The flood of PIP award extension letters we highlighted a fortnight ago is being followed, sometimes within days or weeks, by review forms for some claimants. Others have received extension letters which wrongly reduce the length of the award and one member has warned of issues with Motability vehicles.
Last month we revealed that around 850,000 PIP award extension letters were being sent out by the DWP, with awards typically being extended for 9 months.
It seems though, that in some cases the extension letter is being closely followed by a PIP review form which may be due to be returned before the original award has even ended, leaving claimants feeling that the extension wasn’t so much of a boon after all.
One commenter told us:
Many including me rec'd an extension letter mine came last sept extending my pip award from mar 21 to Dec21. My renewal forms arrived last Thursday they needed to be back by 8/2 -a month before my original end date. Many others have had the same experience
Another said:
I had the same letter in December 2020 extending to December 2021 so heaved a huge sigh of relief as this comes in every 2.5 years usually having a month to fill out over Christmas. I received a smaller form to update my conditions and can't believe it's due in 3 weeks when my original PIP didn't end till May 2021.
Yet another commentor wrote:
I received the same letter in November last year, but in December I received a further letter and the review forms which had to be completed and returned!!
A poster on the forum told us:
Good morning, please can somebody help , I had at letter in say my pip. Was to be extended for a further 12 months . Then 2 days later , I’ve had a renewal form come in
Some people are receiving extension letters which give a date earlier than the actual end of their award, seemingly shortening instead of lengthening it. One poster in the forum said:
I know other people have been receiving PIP extension letters. I have now received one, with an extension date of July 2023. However this extension date is sooner than the actual award length expiry date. Are these extensions letters with July 2023 going out to everyone automatically without the DWP checking exactly when peoples actual awards are ending?
Another commentor said:
We had stress this week. My husband got his award in 2019 for 10 years. We got this letter saying because of Covid his award will be reassessed in NOV 2022!!! Rang up and they didn't know why as their computer said ongoing period from 2019... After a week of waiting they said a sentence was missing from the original letter!!! But all sorted and renewal date is Feb 2029. What stress! I'm sure they do it deliberately to unnerve you. All he wants is to be Ill n peace!
Another commentor warned of a different problem:
There's a sting in the tail with these letters though. Anyone with a Blue Badge will have to re-apply for the badge and entitlement to that new badge will end at the same time as the extended PIP date. My motability car is also due for replacement but can't be because the extension doesn't cover a three year period. Whilst not having to worry about PIP renewal applications for a few more months, this extension is not without it's own problems.
Have you received an extension letter and has it all been good news? Let us know below the line.
