill health. Hopefully our benefits advisor will be in touch soon and able to offer some advice, but please do keep us updated on any developments in the meantime.
  • ataloss2018
    ataloss2018 Community member Posts: 48 Courageous
    Many thanks PippaScope.  
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    @ataloss2018

    You could ask for a short-notice hearing in case of a cancellation but you might only be given 24 hours' notice.
  • ataloss2018
    ataloss2018 Community member Posts: 48 Courageous
    Thanks Matilda, we did put down on the appeal form that my wife would be willing to attend a hearing at short notice. 
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    Hi ataloss2018,

    The waiting times are different in different parts of the country. I was recently advised that PIP appeals are waiting 33 weeks for a hearing in the West Midlands where I work. If you phone the Tribunals Service they should at least be able to tell you how many weeks your wife's appeal has been waiting and how many weeks the waiting time is. At least then you'll have a better idea.

    Lee
    The Benefits Training Co:

  • ataloss2018
    ataloss2018 Community member Posts: 48 Courageous
    Thanks Lee, we've rang the Tribunal Service on two occasions and each time they've said they are extending the wait time by another 3 weeks, we last rang over 3 weeks ago and they said we should hear of a date in the next 3 weeks, but still we've heard nothing.

    Speaking with the call handlers I don't think they can give you any idea on when your appeal will be heard, they seem to just tell you how long you've been waiting for  and how long the system is telling them that you have to wait again.

    Appreciate the reply.
  • ataloss2018
    ataloss2018 Community member Posts: 48 Courageous
    Still nothing, so frustrating and there's nothing you can do about it, the whole system needs a big shake.
  • ataloss2018
    ataloss2018 Community member Posts: 48 Courageous
    Well still nothing, 34 weeks now without a word.
  • Barbiesnemesis
    Barbiesnemesis Community member Posts: 86 Pioneering
    edited March 2018
    Hello @ataloss2018 I know its not a lot of help but I can totally sympathise - I've been waiting since August 2017 (33 weeks) and it is torture having to wait. I've also telephoned the Tribunal Service several times and had the same response you've had. 'Love your user name x
  • kevin888
    kevin888 Community member Posts: 52 Courageous
    Had to wait 24 weeks for mine last December. Worth the wait in the end as I won my appeal. Good luck.
  • Swatteam
    Swatteam Community member Posts: 175 Pioneering
    I waited a year from Feb 2017 to appeal date Feb 26th 2018
  • ataloss2018
    ataloss2018 Community member Posts: 48 Courageous
    At last, after a wait of 42 weeks the letter has arrived, appeal will be heard in 4 weeks time.  

    Never thought it would take 46 weeks in total,  initially told the average wait was 26 weeks.
  • AliCat2329
    AliCat2329 Community member Posts: 1 Listener
    Hi I’m new here I’ve been reading your comments and have been waiting since December for a tribunal date. I’m in London so don’t know the waiting times also can somebody provide me with the phone number to ring to see how long the tribunal wait is please as I didn’t know there was such a service many thanks 
  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,793 Disability Gamechanger
    edited July 2018
    Welcome to the community, @AliCat2329!

    The best number to ring would be the one listed on any of your previous DWP letters: hopefully they should be able to give you some further information.

    Otherwise, here is the general number for PIP claims from the gov.uk page:
    DWP - PIP claims
    Telephone: 0800 917 2222
    Textphone: 0800 917 7777
    Calling from abroad: +44 191 218 7766 
    Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
    Find out about call charges
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    @AliCat2329

    There will be a phone number on your correspondence from HM Courts & Tribunals Service.  Phone them.

    I understand that waiting times for tribunal hearings are up to 12 months now.
  • Mandzt
    Mandzt Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    I asked for a review due to a decline in my mental health I was on enhanced mobility was awarded it for 6 years to Zero. I'm in North Wales Prestatyn court will hear my case just wondering if anyone has an idea how long it will take I'm confident I'll get it reinstated but am struggling with losing £234 a month. I'll get it backdated from 19/01/18 if successful 
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    Unfortunately, many people report a worsening of their disabilities and have their award reduced, not increased.  Always a risk to report a decline until a review is due anyway.
  • Yadnad
    Yadnad Posts: 2,856 Disability Gamechanger
    Matilda said:
    Unfortunately, many people report a worsening of their disabilities and have their award reduced, not increased.  Always a risk to report a decline until a review is due anyway.
    When asking for a review due to a change in circumstances you first have to decide if the change is likely to give you more points or reduce the points. If you genuinely feel that the change won't affect your points one way or another then you do not need to report it.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,357 Disability Gamechanger
    Mandzt said:
    I asked for a review due to a decline in my mental health I was on enhanced mobility was awarded it for 6 years to Zero. I'm in North Wales Prestatyn court will hear my case just wondering if anyone has an idea how long it will take I'm confident I'll get it reinstated but am struggling with losing £234 a month. I'll get it backdated from 19/01/18 if successful 
    Some people are waiting as long as 1 year for a hearing date, backlogs are huge across most of country.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • sally1966
    sally1966 Community member Posts: 5 Listener
    Iv been waiting almost a year for my sons tribunal .

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