BENEFITS BACKLOG
PIP chaos as 74,000 claimants could be waiting up to 10 years for a payment rise – are you affected?
Plus, watch our video to see if you're eligible for PIP freebies worth up to £40,000
OVER 74,000 personal independence payment (PIP) claimants may face a wait of up to ten years for a payment increase due to a massive backlog in award reviews.
The delay means tens of thousands of individuals are currently receiving lower payments than they are entitled to.
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PIP helps with the extra cost of living pressure associated with those suffering from a long-term illness, disability or mental health conditions.
The payments are made up of two parts - one part for living and another part for mobility.
Plus, for each component, there is a standard and an enhanced rate.
The maximum you can receive from the government benefit is £184.30 a week.
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How much you get also depends on how your condition affects you.
However, a new Freedom of Information request submitted by shows that hundreds of thousands are waiting indefinitely to have their claims reviewed.
As of May 31, 2024, there are 392,000 outstanding PIP award reviews in England and Wales.
However, the DWP does not have a clear timeline for addressing this backlog, citing an unprecedented surge in new claims as the primary cause.
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Recent quarterly PIP statistics show the DWP managed to reduce the backlog by only 10,000 reviews last quarter despite registering 120,000 new reviews and clearing 130,000.
At this pace, clearing the entire backlog would take almost a decade.
WHAT IS PIP?
HOUSEHOLDS suffering from a long-term illness, disability or mental health condition can get extra help through personal independence payments (PIP).
The maximum you can receive from the Government benefit is £184.30 a week.
PIP is for those over 16 and under the state pension age, currently 66.
Crucially, you must also have a health condition or disability where you either have had difficulties with daily living or getting around - or both - for three months, and you expect these difficulties to continue for at least nine months (unless you're terminally ill with less than 12 months to live).
You can also claim PIP if you're in or out of work and if you're already getting limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) payments if you claim Universal Credit.
PIP is made up of two parts and whether you get one or both of these depends on how severely your condition affects you.
You may get the mobility part of PIP if you need help going out or moving around. The weekly rate for this is either £28.70 or £75.75.
On the daily living part of PIP, the weekly rate is either £72.65 or £105.55 - and you could get both elements, so up to £184.30 in total.
You can claim PIP at the same time as other benefits, except the armed forces independence payment.
Make a claim by calling the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on 0800 917 2222.
A DWP spokesperson said: "The main reason for the length of time to complete PIP award reviews is very high demand for PIP.
"We are seeing unprecedented numbers of new claims being made.
"To manage this demand and ensure cases are put into payment as soon as possible, we are prioritising these claims."
DWP statistics over the past five years for planned award review outcomes reveal that:
- 19% resulted in increased awards
- 54% were maintained at the same level
- 7% saw a decrease in awards
- 20% were disallowed
Applying these percentages to the current backlog of 392,000 claims suggests:
- 74,480 claimants are receiving lower PIP awards than they are entitled too
- 27,440 claimants are receiving higher awards than they are entitled to
- 78,400 claimants may no longer be eligible for PIP
The DWP's ongoing struggle to clear the backlog means that tens of thousands of claimants will continue receiving notices that their reviews are delayed, maintaining their current payments.
For those affected, it is a waiting game with no clear end in sight.
HOW ARE PIP CLAIMS REVIEWED?
PIP was first introduced back in 2013 and awards typically last between nine months and 10 years.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) can review your Personal Independence Payment (PIP) at any time - even if you have an award for a fixed period.
In a PIP review, the DWP will decide whether to:
- Extend your PIP award
- Increase or decrease your payments
- End your PIP claim
Those with short-term claims are usually issued a 16-page award review form, which they must fill out to update their circumstances.
Those who originally qualified for a 10-year PIP award back in 2013 are also now ready to have their claims reviewed.
These claimants must undertake a "light-touch" review, which involves them filling out a six-page form to update their circumstances.
All PIP reviews follow the same five stages:
- When the DWP decides to review your PIP claim, they will notify you by letter and ask you to complete the form titled "Award review - how your disability affects you"
- You need to send the form back with any supporting evidence you have not previously shared with the DWP
- The DWP will then review your form – you may be asked to attend a face-to-face interview with an independent health professional.
- You will receive a letter from the DWP informing you of their decision
However, there are a number of freebies you could take advantage of in the meantime.
CHECK FOR PIP FREEBIES
Claiming PIP makes you eligible for a number of additional extras that you might not be aware of - but could save you some cash.
For example, if you're on either the daily living or mobility part of PIP you might be able to get money off your council tax bill.
But the amount you can get off varies depending on how much PIP you actually receive and where you live.
You have to contact your local authority to find out what discount you're entitled to, and it might ask for a PIP letter as proof.
You can use your PIP award letter to apply for a blue badge, although some councils can charge up to £10 for it.
Blue badge parking spaces tend to be closer to the front of shop entrances, making your experience easier.
You could also be entitled to a complete vehicle tax exemption if you're on PIP, depending on your circumstances.
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If you're on PIP and depending on whether you have a qualifying disability, you might be able to get your NHS prescriptions free too.
We've previously listed all the PIP freebies and discounts you could get.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity works out what you could get.
Entitledto's determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data.
You can use to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
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