PIP Claim: (How Long For a Decision)

In this brief guide, we will discuss PIP claims and how long it takes for a decision.

PIP Claim: How Long For a Decision?

A PIP claim takes a long time for a decision or it may come through relatively quickly, it depends on the factors in your individual situation, like for most people the decision might come anywhere between 2-8 weeks, it can be rushed when you are terminally ill.

PIP claims are not that complicated, and despite all the issues that seem to plague the process with regard to the assessment process and all the aspects of it that are dependent on the independent contractors, they can actually be managed with ease if you know what you are doing and take adequate help from others.

PIP help can be found easily on the internet, and one may also be able to find the necessary PIP help through their local Citizens Advice.

PIP is a government benefit that seeks to help people who are struggling with physical or mental disabilities with the extra costs of living and the PIP claim amount depends on how the person’s condition affects them, but the claim does not depend on the condition itself. 

The important part of the PIP claim process that has been criticized fairly often is the PIp assessment, which is usually done by a health professional to work out the level of help you are entitled to and what problems you face in your daily life due to your disability, including food related issues or mobility.

However, the PIP assessment system is often blamed for being plagued with problems, and people often report that individuals who are doing the assessment can sometimes be incompetent and not understand the individua’s illness and on other occassions they downright lie.

In addition, even after you get the PIP claim through and you have been awarded the benefit, the rate will be regularly reviewed to make sure you’re getting the right support.

To summarize, the PIP claim is approved after the Department of Work and Pensions reviews your case and all the related documents and evidence, and they reach a decision about what you need to be awarded and how long for. They also decide the duration for payback and the associated claims.

Being aware of the PIP decision timescale will help you be prepared for the process better and submit the documents as per requirements.

They may make a decision not long after they have reviewed the following details:

• Your claim form
• The documents you sent with your claim form
• The Health Professional’s notes from the medical assessment

Any individual who files a PIP claim could get between £23.60 and £151.40 a week if they are aged 16 or above and have not reached State Pension age.

Another thing to be aware of is that if your condition is severe, your carer could also get Carer’s Allowance and if you have substantial caring needs, you need to also look into this particular type of benefit.

Other benefits you may be getting or may be entitled to along with the PIP, may be the Disability Living Allowance and the Attendance Allowance.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is ending for people aged 16 to 64, and one can keep getting DLA if one is under 16 or one was born on or before 8 April 1948 and has an existing claim.

Any individual can continue getting DLA until the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) invites them to apply for PIP and they also do not need to do anything until DWP writes to them about their DLA unless their circumstances change.

Another thing to remember is that if the person has reached State Pension age, they can apply for Attendance Allowance.

How to Apply for PIP Claim?

To apply for the PIP claim, you can either fill out a form, phone the DWP or write a letter, depending on what suits you.

You also need to keep everything you need in one place so ideally you should collect all the necessary evidence and documents in one place so you don’t have to scramble in a situation where your claim process has been started, so make sure you have all of these in place because you will need them for the call:

• your contact details, for example telephone number
• your doctor or health worker’s name, address and telephone number
• dates and addresses for any time you’ve spent abroad, in a care home or hospital
• your date of birth
• your National Insurance number – this is on letters about tax, pensions and benefits
• your bank or building society account number and sort code

You can also get someone to help you with the starting of the PIP claim process, and fo this you can also ask the DWP to add them to your call when you:

• phone
• use Relay UK
• use the video relay service

Of course, this is not possible if you use text, which is why it would be ideal to use any of the other methods of communication.

You can also get someone else to do it on your behalf, should you need it, but you will still need to be with them when they call, because you may be needed for verification purposes.

Here are the details you need for contacting the DWP for PIP claims:

DWP – PIP claims

Telephone: 0800 917 2222

Textphone: 0800 917 7777

Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 917 2222

Video relay service for British Sign Language (BSL) users – check you can use the service

Calling from abroad: +44 191 218 7766

Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm

What if I can’t return my PIP claim form in time?

If you have any issues with health or family that keep you from sending out the PIP claim form in time, you can also request the DWP to extend your deadline with the help of a letter, a template for which, given by the citizen advice organization, is shown below:

“Derek Bankole

4 Waterway Drive

Peterborough

PC1 2MA

10 November 2020

Dear Sir or Madam,

PIP claim for Derek Bankole – NI number FR 45 76 67 A

Following my phone call on 2 November 2015, I am writing to confirm that you’ve agreed to extend the deadline to return my PIP2 claim form. I asked for this extension because I need more time because I need help from my local Citizens Advice to complete the form.

The original deadline was 6 November 2015. I understand that I have been given an extension and the new deadline for returning my form is 4 December 2015.

Please could you write to me to confirm this is correct.

Yours faithfully,

Derek Bankole”

As one can see, you will always need the reference numbers and other ids, so make sure you keep note of all the necessary ones throughout the process.

If you do file for a mandatory reconsideration at a later point, you will need to note the reference numbers for that too.

Can I send the Medical Evidence for my PIP Claim separately?

Yes, you can also send your medical evidence for the PIP claim separately, if you are not able to send them together with the form for some reason, and in this case you may just attach a letter describing the reports you have attested and what your claim number is.

This letter may look like this:

“Derek Bankole

4 Waterway Drive

Peterborough

PC1 2MA

10 November 2020

Dear Sir or Madam,

PIP claim for Derek Bankole – NI number FR 45 76 67 A

I sent you my completed PIP2 form on 2 November 2015.

When I sent my PIP2 claim form, I didn’t have all the relevant supporting evidence. I now include the following evidence to support my claim:

1. Letter from my occupational therapist

2. Mental health team care plan

Please send me a letter to confirm you have received this evidence and that it will be taken into account when deciding on my PIP claim.

Yours faithfully,

Derek Bankole”

Eligibility for PIP Claims

The eligibility for PIP claims is as follows:

“You can get PIP whether you’re working or not.

You must be aged 16 or over and usually have not reached State Pension age to claim.

You must also have a health condition or disability where you:

• have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for 3 months
• expect these difficulties to continue for at least 9 months

You usually need to have lived in England, Scotland or Wales for at least 2 of the last 3 years, and be in one of these countries when you apply. If you’ve recently returned from living in an EEA country, you might be able to get PIP sooner.

There are different rules if you’re terminally ill.

You cannot get PIP and Armed Forces Independence Payment at the same time.”

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we discussed PIP claims and how long it takes for a decision.

PIP claims can take a while to get processed and it can be harrowing to anyone, especially if they are not receiving any other benefits and if their financial condition is not great.

The time it takes for the PIP claims to be evaluated may depend on a lot of factors, which is why it varies so much, but if you feel that it is taking too long for you, you can call the DWP official handling your case and get an update.

If you have any more questions or comments about PIP claims or how long it takes for a decision about PIP claims, please feel free to reach out to us at any time.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): PIP claims: How long for a decision?

Citations

https://www.express.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/1349346/pip-payments-decision-how-long-does-it-take-for-pip-decision-to-be-made-dwp-EVG#:~:text=Once%20you%20have%20submitted%20your,a%20letter%20from%20the%20DWP.