Interesting development - got a 3 week extension on returning a PIP 1043 form...

Just thought I'd mention this on here...

As we all know, the DWP's legendary slow pace in sending out and working through their mail coupled with all the delays at Royal Mail (I befriended our previous postie and he tells me that RM letter deliveries is on it's knees now) means that we aren't receiving DWP letters and forms until at least two weeks after they're sent out.

My 1043 Review form (dated 1st July, received by me on the 15th, and due back in by 1st August) is done and ready to go, but I decided I should get an extra bit of time just to be sure it actually gets onto someone's desk before the deadline. I called the PIP line just now to get an extension on returning it. I managed to get through to a real live human after 10 minutes - which was miraculous enough in itself - and requested the extension. After the usual security questions rigmarole, she told me it was fine, but that she could 'only' give me a three week extension (until 22 August). I thought the maximum they would give you was a fortnight, but I didn't question it.

Is three weeks 'The New Normal' for an extension now, or is this a new development due to the combined DWP/RM chaos? Has anybody else been granted three weeks instead of the usual two? I find it hard to believe that DWP are making allowances of any kind for claimants, but I suppose anything is possible.

I will of course still be sending the form in as soon as possible.