PIP result

Hi Gordon, thanks for your reply. I rang Carer's Allowance this morning, and was told that as I receive the underlying entitlement to carer's allowance as a carer's premium with my ESA, I get an 8 week run on. I was told it is to give people time to ask for a mandatory reconsideration and if necessary an appeal. Carer's Allowance, however, does not have a run on for this reason.

So, the 8 week carry on for Carers Allowance is applicable. Therefore my ESA (our award is in my name) continued unchanged until 16/11/2016. I then received a letter with an award notice for the 8 weeks enclosed, and an amount that I would receive from then on, but no award notice. Also the amount was only reduced by a couple of pounds, which I knew was wrong.

I rang them and explained the situation to a lady. After the eighth time (I counted) of her saying bear with me, I asked to speak to whomever she was asking my questions of. She put me through to her manager, who also had absolutely no idea what I was talking about, but eventually, I managed to get him to find out that both DLA and CA had informed them that my husband was no longer entitled to DLA, therefore, I was no longer entitled to CA.

The award notice arrived yesterday with a single CA premium (my husband's for me) and a couple SDP. Also it claimed he is still entitled to DLA. At this point, I have given up the will to argue. The manager catagorically insisted that I would not be made to pay back any overpayments made by them in error.

The question I have, is that even though they removed one Carers Premium, there is a top up award almost equal, apparently because my ESA is not allowed to be reduced. Therefore, if they had got the award correct, and removed the couple's SDP and made it a single person's award, would the top up increase by round about that amount also? If so, I'm not so bothered about the award notice, if the monetary award would be the same.

Sorry about the long explanation, but I know the tribunal will take months, and whatever the manager says, I believe they could easily lose trace of my phone call, and I'm left with a hefty bill for withholding information. Thanks.

Good Evening Petlover,
Im sorry to hear of your ordeal. I just wanted to wish you all the best and hope you win your appeal if you choose to go down that route.