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Reassessment changes for pension age

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  • twonker
    twonker Posts: 617 Pioneering
    I may be wrong, my understanding is that what ever level of award you have when reaching SRA will remain the same other than the length of the review period. Thus a pensioner with standard/standard will continue to receive that unless they report a change in circumstance.
    If this is the case then it will save money. It will save on the cost of frequent reassessments and many claimants will not bother to report a change prefering to keep what they have and avoid the stress of the assessment process
    Yes that was what M/s Rudd said, but you do have to remember that what a Minister says and what actually happens in reality is mostly miles apart. If I was standing in say a large university town/city as an MP, the first thing I would be telling everyone that all student loans will be cancelled with no further repayments to make and in the future the state will provide for a free university education. Just think how many students would vote for me. In reality I would know that what I have said could never happen however. But why worry I am now their MP.

    The cost of what you suggest will be ridiculous. Take someone on standard care with a 3 year award. Assuming that at the 2 year point no further award is made after review. Giving them a 10 year award will cost the state 8 years - £24,420 more than if they had been assessed at the previous point (after 2 years). And that is for just one claimant!

    Her statement will get watered down at best to how Government  Needs Reform has been awarded their 10 year award.

    Otherwise you would have claimants who are not in the same category as that poster an extra 10's of thousands of pounds simply because their award is based entirely on having 4 aids at 2 points each.

  • neiltaylor9998
    neiltaylor9998 Community member Posts: 1 Listener
    Otherwise you would have claimants who are not in the same category as that poster an extra 10's of thousands of pounds simply because their award is based entirely on having 4 aids at 2 points each.
    https://forum.slowtwitch.com
  • twonker
    twonker Posts: 617 Pioneering
    Otherwise you would have claimants who are not in the same category as that poster an extra 10's of thousands of pounds simply because their award is based entirely on having 4 aids at 2 points each.
    https://forum.slowtwitch.com
    Could you please possibly explain what the relevance is of that link?
  • markyboy
    markyboy Community member Posts: 367 Pioneering

    Press release

    Unnecessary disability reassessments for disabled pensioners to be phased out

    The first step in scrapping unnecessary reassessments for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for pensioners starts on Friday (31 May).

    Work and Pensions Secretary of State Amber Rudd announced in March that people receiving PIP who have reached State Pension age will no longer have their awards regularly reviewed, instead moving to a light touch review at 10 years. Nearly 290,000 people of State Pension age are in receipt of PIP.

    From Friday, new claimants to PIP whose review would have been scheduled after they had reached State Pension age will receive an ongoing award with a light touch review at 10 years.

    Work and Pensions Secretary of State Amber Rudd said:

    I have set out a number of initiatives to improve the quality of life for disabled people; to level the terrain and smooth their path.

    Stopping unnecessary PIP reviews for people over State Pension age is a positive change. It applies a common-sense approach to treating those whose conditions are unlikely to change, and we want to introduce it as quickly as possible for those who will benefit from it.

    Minister for Disabled People Justin Tomlinson said:

    We are determined to improve our support for disabled people, and stopping needless PIP reviews for pensioners is the right thing to do.

    This step means new claimants to PIP who reach State Pension age before their review is due won’t have one unless they tell us their needs have changed, and the next step is to bring this in for all pensioners.

    Applying this change to new claimants is the first step and it will be extended to existing PIP claimants above State Pension age in the coming months.

    This change was part of a wider package of measures announced by Amber Rudd, signalling a shift in the government’s support for disabled people.

    Other improvements include combining the separate assessment processes for PIP, Employment Support Allowance and Universal Credit into one integrated service from 2021.

    The integrated service will simplify the assessment process for millions of people claiming health related benefits, reducing the need to submit information multiple times and for some people reducing the number of face-to-face assessments.

    A small-scale test to explore the viability of a single assessment for Work Capability Assessments and PIP assessments will also be undertaken.

    The government will also work with stakeholders to understand how to help people submit the right evidence with their claim at the outset so that fewer people have to take their case to Tribunal.  

    Read the Secretary of State’s speech Closing the gap between intention and experience.

    Contact Press Office

    Media enquiries for this press release – 020 3267 5111

    Press Office

    Caxton House 
    Tothill Street

    London
    SW1H 9NA

    London Press Office (national media and London area enquiries only – not 

  • twonker
    twonker Posts: 617 Pioneering
    We will have to wait and see if ALL state pensioners who currently receive a PIP award of any level and of any length will automatically be re-awarded the same award for 10 years without having to have any further face to face re-assessment.

     
  • markyboy
    markyboy Community member Posts: 367 Pioneering
    I will let you know when i get my review letter in the next few months 
    Watch this space
  • twonker
    twonker Posts: 617 Pioneering
    markyboy said:
    I will let you know when i get my review letter in the next few months 
    Watch this space
    ….with bated breath and I do hope that what I believe will happen doesn't actually happen.
  • markyboy
    markyboy Community member Posts: 367 Pioneering

    Press release

    Thousands of pensioners to benefit from PIP assessment overhaul

    Unnecessary reassessments for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) are today (9 July 2019) being scrapped for around 290,000 disabled pensioners.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd first announced in March that people receiving PIP who have reached State Pension age will no longer have their awards regularly reviewed, instead moving to a light touch review at 10 years.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd said:

    I want the benefit system to be a source of support for disabled people, not a source of worry. That’s why we’re scrapping needless PIP reassessments for pensioners whose situation is unlikely to change.

    This underlines our commitment to ensuring that the most vulnerable get the support they’re entitled to.

    Light touch reviews will mean pensioners will not be asked to attend a face-to-face assessment unless their needs have changed.

    Minister for Disabled People Justin Tomlinson said:

    I want to ensure we live in a fair and decent society in which all of us, whatever age or ability, have an equal chance to live a fulfilling life.

    We are committed to ensuring that everyone receives the support they’re entitled to, allowing them to live independently.

    Last month this improvement was applied to all new PIP claimants who reached State Pension age before their planned re-assessment. From today it will start being applied to existing PIP claimants over State Pension age.

    The changes will benefit pensioners whose personal circumstances are unlikely to change.

    PIP was introduced in 2013 to replace the outdated Disability Living Allowance (DLA) system. PIP is a fairer benefit, which assesses the way an individual’s health condition or disability impacts them while completing daily activities, such as cooking or taking a shower.

    Other recent improvements to PIP include trialling the video recording of assessments to improve transparency and build trust in the process.

  • atlas46
    atlas46 Community member Posts: 826 Pioneering
    Hi @markyboy

    Thanks for this information.

    I am over SPA and get enhanced on both components of PIP, I am due review later this year.

    I will post what happens, as and when.

    Best wishes.

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