The DWP has announced that existing PIP claimants who are over pension age will now be covered by the light touch review system, meaning that they will only be assessed every ten years.
Back in May we revealed that new PIP claimants whose review would have been scheduled after they had reached State Pension age would instead receive an ongoing award with a light touch review at 10 years.
At the time, 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 has now announced that the 10 year light touch review has been extended to existing PIP claimants above State Pension age. The department claims that 290,000 claimants will benefit from this latest move.
Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd said:
“I want the benefit system to be a source of support for disabled people, not a source of worry. That’s why we’re scrapping needless PIP reassessments for pensioners whose situation is unlikely to change.
“This underlines our commitment to ensuring that the most vulnerable get the support they’re entitled to.”
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.
Comments
in 2021 the whole transfer was a nightmare with the stress I became sicker both in mind and body. does anyone know if I will have a light touch award. and is there a forum for pip pensioners or a comments thread thanks
After applying for PIP, I was awarded enhanced mobility but went from enhanced daily living to standard for 4 years. The nurse who assessed me stated that my physical disabilities were never likely to improve. So I too am not sure if I am to be assessed before the light touch in 10 years.If you were not 65 years old when PIP was introduced in 2013, it is likely that you will have to apply for PIP. I wish you all the luck when you are asked to transfer to PIP. I had a stroke and have left sided paralysis and really should have had the enhanced daily living as I do need a lot of care, but I going through all the stress of appealing would be too much for me to cope with. I myself wss a general nurse for 35 years, and so I know that I'm not going to get any better. I would also add that my assessor told quite a few untruths. That is what they are paid to do. It really is a shambles and not fit for purpose.
still have to complete the forms. I became a pensioner at 61 and 10 months old. 5 years plus ago. I had a DLA lifetime award.
Ive read the new notifications, but not sure what it means. Very confused
Hi I was to believe that all DLA claimants would be invited to claim for PIP. As I too was on DLA and there was no transition from DLA to PIP, it meant they called you in for an assessment, obviously on purpose so that many claimants would lose their original awards. Or their awards would be downgraded.
Yeh! Me too Tabbycat: I'me a pensioner and my last assessment for DLA was done by a fully qualified Doctor, "the full monty examination" and was given an award for life. I have now been forced under duress, to have been examined by ATOS or their new name Independent Assessment Services. She said she was a nurse for 18 years and apart from all the lies that she had put in her assessment, she also failed to notice that I may have been having a heart attack, after telling her that I was having pains in my chest and stomach. Put in her assessment that she didn't notice because she was typing. They give you a safety net to help you through the rest of your time and then they just swiftly cut it away. Just waiting to hear the result that they throw at me.