Thanks for the add...

[BIGMACBAKER]

A PIP enquiry if I may, I am 67 and nearing the end of my award, it ends mid June. I am trying to find out whether or not the 'Light touch' assessment and ongoing award ever became a reality and the implication for me. I currently have Standard DLA and Enhanced Mobility. Thanks for any help or advice....

[nukecad]

Yes it did, and has been happening for a couple of years now.

If you reach, or are already above, State Pension Age then your PIP award should now automatically become ongoing with 10 year light touch reviews.

At 67 you have already reached SPA, and so your PIP award will become ongoing.

You should get a letter about it nearer to your current award end date, (they were sending them 30 days before, but it could be earlier now), here is a copy of the letter:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/reque..._passthrough=1

You don't need another assessment, (at least not for 10 years since your last one), you just get that letter.

A number of members here have already had their PIP changed to ongoing.

[BIGMACBAKER]

Thank you, I spoke to the general enquiry line earlier and they suggested re-applying. . .I don't think they are up to speed for more in depth enquires. I can call the number they gave me in the hope that they are more informed or maybe you can suggest a better number? . . . I'm loathe to put my head above the parapet. . . Thanks again. . .

[nukecad]

The phone jockeys can be pretty poorly trained.

As you can see in the above link it's a standard letter for all who reach SPA.

There should be no need to reapply.

The number they gave you is probably for new applications. (Ending in 2222)
Don't make a new application.

Ring the PIP enquiry line given here (ending 4433).
https://www.gov.uk/pip/change-of-circumstances

Sorry for any spelling mistakes, I'm fixing my computer so this is on my phones tiny screen.

[BIGMACBAKER]

Thanks again, it was the enquiry line which suggested the 2222 number....past experience supports your training comment. I feel a whole lot better after your help so will just contain myself for now, it runs out on the 15th June so plenty of time yet

[nukecad]

Back on my laptop now. (Fixed but not upgraded like I wanted, still working on that).

If you'd like a bit more reassurance then try this thread from 2019 which has a few more links about it all:
https://youreable.livingmadeeasy.org...for-pensioners

[gus607]

I'm sorry to dissapoint you but an automatic ten year award & light touch review does not happen automatically for PIP claimants on reaching state retirement age.
I am 68 years old & my PIP award has been extended until Sept 2022, no mention of a ten year award.
The PIP ten year award is NOT automatic on reaching state pensiion age.

[nukecad]

Sorry gus607, the ongoing PIP for pensioners IS automatic and is written into law.

It doesn't happen when you reach SPA, they tell you when your current award is coming to an end and you are over SPA.


There are some pensioners like yourself, and BigmackBaker who started this thread, that are simply in the situation of not having it applied to their award yet - but by law it will be applied.

That has happened simply because you were already over SPA (or almost there) when your last award was made.

Ongoing with 10 year reviews will be applied to your current award when your current award is coming to an end.

Which because of the extension will now be in Sept 2022.

I agree that waiting until your current award is due to end before telling you that they are applying the 'ongoing' is an odd way of doing it.
It would make more sense if they just wrote to all pensioners with PIP to say their awards were now ongoing.
(I guess they reckoned it was easier to do each one as it was coming to an end rather than doing them all at once).

And as you say, in your circumstances it would have been more sensible to apply the ongoing rather than extending your award.
But how often have you ever know the DWP to do things sensibly? And unless their guidance said 'check the claimants age' they'll just do an extension.

[gus607]

Thank you nukecad for the clarification. I humbly apologise & bow to your superior knowledge
The DWP never make or explain things the easy way it seems, as alway's.

[nukecad]

No problems, just didn't want others to be worried.

And yes the DWP are pretty bad at explaining what they are doing or why, and some of the ways they work seem stupid.

Mostly it's because they are just following a repetitive set of instructions so turn their brains off, sometimes its because 'computer says no' and won't let them do what they know would be better.

There again I've just spent half an hour webchatting to an Amazon 'support' robot about a faulty disc drive I've just bought.
I'm 100% sure that 'Priya' was AI and not a real person.
Amazon answers quickly, but they could teach the DWP a trick or two about disambiguation, confusing answers, and confusing processes.
Once you get through that then things work as they should. (Replacement drive coming tomorrow).