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Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Covid-19 issues  →  Thread

Help to claim PIP

Fiona Heighton
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Money Advice, Inclusion Team, Thirteen Housing Group

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Total Posts: 4

Joined: 18 February 2016

How are support services helping customers to make claims for PIP? We usually provide face to face support for customers to complete PIP claims but with the current situation we’re looking at how we can deliver support differently and considering the impact, i.e. more time consuming providing support over the telephone and then relying on customer posting off the form. Has anyone tried video support, e.g. via Zoom? Thanks

Susannah Fayers
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Generalist adviser - Camden CAB

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Joined: 17 June 2010

Hi
We are working remotely with clients who are often digitally excluded so no access to wifi in home and simply don’t have enough data for zoom calls ( if have smart device)
We are trying this approach :
Client makes claim as usual
PIP 2 form arrives and we arrange 2 telephone appts
Advise client to complete demographic info where not already in place
We have an editable version of PIP 2 in Word from Q 2a onwards (What your health conditions or disabilities are)
The layout is slightly different particularly towards end of form but Q’s are in same order
We start from Q2 and we can type in draft version of what client is telling us over phone
Very tiring for those we work with so we set up 2 appts
Client then posts entire form to us with medical reports
One of us goes to office once weekly and scans in all relevant forms etc
Adviser then compiles and , in our case admin support remotely, posts rec delivery DWP
Write cover letter/in additional info to assess on paper based evidence as per guidance etc etc
We have copy which can attach to file
It’s early days but this is the approach we are using and DWP has extended response time to 90 days which while helpful raises the Q of how long it will take them to make a decision ( maybe less time if don’t have to travel)
Have been getting feedback other sources claimants being assessed on tel so advise client accordingly and if unable to manage tel calls safely and reliably for whatever reason add to form /cover letter
Long, but we are hoping it will work

Fiona Heighton
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Money Advice, Inclusion Team, Thirteen Housing Group

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Total Posts: 4

Joined: 18 February 2016

Thanks Susannah

So customers are signing the form and then returning it to you to update with the information they’ve given you over the telephone?

Susannah Fayers
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Generalist adviser - Camden CAB

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Total Posts: 32

Joined: 17 June 2010

We complete our Word version of the blank form with them over the phone - so most of the body of the claim.
They refer to each question simultaneously on the version DWP have sent them which has a couple of pages front and back that we dont have on Word version.
Once done (and we confirm back each section) client signs their end and sends.
We have explicit consent to then compile and send and can provide client with copy ( before we send if they wanted to double check )
Like said early days but it’s the best we can come up with under the circumstances. 

Fiona Heighton
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Money Advice, Inclusion Team, Thirteen Housing Group

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Total Posts: 4

Joined: 18 February 2016

Many thanks Susannah, this is helpful.

CHAC Adviser
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Caseworker - CHAC, Middlesbrough

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Joined: 14 September 2017

We’ve been doing similar over the phone but are using Simplified PIP: https://digitalpip.lexisnexisrolfoundation.org/

We then print that out (when our admin is in the office) and have it sent to the client for them to sign and return to DWP with their original form.