Hundreds of thousands are winning PIP benefit payments after DWP rejected them – but wait times have almost DOUBLED

AROUND 455,000 people have won Personal Independence Payments after appealing decisions by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) over the past five years, new figures have revealed.

According to official records, more than a third (34%) of the 1.3million "mandatory reconsiderations" requested for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) decisions in the past five years led to a change in award.

A mandatory reconsideration is where you ask the government to review its decision because you don't agree with it.

This might be because you didn't get awarded PIP, you got awarded a lower rate than expected, or you weren't awarded the benefit for as long as you expected, for example.

PIP is a tax-free benefit designed to help cover the extra cost of living if you have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability.

The benefit is split into two parts: a "daily living" component and a "mobility" component - and you can get a "higher" (enhanced) or "lower" amount.

You get the daily living part if you need help with basic tasks like preparing food or taking medicine, while the mobility part pays out if you need help moving around.

What you get is based on an assessment, where you receive "points". If you get zero points, you don't get any PIP at all.

But thousands of people who were told they weren't eligible for PIP have later been awarded significant payments after challenging the DWP, while many others have ended up getting a higher award.

In fact, the government recently admitted that last year alone, 7,000 people who received zero points went on to get both the enhanced daily living and mobility components of PIP following a mandatory reconsideration.

Responding to a written question in parliament, disability minister Sir Stephen Timms revealed that over the past five years, 32,000 people originally awarded zero points went on to get enhanced PIP after challenging the decision.

Experts have raised concerns that there may therefore be thousands of people eligible for PIP who aren't receiving it as they may have given up after being initially rejected.

Mandatory reconsideration wait times increase

Not only are a huge amount of people being wrongly denied the benefit, but wait times for mandatory reconsiderations have increased significantly this year.

Official figures show that the length of time a mandatory reconsideration typically takes had almost doubled from 37 days in December 2023 to 71 days as of July 2024.

Mr Timms said in a separate written question in parliament this month that by September, this had reduced slightly to an average of 69 working days.

But forums including Reddit are flooded with claimants who said it took them six months or longer to get their award after challenging a decision.

Peter Matejic, chief analyst at charity Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said: "This is just another example of how our social security system isn't there for us when we need it most. 

"We know millions of people are struggling with the high cost of essentials right now, which is why it's not good enough that people have to wait 15 weeks on average for a decision on their PIP claim.

"Anyone requesting a mandatory reconsideration has to wait a further ten weeks - twice the average wait time from late 2023. 

"We know from our own research that 40% of working-age PIP claimants in non-working households couldn't afford enough food and 35% couldn't keep their home warm.

"Things are likely to be much worse for people waiting months for their claim to be processed as PIP and other disability benefits are vital to moving people out of destitution.

"The government must work harder to minimise these delays when there is widespread hardship among disabled people."

A DWP spokesperson said of these figures: "We support millions of people every year and our priority is they receive a supportive service and get the benefits they are entitled to as soon as possible.

“We are learning from appeals and working closely with our assessment providers to improve our processes and decision making.”

How to request a mandatory reconsideration

To apply for a mandatory reconsideration, Citizens Advice says it's best to download  on gov.uk's website.

You'll need to fill in the form, print it and post it to the DWP. Unfortunately, you can't submit the form online at the moment.

If you're not able to use the form, you can write a letter to the DWP explaining why you disagree with its decision.

You can call the DWP to ask for a reconsideration, but it's a good idea to have everything in writing so you can refer to it later if there are any problems.

If you do decide to call, make sure you follow up with a letter confirming what was discussed. The contact details to call or email will be on the decision letter from DWP.

Make sure to check the date on your decision letter and note it down, as you need to ask for a mandatory reconsideration within one month of that date.

Legal firm Law for Life, which has helped claimants overturn several PIP decisions, said: "The DWP frequently makes wrong decisions about PIP claims. Even if you received 0 points when assessed for PIP, it is still worth challenging the decision." 

The DWP says you should typically hear within six weeks, but the latest figures show wait times are longer than this at the moment's be prepared to wait up to a few months for a response.

If your mandatory reconsideration is successful, you’ll be sent a new decision letter.

You should then start getting your PIP payment straight away, and it will be backdated to when you made the claim.

If you still don't agree with the outcome of your mandatory reconsideration, you can appeal to the tribunal.

Be aware that if you challenge a DWP decision, it can also be changed so that your award is lower or shorter than the original decision.

How to apply for PIP

If you live in England or Wales you can apply for PIP via the new claims phone line on 0800 917 2222.

You will then be sent a form that asks you to give further details on your condition.

Once this has been completed and returned, to the address written on the form, you may need to have an assessment.

You can also apply online via gov.uk.

The application process is different if you live in Northern Ireland. You can find out more via www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/personal-independence-payment-pip.

If you live in Scotland, you have to apply for Adult Disability Payment (ADP) instead via www.mygov.scot/adult-disability-payment.

You can get "higher" and "lower" rates of PIP, depending on the severity of your condition. You are given a score when you apply for PIP that determines this.

From next April, the daily living part will go up to a lower weekly rate of £73.89 and a higher weekly rate of £110.40, while the mobility part will rise to a lower weekly rate of £29.19 or £77.04 for the higher weekly rate.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.