PIP recipients with 10-year awards set for ‘light-touch’ reviews from DWP.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has revealed that “in most cases” people nearing the end of their 10-year Personal Independence Payment (PIP) award this year will not need to attend an assessment.
This follows the introduction of a new, shorter PIP review form that is being sent out to those with a ‘light-touch’ award, which usually lasts for 10 years.
The DWP has published a sample copy of the ‘PIP AR2’ form on GOV. UK as part of the PIP Toolkit.
It provides a good indication of the questions people with a light-touch award will need to answer on the six-page document before receiving the letter from the DWP, allowing them to gather any necessary information in advance, reports the Daily Record.
Ongoing awards are primarily for those with the highest level of support or whose needs will not change or will only worsen. Since 2019, this has also included most people who have reached State Pension age.
Sections on the PIP review form
The six-page review form covers:
- Identity and contact details
- Immigration status
- Your main healthcare professional
- Details of any changes to your health condition or disability
- Details of any changes to your daily living needs
- Details of any changes to your mobility needs
- Your consent to allow the DWP to collect further information
Questions on the review form
Here are all 16 questions on the PIP AR2 form:
About you.
Q1 – Your name
Q2 – Your date of birth
Q3 – Your address
Q4 – Is this a hospital, hospice or other residential or nursing care accommodation?
Q5 – Your correspondence address
Q6 – A phone number DWP can contact you on
Q7 – Have there been any changes to your immigration status? – additional space is provided to write an answer
Q8 – Tell DWP anything they need to know about how they communicate with you – additional space is provided to write an answer
About the main healthcare professional that supports you.
The form explains that this may be your GP, hospital consultant or a specialist nurse and asks you to provide their details.
Q9 – What is their name?
Q10 – What is their job?
Q11 – What is their phone number?
Q12 – What is the address where they work?
About your health condition or disability
Questions 13, 14, and 15 on the form provide plenty of room to jot down extra details. It also reminds folks that “PIP is assessed on how your condition affects you, not the condition itself.”
Q13 – Have there been any changes in your health condition or disability since DWP last awarded you PIP?
Q14 – Have your daily living needs changed since DWP last made a decision on your PIP?
The form states: “By daily living we mean preparing food and cooking, eating and drinking, managing treatments and taking medication, washing and bathing, managing toilet needs, dressing and undressing, communicating, reading, mixing with other people and managing money.”
Q15 – Have your mobility needs changed since DWP last made a decision on your PIP?
The form states: “By mobility we mean getting around and planning and following a journey.”
Consent for DWP to collect additional information
Q16 – Do you give consent for your doctor or other relevant professionals to give DWP more information about your health condition or disability?
The final question also provides advice on offering DWP permission to gather more data about your health condition.
The form explains: “The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or approved healthcare professionals that work for DWP, might need more information about your health condition or disability and how it affects you.”
It adds that the DWP could request additional information from your doctor, with your approval, or any other professional you tell them about.
The letter goes on: “DWP can lawfully ask your doctor, hospital consultant or other relevant professionals for information about your health condition and how it affects you. This is because we are asking for the information to help us carry out our official social security functions.”
The note reads: “You do not have to give your consent. If you do not, DWP will make a decision based on the information they have already, as well as any you give DWP yourself.”
To wrap up the process, your signature and date are needed on the last page. The AR2 award review form is accessible online.
The PIP review process (DWP)
Assurances from DWP specify you’ll still get your PIP payments while your claim goes through the review process. Those involved in the process will receive this form with an additional explanatory letter.
When the notification arrives from DWP, it will:
- Confirm that you have a long-term health condition/disability or that you are over State Pension age
- Confirm your current awards for daily living and/or mobility
- Set out the needs or difficulties that you have been assessed under for daily living and/or mobility for your current award
- Explain the reason for the review
- Give clear instructions about what you need to do next
- Explain what to do if you have problems completing the form
- Explain what the DWP will do once they receive the form
Remember, review forms come with a submission deadline – generally a month. You’ll find this date on the advisory letter and corresponding review form.
But wouldn’t worry if you need more time to fill it out, just call the PIP enquiry line on 0800 121 4433 at your earliest convenience.
