DLA to PIP Mandatory Reconsideration Success

I would like to thank all those connected with this website for their diligent work in producing such a helpful repository of knowledge, advice and guidance, which has proved so helpful over the years to so many subscribers, including now myself. I have used the Benefits & Work user guides to achieve success with both my ESA and PIP claims. The Benefits & Work guides were especially helpful to me in my recent transition from DLA to PIP, since the procedure downgraded the rate for my care needs from ‘enhanced’ to ‘standard’ – despite me providing a 24 page ‘How your Disability Affects You’ ‘extra information’ submission, plus additional supporting evidence. I had crossed all the ‘t’s’ and dotted all the ‘i’s’ (or so I thought), so I was not a little surprised at the outcome of my claim. Since the DWP ‘decision maker’s’ summary contained some blatant errors of fact in connection with my disability, I requested a Mandatory Reconsideration. I pointed-out the errors and elaborated further on my care needs, using the Appeals guidance on this website. Within 5 days I had received a letter from the DWP, informing me that my claim had been reassessed and that I had now been awarded the enhanced rate of PIP for my care needs. My message to anyone (which I am sure will have been aired before within this forum) is that it is necessary to provide as much information as you can in support of your claim. Indeed don’t be afraid to be overinclusive. If you are a subscriber to this website, make sure that you read through the latest guides. Yes, this is arduous work, but if like me, you can prepare in advance for your claim, then make sure you do so in good time, since a month is no time to start your claim process from cold. Indeed, since my decision letter was dated a week before I received it, I had in effect, only 3 weeks to complete my claim and not a month as the DWP would have you believe. Also, unless your claim is pretty straightforward, the free text boxes on the claim form are, in my view, too small to provide the fullest account of your disability/health condition. So make sure your answers to the components on which you will be scored for PIP are written or typed on separate sheets of paper, being sure to cover all the bases and importantly, to use the terminology and ‘buzz words’ highlighted in the B&W Guides. Having received DLA for many years, I knew that the time would come when I would be transferred to PIP. I was therefore fortunate, insofar as this gave me plenty of time to prepare. I just had to keep up to date with both any changes in my condition – and any updates to the guides on the B&W website. Although I no longer need to subscribe to this website, I have chosen to do so, by way of saying ‘thank you’ and in order to support the valuable work that it does in campaigning on behalf of people in need and drawing attention to the sometimes questionable tactics employed by the DWP. Well done to Steve and all the ‘Benefits and Work’ team. I wish you and all those you help, continued success.