Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants have been reminded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to report certain changes in their situation to avoid a halt or cessation of benefits.
Crucially, details such as updating your name, doctor, health professional, or address are not mandatory for sharing with the DWP and won't directly impact your payments or award - but keeping your information up-to-date is still advisable.
However, if you're planning to travel outside the UK for over four weeks – even on a holiday – this could affect your entitlement to PIP. According to the latest guidelines set by the DWP and found in the PIP Handbook on GOV.UK: "This change may affect the claimant's entitlement to PIP. We will need to know the date the claimant is leaving the country, how long they are planning to be out of the country, which country they are going to and why they are going abroad."
As such, claimants due to jet off internationally should get in touch with the DWP without delay. This advice also holds when booking your summer vacations this year, as per insights from the Daily Record.
When it comes to reporting any changes to your circumstances, reach out to the DWP by calling the PIP enquiry line at 0800 121 4433. The service is available Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm, reports the Mirror.
A comprehensive guide is available detailing all the changes in circumstances that require you to contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Changes to daily living or mobility needs
You must notify the DWP if, for example, you need more or less help or support, or if your condition is expected to last longer or shorter than you previously told the DWP.
Such a change could affect your eligibility for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), as well as the amount and duration of the PIP award.
Leaving the country
This change could impact the claimant's entitlement to PIP. The DWP needs to know the date the claimant is leaving the country, how long they plan to stay abroad, which country they are visiting, and the reason for their trip.
Stays in hospital or care homes
According to DWP guidelines, both components of PIP stop being payable 28 days after the claimant is admitted to an NHS hospital. Patients funded privately are not subject to these rules and can continue to receive either component of PIP. If a claimant is in hospital or a similar institution when their PIP entitlement begins, PIP is not payable until they are discharged.
The daily living component of PIP stops being payable after 28 days of residency in a care home where the accommodation costs are covered by public or local funds. The PIP mobility component can continue to be paid.
Those who fully self-fund their care home placement are not affected by these rules. If a claimant is in a care home at the date of entitlement, the PIP daily living component will not be paid until they leave the care home.
Hospital stays and care home spells are linked if there is no more than a 28-day gap between them. However, this does not apply to the mobility component as its payment is not affected when in a care home.
Both components of PIP will cease after a total of 28 days in hospital, while the daily living component will stop after a total of 28 days in a care home. If a claimant moves between a hospital and a care home, or vice versa, these periods will also be linked.
Imprisonment or claimant held in legal custody
Changes may affect the amount of PIP that can be paid to the claimant if they are imprisoned or held in legal custody. The DWP needs to know the date the claimant was taken into prison or legal custody and the expected duration of their stay, if known.
PIP stops being payable after 28 days if someone is detained in legal custody, regardless of whether the offence is civil or criminal, and whether they have been convicted or are on remand.
Suspended benefit payments are not reimbursed, regardless of the outcome of proceedings against the individual. Two or more separate periods in legal custody are linked if they occur within a year of each other.
Change of name
This change will not affect the payment or eligibility for PIP, but it's vital that the DWP has the most up-to-date details for the claimant. This change must be reported in writing - if the claimant calls to provide these details, the DWP will request them in written form.
Change of account PIP is paid into
The DWP requires full details of the new bank or building society, including the name and address, along with details of the new account, including the name of the account, the account number, and the sort code or roll number.
Change of person acting for the claimant
This refers to an appointee or someone with power of attorney for the claimant. This change is important so the DWP can make payments to the correct person at the right time.
They need the full name, address, and contact details of the new person who is acting for the claimant. If the person acting for the claimant has moved or has different contact details, the DWP just needs the updated information.
Change of address
Provided it's not a hospital or nursing home, this change will not impact the eligibility or payment of PIP. It's crucial that the DWP has the most current details for the claimant.
They require comprehensive information about the new address the claimant has moved to, including the postcode and the date of the move.
Change of doctor or healthcare professional
This change will not impact the payment or eligibility for PIP and is not mandatory once a decision on the PIP claim has been made.
However, if the alteration happens during the claiming process, it's crucial that the DWP is provided with the most up-to-date information. This guarantees that the assessment provider has the right contact details to gather any extra details they may require.
The DWP needs the full name, address, and contact details of the new doctor or healthcare professional. Comprehensive details about changes of circumstance if you are receiving PIP can be found in the online handbook here.
