How do I add something to my current PIP claim?

Hi sorry I don't often post on here but I have a question about my PIP claim. I went for a renewal / review earlier this year after being in receipt for the past 2 years and was awarded further benefit until 2021.

However since this review I have been diagnosed with Crohn's disease and have also recently had a total hysterectomy operation which means I will be recovering for up to 12 months.

How do I add this information to my current PIP or is it a case of having to complete a new application and go through the stress of the assessment process again or will they just review the additional information and possibly upgrade my points etc?

Do they need to know immediately and if not is it worth letting them know now?

Thanks and apologies I am not good at trying to explain myself!

Hedz

Hi Hedzy,

Claimants are supposed to let DWP know about any change in circumstances. In practice, they are much less interested in anything that might mean they have to pay you more, in contrast with a change that would result in the reduction, or complete cessation, of payments!

The first thing you should think about is whether your new diagnosis has actually changed anything relating to your care or mobility needs. It is possible that you have simply had a name given to problems you have suffered for some time.

As regards your forthcoming hysterectomy, I think there are two potential problems. Firstly, you have not actually had the op yet and DWP are unlikely to consider it until it has happened. Secondly, for a PIP award you must have had the problem for 3 months and expect it to last for a further 9 months. It would be usual for anyone undergoing such a procedure to gradually improve over the course of a few months.

You should also consider whether your change in circumstances is enough to gain you an increased PIP award. Have a look at our PIP self assessment and score yourself quite harshly (as DWP will!) to get an idea of whether you are now falling into the Enhanced award criteria.

Any report of a change of circumstances will trigger a full reassessment of your PIP claim. This will include another PIP2 form to complete and, possibly, a face2face assessment. This always carries a risk of a reduction in your current award!

You might want to bookmark/favourite this on your web browser now so that you can find it easily in future. That will allow you to return with further questions/comments without having to start a new topic each time. It helps us enormously when everything relating to the same claim is kept in one place - and I hope you will find it useful too

Thank you for the advice. I had my Hysterectomy op on 24th May so almost 4 weeks ago now and recovering slowly. However I went for my after op appointment at clinic a few days ago and was told I now need Chemotherapy which the sessions / cycles are likely to take me up to almost the end of this year and to make a full recovery from the Chemo well into next! So I am now asking what else am I entitled to. I have just been given a McMillan key worker and am attending one of their cancer courses soon so I hope to be offered benefits advice and help from them also but in the meantime I am wondering what else is out there to help me eg blue badge, buss pass (as I don't have a license to drive) and of course ESA or PIP? I previously had ESA and was advised I was unlikely to be awarded it again as I have already claimed it once in my lifetime and it expired as not only did I not have enough NI credits left but due to the 365 day maximum benefit award ruling.

Thanks for the advice, I have favourited and bookmarked this post.