The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has recently confirmed that most people coming to the end of their ten-year award for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) won't have to complete a face-to-face assessment.
This comes in the wake of the rollout of a new, brief PIP review form which is now being distributed to persons awarded the "light-touch" evaluation, typically given for periods between five and ten years. The DWP has offered a mock-up of the "PIP AR2" form on the GOV. UK website as part of the PIP Toolkit exclusively for reference purposes.
Nevertheless, it offers individuals with a light-touch award an excellent opportunity to understand all the queries they would need to answer in the six-page questionnaire before the DWP dispatches the actual letter. This allows such individuals ample time to assemble any essential data beforehand.
Ongoing grants are chiefly designated for those requiring the highest grade of help or those unlikely to experience changes or worsen in their circumstances starting from 2019, this also applies to most individuals who've touched state pension age.
The six-page review form covers:
DWP cost-of-living payment dates announced as millions get £900 but only by 2024Here are all 16 questions on the PIP AR2 form.
Q1 - Your name
Q2 - Your date of birth
Q3 - Your address
Q4 - Is this a hospital, hospice or other residential or nursing care accommodation?
Q5 - Your correspondence address
Q6 - A phone number DWP can contact you on
Q7 - Have there been any changes to your immigration status? - additional space is provided to write an answer
Q8 - Tell DWP anything they need to know about how they communicate with you - additional space is provided to write an answer your earliest convenience.
The form explains that this may be your GP, hospital consultant or a specialist nurse and asks you to provide their details.
All the cost of living payments coming in 2023 and 2024 worth up to £1,350Questions 13, 14 and 15 are given the most amount of space on the form to write additional information. It also reminds people: “PIP is assessed on how your condition affects you, not the condition itself.”
Q13 - Have there been any changes in your health condition or disability since DWP last awarded you PIP?
Q14 - Have your daily living needs changed since DWP last made a decision on your PIP?
Q15 - Have your mobility needs changed since DWP last made a decision on your PIP?
Q16 - Do you give consent for your doctor or other relevant professionals to give DWP more information about your health condition or disability?
The final question also provides guidance on giving DWP consent to obtain further information on how your health condition affects you. The form explains: “The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or approved healthcare professionals that work for DWP, might need more information about your health condition or disability and how it affects you.
“They might ask, with your consent, for relevant information from your doctor, or any other relevant professional you tell them about. DWP can lawfully ask your doctor, hospital consultant or other relevant professionals for information about your health condition and how it affects you. This is because we are asking for the information to help us carry out our official social security functions.”
It adds: “You do not have to give your consent. If you do not, DWP will make a decision based on the information they have already, as well as any you give DWP yourself.” The final page is a declaration for the claimant to sign and date. You can view the AR2 award review form online here.