Paying PIP arrears in instalments - experience of this in practice?

Hi all,

I’m aware of some cases I’ve been directly involved in where clients have had calls from DWP following PIP appeals to discuss paying arrears in instalments. In these cases, splitting arrears into 2 or 3 chunks to be paid at intervals over the next year have been agreed.

I’m interested to hear if anyone has approached this in a more systematic way and how you’ve ended up providing information to DWP flagging concerns to safeguard clients? At a particular stage of the claim/appeals? In writing?

Also interested to hear about the range of instalment options open to DWP when considering this. My experience so far is only of them splitting large payments into a few smaller chunks over a few months. Has anyone encountered much longer arrangements or more frequent, much smaller payments?

Hi Tom,
I was recently told by PIP that they can arrange the payments over any period into whatever installments the client wanted - that was for a back pay of about £6k, client decided that she would go for half now and the rest paid monthly over 12 months.

Here’s the regulations if helpful https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/welfare-rights/news/item/enabling-dwp-to-pay-arrears-of-benefit-in-instalments-rather-than-as-a-lump-sum

Are DWP “struggling” too? (Awwww, what a pity. Never Mind!)

We could offer them some Budgeting Advice and check to ensure they are on their maximum income?