Telephone call from DWP

Some weeks ago i had my pip home assessment, this week i had a missed call from the DWP asking me to call them back. I did this straight way and after going through some security questions the young man asked about the period of time i was admitted to hospital last year for 5 days in agony with one of the issues i have. He wanted to know if i could remember the dates? I could not exactly remember, he then asked if it was before i made my claim via the telephone in the first instance which he said was the 23 /06 2014. I said i am certain i was admitted before that date and discharged before that date. Can anyone explain why he wanted this info, i thought maybe the claim was going to be successful and if so maybe they did not want to back pay to a time i was being cared for in hospital. Just a thought, i have checked the terms of pip and it does mention that if stays in hospital are over a certain time they can stop payments for that period, but not 5 days as in my case so i am puzzled by the question asked. I did ask if it was relevent to my claim he answered we just need to know if it was before your claim. Any ideas or thoughts please he did say i would know in a few more weeks.

Deekam wrote: Some weeks ago i had my pip home assessment, this week i had a missed call from the DWP asking me to call them back. I did this straight way and after going through some security questions the young man asked about the period of time i was admitted to hospital last year for 5 days in agony with one of the issues i have. He wanted to know if i could remember the dates? I could not exactly remember, he then asked if it was before i made my claim via the telephone in the first instance which he said was the 23 /06 2014. I said i am certain i was admitted before that date and discharged before that date. Can anyone explain why he wanted this info, i thought maybe the claim was going to be successful and if so maybe they did not want to back pay to a time i was being cared for in hospital. Just a thought, i have checked the terms of pip and it does mention that if stays in hospital are over a certain time they can stop payments for that period, but not 5 days as in my case so i am puzzled by the question asked. I did ask if it was relevent to my claim he answered we just need to know if it was before your claim. Any ideas or thoughts please he did say i would know in a few more weeks.

Hi D,

As with DLA claims, it is quite normal with PIP claims to be asked to provide information regarding any hospital admissions as an in-patient.

As long as you were not in hospital as an in-patient for 28 days or more there should not be a problem.

bro58

Yes i knew the 28 day rule of being in hospital and then needing to inform them if on pip. It quite clearly said 5 days on my pip form so i was puzzled as to the call.

The young man was very polite and even said did i want to call him back the next day with the dates of admission and discharge but i just said i am sure it was in May last year. I did call my GP but they said they would have to trawl through the paper records as i had moved my GP practice since then. I told my GP receptionist not to put themselves through the task of hunting it down as he was quite satisfied with my answer of it being before my claim. It still puzzles me though as to why the need for the info if as i had said it was just 5 days! Would there be another reason for this info, he appeared to just need to know was it before my claim!

Deekam wrote: Yes i knew the 28 day rule of being in hospital and then needing to inform them if on pip. It quite clearly said 5 days on my pip form so i was puzzled as to the call.

The young man was very polite and even said did i want to call him back the next day with the dates of admission and discharge but i just said i am sure it was in May last year. I did call my GP but they said they would have to trawl through the paper records as i had moved my GP practice since then. I told my GP receptionist not to put themselves through the task of hunting it down as he was quite satisfied with my answer of it being before my claim. It still puzzles me though as to why the need for the info if as i had said it was just 5 days! Would there be another reason for this info, he appeared to just need to know was it before my claim!

Hi D,

No, it is quite standard for them to inquire regarding hospital stays as an in-patient, so I wouldn't worry !!

bro58