Invite to PIP Blues

It grieves me to say I'm back

Back story: A few years ago by dad went through years of stress, collecting evidence, letter writing, tribunals, before a result was finally obtained with his ESA, and he was put in the support group. I myself (his son) didn't escape the stress either, it was me who had the job of all the letter wtriting, collecting, as my dad was unable to cope with any of the above. Years later my dad reached retirement age so the ESA stopped autoatically but he continued to claim the DLA he had been doing all along without any grief.

And now... that dread day has come. My dad has received what appears to be (I assume) a PIP invitaion (from DLA to PIP). I haven't seen the letter yet. From what I can tell, the letter advises that if my dad wishes to claim PIP he needs to make a phonecall by the 13th of January (2018).

Does this ring any bells?

I have a few questions before, I assume, what is going to be more months/years of stress for us all:

1) Is this invitation to make a call normal? What does this call involve? Cam someone make the call for him? (my dad becomes very stressed?)

2) What happens next?

3) Do you have any advice at all to help this process go as pain-free as possible?

4) Can old evidence from doctors/supporting organisations be used from his ESA case years ago?

5) Can support letters be supplied by family members who witness/care for my dad on a daily basis?

Apologies, for the number of questions regarding this PIP invite. I'm just trying to get things right from the onset (or at least as much as possible).

Kind regards,
BlueBear.

Many thanks.

I'm off work on Friday afternoon so will call for my dad then to advise that the PIP application is needed - my dad will be there if they need to speak to him.

Do you know of any instances whereby someone has started the application to PIP from DLA, and a decision maker has looked at the applicant's records and skipped the application - just transferring them straight over? That would be amazing. *And wishful thinking, sadly.*

Once the telephone application has been made, do you know how long it takes for forms to come through? And do you have a link to these forms specifically within your site, or can they only be obtained from the DWP?

Regards,
BlueBear.

Hi Bluebear

I wanted to respond because last year I was very naïve re DLA transfer to the new PIP benefit -my partner who has complex health conditions and been on High rate mobility and care DLA indefinite awards for a number of years had a letter last Feb, to ring up, we believed it would be a straight forward phone call and information carried forward from his DLA indefinite Awards. All I can say is without worrying you was my thinking was incorrect. We learnt that PIP is quite different from DLA in fact its dealt with like a whole new claim, approx. 40 pages. please do not think they will automatically carry anything over from previous DLA claim, the best advice I can give you is please look how differently the points are awarded for PIP Mobility and Care and please follow the step to step guides on here, which I wish we had done last year, my partner lost his high rate mobility and care, he was seriously ill and ended up back in hospital, although CAB managed to have the decision changed for his care and he was awarded enhanced rate care, he lost his high rate mobility and put on standard rate, we was told we could go to Tribunal but my partner was to ill to cope with it all and I to ended up in hospital. I wish I had not been so complacent in the believe that my partner had been on high rate mobility and care DLA indefinitely and that the DWP and ATOS would apply the correct points to allow him to have the same level of benefit and he would be transferred over smoothly, sounds good in an ideal world. We are left feeling tricked in some way. We learnt the hard way that we should have come back here and really gone through all the information, and got the local CAB GP Outreach worker to complete the PIP Form. I am glad you are back here. I noticed on your message you have written that the phone call needs to be made by 13th January 2018, the phone call usually takes around 20 mins plus see guides on here as it is also confirmation that your Dad wishes to make his claim PIP , I believe you can make the call for your Dad as long as you have information such as his bank details, name of doctor ect., and your Dad will also have to be next to you, once that call is done he will receive his PIP Claim Form you will be given a date on that to return it (it usually works out less than four weeks) so will not give you a lot of time to collate all relevant supporting information.
I hope some of this is helpful I am happy your Dad has your support.

Best wishes for 2018.

Thank you for your reply Meg3.

In truth, I knew that the process would not be as straight forward as I had hoped. It was wishful thinking on my part from something I'd misread. In this business any glimmer of hope is welcomed. I helped my dad last time around with his ESA (at the time) as my dad also could not cope with the stress of the application process and the injustice of awful decisions. In the end a tribunal turned the whole thing around without issue, but it was a stressful process getting there - around 2 years from memory - almost sent me under (and I was only helping with the process). I know that the application for PIP is very different, and is points based. My dad has a degenerative condition (ankylosing spondlitis) that will never get better, and sadly only have the prospect of getting worse. Getting NEW supporting letters is hard work, especially within time frames given. I'm hoping that some of the old supporting material will still be usable - if only to indicate that my dad's condition has not improved.

Happy New Year to you, too.

All the best,
BlueBear.