PIP Application

[PVYXAAEI]

First time applying for PIP I have received a text which states . Just wondering on Timescales ? "A health professional is looking at your PIP claim . They will contact you with an appointment if they need to . You only need to contact us if your circumstances change "

This text was sent to me on the 1st August. How long does it take them to look at your claim? I've heard nothing since .

What is other people's experiences once receiving this text ? How long after the text did u either receive an award or ask to attend an assessment? Surly once they have said someone is looking at your claim it should only take a day or so ?

[Dizzytwo Moderator]

Hi there, unfortunately it's not that straight forward if only it was. They may have hundreds if not thousands putting in claims and they all need to be processed.

Times differ depending on what part of the country you live in and how many in your part of the woods are putting in claims.

You maybe lucky it could be weeks . But many have had to wait months. Throw into the mix many more claims are been put in all the time and all the re assessments of claims coming to the end of their original award. That's a lot of claims to deal with.

If you have not heard anything within the next few months try giving them a call.

Momo

[Dinkie]

If only it took a day or two. Unfortunately the DWP are a law unto themselves. It can take months. My cousin's took months. It's even worse for reviews and mandatory reconsiderations which can be delayed a year or more for reviews and the current wait time for MRs is 15-16 weeks. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

All you can do is be prepared for your assessment - it's rare that they will do a paper assessment first time around, unless you have a terminal illness. It could be a phone assessment or a face to face assessment. Once you have a date it is not set in stone, if the DWP are short of assessors it can be cancelled as happened to my sister in law last week. She was given 30 minutes notice that the assessment was cancelled. Get all your paperwork together and highlight anything you feel you did not explain fully so that you can go into greater details during the assessment. Don't let the assessor rush you, if they try to move on to the next question and you feel you need more time, ask them to let you finish. If you don't understand ask them to repeat. Try not to answer with one word answers. Be prepared for questions about pets - do you have a dog for example. This may seem mad but it will give them the opportunity to say well the applicant has a dog and they will assume you are fit enough to exercise it, feed it etc. For example I have a dog but she's 15 and doesn't go out on walks as she is ancient and unsteady on her legs so the garden is more than enough for her, she eats from a raised bowl because I can't reach her bowl if it's on the floor and nor can she! But if I said to the assessor, Yes I have a dog without the explanation you can see how the misunderstandings happen. Likewise be prepared for questions about cars, is it manual or automatic etc. They will often come back to the same questions but ask it in a slightly different way.

After the assessment, leave it a few days then phone them and ask them for a copy of the assessors report. This will give you some idea of the points awarded. If you do not agree then you will need to go through the mandatory reconsideration. This involves going through each of the descriptors and seeing where you have lost points and explaining in detail why you think it is incorrect. Of course you may not need this bit so I will not elaborate on it at this time.

Good luck, fingers crossed it will be plain sailing for you - it is for some, honest😊

[denny_the_wench]

My initial one was April 2021, and they didn't get my written assessment back from the telephone interview until November 2021 but when they did finally start paying it mid December it was all backdated so I got a nice little 4 figure Xmas pressie!

I'm now up for my 3 year review and sent my forms back in March and have had 3 texts saying basically "we've got it, but not got around to it yet" and I only need to contact them if circumstances change (I wish!!). Last one was July 17th.

I wish you good luck!

[PVYXAAEI]

Thankyou for all your replies appreciated I have received a text they have booked me in for a Telephone consultation