Thanks for the add...

[BIGMACBAKER]

I just spoke to the DWP again and was told that because my award was made at appeal and given an end date I will have to apply again 14 weeks from the end, so in a couple of weeks. Depressing!

[nukecad]

The person on the phone is wrong and was just spouting about why some PIP awards that were made by a tribunal are not being extended for covid.

(And BTW the DWP are dodgy legal ground with that and they know it, there is no real legal reason why they can't extend an award made at tribunal, they can't change or shorten it but nothing stops them extending it).

But that has (should have) nothing whatsoever to do with the ongoing 'light touch' awards for pensioners.

Did you tell them that you were over SPA, or were they not listening as usual.

(I get annoyed when they do that and tell people the wrong thing, simply because they couldn't be bothered to listen properly and so go off an a stock script instead).

This DWP press release from 9th July 2019 says it clearly:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/t...sment-overhaul

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd first announced in March that people receiving PIP who have reached State Pension age will no longer have their awards regularly reviewed, instead moving to a light touch review at 10 years.
.....
Last month this improvement was applied to all new PIP claimants who reached State Pension age before their planned re-assessment. From today it will start being applied to existing PIP claimants over State Pension age.

"From today" being from 9th July 2019.

If they go back on their word now and suddenly start giving pensioners full re-assessments again there will be ructions.

[BIGMACBAKER]

I suspect they have a dodgy algorithm in their code since I am still some time off the end of my award....I won't let it go but 15th June is still a long way away (relatively) So I'll stay on top of it.... I'll update as and when...

[BIGMACBAKER]

Things have moved on now, I've had the dreaded letter saying 'Your claim is ending - if you still need PIP we can help you continue to claim'
I made the phone call and received the text to say the forms are on the way. It was all SO much like a new claim that I called again to check and the girl assured me that it's just the way they are administering it. We'll see now what happens......

[nukecad]

It was all SO much like a new claim that I called again to check and the girl assured me that it's just the way they are administering it.

Actually all PIP 'renewals' are a new claim, although they like to be weasle worded and don't often say it as such.

I still don't understand why they are giving you a reassessment if you are over SPA, it's not supposed to happen like that.
I believe that something in the system has got mixed-up.

You may want to ring them again and ask them just that one question - "I'm over State Pension Age, why am I being reassessed instead of being on light touch?".
Nothing else just that one question, so that it doesn't confuse them.

If/when the forms do arrive I'd fill them in and in 'Additional Information' I think I'd ask the same question.

It is quite clearly stated in the 'PIP Toolkit' that this should not normally happen (my red highlighting):
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-pers...it#pip-reviews

Ongoing awards with a ‘light touch’ review

This is for claimants who have:

very stable needs which are unlikely to change over time
high level needs which will either stay the same or get worse
a planned award review date due on or at State Pension age
a special rules for terminal illness claim due when of State Pension age

These claimants would not usually be expected to have a face-to-face assessment at review.

Although do note that '.. not usually be expected to have ..." which gives them a bit of an out if they make a mistake.

[BIGMACBAKER]

I'll let you know what happens next, the girl today just said make sure to say nothing has changed, I plan to point out my being over SPA and am asking my GP for a letter stating that my condition is unchanged.

[nukecad]

the girl today just said make sure to say nothing has changed,

Hopefully then they are sending you the AR1 'short' form (only 16 pages) and it's just an admin thing so that they can then award you the same and put you on 'ongoing' PIP.
It's the AR1 form that has sections in which you can just put 'No change'.

That's not the way it's supposed to work according to everything they have published up to now, and not the way it's been done in the past - members here have had those letters about ongoing being awarded without a reassessment.

But from what I can find there isn't any actual legilslation about this, it's a policy and so they can change how they carry out that policy from time to time.

[BIGMACBAKER]

I believe that is what the girl yesterday inferred, I will wait for the form and if it Is the full form phone them immediately. It might just be a way for them to administer the system, fingers, legs and eyes crossed! I WAS asked in the original call whether I have been told I was suffering from a terminal condition.

[BIGMACBAKER]

And now I have a letter (I also phoned) telling me that I am losing my pension credit because of PIP ending, the sound you hear is my life going down the toilet!

[BIGMACBAKER]

It seems that because my decision was won on Appeal (Mobility increased from Standard to Advanced) they cannot change the fixed term granted by the Court. Since only a small percentage of claims are granted by MR and a large percentage at Appeal this must mean that LOTS of people are in my situation. BAd news for me, June is looming and I will be screwed.