Letter from DWP re delay in PIP decision

Hi, I'd be really grateful for any advice or to hear if anyone else has experienced something similar.

I have been receiving DLA (HRC LRM) for more than ten years. In early January I reported an improvement in my condition and was invited to apply for PIP. I received a letter telling me that my DLA would continue until a decision was made on my PIP claim.

I have just discovered,however, that my DLA has been suspended and I will not receive any payments until a decision is made re PIP. When I rang them I was told that this was because it was 'a generic letter' and it didn't apply to me because I had told them my condition had improved. I told them that I didn't see how they could send me a letter saying my payments would continue, after they had already suspended them, and then claim that it was just because it was a generic letter.

I feel really upset and annoyed about this. Nowhere in anything I have been sent or in any literature I have seen does it say that your DLA will be suspended until a PIP decision is made. It says that if you report a change of circumstances your DLA will continue throughout the PIP claim process. The fact that they actually wrote and told me my payments would continue when they had already suspended them just makes it even worse.

I depend on DLA to pay for care I need. Though I felt my condition had improved enough to notify the DLA, that does not mean that I am suddenly better and don't need any care at all. I now face the prospect of many months without payment and no way of paying my carer. So far I haven't even received a PIP claim form.

I just feel really let down and upset and worried about how I am going to manage.

Thanks Gordon. I have some good news today. I was told that someone would call me to discuss the suspension of my claim. I have to say I wasn't holding my breath, but they just called and told me that they had decided to reinstate my DLA until a decision is made on PIP. I'm really pleased and relieved... and rather surprised about this. If anyone else finds themselves in a similar situation, it seems it may be worth talking to them about it.

Thanks again,

Clare

Hi there,

I applied for PIP from DLA about three months ago. I have enduring mental health problems and had been receiving DLA (an indefinite award) for more than fifteen years.

Anyway, I was given a date for an assessment, which they then cancelled, saying they had all the evidence they needed. That was three weeks ago.

Today I received a letter from DWP saying they had everything they need and apologising that it was taking longer than expected to reach a decision.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has received a letter and if I should read anything into it, and also how much longer it's likely to take after receiving this letter.

I googled it and found quite a few people seem to have received these letters in the past, but none recently. It would be good to hear others' experience.

Thanks for your help.

Hi Megsta,

I have merged your query with the previous topic relating to your PIP claim as it helps us enormously when everything relating to the same claim is kept in one place. You will find this easily in future if you bookmark/favourite it on your web browser now and will be able to return with further questions or comments about your PIP claim.

DWP are sending these letters out very frequently as the process has slowed down again. You cannot read anything into this as to whether your claim will be successful or not.

For claimants who have a face2face assessment, it is taking around 8 weeks after this for the decision to arrive. I would expect it to take a similar period for people, like yourself, who did not have a face2face.