PIP renewal process made easy, read on…

An Interestingly convoluted response to my query regarding my clients PIP renewal.

Completed the PIP2 renewal form in November 2014, had his F2F in February this year.  His award is due to end in October 2015.

Still no word on the renewal decision so spoke with contact at Bootle who explained it all in a letter…

Hi Mick,

I don’t understand the DWP’s reply to you.

Is it the case that the DWP don’t regard your client as yet having made any renewal claim?

The DWP has never to my knowledge given a clear explanation as to what it terms “interventions” are and how they differ (if at all) from the process of renewing a PIP claim.

The reply you were sent talks about “award review cases” - are these the same as renewal claim cases?

Interventions seem to be set up around a year before a PIP claim is due to end.

If they are primarily to check to see if there has been a relevant change of circumstances during the PIP award period then any form a claimant is asked to complete at that stage may just be the PIP equivalent of an ESA50.

In which case will every PIP claimant need to complete a renewal claim form 14 weeks before their fixed award is due to end?

I suppose any new award could be made based just on the evidence obtained following the intervention (review) but in some cases could yet another face to face PIP examination be set up?

Please tell me I’m wrong.

Ken Butler - 13 May 2015 08:01 PM

I don’t understand the DWP’s reply to you.
Is it the case that the DWP don’t regard your client as yet having made any renewal claim?

Ken they are fully aware that my client has made a renewal and the letter was their answer to my query regarding when my client could expect a decision.

Ken Butler - 13 May 2015 08:01 PM

The reply you were sent talks about “award review cases” - are these the same as renewal claim cases?
Interventions seem to be set up around a year before a PIP claim is due to end.

Have a look at these award notices attached.

Form 7001 A has “from and to” date BUT no paragraph stating that they will contact the claimant.

Form 7001 B has “from and to” date and does have a paragraph stating that they will contact the claimant 1 year before the end date.

So if I’m understanding Bootle’s letter correctly,
A) Will get 14 weeks notice that their entitlement will be ending.
B) Will be contacted by DWP a full 12 months before the end of their award.

I’ve requested a copy of the PIP 0506 form to see what they are going to be telling claimants, but I’m not holding my breath on that one. Anyone got a copy they can share?

Hi Mick,

Thanks very much for explaining this so clearly and attaching examples of the decision letters.

So if you’re not someone who is to be contacted a year before your PIP claim ends you’ll only be asked if you want to renew your claim 14 weeks before its end date.

On the basis you’ll be given 4 weeks to complete and return the renewal claim pack this means that the DWP will need to make its decision within 10 weeks to ensure there is no break in claim.

No problem there then.

Mick - 7001 B seems to be an ongoing award rather than one with a fixed term so it isn’t so much one year before the end date but rather saying although this is ongoing it’s not indefinite - or have I understood it wrong?

Thanks, this may answer a query from several advisers, at this week’s WRAC meeting, who had seen similar cases.

Daphne - 15 May 2015 12:54 PM

Mick - 7001 B seems to be an ongoing award rather than one with a fixed term so it isn’t so much one year before the end date but rather saying although this is ongoing it’s not indefinite - or have I understood it wrong?

Hi Daphne,
I’m continuing to seek further clarification from Bootle but don’t expect any response before the end of May.

I agree that B is ongoing in as much that it has no end date. However it does contain the statement that they will contact the claimant after Jan 2024. Our office opinion is that this is an award review date. It does have the safety net that the award will continue until they have reviewed it.

This appears to be in stark contrast to A which we understand to mean the client will only be contacted 14 weeks before the end of their award.

That’s it, my head’s hurting now!!

It would be hard to refer to this letter as there is no reference number and no name to the signature, am I getting over cynical in my old age?

Here’s the response from DWP/Bootle,

Hi Mick

You are correct that in the instance you describe (see below) this will be the cases where a PIP0506 will be sent to the claimants 14 weeks before the end of the entitlement.

“Decision Letters where “from & to” dates was given, but no paragraph with the “we’ll contact you” statement, am I right to think that this claimant will only receive a letter 14 weeks before their award ends”

I have attached a copy of a PIP0506 for your information.

I do understand your concerns regarding benefit ending but what we need to keep in mind here is that these cases are not ‘renewals’ these are decisions which have been made which are short awards and we are not expecting the claimant to have continuing needs. The letter we issue tells them to make a claim if they think they will still be entitled after the end of the current award and it is a new claim they are making not an application for any type of review.
It may help to know that we have continued to address the delays in claim processing times. Latest figures show we are clearing more assessments and making more decisions than ever before. The time the average claimant now waits for a PIP new claim assessment has more than halved from 30 weeks in June 2014 to 14 weeks in January 2015.
I hope I have been able to clarify the situation for you but as ever if you need anything further please let me know
Kind regards

... “these are decisions which have been made which are short awards and we are not expecting the claimant to have continuing needs”...
PIP .7001 A is a 10 year award!

PIP 0506 attached

Hi,

I recently had the following reply from the DWP in relation to why the awards of some PIP claimants’ awards are being reviewed 12 months before their expiry.

While these were originally known as ‘planned interventions’ they are now called ‘PIP Award Reviews’:

“Most claimants will be subject to a review at some point unless they are SRti [special rules claimants]. This is to ensure the correct rate of payment is being made as needs arising from conditions can be unique to the individual and can change/vary over time so it’s an important safeguard for both claimants and the Department. The review date is set by the DWP case manager using the Health Care professional’s advice. As a result of the review the award can go up, down or remain the same.

Apart from a review initiated by a claimant reporting a change in circumstance there are 3 types of PIP review –

• fixed period award where no review date is set (this is when there is reasonable expectation that there will be a significant improvement in needs arising from the claimant’s health condition to end. A letter will be issued 14 weeks before the award end date to advise the claimant that their award is due to end and they will need to make a new claim to PIP if they still require help with daily living;
• fixed period award with review date 12 months before the end of the fixed period – the case manager can make a new award at this stage both in terms of rate and length;
• ‘on going award’ – where the claimant’s condition and support they require in daily living are unlikely to change significantly. Review is at 10 year stage.

The DWP are testing if case managers can take decisions without a further referral to the assessment provider.

A shortened PIP2 form has been produced which is still being tested which focuses on changes in the claimant’s circumstance.

Q. If a PIP claimant is sent a review PIP2 12 months before their the end of the fixed period but does not return it, will their PIP award be terminated if they do not have good cause to return it – or will their award continue until the original fixed period? I assume that if sent a review PIP2 then the claimant will be asked to complete and return it within one month.

A. The claimant is asked to return the form within the month and if they don’t then the case will be referred for decision as to whether to disallow the PIP before their award is due to end.”