Personal Independence Payment (PIP) recipients are being warned that their financial aid could be halted if they don’t inform the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about certain changes in their situation.
It’s crucial for PIP claimants to notify the DWP of particular alterations to avoid disruptions or a complete stop to their benefits. However, some updates, such as a new name, doctor, healthcare provider, or address, do not need to be reported. The 2024/25 PIP Handbook on the GOV UK website notes: “This change may affect the claimant’s entitlement to PIP.”
It adds: “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.”
To report any changes, individuals should contact the PIP enquiry line at 0800 121 4433, open from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday. If there’s a need for more or less support, or if the condition’s expected duration changes, it’s important to update the DWP, as such variations can influence the entitlement, amount, and length of PIP, reports the Manchester Evening News.
This is particularly pertinent if leaving the country for over four weeks.
If you’re considering jetting off abroad for more than four weeks, even just for a holiday, it could have an impact on your PIP claim. The DWP needs to be informed of your departure date, the length of your stay, your destination, and the purpose of your trip.
Hospital stays
According to DWP guidelines, both components of PIP cease to be payable 28 days after admission to an NHS hospital. However, patients funded privately can continue receiving either component of PIP.
If you’re in a hospital or similar institution when your PIP entitlement begins, PIP isn’t payable until discharge. The daily living component of PIP ceases to be payable after 28 days of residency in a care home where accommodation costs are covered by public or local funds.
The PIP mobility component can still be paid. Those who fully self-fund their placement aren’t affected by these rules.
Care home
If you’re in a care home when your PIP entitlement starts, the daily living component isn’t payable until you leave. Hospital stays are considered connected if the gap between them is no more than 28 days.
Similarly, the daily living component for periods in a care home is also linked if the gap between them is no more than 28 days. However, there is no link for the mobility component as payment is not affected when in a care home.
Both components of PIP will cease to be paid after a total of 28 days in hospital.
The daily living component of PIP will cease after a total of 28 days in a care home. If a claimant transitions between a hospital and care home, or vice versa, these periods will also be linked.
Prison
If a claimant is imprisoned or held in legal custody, this may impact the amount of PIP that can be paid to them. The DWP needs to be informed of 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 where someone is detained in legal custody. This applies whether the offence is civil or criminal and whether they have been convicted or are on remand.
Suspended payments of benefit are not refunded regardless of the outcome of proceedings against the individual. Two or more separate periods in legal custody link if they are within one year of each other.
Name change
A change of name will not affect payment or eligibility for PIP, but it is crucial the DWP has the most current details for the claimant. If you’re a claimant and need to report changes, bear in mind that the DWP requires these details in writing.
If you attempt to provide this information over the phone, you’ll be asked to submit it in written form.
The written notification should include your full previous name, new name, any alterations made to the bank or building society account where your PIP is deposited, such as changes to the account name or number, and your signature on the letter. If there’s a change in the account where your PIP is paid into, the DWP needs comprehensive details of the new bank or building society, including the name and address, along with specifics of the new account like the account name, number, and sort code or roll number.
Changes regarding the person acting on behalf of the claimant, such as an appointee or someone with power of attorney, are crucial so that the DWP can ensure payments are made correctly and on time. They require the full name, address, and contact details of the new representative.
If the representative has moved or their contact details have changed, only the new information is needed. A change of address, unless it’s a hospital or nursing home, won’t affect eligibility or payment of PIP.
However, it’s vital that the DWP has the most current details for the claimant. They need comprehensive details of the new address, including the postcode and the date of the move.
Change of doctor/healthcare professional
Finally, if there’s a change in your doctor or healthcare professional, it’s important to report this. This change won’t affect your PIP payment or eligibility and isn’t required once a decision on your PIP claim has been made.
However, if this change happens during the claim process, it’s vital that you provide the DWP with the most up-to-date information. This ensures that the assessment provider has the right contact details to gather any extra information they might need.
The DWP needs the full name, address, and contact details of your new doctor or healthcare professional.