DLA to PIP queries

I received a letter from t'DWP telling me I had to claim PIP or my DLA would stop.

As far as I was aware, my DLA claim would run until 26/01/2016. According to the DWP letter, my claim could stop on 06/10/2015 if I don't make a claim for PIP.

My partner and I were wondering if we've read and understood the letter correctly.

Also, what happens to payments if any decision is made months after my DLA is scheduled to finish? Would I keep receiving my current rate of DLA or would payments stop until a decision is made?

We're more worried what would happen if a decision is made before the end of my DLA claim and whether it would affect any payments as we've budgeted for DLA until 26/01/16 due to my blue badge and VED-exemption.

Hi Shimtoan,

DWP are entitled to instigate the switch to PIP at any stage, even if your DLA award has not yet ended. As it happens, we would expect forms to be sent out around 16 weeks before your claim ends so this is not so very early.

Now that the process has started you must apply for PIP within the given timeframe, otherwise your DLA claim would be stopped anyway.

As long as you play your part, your DLA claim would continue even if no decision had been made on the PIP by Jan 2016. DLA payments will continue until 1 month after the PIP decision is made, whatever and whenever that decision is.

Don't forget to make good use of our PIP guides

PIP help for claimants

If/when you have further questions please reply to this message and we will do our best to help

Does a transfer count as a continuation then?

If the decision isn't made until, say, March, would I be required to pay back any "overpayment" if I'm awarded a lower amount than currently?

I've read that one person was effectively swindled out of over £3,000 during a transfer because the decision process took about 18 months and came out at a higher rate for PIP than it was DLA