Moving from DLA to PIP

General health and lifestyle
1

just got my award letter yesterday Aug 6th. Glad to say I retain my enhanced level of care and have been moved up to enhanced level for mobility. They have awarded it for 3 years 

I had been terrified about it all having read so many negative things happening to people, here on line. Thought I'd write a success story which may put people's minds to rest and perhaps be of help 

Recieved the letter asking me to apply at the end of May, giving me 4 weeks to fill in the form. I asked for a few weeks extension which they happily granted once I had received the form. This was because I had a psychiatrists appointment due very soon and wanted to attend that before submitting my form. As it happened I had to send in the letter from psychiatrist and from the Orthopeadic surgeon I saw after I'd sent in my form . 

So my form was due in by June 6th. I received a text saying they had received it a few days after I'd sent it recorded delivery. 

I recieved a letter asking me to go for a medical about 6 weeks later , ( medical was done mid / end July and about 2/3 weeks after that I received the desicion 

I filled in my form with help from the Citizens Advice website for PIP 

The medical was straight forward ,lasted about an hour as she just went through every question I'd answered . 

I sent in a letter of support from psychiatrist and from Orthopeadic surgeon . In my award letter they mentioned them referring to my XRay, so I assume they actually contacted my GP for that, indeed for the report on the appointment I'd had about my hip . I finally managed to get a copy of this letter to send in, and it only got sent in about ten days before the desicion letter arrived. Not sure if they would have recieved it

my GP receptionist had said that I didn't need any letters as the PIP would approach them. I wasn't sure about this, so got the letters sent In anyway. 

Everything went smoothly , I must admit, I'd only got 1 point above what I needed for enhanced Care..  I dispute the amount of points they gave me for a couple of other things. 

I will write thanking them and will mention this

All I can say is that I feel the whole thing went well. No nasty surprises. 

Please dont torture yourself like I did. Just give as much info as you can and I think you will be fine 

2

Hi,

Great news on your award, always good to her success stories. Just a few pointers for you. There's no need to write to DWP to thank them for your award, i've never heard of anyone ever doing this, or pointing out any disputes you have. This would be like shooting yourself in the foot kind of thing. You've got the max amount of award you can get so just relax now until your review. Reviews are done 1 year before your award is due to end so for you it would be 2019 if your award is until 2020.

Last of all, good thing you didn't listen to the person who told you they will contact your GP. They almost never do this. If they did this for every claimant then the backlogs would be even longer. Put your feet up and relax now it's all over.

3

Well done on your award, it's always good to hear a success story.  I had to transfer from DLA to PIP last year and worried myself sick for the couple of months it lasted, but I retained my enhanced mobility award and was increased from standard care to enhanced.  

I was told by someone on another forum, that I would not be eligible to transfer from DLA to PIP due to my age (I was 68 then) and that I should just apply for Attendance Allowance.  They obviously gave me the wrong information and thank goodness my husband argued that the DWP would not have sent me the letter if I was too old, so I continued and the rest as they say, is history.

 

4

Hi, great to hear a success story, Denise is right about you doing the right thing by not listening when people told you DWP would contact your GP! Also, good on you for using the advice on the CAB website, shows how taking the time and effort and using advice available works out! Congrats again, and hope you're able to relax now, and feel secure for a while.

5

Hi am pleased for you

6

I wouldn't normally have written just to thank them ( even though they did thank me for applying ) 

iv disputed desicions in the past, I thought it may be useful to have it in writing for the next time I apply,since I only just got the enhanced level for care . I was given a zero for something I felt I should have scored points for, it didn't matter this time,but next time it may . 

I would be interested in hearing how they arrived at zero points ( for being able to manage complex budgeting etc ) ..as due to my condition and medication I find budgeting even simple things a night mare. 

 

7

I totally understand where you're coming from but i still think you'd be wasting your time. The chances of them even looking at your letter is very slim, much less write a reply to you. you have the max award you can get. Even if you had got points for that descriptor it wouldn't have made any difference. Just imagine the amount of people that are/have applied for PIP and are still waiting an assessment or even a decision is probably massive. There's still people waiting to be invited for their transfer from DLA which has been pushed back again till next September. Out of interest did you ask for a copy of the assessment report? This report would tell you more than the report from the DM, if you haven't then ring PIP and they'll send you a copy. This would be more beneficial to you than this letter you're going to write. In my honest opinion (and i have a lot of experience with PIP) It just makes no sense at all. When it comes to your review 2 years from now if you do lose the points then fight for them because right now you can not gain anymore points unless you ask for the mandatory Reconsideration (MR) which would be a little silly to go down that route. This is just my adivce it's entirely your choice of course

8

I had the impression that all correspondence would be kept on file ? When I rang for the form they asked if they could look at and use reports I had sent in years ago. I said yes but they would be out of date. 

I just got a letter telling me how many points I'd been awardedfor each part. I understand where you are coming from, I just thought it may have been useful to have it on record that I'd quireied something . 

Trouble is with this kind of thing online is that there is a lot of supposition ... Guessing. I believe they did approach my GP in the end ( I can't be certain ) and do you know to any degree of certainty that they won't look at any letter I send? 

Thanks for your input anyway 

9

what form does the review do you know? Will I need to fill out the entire form again ? 

 

10

Why would it be kept on file? you have your award of Enhanced for both parts! This is a letter you're talking about not a form or anything like that and a letter that seems like you're challenging a decision that you can't gain anymore points in, it's just a waste of time and effort. You should be relaxing and enjoying this award you have not thinking of writing any letter about why you didn't gain those points.

They mostly always ask those transfering from DLA if they want their file taken into consideration, whether it's used or not is a different story. The amount of people that i've heard theirs wasn't even looked at is insane. What i've adviced you today is my personal opinion here on the free advice forums. I'm not an expert and i don't get paid for advicing people but i've done an insane amount of research for PIP, ESA and other benefits. Enjoy that award because there's a huge amount of people out there that when transfering from high rate in both on DLA to nothing for PIP. Good luck in what ever you decide to do and enjoy the rest of your day

11

It's a very much shortened version of the PIP2 with multpile choice questions. So for example with your mobility it will ask you if you've had any changes, stayed the same or got worse in 3 seperate boxes. The same for all the other descriptors (parts) i did mine myself last year and took me no time at all. Send in your evidence tou have at the time (within 2 years is what it said on my letter) If there's been changes then explain why in the box provided. Also the assessment report you need to ask for, for the assessment for PIP is called the PA4 report. Very useful to have for your review when the time comes.

12

Well done Ashawloves. I have just received my enhanced rate for both daily living/care and mobility. I had to take mine to tribunal. But the advice I received from my mum who helped me throughout and Denise's suppirt in regards to things i wasnt aware of helped immensely. Never give Up is what both Denise and my mum said. As you have to sometimes fight for what's rightfully yours. Mine is awarded for 10 years. But it doesn't matter how long. It's knowing you should be entitled to this from the start. Enjoy your award. Good luck in the future.

13

Hello All,

​congratulations on your success with your award Ashawolves. I hope you don't mind me hooping into onto your post I am new to this site. I have tried to start a discussion of my own however it does not appear to be working ?.

​I am currently awaiting for my decision of my pip claim. I have never claimed prior. I have lived with chronic anxiety since 2010.

​The whole process has been a long anxious wait, and the assessment was an awful process I must say I felt judged and some of the comments made by my assessor left me feeling extremely distressed. An I must add there was little compassion I got a feeling that I was being judged.

​I don't think my claim will be success, from the dreaded stories I have heard about mental health being so poor treated within this process.

​Can I just ask, is it possible to ask over the phone regarding the points that have been advised on your report when you ring the pip helpline. I have already requested a copy of my report last Monday so hopefully I should receive that soon, my anxiety had been through the roof.