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Award periods

Dan Manville
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I’ve not seen this question asked before and I need to check I’m not following wild geese.

Can a PIP award have two components with different periods?

In ye olden days we would see an indefinite mob award with a fixed care comp, I can’t see any provision that would impose those same restrictions in PIP.

Elliot Kent
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There was a rule within DLA that you couldn’t be awarded each component for fixed periods which didn’t align - s71(3) SSCBA - but there was no such rule that you couldn’t award one component for a fixed period and the other for an indefinite period.

PIP just says “s88(2)An award of personal independence payment is to be for a fixed term except where the person making the award considers that a fixed term award would be inappropriate.” You could read that as saying that there is “an award” of PIP which includes both components and that this “award” must be for a [single] fixed term or you could read it as saying that there is “an award” of a component of PIP which can be for a fixed term and this need not align with the fixed term for the other component.

It is basically irrelevant anyway as the DWP will just review the whole thing at the expiry of the shorter term.

Dan Manville
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Greater Manchester Law Centre

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Thanks Elliot,

Thought so.

I’m looking at a case where someone claimed due to condition x just before lockdown, then developed long covid quite soon into the pandemic which arguably gave rise to needs where the RP was certainly satisfied by the date of decision.

The components would have different start dates.

I don’t see much of a problem with that where the RP is satisfied on both by the date of decision.

Or am I mad?

Elliot Kent
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I think that if they start from different dates but have the same destination it shouldn’t be an issue on any view. If nothing else, it could be explained as a change of circumstances supersession.