PIP Reassessment - need some help

Hi DWPEX,

Welcome to Benefits and Work!

I am not clear whether you have actually had a decision or just the assessment report, which recommends review after 1 year. What is important is the actual DWP decision. After a claimant reaches pension age there is supposed to be a 'light touch review' which I'm led to believe is a paper reassesment, but no one is really sure exactly what this means, and it may or may not happen!
You can certainly appeal if you wish, however, it is possible that DWP, or a tribunal, if you need to go there, can reduce your award, It is unlikely, but does rarely occur. Since you will shortly be receiving your state pension, this will affect your PIP claim. After pension age, your PIP mobility award becomes fixed, so whatever level of mobility award you get now will be where you stop. You have been awarded Enhanced rate, so providing you still have mobility difficulties, you can continue to receive that rate for as long as you need to.

If you want to appeal, you are right, the first stage is to send in a MR letter. (Can be done via phone, but letter is always best!) If you look at the members guides there is all sorts of information about claiming PIP and all stages of the appeal process. If your initial answers on the renewal form didn't match the examples given in the guides, then you could provide more information/explanation. You can certainly challenge the assumptions made by the assessor. I see many examples where somehow the ability to drive cures all disabilities! This of course is not true. For instance the grip on a steering wheel is very different from the dexterity required to hold and chop vegetables! You will need to consider your limitations, and counter what has been said in the report.
For example; For preparing food - the following might be useful start
'I can not prepare food (or I need help to prepare food etc) - you have said that because I can drive I can prepare a meal, this is simply not correct because....'

Even if you end up repeating what was said on the claim/review form go through each set of descriptor activities and explain the difficulties you have. Perhaps you have medical evidence, or maybe a friend/relative who can write a brief statement to confirm your difficulties, this may also help.
It is possible to challenge the length of an award, either with or without challenging the points level as well. There is supposed to be a minimum gap before review. This was set in 2020 as 18mths. It is important to know that if for whatever reason, DWP do not review your award, and it has a fixed period, you should contact DWP, several months before the expiry to avoid any gap in your claim. DWP will either send a review form, or a renewal claim form. If you don't return the form, or forget to contact DWP, then it is likley your award will end, and at which point any new claim will not include a mobility award.
The members guides can be found here;

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/pip
I hope this helps. Good luck.

LL26

Hi DWPEX,

Personally I would start with a phone call, if time is running out, and then follow it up with the letter to make sure that they hear what you want to say, not what the person who answered the phone thought you wanted to say.

Catherine