Personal Independence Payment (PIP)- help for Cambridgeshire parents

Is your son or daughter approaching 16?  If they already receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA) benefit, they will soon be invited to apply for  PIP. Here are some useful pointers and information from the Pinpoint PIP session held in September 2017 for our Preparing for Adulthood Group.

The PIP process

1. If your son or daughter already gets DLA, once they get to 16, they will be invited by letter from the Department of Work and Pensions to transfer and apply for  PIP.
2. The letter will have a application deadline – make sure you fill it in and return it by this date (see top tips below)
3. When you receive the letter, you will need to make a phone call to give your young person’s details such as NI number and bank details.
4. Collect any evidence and reports that you need (your GP and other services might charge for a report) and fill out the PIP form.  You generally have a month to do this but you can ask for a two-week-extension.
5. Once returned, the form will go to a DWP medical assessor.  Your young person will probably be asked to attend a face-to-face assessment, but not every person applying for PIP will have to have one.  You can apply to have this assessment at home but remember that you may want to explain how they struggle in an unfamiliar environment, so a home assessment may not paint a true picture of their difficulties.
6. You will be told whether your young person is eligible for PIP and the rates they will get. DLA is paid for 4 weeks after the decision on PIP is made.

Top Tips on applying for PIP

1. Send in as much information as possible.
2. Not enough room on the form to list everything? Type and print it out it in small print, then physically cut it out and paste it into the PIP form. Put your young person’s NI number on any extra sheet you send in so they can be matched to the right person.
3. Don’t send original documents – they may not come back.  Photocopy your application and supporting documents.  Keep a copy of everything you send.
4. Look at all the daily living/mobility descriptors in detail: can your son or daughter do these things safely, reliably, repeatedly and in a timely way ?
5. List examples of how things go wrong or where your young person gets into difficulties. What is the impact of their disability/additional need?
6. Explain the help and support you give them day-to-day  –  for example, with washing or bathing, taking medication, budgeting, preparing a meal, or support and supervision when you are out. Start keeping a diary now and note down all the things you help with.
7. Don’t rush the application.  Take plenty of time (a couple of weeks may be needed) – but do make sure you return it by the due date set out in the DWP letter.

• Little Miracles Peterborough: access help with form filling for PIP, by either by messaging Peterborough Little Miracles http://www.littlemiraclescharity.org.uk/contact-us/ , or Facebook message https://www.facebook.com/LittleMiraclesCentre/ and ask for help with filling in the form.  Parents may be asked to fill in a membership form for Little Miracles but membership is free.

• Little Miracles Cambridge, Ely and Newmarket – email familyworker@littlemiraclescharity.org or visit www.littlemiraclescharity.org.uk. You have to become a LM member first but this is free to do.