I claim PIP higher care and lower mobility. For nearly a year a PIP claim has been ongoing for my partner. Most of that delay has occured due to the difficulties we’ve had getting all the evidence together. DWP have been helpful and patient, no complaints.
Last week I got an email from my Council, informing of a housing benefit and council tax benefit refund. The working out said due to a change of circumstances. And after analysing this document for some time, it would seem that my partner has been awared higher care and higher mobility.
She refused to believe this. Said it must be a mistake. So I ignored it.
Couple of days later I get a brown envelope. DWP are asking me to claim severe disability premium, which I lost when partner moved in.
Two days after that got another brown envelope. DWP are asking me to claim severe disability premium. The first letter came from Norwich. The second came from Wolverhampton. One is a form the other is photocopies of the same form.
About 10 days later and still my partner has heard nothing herself notifying her of a PIP award.
Could this be a wind-up?
Nowadays The DWP contact everywhere by computer, so contact the council as there has been a change in circumstances.
Your partner receiving a PIP award yes probably.
But the amount I have heard about DWP in my dealings, that just because DWP have signed as receiving your form , it doesn’t mean it is being dealt with, it sits in the post room then goes to right department.
Equally a decision is made, a letter is printed, it goes into the envelope and goes to the post room, but this can take a week , then they post it second class to save the taxpayer money, can take a week to arrive.
So your partner has probably been awarded, but not received the letter yet, lost in the post, or maybe the wrong postcode and your letter has gone else where.
Can you or your partner phone up DWP and see what it happening, they can tell you over the phone.
It is a pity they can’t do email but everything seems to be by post still.
I suppose email is insecure can be hacked or read by someone else.
Thanks, Londonbound. I’m talking to an adviser tomorrow as my partner isn’t good on the phone and I’m not up for ringing DWP, despite the lack of Vivaldi. I was flapping probably. It makes sense what you say about them notifying others via computers and joe public via snail mail.
Thank you.
Adviser advised me to ring DWP. Full of apprehension but I bit the bullet.
They said there had been some kind of problem, that she had been awarded the PIP but there had been some kind of snag making the payment and that someone was going to have to do it manually. And that I was to give it another 7 days.
Now she’s worrying about the backpayment which may go over £6000. If it does, will that affect other benefits?