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Personal Independence Payment

PIP CLAIMS
Guide to PIP claims and reviews
108 page guide to PIP claims, medicals and the PIP review form (AR1/1043).  

Long Covid PIP claims supplement
A short guide to what DWP assessors and decision makers are being told about assessing claimants with Long Covid.

I've been awarded PIP, what else can I claim?
14 page guide to other benefits you may be able to claim if you are awarded PIP.

PIP Sample medical report
Our own sample version of a PIP PA4 medical report form

PIP GP Notes
A copy of the PIP descriptors you can take your GP to ask them to select which ones they think apply to you, add any comments and sign and date as evidence for your claim or appeal. Just take the pages you need.

UC/ESA and PIP overlap 
A chart showing the degree of overlap between UC/ESA and PIP descriptors. This is something that will become increasingly important if combined assessments are introduced, as is currently being planned. Many thanks to Gordon, our moderator, for creating this.

PIP DIARIES
Not everyone wants to keep a diary of the effects of their condition, but many claimants do find them useful either to help with completing the PIP ‘How your disability affects you' form or to submit as additional evidence.

Our sample extracts covering mental and physical health conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, anxiety and depression and our templates will make sure you do the best possible job of keeping a PIP diary.

You can also download templates to create your own diary.

Anxiety and depression extract

Arthritis and obesity extract

Chronic fatigue syndrome extract

Fibromyalgia extract

Mobility extract

Schizophrenia extract

You can create your own diary using one of the templates below. The first is for printing off and then completing by hand, the second can be completed on your computer and then printed off.

Diary template in .pdf format

Diary template in Word format - you can type directly into this version.

PIP APPEALS
Guide to PIP appeals
A 23 page guide on challenging PIP decisions through Mandatory Reconsideration and Appeal.

The Best Possible Support For Clients With PIP Mandatory Reconsiderations and Appeals
A detailed 49 page guide that can be used by claimants and support workers alike to challenge PIP decisions via mandatory reconsideration and appeal.

PIP mandatory reconsideration and appeal submissions
A 33 page guide to PIP mandatory reconsideration and appeal submissions and sample submissions for health conditions: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Anxiety & depression; Schizophrenia; Mobility problems; Fibromyalgia; Anxiety disorder, depression & agoraphobia and; Osteoarthritis & obesity

Best possible ways to challenge a PIP medical report
A 24 page guide to challenging a DWP Health Professional's PIP medical report, includes over 50 grounds for appeal and sample text.

PIP DWP RESOURCES

Tribunal Help For Users
HM Courts and Tribunals Service document which sets out which claimants can request an urgent appeal.

PIP Assessment Guide Last updated 17 June 2019 The PIP Assessment Guide is provided to health professionals carrying out PIP medicals. It has now been split into three separate documents.

Personal independence Payment Assessment Tool  
92 page facilitators guide for training health professionals to use PIPAT, the software used to carry out PIP assessments.

PIPAT Guidance for Assessment Providers
103 page guide for Atos and Capita to using PIPAT assessment software.

Benchbook
190 pages A4, dated August 2006 - the tribunals service refuse to release newer editions
A very useful resource. The Benchbook is a practical guide to what should happen at tribunals which every chairman is expected to use. Everything from what to do if the claimant doesn't turn up to whether to allow tape recording of hearings.

Employment and Support Allowance & Universal Credit

ESA & UC CLAIMS
ESA and UC Claims for Physical, Mental Health and Learning Difficulties: a guide to the limited capability for work assessment.  
This is a fully comprehensive guide to the assessment procedure on physical, mental health and learning difficulties grounds for employment & support allowance and universal credit.

Disability Living Allowance

DLA CLAIMS
The Best Possible Disability Living Allowance Claims For Children On Physical and Mental Health Grounds
A 74 page guide to DLA claims for children.

The Best Possible Disability Living Allowance Renewal Claims For Adults On Physical Health Grounds
A 58 pageto DLA renewal claims for adults with a physical health condition

The Best Possible Disability Living Allowance Renewal Claims For Adults On Mental Health Grounds 
A 50pageto DLA renewal claims for adults with a mental health condition

DLA MEDICALS
70 Questions You’re Likely To Be Asked At Your DLA Medical

Letter from Chris Grayling, former minister for employment, confirming that claimants can ask to have their DLA medical recorded provided it takes place at a medical examination centre rather than in the claimant's home. (We've removed the House of Commons coat-of-arms as we may not have the right to reproduce this).

DLA APPEALS
The Best Possible Support For Clients With DLA and AA Mandatory Reconsiderations and Appeals
This 46 page guide can be used by claimants and support workers alike to challenge DLA decisions.

Giving Persuasive Information About How Far You Can Walk
13 page guide.

Challenging The Claim A Bottle Or Commode Will Replace The Need For Help
8 page guide

DWP RESOURCES
A-Z of medical conditions for adults
A 764 page guide to how medical conditions affect adults in relation to DLA and AA. Used by decision makers. For each condition it explains the DWP's view of:

the definition of the condition
what evidence should be available
the likely care and mobility needs
how long the needs will last
how it affects people over 65

Please note: the first 90 pages are links and an index, the text begins after this.

A-Z of medical conditions for children
A 559 page guide to how medical conditions affect children in relation to DLA. Used by decision makers. For each condition it explains the DWP's view of:

the definition of the condition
the effects and signs
how it is assessed
how it is treated and managed
what evidence should be available
how long the needs will last

Attendance Allowance

Attendance allowance claims
Detailed guide to claiming attendance allowance on physical or mental health grounds.

Archive materials

Incapacity benefits
Incapacity benefits claims and medicals
Guides to the personal capability assessment, including completing the incapacity for work (IB50) questionnaire on mental and physical health grounds. Plus full details of how to prepare for, and what you’ll be asked at a medical.

Incapacity benefits appeals
Guide to appealing against the decision that you’re capable of work.

Incapacity benefits briefs
Useful sample letters and emails relating to incapacity benefit.

DWP incapacity benefits resources
Links to a huge range of DWP guides, training materials, confidential bulletins and other documents obtained by Benefits and Work using the Freedom of Information Act.