Disability Living Allowance Is changing......

1. Disability Living Allowance Is changing...... Slide:

2. It will now be replaced by.. Personal Independence Payments = Slide:

3. P I P Slide:

4. PIP Timeline - 1 Early February – Mid March 2013 DWP send general information about PIP to all existing DLA claimants in their annual DLA updating letters. DLA claimants DO NOT need to take any action as a result of this letter. It is a 7 page document - will it be read properly? Slide:

5. PIP Timeline - 2 New claims for PIP start for those living in: Cheshire, Cumbria, Merseyside, North East England, North West England. Any DLA claims from these areas will be treated as PIP claims. From 08 April 2013 Persons aged 16 - 64 All New claimswill now be for Personal Independence Payments No further ‘NEW’ DLA claims for 16-64 age group From 10 June 2013 Persons aged 16 - 64 Slide:

6. PIP Timeline - 3 From October 7th 2013 Existing DLA claimants: Awards end before 24 Feb 2014: DLA will be renewed. They will be invited to claim PIP at a later date And All existing DLA claimants who report a change in their DLA Care or Mobility and/or Medical Conditions will be invited to apply for PIP AND Claimants with existing fixed term DLA awards due to expire after the end of February 2014 will be invited to claim PIP. Slide:

7. PIP Timeline - 4 Children up to 15 inclusive DLA can continue to be claimed for children up to and including the age of 15. Once PIP has been introduced, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will contact them as they approach their 16th birthday to explain what will happen next. - - - - - - - They will then need to apply for PIP as an adult. Slide:

8. PIP Timeline - 5 Between October 2015 and 2018 All the remaining eligible claimants in receipt of a DLA award will be invited to make a claim for PIP. DWP plan to have contacted everyone by 2018 and will write to individuals in plenty of time to explain what to do. Existing DLA recipients do not need to contact DWP now. NOTE: There are NO AUTOMATIC migrations to PIP. Clients must always apply for PIP. Slide:

9. PIP Timeline - 6 IMPORTANT NOTE: There is NO AUTOMATIC MIGRATION TO PIP Clients must always apply for PIP. Slide:

10. The Application Process 1 : The following are extracts from the published DWP documentation • To start a new claim for PIP the claimant should telephone DWP on: 0800 917 2222. This number will be available from 8 April 2013 and the lines will be open between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday. • The caller will be asked for some basic information, including their: • National Insurance Number • Bank or building society details • Daytime contact number • GP or health professional’s details • Details of time spent abroad if they have been abroad for more than 4 weeks at a time over the last 3 years. Slide:

11. The Application Process 2 : The following are extracts from the published DWP documentation • Once the claim has been registered, a • ‘How your disability affects you’ form will be posted to the applicant • The applicant is then required to complete this 36 page document explaining in detail how their condition/s affect their daily life. • Similar to the DLA application, this is a form that is VERY EASY to complete VERY BADLY. Be Aware – Take Advice. • Details of the PIP claims process, along with copies of the claim form, can be found on the DWP website. Slide:

12. The Application Process 3 : The following is information extracted from the published DWP documentation that may have been reformatted. • Almost ALL applicants applying for PIP will be required to attend a face to face interview by a Healthcare Professional • This will in most cases be conducted by an external organisation contracted to complete this procedure by the DWP (Capita in Leicestershire we believe – NOT Atos) • The conclusion of the F2F interview will be passed to the “Decision Maker” within the DWP who will make the decision regarding accepting the application or not, and the associated level of the award Slide:

13. The Application Process 4 : • Should the application be agreed, the defined payment will commence • The recipient of the award should anticipate frequent requests by the DWP for updated information as to the claimants current condition and maybe subjected to additional re-examinations • There will be some applicants that are NOT successful both from new applications and those that have migrated from DLA. There is a formal appeals process that is available – • BE AWARE: • there are time constraints in respect of making these appeals and: • be sure to take advice. Slide:

14. Things for Applicant to Remember: • Do not rely on the DWP to gather the evidence from any source to verify the applicants condition or details as to how their condition affects them in their daily life. • The applicant needs to source and retain the evidence themselves • ALWAYS ensure that the applicant requests and obtains copies of any reports from a Specialist or in the form of a “Discharge Note” from a Hospital. • The applicant should retain all details of any referral by their GP to a specialist or auxiliary worker/healthcare professional • Retain full details of the prescribed medication, any changes made, when, by whom, and why EVIDENCE IS THE KEY – GATHER IT AND KEEP IT SAFE. WITHOUT IT YOUR CLAIM MAY FAIL. Slide:

15. Footnote • There are, as we all know, many people in the community that are frail, vulnerable and possibly suffering from a Mental Health issue. • It is not difficult to understand how someone, having made an initial telephone application after gathering all of the necessary information, then at a later date needing to complete a multi page document, all followed by a F2F interview could seem somewhat stressed. If they need help they only need to ask – Should we also be proactive in attempting to identify their need? Slide:

16. Thank you for your time and patience. Any Questions? Peter Yerrell: email: pyerrell@yahoo.co.uk _________________________________________ Citizens Advice: https:/www.gov.uk/PIP-checker. Slide: