PIP Award - Review Period

Hi Gordon,

I guess your response suggests that they're simply choosing to ignore it

This leads me back to the conflict of interest point I raised previously...as the review period is based upon a 'medical decision' alone and thus is left to the assessor who is uniquely qualified? which leaves them able to apparently influence a 'future' revenue stream (by providing continuity of unopposed frequent assessments) on behalf of their 'employer' despite the fact that this is also invariably to the detriment of the claimant!

I suggest that on principle this can't be right as implicitly there is considerable incentive (the AP contract) to keep requiring repeat assessments with no intervention likely from DWP DM's who (as you point out) will always defer to a 'medical decision'. So unfair.....

My PIP ongoing award states on my PA3 Paper Based.

it's not appropriate to review the claim.

Also states: A review period seems unnecessary and it is likely that functional restriction identefied in the report will be present at the recommended point of review.

So Gordon it migh be like you've said, they may leave us alone when they know a review is pointless.

Hi This Government Has Gone Too Far,

Love the username by the way......how totally appropriate!!

As I have only just completed the journey from DLA to PIP this is a completely new (and unpleasant!) experience for me. I fully appreciate the 'concept' of continuing reviews, I just don't see the point in stressing out claimants when no improvement in functional health is possible AND nothing to improve the level of benefit can be achieved.

I had thought the government (DWP) was finally on the same page with the minister's statement to the house and the recently available 'Internal Guidance' document I linked in my earlier post (plus as Gordon has already pointed out, the current PIP Assessment Guide)!

So now I am not sure what criteria actually unlocks the utopian 'Ongoing Award' (Light Touch?) as in my case the assessor has already stated that my functional restrictions will only deteriorate (degenerative condition - Muscular Dystrophy) AND the award given is Enhanced/Enhanced. ….and yet she still specified that she recommends a review in 3 years. (Hence my conspiracy theory...LOL!!).

Can you confirm whether your INITIAL award was on transfer from DLA? If so, was a review initially specified? and, If so did the Paper Based PA3 come AFTER that subsequent review? If this is the case I guess I will have to wait and see what happens in 2021 when my review is triggered....still worried though, given other's experience.

Finally, I don't understand why DWP Decision Makers appear to lack the flexibility (or perhaps imagination?) to contradict the HP's opinion even WHEN the appropriate criteria contained in their own guide is satisfied. To me this suggests that their only function is to attach the relevant points to the HP's assigned descriptors, add them together and determine the award based on the points accumulated.....if so, seems not that much of a DECISION is involved!!

Hiya Neil, glad you to like my username, I thought it's very appropriate in this day and age..lol

Back to the job in hand. Yes I also thought the Government we're improving things for people that are progressive and degenerative illnesses?

Yes I was transferred from DLA Oct 17 on high rate Mobility, Low car indefinitely, then PIP on-going till after October 2027 with light touch after 10 years, still awaiting what that all really means.

Even on my PIP decision letter, the DM she even agreed regarding my all difficulty's saying (I agree you have great difficulty) So Neil none of it makes sense.

Hi TGGTF,

Thank you for confirming your circumstances, like you said none of it makes any sense.....much like this government!!

Interestingly I was also on the same DLA as you prior to PIP......then like you awarded enhanced/enhanced......but not the on-going bit rather three years to review. Do you think they just make all of this up as they go along, hence no consistency with the PIP Assessment Guide, recent advice or even the spirit of the minister's statement?

In reality I guess the crucial difference between us here is the assessor/DM.....perhaps yours were satisfied that there was no logic in setting a review period!

As ever with theses things it is the claimants who are left to pick up the pieces, the tax payer the unnecessary cost and the Assessment Providers any monetary reward should a further face to face assessment be deemed necessary on review by the DWP's apparatchiks.

So this is what they call a fairer, money saving system!!