Please help my PIP has been suspended — Scope | Disability forum
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Please help my PIP has been suspended

Jenny1959
Jenny1959 Community member Posts: 12 Connected
edited November 2018 in PIP, DLA, and AA
Hi.my PIP has been suspended and my Carers Carers Allowance has been stopped because my PIP forms and letters were sent to the wrong address with a similar postcode to mine.My carer and my brother, who is my appointee, have made several phonecalls to the DWP to try to sort out my claim but have had no success in getting things sorted.The DWP have now changed the address they have on record to mine.The address they sent my forms to is a house that is up for sale.I have always received correspondence to my home address till now and I had to Google the other address because I hadn't heard of it.The numerous phone calls and not getting the matter resolved is making me even more ill.I don't know what to do.Can anyone advise me please?

Comments

  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,793 Disability Gamechanger
    Truly sorry to hear this @Jenny1959, what a frustrating situation for you to be in. I really hope things are sorted soon. @Gill_Scope, is there anything you can advise?
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    Jenny1959,

    Now that DWP know they've been sending correspondence to the wrong address I think they should reinstate your PIP and your carer's CA immediately. I'd tell them that you will put in a complaint and consult your MP if they do not do this.

    Once you start getting the forms/letters they sent to the wrong address you will of course need to complete & return them with any information requested. You should get the same length of time to do this that you would have got if they'd gone to your house in the first place! So you shouldn't have to rush. If you need more time, ring & ask for it.

    I would tell PIP that now they know they got the address wrong they should no longer be suspending benefit because you were not notified in writing of the information they wanted you to provide. So they no longer have legal authority to suspend - and they lost that authority as soon as they knew that the correspondence had gone to the wrong address. 

    Tell them you want your PIP reinstated immediately. This should then have the effect of reinstating CA, although a separate phone call to CA will do no harm once you have got PIP sorted. If any other benefits are affected (eg income-related ESA, Income Support, HB), you'll need to let the relevant departments/local authority know too.

    The regulation which is relevant here is reg 45 of the UC, PIP, JSA & ESA (Decisions & Appeals) Regs 2013. Because the DWP failed to notify you of what they needed from you under reg 45(3), they don't have the power to suspend - they now know that this is the case, and should restore your benefits.

    You can always complain in any case, particularly as this has made you ill. 
    https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/complaints-procedure

    I hope this gets sorted quickly. If not, do consider getting help locally from CAB or from your MP (MP involvement often does work more quickly!)

    Will


    The Benefits Training Co:

  • Waylay
    Waylay Community member, Scope Member Posts: 973 Pioneering
    Perhaps get your MP involved?
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 273 Pioneering
    (Quite agree with Will and Waylay.

    Gill_Scope)
  • Jenny1959
    Jenny1959 Community member Posts: 12 Connected
    Thank you for the advice.I have contacted my local MP and I am awaiting a reply.
  • Jenny1959
    Jenny1959 Community member Posts: 12 Connected
    I got my MP involved and when my brother phoned the DWP yesterday they told him that my PIP had been reinstated and a payment had been made.The carers allowance was also reinstated.I received a renewal form today, to the correct address this time.When  I send the renewal form  back, will I have to go for a f2f interview?
  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    Most people do have to attend a f2f but it does depend on the quality of the evidence you send
    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • Jenny1959
    Jenny1959 Community member Posts: 12 Connected
    I received the form, to my correct address this time, but I am having difficulty filling it in.Can my brother fill it in if I tell him what to put?
  • Jenny1959
    Jenny1959 Community member Posts: 12 Connected
    Should he put 'I' or 'she' on the form?
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    He puts 'I'.  You are the one making the claim even if someone fills it in for you.  You have to sign the form.
  • Firefly123
    Firefly123 Community member Posts: 530 Pioneering
    If he is your appointee then he should be the one filling it out as to have an appointee means your not capable. 
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 273 Pioneering
    Hi @Jenny1959

    Whoever fills it in, do make sure that you include all the relevant  information that leads to the appropriate points being scored. Do state the obvious. Do use the word "because" a lot. Spell out to the reader what your difficulties are, and for the activities where you have those difficulties for the majority of the time, do make that clear. 

    You could ask your local Citizens Advice to help with the form, or if there isn't a suitable service nearby, call us and we can offer a bit of advice from the Helpline. 

    Gill_Scope
    Tel: 0808 8003333

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