The DWP have finally created a light touch review form for claimants who have reached pension age or who have an ongoing PIP award.
The AR2 form is being issued from August 2023.
This form is a much shorter alternative to the AR1 PIP award review form, which most claimants who have an end date to their award receive.
The AR2 form is being issued to claimants who have:
- very stable needs which are unlikely to change over time
- high level needs which will either stay the same or get worse
- a planned award review date due on or at State Pension age
PIP was first introduced in 2013. The new form is being brought out just as the earliest PIP claimants with ongoing (no end date) awards, have been claiming for 10 years and are thus due to have their first review.
The six page form covers:
- Identity and contact details
- Immigration status
- Your main healthcare professional
- Details of any changes to your health condition or disability
- Details of any changes to your daily living needs
- Details of any changes to your mobility needs
- Your consent to allow the DWP to collect further information
If there has been no change, then in most cases an assessment with a health professional will not be needed.
Claimants receive the form along with a covering letter which the DWP say will:
- Confirm that you have a long-term health condition/disability or that you are over state pension age
- Confirm your current awards for daily living and/or mobility
- Set out the needs or difficulties that you have been assessed under for daily living and/or mobility for your current award
- Explain the reason for the review
- Give clear instructions about what you need to do next
- Explain what to do if you have problems completing the form
- Explain what the DWP will do once they receive the form
Claimants are given a time limit in which to return the form. If you fail to meet this deadline your award may end, but this is a decision which can be appealed against.
It is likely that most forms that are returned which indicate there has been no change, or where the change could not make a difference to the award, will result in a decision being made in-house by the DWP without passing the case on to an assessment provider.
Benefits and Work would be very interested to see a copy of the accompanying letter, please get in touch if you are willing to let us see yours, completely confidentially.
We’d also like to hear from people who complete the process, to discover if it is as streamlined and painless as the DWP claim.
You can download a sample copy of the PIP AR2 light touch award review form in pdf format.
