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New almost-pensioner PIP claimants to get 10 year awards

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Category: Latest news

The DWP has announced that from 31 May, new PIP claimants whose review would have been scheduled after they had reached State Pension age will instead receive an ongoing award with a light touch review at 10 years.

Minister for Disabled People Justin Tomlinson said:

“We are determined to improve our support for disabled people, and stopping needless PIP reviews for pensioners is the right thing to do.

“This step means new claimants to PIP who reach State Pension age before their review is due won’t have one unless they tell us their needs have changed, and the next step is to bring this in for all pensioners.”

The DWP also announced that the 10 year light touch review will be extended to existing PIP claimants above State Pension age in the coming months

The switch to light touch reviews for claimants of pensionable age was announced back in March of this year but no timetable for its full introduction was given at that time.

You can read the full DWP press release here.

Comments  

+1 #14 Toods 2020-08-03 11:48
This in an update to my Light touch PIP for pensioners question. I am 9 months from my pension age of 66. My pip review was due anytime soon. I just got a brown envelope from dwp. My pip has been looked at again and they have decided to give me 'ongoing' at the same rate until Aug 2030. I was unaware they were looking at my claim and I cant even begin to say what a relief I am feeling that I dont have to go through all that filling in forms and being scrutinised all over again. I have had many years of it, medicals, doctors who wrote rubbish reports, one medic who submitted someone elses report instead of my one. Benefits stopped and reinstated at appeal etc etc.
So, Light Touch really does exist, and for me at least, it happened before my pension date. I have to keep reading it because I feel like its a hoax and too good to be real!
I hope that others nearing pension age get similar results, there's hope yet.
#13 Toods 2020-07-24 16:11
I am desperate to find out what the dwp means by pension age! Some reading says light touch pip review from age 65, some just says pension age. Pension age for me is 66. My pip review will begin around 5/6 months before I get my pension at age 66. I want to find out what are the chances are of being put in the light touch review category shortly before I start to get my pension? Why are the DWP not clear!
#12 Toods 2020-07-15 12:40
I am confused by what constitutes pension age when it comes to having a light touch PIP renewal. I am 65 now and my pip was awarded until Aug 2021, so I could be reviewed anytime from Aug 2020. My pension is due to start May 2021 when I will be 66. I am wondering if I would get the light touch if my review came in the months before my 66th birthday. OR am I covered for light touch anyway because I am over 65, even though my pensionable age is 66. Some websites say age 65, others say pension age. The dwp info is also unclear.
+1 #11 Alex 2019-06-25 16:16
I am 63 - actually nearer 64 - and have just received the info re my 2nd PIP Assessment having previously had DLA. Awarded zero but Tribunal gave me max so now deeply depressed that, after my GP's confirmation that in the last 18 months nothing has improved (actually a few things are worse!) plus the Tribunal's decision, the DWP are making me go through it all again. My GP is especially miffed having confirmed that, not having any magic wand, I haven’t been “cured” and was especially scathing about my being told that, especially after > 45 years, epilepsy is not a “continuing condition”!

The Tribunal’s award continued the “reassessment period until 31 May 2019. Unfortunately, I was in too bad a state at the time to, e.g. ask for an ongoing award especially since I was given the decision letter 10 mins after the hearing. When I did notice, I idiotically believed that I would not be made to go through the process again.

I did wonder whether the “light touch” might apply to me but, given the length of the award, no chance and I even had to do the full Claim Application again, not even getting a Renewal Form.

Anyway, apologies for rambling – although any comments v much appreciated – question .......

I was also heartened by the “almost pensioner” info – at nearly 64 is that close enough, might I fall within this category?
+1 #10 Denise Longman 2019-06-20 14:25
20th June today, I received a letter dated 14th June, saying I must claim PIP,. I am 68 in October, and I've been on high rate DLA care and mobility, indefinite, for over 10 years. I'm terrified actually, and the first thing I did was pay to join here again. I got tremendous help here all those years ago. I saw the news about pensioners being allowed to stay on DLA but it can't have been implemented yet . I didn't qualify by age, by the old rules, but was hopeful that this new announcement would now apply. It looks like seferal similar aged people are in the same hoat. Is there any update ? Is it worth writing to my MP?
+2 #9 Stephen Frost 2019-06-19 11:38
I was awarded High Rate PIP for both Care & Mobility recently and I am almost 62 and the award is for 10 years....
+4 #8 angel152 2019-06-05 16:22
Hi there I hope this helps...like others on this site I am also a pensioner I was transferred from DLA INDEFINITE award to pip for 2 years after a home assessment ....due to my illnesses ....I was awarded another 2 years without an assessment this time until 2020...but last month they reviewed my pip award again a year before my award finished ....I was awarded my pip again from now till 2029 ...which I was more than happy with ...they wrote that they won’t look at my award till after the year2029 ..
+1 #7 Frogman9 2019-06-03 14:55
I'm a pensioner who was transferred from DLA to PIP around this time last year.....I was 65 in September last year will I still have to have another assessment ?
+1 #6 Anne James 2019-06-03 14:24
Hi Suffolk Girl :) I live in Suffolk also, I got my "invite" to apply for PIP a couple of weeks ago :( I am on indefinite also, have to call them before the 13th of this month, leaving it as long as I can, I am a pensioner also and will be 68 in August,, like you I cannot sleep so exhausted (don't sleep well anytime but how is horrendous) anxiety through the roof, thinking of you, just don't know where to start, so overwhelmed with it all, apart from my hospital appt once a year for ongoing lung problems but with the ME no point in seeing gp as nothing they can do, tended to write letters to him with updates, my Daughter is going to come home and help but tried to explain its not something that can be done in one day, so trying to pluck up courage to start going through the questions, so stressed and feel so ill at the thought of having to do this again, good luck
+1 #5 Denbo17 2019-06-03 13:24
Quoting suffolkgirl:
I`m in the exactly the same boat micpra55, the same age as you on an indefinite award but just had the dreaded letter on last day of May right on top of the weekend. Yes I have to claim pip instead as my dla is ending, talk about a soft touch for pensioners! To make matters worse the deadline they have given me is 21st June ! I am stressed out and cannot sleep.

What is the date on the letter that they sent to you. Is it about a week or so before the 31st?
+1 #4 Denbo17 2019-06-03 12:38
I am a pensioner, and in receipt of both the higher rates of DLA, and i am still waiting for an assessment to PIP. Does this mean that i will now still receive an ongoing award of DLA. ?
+1 #3 suffolkgirl 2019-06-02 19:21
I`m in the exactly the same boat micpra55, the same age as you on an indefinite award but just had the dreaded letter on last day of May right on top of the weekend. Yes I have to claim pip instead as my dla is ending, talk about a soft touch for pensioners! To make matters worse the deadline they have given me is 21st June ! I am stressed out and cannot sleep.
+3 #2 micpra55 2019-05-31 18:33
So Im on DLA Indefinite award im 66 now on Pension. do I get to stay on Dla now, reads that way anyone thanks?.
+3 #1 mrfibrospondodysthmatic 2019-05-30 15:27
What about light touch 10 year reviews for people who are not 66 yrs old???

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