Re: The state benefits system mega-thread.
Last December, the DWP sent our lad a PIP Review Form. I returned it in time in January. All questions asked simply "Have there been any changes?" There were none, so I simply wrote "No change". Claimants are obliged to inform the DWP of any changes as they happen.
Now, 4 months later, he has a letter saying they can't review his case as it was awarded by a Tribunal until December of this year.
But they could review it if there were any changes in his situation, and they gave 2 examples, both making claims harder. "If a situation should be "dangerous" they now want to know "how dangerous" and to quantify how likely those scenarios are "liable to actually happen". The other one is only relevant to claimants who have fits or blackouts.
So just before his PIP award ends, I have to ask for a claim pack and make a brand-new claim in his name. And that will involve their "medical professionals" having him in for an assessment. Probably zero points as before, so on to Tribunal.
From receiving the claim pack, to a first decision is now taking around 16 weeks. To fight a bad decision by Mandatory Reconsideration adds a further 8 weeks to wait. If that is still bad, getting a Tribunal can take UP TO 6 MONTHS in many parts of the country.
Up to a year for a claim to be correctly awarded!!!!
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