Close to PIP award end date

_witchcore · January 2022

Good afternoon

I've asked about this before, months ago, but can't find the thread... apologies.

My husband was awarded PIP until Dec 2021, 3 years ago. It was a 2 year awarded, extended due to covid.

He recieved a review form in Jan 2021, with a deadline to return it by June. It was sent back and recieved in plenty of time. There was a letter from my husband's therapist which acknowledged that he was finding telephone therapy too difficult and that it has been put on hold until in-person treatment resumes. I mentioned that my husband may find any telephone assessment difficult and that a face to face appointment would be better. I know that's not what most people want/need but my husband just doesn't speak on the phone. Unless asked a yes or no question he just doesn't say anything and even then he thinks about it for a long time. People think he has gone because of the silences. I thought it was one of his quirks - his GP has requested an autism assessment for various reasons.

We moved house in August and I called PIP to update the address. They said they had received the form but it hadn't been looked at yet.

Towards the end of the year I called again because I was worried that it was ending in December and we hadn't heard anything. I was told it had been extended until the 1st of March because it hasn't been looked at yet, but we have never had a letter about this. He did receive a payment in December, after the end date, so I have no reason to believe this isn't true. What did concern me a bit is that the address change I called about in August hadn't been done correctly... it had been changed on PIP systems but not DWP systems (?)

I decided it was a worry for next year... but now it's next year and we haven't heard anything. I'm conscious of the fact that last time it took 12 weeks to make a decision after his first assessment. There's only 8-9 weeks until the award expires and as far as we know it hasn't progressed at all. What, if anything, should we do? Would DWP allow the award to expire even though we did what was requested?

calcotti · January 2022

Your previous posts were in this thread started by another user
https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/469007#Comment_469007

_witchcore said: What did concern me a bit is that the address change I called about in August hadn't been done correctly... it had been changed on PIP systems but not DWP systems (?)

Not clear what you mean. PIP is a DWP department, there will also be an assessment provider dealing with the assessment.

_witchcore · January 2022

Thank you @calcotti - I know the difference between the assessment provider and DWP. I know that PIP is a DWP department. What I meant is that there is a separate central computer system where my husband's details are held and the address hadn't been updated on there. So the previous advisor didn't do housekeeping when they updated the address on whatever system PIP use. Presumably they just update it on a programme that other DWP departments don't need/use. Hope that clears that up.

calcotti · January 2022

If you receive other benefits you need to tell each department separately. DWP departments are not joined up.

_witchcore · January 2022

Ok @calcotti I will bear that in mind. Although, my sister works for DWP (not in PIP which is why I can't ask for advice on this) and said that they use a system called Searchlight which is a central system used by multiple teams. I'm not sure. She said that in the team she works on, their specific system "pulls" the information from this central system and updates the address if there is a change. My own address was updated for PIP but I only called ESA about myself. It is just my husband's that wasn't done. I have been worried in case any letters were sent to our old address. That said, I think he would have got a text about any assessment, and if he missed it the payments would stop? I don't know why I mentioned that because it's not that relevant and it's obviously caused confusion and now the discussion is about that and not my actual query. I think it was me just venting about little mistakes that lessen my confidence in things going right. Do you have any advice regarding the end date approaching?

calcotti · January 2022

_witchcore said:..it was me just venting about little mistakes that lessen my confidence in things going right. Do you have any advice regarding the end date approaching?

It’s fine to vent. You can obviously ring DWP and/or the assessment provider to ask about progress but you are likely to simply be told that you are in a queue.

poppy123456 · January 2022

Closer to them time the PIP award is ending you will need to ring and ask if a decision's not been made on the review. Only they will be able to tell you whether his current PIP award will be extended again, if no decision's been made on the PIP.

With change of addresses, yes you should report this to all departments and not just the one.

_witchcore · January 2022

Thank you so much for your advice. We still haven't heard anything so I called today to ask what stage everything is at. Same as months ago, "in a queue waiting to be sent to the assessment provider". It's now 6 weeks until the award end date. I asked what would happen if we go past that date and they sort of refused to answer. I was just told that "you just have to wait" and when I said "well what if he waits, and the award ends before you review it?" Their response was "well it hasn't ended yet and it's in the queue so I can't answer that". I guess you were right Calcotti when you said I would just be told that it's in a queue. Someone must be able to tell me what will happen if the review isn't done?

I am so worried. My children are asking if they can do this that and the other and I'm having to say I don't know because I don't know how we will be for money in a few weeks. My daughter's 10th birthday is imminent and she's asking for a party. The loss of SDP will leave us in poverty. I can't claim child benefit because my ex partner claims it and we have shared care but it's always been paid to him as I was working when we split. Due to this I get bedroom taxed and I pay for their lunches as well as half of their uniforms etc. I have no money for a court case if I tried to claim it and besides, their dad lost his job in lockdown and needs the money for them when they're there. When we are getting other things we are entitled to then we don't struggle.

I know there's no guarantee my husband will get PIP again but his ability to do the activities has not changed so I'm willing to fight for it and a longer award which we specifically asked for. I feel like this review is hanging over our heads like the sword of damocles and it's making me utterly depressed. I haven't felt this way in years. My husband is stressed and isn't eating or looking after himself. The PIP doesn't make a dent in our outgoings but to lose the SDP... we could lose our home. I'm thinking we will have to apply for discretionary housing payments and see if they can cover the rent shortfall if the worst happens. I've also contact united utilities and BT and they have schemes for people on a low income.

I've applied for a few admin jobs in my area and km thinking that I just won't have my surgery. I can't swallow at the moment and I'm at risk of a blood clot because of haemmorhagic bladder so I've been waiting on a cystectomy for years. In normal times I'm in hospital every week having instillations which take me a few days to recover from, hence leaving my job. I'm thinking that if I could just will myself to be better I can provide for my family. I asked my friend and ex colleague for a reference and she said no, and if I go back to work now then I'm stupid. I do value her opinion but what else can I do? Sorry for the rambling. Does anyone have any ideas as to what I can do to stop worrying? I can't enjoy anything because it feels tainted by this looming over us.

poppy123456 · January 2022

When you rang DWP you're speaking to someone from a call centre, not someone from DWP so i'm not surprised they couldn't answer your question whether the award will be extended. They read from a screen and if the information isn't there, there's nothing to tell you.

Whether the award will be extended further is anyones guess. I'd leave it a couple of weeks and ring again it maybe extended by then.

You mention SDP, your husband would only be claiming this if you're receiving DLA mid/high rate care, PIP daily living, or you're registered blind. I'm assuming one of those apply?

For the DHP you would need to contact your local Authority as it needs to claimed from them.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/claiming-discretionary-housing-payments/claiming-discretionary-housing-payments

_witchcore · January 2022

Thanks Poppy, yes I'm also disabled... I have a degenerative genetic condition and I use a powerchair as well as being seriously ill myself. My husband as well as being physically disabled really struggles with his mental health. I have never worried about my ESA or PIP awards and found the process easy but my husband has really struggled. He got turned down twice before asking me for help. I think I automatically get ESA as I can't walk (or use a manual chair) and I'm at risk of complete loss of bladder continence... so it doesn't get reviewed either. Also I think having an ambulance called to my workplace multiple times maybe satisfied the criteria for behaviour that us unacceptable in any workplace. I'm not sure. I used to lose consciousness a lot. My PIP is an ongoing award enhanced for both. That doesn't get reviewed until 2028. I wish everyone's was that simple.

_witchcore · January 2022

TL;DR my husband's PIP is now due to end in 4 weeks. Review form sent off before June 2021 deadline (7 months ago). Award automatically extended by DWP previously, with plenty of notice. Not this time. "File is still in a queue to be sent to the assessment provider".

I really appreciate the advice given, but I still don't know what to do if the end date comes and goes. The award will end, but a review is pending. Will the review be cancelled? Advice pages online say to make a new claim if the award is due to end... but that doesn't apply either as the review is effectively a re-application so we have sort of done that.

I was honestly expecting them to write to say they have extended it to give them more time to assess. Doesn't look likely. I have read but not replied to many recent posts re PIP on here. I'm aware that some people who sent forms off as recently as October have had reviews... and others sent it off over a year ago and have just been reviewed now. *Has anyone else been in our specific situation? Where the award is ending and you have heard nothing?* It was awarded via a regular assessment, not a tribunal or anything, so it's not that.

I feel like I'm being annoying by asking the same thing again so I'm sorry.

poppy123456 · January 2022

If the award ends with no extension you won’t need to reapply because the review forms have been returned.

Although it seems like a long time to wait the backlogs are huge and all areas will have different timescales. So comparing someone else to yourself isn’t going to help. They are estimating 10 months from returning the forms to having a decision and you haven’t reached that timeframe yet.

If they don’t extend the award there’s nothing much you can do but wait for a decision. If successfully award money will be backdated to the day after it stopped.

They may even extend it last minute but no one here can tell you that. Have you rang to ask if it’s been extended? Before I had my review last year my award was extended and they didn’t send me a letter to tell me, I wouldn’t have know if I hadn’t rang them.

_witchcore · January 2022

Thank you @poppy123456, I appreciate your response. Thank you for the reassurance that we don't have to reapply. I have called them again this morning and was told the same thing as last time. That it's in a queue.

Honestly, we don't even care about the PIP, it's the loss of couples rate SDP that is going to be devastating. I have no worries about the actual assessment or decision because I've done my own application and helped other people (those I've met at a support group for people with my condition). Everyone who has applied with my help has got exactly what I thought they should be getting.

I think I'm just struggling with with what feels like the unfairness of the support we need being removed even though we have done what was asked of us.

OverlyAnxious · February 2022

I'm now 8 weeks away from the award end date and also wondering if they'll automatically extend if there's no decision. Mine has already been reinstated once due to them 'not receiving the forms in time'.

I'm in the same position, PIP itself not really important but it allows me access to 1 bed housing rate and SDP.

Mike - How soon before the end date would you suggest sending the urgent email detailed in your above reply?

(PS - Actually thought I'd got the decision yesterday and couldn't face opening the envelope for hours...turned out to just be the annual ESA rates increase letter!!

)

OverlyAnxious · February 2022

Username_removed said:

No set rule. If you’re anxious now then… now.

Thanks but I'm anxious all the time haha!

_witchcore · February 2022

Thank you so much @Username_removed I really appreciate your advice. Thanks for the info too, I don't know much about their systems. My sister has just left universal credit to go and work for herself, less stressful I think.

I have just called IAS and they advised that my husband's file has not been sent over to them. They checked that I gave them the right national insurance number etc and said they could see his details, but he is definitely not on their systems. The advisor that I spoke to expressed some concern that it is so close to the end date and it's not been sent over, but I'm not sure if they were just being nice.

I am going to do as you advised, email DWP and contact my MP. I won't get time today but I will do it first thing tomorrow and come back to update if/when we get a response.

_witchcore · February 2022

@OverlyAnxious thank you for replying. I totally forgot about the shared bedroom rate, thankfully I don't think it will affect us as we have social housing and I get PIP. I hate that so many other things rely on someone receiving PIP. I do understand that it's an easy and quick way to decide if someone needs a certain level of extra help. Oh, and same re the letter haha! Although as the SDP may end I havent looked at the uprated amount because I feel that it's more of a "this is what you could have won" thing for us as it's based on our situation right now. Also I know that as soon as his PIP ends we won't get a letter first. No, the first thing that will happen is they will suspend the ESA and I'll have to call to ask why we didn't get paid and I can't put gas on. Ugh. Hate it. That makes me anxious. Good luck and please let me know how you get on.

poppy123456 · February 2022

You are correct the shared rate of LHA doesn't apply to you witchcore because you're renting from social housing. It only applies to those privately renting, if they're single and under 35 without a PIP daily living or DLA mid/high rate care award.

_witchcore · February 2022

Thanks @poppy123456

Quick update - I didn't want to call PIP but I had to as my husband has had no letter re the previous extension and I need to know the actual end date. Award ends 10th March. I have drafted the email to send off and spoken to my MP's secretary (who said they can definitely help but they needed exact dates).

Off topic a bit but I feel so nauseous and angry right now. It took ages to get through security because they refused to acknowledge the signed authority we sent previously. Usually it's not an issue. I feel too tired to argue ... and having worked in call centres forever, I have a thing about not getting annoyed with people on the phone because of mirroring.... so I had to get my husband to answer the questions. Well this stressed him out so much it has caused an argument between us and he's being sick. I don't know how much longer I can cope with it. If I tell anyone we know they will think it's ridiculous that he can't speak on the phone. I don't understand it myself and that isn't helping. I feel like saying no, make the phone call yourself or get someone else like a professional to do it. Who could even help with that?

I do feel more reassured that the lady I spoke to mentioned my previous call and went away to speak to a manager. She came back to say that there is a now a process for reviews. She told me if the award doesn't get reviewed in time the payments won't stop. I'm still emailing DWP and my MP, because this could of course just be what Mike referred to above as call centre cr*ck 😅 we'll see.

Close to PIP award end date

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