Tell our readers what happened when you called the PIP Enquiry Line on 0800 121 4433.

Please use the comments section below to keep other readers updated on what kind of service is being provided right now and what they can expect when they call.

We’d like to know:

  • Which day, and what time of day, did you call?
  • How long did you wait for an answer, if you got one at all?
  • If you got an answer, was it from a human or was it an Artificial Intelligence chatbot?
  • Did your issue get resolved properly?

Why we are asking about the PIP Enquiry Line

Call waiting times on the vast majority of DWP phone lines have been terrible for a very long time.

In February 2002, the DWP told claimants that they ‘should not be concerned if they hear a “human like” voice when they contact us’ because the DWP are introducing ‘Conversational Platform’ software to answer some phone queries.

Here at Benefits and Work we’re concerned that the introduction of computer software may lead to a worse service, whilst allowing the DWP to claim that calls are now being answered much more quickly.

One risk is that chatbots will answer your call to the PIP Enquiry Line quickly, but will be able to respond only to the simplest queries.

If your call is in any way complex you may talk to a chatbot and then be put on hold endlessly whilst waiting to speak to a real person.

What readers have told us about calling 0800 121 4433

We asked readers to tell us about their experience of calling DWP helplines.  We wanted to know which one was providing the worst service, so we could look at that one first.

Whilst the Universal Credit Helpline and the Jobcentre Plus for ESA change of circumstances line were both appalling, the PIP Enquiry Line on 0800 121 4433 seemed to attract the most negative comments.

People told us things like:

“I’ve found the PIP enquiry line has to be the worst one for me. Most recent call approximately 58 mins to be answered. Good job I had time on my hands!!”

 “Over the course of about 4 days I spent nearly 10 hours waiting to get through to PIP, eventually after hour and half got answered, then had to ring again 2 weeks later and waited 45 minutes.”

 “I had to make five attempts in one day to give details for pip.  Each time I was cut off before finishing. On one occasion the phone was answered and automatically hung up. I managed to complete it after just over two hours.”

 “PIP - got through eventually, on hold for almost half an hour, then told someone would ring back, 3 weeks later, no one phoned back, and now I'm struggling to get through, and when I do what is said does not make any sense.”

 “55 minutes to the PIP helpline - on every occasion and without exception. And only to seek extensions for my clients for the return of renewal forms.”

How you can help

By telling us, and other claimants, about your call in the comments section you can help us expose any lies the DWP may try to tell about an improved telephone service. 

You can also make sure that other claimants know the sort of things that can go wrong and give them a better chance to prepare for them.

Remember, we only want to know about calls to the PIP Enquiry Line on 0800 121 4433, though we may start pages for other numbers if this one is used regularly.

Those questions again:

  • Which day, and what time of day, did you call?
  • How long did you wait for an answer, if you got one at all?
  • If you got an answer, was it from a human or was it an Artificial Intelligence chatbot?
  • Did your issue get resolved properly?

Tell the work and pensions committee

From today, 26 April 2023, we're also asking claimants who are struggling to get through on the phone to email the House of Commons work and pensions committee and tell them about your experience. 

The committee can put pressure on the DWP to either improve the phone system or make changes until they can, such as not enforcing deadlines for returning forms or for letting them know about changes of circumstances.

You can read more about this idea here or just email the committee at this address:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

What to do if you can't get through

Some of our members have successfully got their MP's office involved when they have been unable to contact the DWP themselves. If you do try this, please let us know how it goes by leaving a comment.  There's more details here.

Almost half a million PIP helpline calls deliberately disconnected in April 2023

Almost half a million callers to the PIP helpline in the month of April were deliberately disconnected by the DWP before they could even wait in a queue, a freedom of information request by Benefits and Work has revealed.  The proportion of calls cut-off before entering the queue is now greater than the proportion who even get to wait for an hour or more before giving up or getting disconnected.  Read more.

Comments

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 11 months ago
    I’m calling to try and start a new claim, I have a rare neurological condition, I’ve been on hold for over an hour, I struggle with phone calls and forms due to the nature of my disability and so am concerned I’ll never receive help. I’ve been on hold for just over an hour. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 11 months ago
    I rang to report a deterioration in my health. It took 58 minutes to get to speak to someone. He said he would send me out a new form to complete but that it might take 3 weeks to arrive because of Xmas post. In the next breath he said I would have 4 weeks to return the form! After pressing him to explain how I could do that if it would take 3weeks to get the form he agreed to give a 2 week extension. I then asked if they could email me the form - nope. Much discussion about that given it’s the 21st century and much stuff is now done electronically. Not the DWP however. They seem set up to dissuade claims from the off. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 11 months ago
    Third day in a row ... waiting 45+ mins each time before giving up.   The same inane 'music' on repeat sets me off after such a long time. I literally cannot stay on the line longer than that in one go! 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 11 months ago
    Got a call on monday which i missed and they havent tried to contact me since, no info in what the phonecall would be about, this is my third day trying to get in touch with them. Spent 40 mins on hold each time and gave up. Currently on the 35 minute mark today
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 11 months ago
    Wednesday at 1.30pm
    I phoned pip and was on the line for 52 minutes when I was cut off. Really disappointed as I have moderately-severe hearing loss and nervous about phoning them. I'm now on second phone call,  20 minutes in so far. If I can't get through I will contact my local social work department and see if they can help. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 11 months ago
    1 hour waiting and still nothing! Shocking! 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 11 months ago
    Been trying to call them to chase up on a change. Was on hold for 30 minutes yesterday, then the line disconnected. Tried again today, filled out the DOB, phone number, etc went back on hold for 25 minutes before the line disconnected again. 
    How else can we get through to them if they keep hanging up please? 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 11 months ago
    Tried to contact PIP today on behalf of my sister who has learning difficulties and unable to use a phone.  

    Was on hold for over an hour and when we got through agent was very abrupt.  I can appreciate him asking security questions but we needed to 'look up' the answers as we didn't know them off the top of our heads.  He asked for old addresses she had lived at and when we didn't know one, we thought he said he would call the number held on file ... but now I think he said get the information and call back.  We asked him to repeat but he hung up!!!!
    We had already given NI no. Last digits of bank account etc.

    Should add I am PoA for her, so my details should have been on file.  We didnt want to discuss payments, only wanted to inform PiP she had been discharged from hospital.


  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 11 months ago
    How do you going about getting it renewed after receiving it for 40 years
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 11 months ago
    Tried to ring 18 times on a Tuesday between 11am to 11:25am. I could select my language but then the automated voice would never get further than the national insurance number part before hanging up on me automatically. Very, very frustrating.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 11 months ago
    Rang twice, on hold for 40 mins each time and then the call goes deadly silent. First time i turned it off after 45 mins. Currently still on hold, and the music has turned off and no reply. It’s currently on minute 42. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 11 months ago
    Call just cancels absolute joke! 
    Apparently renewal will take over 8 months to return 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 11 months ago
    Although my review was not due until end of January 2024, I received a renewal form in June 2023, returned to them in July 2023.  Since I have heard absolutely nothing from them whatsoever, I decided to call them this Tuesday just gone, at about 3.45pm.  It took them 58 minutes to finally answer my call.  I spoke to a very helpful lady who advised that my renewal had not even been looked at yet, and that it was unlikely this would happen before Christmas.  I informed her I was worried because my housing benefit was due to be reduced at the end of January 2024 unless my PIP was renewed. She advised me that if I had not heard anything by the beginning of January, that they would write to me, giving me an automatic extension of a year and that I can give this letter to the council. In the meantime, the years extension of time should cover them renewing / considering my claim apparently. I can only assume that this will be the same for others in a similar position to me.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 11 months ago
    I can't even get through it says press one to get someone to speak in English then I get foreign lady then cuts off I've had this for 3 days now 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    Called 08/11/23, waiting in the queue for 23 minutes, call was disconnected. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    I spoke to a manager at pip, he immediately hanged up after 10-15min for no reason and I couldn't dial back. I couldn't call back to my local job center or UC either, I don't understand.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    Problem: need for 'Statement of Entitlement' for car tax purposes. Only course of action offered by DWP: phone ONE number with confusing  phone tree (over 10 hours in 4 separate calls and no option of: 'if you need a Statement of Entitlement, press here... a ridiculously obvious and simple solution')
    IT team/manager at DWP need sacking for incompetence/negligence/indifference to human suffering. It's a no brainer to have secure online request system, where you input your NI number/name/DOB/address and then get it online/sent. Reduce congestion/show respect.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    Called weds 1/11 at around 3pm. Couldn't speak to an advisor as call dumped me after 10 minutes. I was seeking a statement of entitlement for blue badge. Spent next hour in distress and tearful. Idk what I'm going to do to progress this.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    is anyone having trouble ringing their number because i tried calling and it said could not recognise the number.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 years ago
    Has anyone not received their PIP payment today?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 years ago
      @Candy I have made a comment below.
      Did you get an explanation, Candy? 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 years ago
      @Candy Yes, Me! It was due last Friday. I called today (Monday). After an interminable wait I was put through to Jordon in 'Customer Care' (or some such laughable title). I was told that my  payments have been suspended because I had been out of the country for 5 weeks Aug/Sept. I - very calmly -  reiterated the dates I had been out of the UK, why I had been out for over the allotted month (recovery from a heart op), when I returned and exactly WHEN I had called PIP to give them this information. 

      He muttered that my last contact was 2021. I asked him how that could possibly be when I have records of my conversations with them and that I was thanked for calling in on September28th 2023  and told all would continue as usual. 

      However, it hasn't. He has assured me that the money will be with me between 3 - 5 days. Why on earth should I believe him? Instead of getting coldly furious and articulate - as is my norm - I actually felt upset, demoralised, frustrated and tearful. I said that I was tearful on learning about this debacle, that I didn't ask to be unwell, that their system is punitive ad unjust and that he has made me feel 100% worse than I did already. He apologised but whether or not my payment goes in remains to be seen.

      I hope you all have better luck. I remain outraged and conscious of so many people battling simply to live in this harsh society. 

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