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Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Disability benefits  →  Thread

PIP form ‘lost in post’

Nicola Hersh
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PIP are saying the form posted 3 weeks ago has not arrived. They say they have problems with the postal services.

Has anyone else had forms going missing and apart from filling in a new form (fortunately I have copies,) is there any other way of resolving this?

Elliot Kent
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DWP post never seems to be the most reliable. If they are saying it has not been received, it could be that it is lost in the post or lost in their mailing warehouse somewhere. Maybe it will turn up, maybe it won’t.

If you are concerned then perhaps sending another copy would make sense.

Nicola Hersh
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Elliot Kent - 05 July 2021 01:07 PM

DWP post never seems to be the most reliable. If they are saying it has not been received, it could be that it is lost in the post or lost in their mailing warehouse somewhere. Maybe it will turn up, maybe it won’t.

If you are concerned then perhaps sending another copy would make sense.

Thank you for your reply but will they accept a copy of the form?

It is further complicated because the first return date was some months ago but an extension was agreed on the phone and the form was returned well before the extension date. The claim has been rejected due to no response based on the earlier date, not the extension date, although they have said they will reconsider and that its possible that they may need a new form to be completed.

 

Va1der
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This has been discussed before, I think the conclusion was there is nothing in the regs stopping DWP from accepting a copy of the form. That discussion was around filling on alternative forms, such as the one provided by LexisNexis, and an argument could probably be made that you don’t need the form at all.

However, DWP have ‘procedures’, admin etc that stand in the way, and may resist a copy of the form nonetheless.

Are they sending out a new form? If so Id return it blank with a signature and attach a reference copy of the old form and declare no CiC. Should be backdated to the original claim date regardless (hopefully without the need for an appeal).

Nicola Hersh
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Va1der - 05 July 2021 01:44 PM

This has been discussed before, I think the conclusion was there is nothing in the regs stopping DWP from accepting a copy of the form. That discussion was around filling on alternative forms, such as the one provided by LexisNexis, and an argument could probably be made that you don’t need the form at all.

However, DWP have ‘procedures’, admin etc that stand in the way, and may resist a copy of the form nonetheless.

Are they sending out a new form? If so Id return it blank with a signature and attach a reference copy of the old form and declare no CiC. Should be backdated to the original claim date regardless (hopefully without the need for an appeal).

Thank you - very helpful

annief
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Nicola Hersh - 05 July 2021 12:44 PM

PIP are saying the form posted 3 weeks ago has not arrived. They say they have problems with the postal services.

Has anyone else had forms going missing and apart from filling in a new form (fortunately I have copies,) is there any other way of resolving this?

It took them 5 weeks to acknowledge receipt of my husband’s PIP form. They had just got to the point of sending me a duplicate form to complete when, low and behold, it finally arrived. Funny how it only takes 3 days for their post to come to me though!

Nicola Hersh
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annief - 05 July 2021 03:02 PM
Nicola Hersh - 05 July 2021 12:44 PM

PIP are saying the form posted 3 weeks ago has not arrived. They say they have problems with the postal services.

Has anyone else had forms going missing and apart from filling in a new form (fortunately I have copies,) is there any other way of resolving this?

It took them 5 weeks to acknowledge receipt of my husband’s PIP form. They had just got to the point of sending me a duplicate form to complete when, low and behold, it finally arrived. Funny how it only takes 3 days for their post to come to me though!

Good the form was found

Claire S
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We are seeing the same issue - 3 clients now in the past fortnight where DWP are saying they haven’t received the PIP form many weeks after it was sent in.  We are wondering if they are overwhelmed with forms at the moment after the hiatus earlier in the pandemic.

They are sending out new forms for clients where they say the form hasn’t been received, and we are advising clients to send a covering letter to explain the situation with a copy of the original form and the proof of posting, but also to sign the new form.

In one of the cases the original form has now “turned up” which is why we think it could be a DWP administration issue.

Rosie W
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We heard via our Deputyship team and unofficially, that PIP are aware of problems and big delays with post and after initially believing it to be the fault of Royal Mail, then a problem with the mail handling sites scanning process, they have now identified it is a problem with their IT and they are looking to sort it out “as quickly as possible”.

Claire S
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Thanks Rosie, that’s useful to know.

Nicola Hersh
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I spoke to PIP department earlier this week. They said they were having problems and to send everything by recorded delivery.

I know that some of the DWP are trying to be helpful but I get told something different each time I ring.
I was also given an email address of: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) but this may be for ESA assessments.

I think PIP should remove the recorded message on their phoneline asking for feedback. After holding on for up to one hour, I am unlikely to say anything complimentary.

[ Edited: 15 Jul 2021 at 06:09 pm by Nicola Hersh ]
Mairi
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I had a nice conversation with someone on the PIP advice line last week who advised that due to system issues it is taking 2 - 3 weeks for received forms to be recorded as being so on their system due to these system issues.

His suggestion was to phone in to advise when they were posted if this was within a couple of weeks of the return date.  As this would be all the forms I fill out (because it’s usually 2 weeks before they drop on the claimant’s mat after being requested) and it had taken me an hour and ten minutes to get through to him I don’t think I’ll be doing that but it’s useful to know.

Not sure why, if it’s a known problem, the DWP aren’t just adding that time onto the expected time of return before considering whether to close claims.  Surely it just further overwhelms their system for advisers to call to give details of posting?

Dan Manville
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Mairi - 15 July 2021 05:27 PM

Not sure why, if it’s a known problem, the DWP aren’t just adding that time onto the expected time of return before considering whether to close claims.  ?

Not quite the same, but they seem to be handing out month long extensions willingly at the moment.

Nicola Hersh - 15 July 2021 04:33 PM

I think PIP should remove the recorded message on their phoneline asking for feedback. After holding on for up to one hour, I am unlikely to say anything complimentary.

That’s the one opportunity for catharsis they’ve given us; leave it alone!