Benefits and Work has received unconfirmed reports that the transfer of disability living allowance (DLA) claimants to personal independence payment (PIP) has turned into a complete shambles, with Atos being almost completely removed from the process and no transfers taking place in large areas of the UK in the near future.{jcomments on}
Only in central England and Wales, where claimants are mainly being assessed by Capita, will transfers from DLA to PIP go ahead as planned from 28 October. In the rest of the country it appears that claimants with a time-limited DLA award will be sent a new DLA claim pack to complete when their current award is due to end, rather than a PIP claim pack.
We also understand that children whose award is due to come to an end may have their DLA award extended until their 17th birthday if they are not in the reassessment area.
Fresh claims will still be for PIP rather than DLA, regardless of where the claim is made.
Claimants with an indefinite (lifetime) award of DLA will not be transferred to PIP before 2015, regardless of where they live.
A map of the areas where DLA to PIP transfers will still go ahead is available from the .gov website.
These details are as yet unconfirmed, so please call back for updates.
Update: the BBC has now confirmed, without details, that the PIP rollout has been delayed.
