Personal Independence Payments
Personal Independent Payments
My wife is being switched from DLA to PIP and one of the questions asked was whether she had been out of the UK for more than four weeks in the past three years. We hadn't, but rather puzzled why this should be a factor?
We visit Spain occasionally so wanting to be sure of the facts we looked at the chat line on your web-site and noted an old thread advising that claimants on PIP can spend 13 weeks abroad. Just to confirm, is this either in one go or a total of multiple visits in any one year period, or periods of 13 weeks or less, irrespective of the total in any one year, so long as they are temporary visits?
We understand that, presumably, if one moves abroad permanently, the benefit would stop. Is this correct?
Comments
-
Not sure bit it could mean if you are out of the country. In hospital for more than 28 days continus then your benefits can or will be stopped, if you read your award letter PIP or DLA it will should tell you about a change in circumstances.
-
Just to add to my last post by checking online you can claim benefits upto 13 weeks abroad and 26 weeks for medical reasons.
-
Hi @plasfron
I found this on the PIP handbook (updated Dev 2018)
Residence and presence
Claimants will need to be present in Great Britain, habitually resident in the United Kingdom (UK), Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man and not subject to immigration control.
They must have been present for at least 104 weeks out of the last 156 weeks in Great Britain. We treat serving members of Her Majesty’s Forces and their families as habitually resident in Great Britain when serving and stationed abroad.
A temporary absence abroad for up to 13 weeks may be allowed, or up to 26 weeks if the absence is specifically for medical treatment. The claimant should notify us if they are planning to go abroad for 4 weeks or more.
Leaving the country or planning to leave the country for a period of more than 4 weeks, even if this is a holiday
This change may affect the claimant’s entitlement to PIP. We will need to know the date the claimant is leaving the country, how long they are planning to be out of the country, which country they are going to and why they are going abroad.
Scope
Senior online community officer -
Thanks for all your advice. Still not sure if that is 13 weeks in any one year or, whether multiple periods of 13 weeks is allowed?
-
@plasfron - I think that it means 13 weeks in the year ...
Personally if you only make occasional visits to Spain I wouldn't worry too much - -
For PIP it's 13 weeks at any one time, 26 weeks if you're going for medical reasons. For means tested benefits it's 28 days.
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. -
Thank you.
-
However, just so I have the full picture: If we were to go abroad for more than 13 weeks but less than 26, I assume we could claim the 13 weeks benefit, while losing the remaining weeks, but, would the benefit simply resume on our return, or would we have to go through the whole process of re-applying again?
-
If you travel for more than 13 weeks and it's not because of medical treatment then your PIP will stop after 13 weeks. Your PIP won't just restart once you return to the UK.Depending on where you're traveling to you may have to satisfy the habitual residence test before you can claim any benefits once you return to the UK. Before you travel you will need to get some expert advice from an agency near you.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.
-
Thanks for that, Poppy, the max 26 weeks is the key to 'habitual residency' but, of course, we would be advised by the benefits agency if we needed to do that. Just wanted to know in advance..
Brightness
Categories
- All Categories
- 13.3K Start here and say hello!
- 7K Coffee lounge
- 101 Games lounge
- 483 Cost of living
- 4.6K Disability rights and campaigning
- 1.9K Research and opportunities
- 230 Community updates
- 9.6K Talk about your situation
- 2.1K Children, parents, and families
- 1.6K Work and employment
- 807 Education
- 1.7K Housing and independent living
- 1.4K Aids, adaptations, and equipment
- 666 Dating, sex, and relationships
- 374 Exercise and accessible facilities
- 845 Transport and travel
- 32K Talk about money
- 4.6K Benefits and financial support
- 5.2K Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- 17.2K PIP, DLA, and AA
- 5K Universal Credit (UC)
- 6.4K Talk about your impairment
- 1.8K Cerebral palsy
- 886 Chronic pain and pain management
- 183 Physical and neurological impairments
- 1.1K Autism and neurodiversity
- 1.3K Mental health and wellbeing
- 328 Sensory impairments
- 832 Rare, invisible, and undiagnosed conditions
Do you need advice on your energy costs?
Scope’s Disability Energy Support service is open to any disabled household in England or Wales in which one or more disabled people live. You can get free advice from an expert adviser on managing energy debt, switching tariffs, contacting your supplier and more. Find out more information by visiting our
Disability Energy Support webpage.