The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued an important update to anyone coming to the end of their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) payment award period. The government department has developed what it is calling an ‘automated digital solution’.
Reported by the Daily Record, the 'solution' will extend PIP awards and prevent them going out of payment due to delays in award review assessments being carried out. The awards can be given for anywhere between three months and 10 years.
However, the DWP has the right to review this award at any time - the original award letter may tell you the likely review date. In a written response to a query by Apsana Begum MP, the DWP said it is currently dealing with a backlog of award reviews which has led to some awards being extended more than once.
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The Labour MP for Poplar and Limehouse asked: “How many and what proportion of Personal Independence Payment claims are auto-extended on more than one occasion due to a backlog of claims being processed by assessment providers, such that an assessment cannot be undertaken within the first period of auto-extension?”
In a written response earlier this week, DWP Minister, Chloe Smith MP, said: “To protect PIP customers, we have developed an automated digital solution which essentially extends the current award for cases where there is a risk that the claim will fall out of payment.
“As we see continuing high demand for PIP new claims, customers are currently waiting longer than expected to have their claim reviewed, which has led to some awards being extended more than once.”
Ms Smith added that the information requested on multiple extensions is not readily available and could only be provided at “disproportionate cost”.
During a PIP review, the DWP will send out a form which is shorter than the ‘How your disability affects you' (PIP2) form for reviews of existing awards, this form is currently called the PIP Award Review form or the AR1 form. Even if you have an ongoing award, you may be sent a review form to complete. It’s important to understand that your award can be changed or ended depending on the information you give.
