PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE PAYMENT (PIP) Understanding the changes to your Disability Living Allowance (DLA) NE BIT(E) AT A TIME! A Step by Step Guide
Hear Us, Croydon’s Mental Health Service User Group. Registered in England No. 6891337 Charity No.1135535 Orchard House 15a Purley Road, South Croydon, CR2 6EZ E: info@hear-us.org T: 020 8681 6888
About PIP PIP stands for ‘Personal Independence Payment’.
Know your CORE facts There is no need to panic!
PIP will be replacing DLA, for people, aged 16-64, who need help with their care and/ or mobility. However, you must claim for PIP and if you choose not to, your DLA will stop. No one will be automatically transferred from DLA to PIP. The DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) will write to you and tell you when you need to claim PIP
Most people wont’ be affected by the change from DLA to PIP until at least October 2015. For more details about ‘when’ see page 2 of this guide.
From your JUICY gossip!
PIP, like DLA, will have 2 parts:
MYTH: I have a ‘life time’
A ‘care’ component called ‘Daily Living’ and a mobility component Depending on how your mental and/or physical health problems affect you, you could be entitled to either or both.
Granny Smiths’ need not apply (for PIP)! People aged over 65 before April 8th 2013 will remain on DLA‘ ‘Pip-squeaks’ below the age of 16, will also remain on DLA 2
Award for DLA, I don’t need to apply for PIP
TRUTH: If you are aged
16-64yrs and are currently receiving DLA even if you were awarded an ‘indefinite’ or ‘life time’ award, you will need to apply for PIP instead, when invited to do so.
Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
THE PIP TIMELINE april 2013
march 2013
dwp sent out letters to DLA claimants
pilot study
from october 2015
www.gov.uk/pip/
june 2013
october 2013
new claims only
*certain people ' ap will 'sw IP to P
NE EVERYO of working be age will to invited PIP to change all not - but at once
March 2013
You may have received a letter explaining the changes from DLA to PIP, you don’t need to do anything.
April 2013
In Northern parts of the country a pilot study for PIP occured.
June 2013
New claims will be assessed as a claim for PIP. People already getting DLA don’t need to do anything.
*October 2013
People who report a change in circumstances, ie. their condition gets better or worse, and people whose DLA is due to end or be renewed before 24.02.2014 will be invited to make a claim for PIP instead.
From October 2015
EVERYONE of working age, who currently receives DLA will be asked to make a claim for PIP instead. If you choose not to claim, your DLA will stop.
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ABOUT THE MONEY Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Care:
Daily Living:
Low
=
£21.00
Standard
=
£53.00
Middle =
£53.00
Enhanced =
£79.15
High
£79.15
=
Mobility
Mobility
Low
=
£21.00
Standard
=
£21.00
High
=
£55.25
Enhanced =
£55.25
Please note: Rates of Benefit are reviewed each year, and therefore these amounts may be slightly higher or lower than what you are currently receiving.
Money Facts........ PIP (like DLA) is a non-means tested benefit. This means it does not depend on how ‘wealthy’ you are. You can have any amount of savings and still claim PIP - even if you are a millionaire! If you are awarded PIP, you should not see a gap in your payments. If your claim is successful, you will continue to receive your DLA until you start receiving PIP. You can claim PIP whether you are in work or not in work (just like for DLA). You will not pay tax on PIP. PIP (like DLA) could mean that you are entitled to extra money called a ’premium’ on top of your other benefits (e.g. ESA, income support or housing benefit). Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
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COMPARING PIP AND DLA What are the Differences?
DLA
PIP Non Means Tested
Your disability must be expected to last for the next 6 months
Care & Mobility Components
Applications are by form Low, Middle or High Rates
'Indefinate or Lifetime'Awards
You may qualify for additional Benefits
Your disability must be expected to last for the next 9 months Application by Form & Assessment Standard or Enhanced Rates
No 'Indefinate or Lifetime' Awards
What is staying the same?
k Quic Bite
1. Attendance Allowance (AA) is not changing Attendance Allowance is a benefit for people aged 65 and over who need help with their ’personal care’. If you receive AA you will not be affected by the introduction of Personal Independence Payment. 2. You can work and claim PIP
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Like DLA, PIP can be paid to people regardless of whether they are employed or not. Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
Remember: No one will automatically be moved from DLA to PIP
From October 2013 - Spring 2016: Everyone between 16 and 64yrs will be invited to change from DLA to PIP. You don’t need to do anything until the DWP tells you to, but you must ‘make a claim’ for PIP when invited to do so, or your money will STOP.
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INITIAL CONTACT STOP You will receive a letter from the If you don’t Department for Work and Pensions understand the between October 2013 and Spring 2016 inviting you to make a claim for PIP letter ask for - don't ignore this letter. If you chose not help to claim PIP, then your DLA will end.
2 CLAIMING PIP (Part 1) Phone
STOP You will need to phone the DWP You can ask a (0800 917 2222) and give some friend or key basic information, like your worker name, number, address, bank to help details.
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CLAIMING PIP (Part 2) The Form You will receive a form in the post. This is your opportunity to write all about your Physical and/or Mental Health difficulties. Include ‘supporting evidence’ (from a support worker, GP, friends etc.). Return the form in the FREE envelope provided.
STOP See pg. 9 For ‘tips’ on filling out your PIP form
A 'Step by Step' Guide to claiming PIP
4 ASSESSMENT/MEDICAL Most people will be asked to attend a face to face meeting with a health professional to discuss how your ‘disability’ affects you.
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STOP It is a good idea to take someone with you
DECISION The decision maker (at DWP will review all the information, including your form, the result of your assessment and any extra information e.g. from a GP or psychiatrist. A decision letter will be posted out to you. This will say if you have been awarded PIP, at what rate, and possibly for how long (before your claim will be reviewed)
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STOP You can call the DWP & ask for an explanation
APPEAL/ STOP RECONSIDERATION Ask an If you are not happy with the organisation decision, don’t panic. You can such as MIND ask a different Decision Maker in Croydon for to look at your claim (this is help called a Reconsideration)
about the pip form What are the Questions about?
Traveling
Washing
Preparing Food Eating & Drinking
Getting Around Medication Planning a Journey Toilet Needs
Talking, listening socialising
The form will ask you Questions about: Daily Living things like washing, eating, managing medication etc. and
Mobility things like planning a journey and getting around
Getting Dressed
See pg. 9-11 for 'Golden' TIPs on filling in your PIP form
About the help you need‌.. Quick Bite
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Write about the help (or support or supervision) that you would need to carry out an activity. It doesn’t matter if you actually get help from another person or not. Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
ABOUT THE POINTS You will score ‘point’s: If you have a mental or physical health problem that means: • you are unable to do an activity or • you need help to do an activity If you need help to do an activity, you will score points according to how much help you need.
4 Golden 'Delicious' PIP Tips! Don’t just think about whether or not you can do each activity; think about how an activity MAKES YOU FEEL
IMPORTANT: If your mental or physical health suffers as a result of doing an activity - write about this on the form.
12 points or more
Enhanced
8 points or more
Standard
less than 8 points
No Award
PIP TIP 1. Tell the whole story
Breathless? In pain? Anxious? Distressed? Exhausted? Paranoid?
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TOP 'PIP' TIPS PIP TIP 2.
Safely,Timely? Reliably? Repeatedly?
Don’t just think about whether or not you can do each activity, also think about how you do each activity. (Please note: the table below is just an example of how people might be affected by their condition - think about how your mental or physical health affects you).
1. Safely
Do you take medication that makes you drowsy, or ‘foggy’, suffer low moods or hurt yourself ? If your symptoms or behaviours mean you put yourself (or others) at risk write about them on the form
2. Timely
Do you lack motivation or find it hard to concentrate? Do you find you worry so much that you are constantly checking things or can’t make decisions? If you take longer than other people to do certain activities as a result of your disability - write about it on the form
3. Reliably
Do you have a condition that means you are sometimes able to do an activity but not other times? If you have a ‘fluctuating’ health problem - write about how it varies on the form.
4. Repeatedly
Do you find an activity leaves you so exhausted that you are ‘wiped out’ for the rest of the day? If you have to keep stopping because of pain, breathlessness, anxiety, panic attacks or paranoia, write about it on the form.
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Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
TOP 'PIP' TIPS PIP TIP 3.
Send in Extra Information or Supporting medical evidence
Extra Information/Supporting Evidence
Ask someone who knows you well to write a letter or statement about how your disability affects you This could be your GP, your psychiatrist, key worker, care coordinator, social worker etc. Don’t worry if you are not able to send supporting evidence with your PIP form, the DWP should ask for it. If you want the DWP to seek more information from another person, it is always a good idea to write in big red letters on your form:
PLEASE DO NOT MAKE A DECISION WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING MY DOCTOR
APPEALS
If you are not awarded PIP, or you are not happy with the decision, remember it is always possible to challenge that decision. It is worth asking for help to do this. Many people WIN their Appeals.
PIP TIP 4.
If at first you don’t succeed…… A PEEL!
Send in extra evidence if you can, and state clearly why you think that the decision is wrong. See the back of this guide for ‘how to get help to appeal’. Working Together for Change and Better Understanding in Mental Health
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WHERE TO GO FOR HELP SLaM Welfare Benefit Team: If you attend a Resource Centre or are a patient on the wards at the Bethlem, contact your Resource Centre or ask your support worker to make an appointment for you: Tamworth Road Purley Resource Centre Westways Resource Centre The Crescent Resource Centre
020 3228 0300 020 3228 5400 020 3228 5800 020 3228 4488
Mind in Croydon's Welfare Benefits Team: Opening Times
Tues
10am - 1pm
You can leave a message outside these times
Thurs
2pm - 5pm
Contact
020 8763 2037
Croydon Council Welfare Rights Advice Line For Croydon residents: Check for opening times. Phone for details of drop-in surgeries (available in certain areas)
0800 731 5920
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Benefit Enquiry Line Pension Centre for Enquiries Disability Living Allowance /AA Carers Allowance
0800 88 22 00 08456 060 265 08457 123 456 0845 608 4321