In this article, Training Manager Adam Matthews gives us the lowdown on PIP Reviews, shares some useful tips, and explores the devastating effects on the current backlog and waiting times for decisions being made for people on PIP.

What is a PIP Review?

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) can review a person’s Personal Independence Payment (PIP) award at any time. This has proved controversial as the DWP often initiate a review even if the person has an award for a fixed period. Understandably this can cause severe anxiety and alarm for a person with a disability or long-term health condition.

It is also important that a person tells the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) if and when anything changes which might affect an entitlement to PIP. If a person’s health is getting worse or better, the DWP may want to reassess them, and this would normally initiate a PIP Review.

What are the 5 Stages of a PIP Review

1) When the DWP decide to initiate a PIP Review they will notify the person by a letter which asks them to complete the “Award review – how your disability affects you” form.

2) The person will be expected to fill in the form

3) The form must be sent back to the DWP (to watertight the case with supporting evidence). The person must return the form by the time given on the initial PIP review letter – if the person doesn’t their PIP could be stopped. If the person needs an extension to the deadline, they will need to contact the DWP with an acceptable reason for the delay. Examples of an acceptable reason could be that they have been ill or caring for a loved one.

4) Once the form is received the DWP will review the form. If they need more information, an independent health professional might phone the person to ask some questions or send a letter inviting them to an assessment. Assessments can be in person but currently are mostly over the phone or in some cases by video call.

5) Finally, the person should receive a letter from the DWP informing them of their decision. There is no guarantee on how long this will take. The DWP could decide to do the following:

• Extend the PIP award.
• Increase or decrease payments.
• End the persons PIP claim.

If the person would like to challenge a decision, they will usually need to follow the mandatory reconsideration process and appeal if this is unsuccessful.

Where do we Currently Stand with PIP Reviews?

Statistics this month from Citizens Advice revealed that a staggering 430,000 people are currently awaiting the outcome of a Personal Independence Payment review across the UK. As a result of this often-vulnerable people with disabilities and long-term health conditions are missing out on an estimated £24m a month.

Some PIP reviews since the pandemic have taken up to two and a half years to be processed and understandably this can cause severe distress, with a person awaiting the often-dreaded decision letter to turn up everyday and what the outcome may be.

In the last six months, the number of people seeking support from Citizens Advice for Pip review-related issues rose by a significant 19% compared with the same period last year. The charity says delays to payments worth up to £172 a week are causing widespread hardship and distress during a cost-of-living crisis.

The Impact of the Backlog of PIP Reviews

Recent Scope research suggests that currently on average, disabled households (with at least one disabled adult or child) need an additional £975 a month to have the same standard of living as non-disabled households.

Whilst someone waiting for their PIP review should still receive financial support, it is only their initial award amount, meaning that if their health condition has got worse (as often happens) or their needs have increased since they were last assessed, the payments will not cover their growing costs.

PIP Review delays can disrupt crucial access to other important benefits such as carers benefits for a person supporting the person, blue badges and access to the Motability scheme affecting the persons independence and vital financial support for younger claimants and their parents in full time education worth up to £456.89 per month on Universal Credit for example.

The psychological impact of both receiving a PIP review notification letter (especially when you may have another couple of years until the end of your current PIP award) or being in limbo after you have completed the PIP review form awaiting the decision can be devastating on a person. As an adviser I often sympathised with people who told me that the uncertainty had made their condition worse.

2 Tips for Completing the PIP Review process

Use the Descriptors Again and Justify the Points

It’s risky just to state that there has been no change to the condition or just give brief statements on the PIP review form. Also, there isn’t much space given on the form so I would recommend giving as much detail as possible and adding extra pages of A4 paper.

Remember DWP decision makers often aren’t medical experts. They will be looking at how often the condition affects the person in relation to the PIP descriptors as they did in the initial application, so it’s really important to justify the points giving recent examples and histories of the persons challenges. Remember to use PIP terminology such as differentiating between if a person requires ‘supervision’ or ‘prompting’.

If we think the person should be scoring 8 points for the Preparing Food Descriptor for example, we need to demonstrate that person ‘cannot prepare and cook food’. So, we need to explain why this is the case in relation to their conditions, if there is a risk factor, who prepares the food for them and what would happen if they weren’t available to support the person.

The Importance of Supporting Medical Evidence

It’s important to supply supporting evidence, (especially if the condition has got worse as the person may be entitled to a higher rate}.

You should include copies of documents such as:

• a list of the persons prescriptions
• a copy of a care plan if one is in place or a carers statement for a carer can be useful.
• any paperwork a person has been given by health professionals, including reports and letters (not appointment letters)
• a PIP diary is always useful and gives a DWP decision maker a good insight into how often a condition affects a person.

Remember the DWP must consider all relevant supporting evidence! So, if this is not addressed by the DWP when making their decision, this would often be your starting point when challenging a decision!