An introduction to Personal Independence Payment for support organisations

PIP Toolkit - Quick Guide Introduction to PIP Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a new disability benefit Personal Independence Payment has replaced Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for new claims from adults aged 16-64 DLA remains for children up to age 16; and DLA recipients aged 65 or over on 8 April 2013 (day that PIP was introduced) PIP helps towards some of extra costs arising from health condition or disability PIP based on how person’s condition affects them, not condition itself Same way as DLA, claimants can get PIP whether in or out of work Not means tested or taxed PIP Toolkit - Quick Guide

PIP Toolkit – Differences and Similarities Similarities and differences between DLA and PIP Similarities Differences Extra-costs cash benefit Not means-tested or taxable Two components Payable both in and out of work Maintains links to passported benefits where possible Special rules for terminally ill people three month qualifying period and nine month prospective test New assessment criteria Individual assessment and face-to-face consultation Planned interventions Reconsiderations process DLA will continue to be paid until 28 days after the next payday, until the PIP decision comes into force. PIP Toolkit – Differences and Similarities

PIP Toolkit – Conditions of Entitlement Components and Eligibility PIP will be made up of two components – daily living and mobility Each can be paid at standard rate, or enhanced rate for those with the greatest needs The PIP assessment criteria will consider the individuals’ ability to carry out a range of everyday activities Individuals will receive a point score for each activity, depending on how well they can carry them out and the help they need to do them The total scores for each component determine whether a component is payable, and if so, whether at the standard or enhanced rate Enhanced Standard Daily Living Mobility 8 points 12 points Not Entitled PIP Toolkit – Conditions of Entitlement

Assessment Criteria PIP Toolkit – Assessment Criteria Daily living component (activities 1-10) Mobility component (activities 11-12) Standard rate = 8 points Enhanced rate = 12 points Activity Possible points 1. Preparing food 0-8 11. Planning and following journeys 0-12 2. Taking nutrition 0-10 12. Moving around 3. Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition 4. Washing and bathing 5. Managing toilet needs or incontinence 6. Dressing and undressing 7. Communicating verbally 8. Reading and understanding signs, symbols and words 9. Engaging with other people face-to-face 10. Making budgeting decisions 0-6 PIP Toolkit – Assessment Criteria

PIP Toolkit – Assessment Process and Providers The new assessment The PIP assessment will involve health professionals who consider the evidence provided by the claimant, along with any further evidence they think is needed The health professionals will be employed by independent providers People will be assessed as individuals, and the focus is on the impact their condition has on their daily lives and over a range of different activities PIP Toolkit – Assessment Process and Providers

PIP Toolkit – Assessment Process and Providers The new assessment Most people will be asked to a face-to-face consultation with a health professional as part of the assessment process - claimants will be encouraged to take somebody with them to the consultation Home visits will be available when necessary Face-to-face consultations may not be necessary for everyone – for example, those who are terminally ill may not have to have them The assessment provider will send a report back to the DWP Decision Maker to make a decision PIP Toolkit – Assessment Process and Providers

1 Thinking about claiming New Claims Existing DLA claimants Information is available that explains the eligibility criteria and helps the claimant decide if they want to make a claim. Family & Friends Online Support Organisations GPs and Healthcare Professionals Leaflets DWP Existing DLA claimants From October 2015 all the remaining claimants in receipt of a DLA award will be invited to make a claim to PIP. We will select those recipients of DLA in receipt of an indefinite award or fixed term award, and notify them about what they need to do to claim PIP. If they choose not to claim PIP then their DLA would end. Reassessment has now started for existing DLA claimants with fixed period DLA awards coming up for renewal, Children who turn 16 years old on or after 7 October 2013 (unless they have been awarded DLA under the Special Rules for terminal illness), where there is a report of change in the DLA claimant’s health condition or disability and existing DLA claimants aged 16-64 who wish to make a PIP claim. Existing DLA claimants will be asked at some point after October 2013 if they want to claim PIP.

PIP Toolkit – How to claim 2 Making a claim Claims are made via a telephone call (0800) to DWP – callers claiming under special rules for terminally ill people will be routed to a dedicated team to complete the claim DWP will identify communication needs (such as alternative formats) and consider if the claimant needs additional support DWP will explain what happens next The initial information required to make a claim to PIP will be basic information covering: DWP checks basic eligibility conditions – if not met then a disallowance letter will be issued The claimant’s personal and contact details Residency details (known as residency and presence) Relevant periods spent in hospital, residential care Claims under special rules for terminally ill people, and Payment (bank account) details A form is posted to the claimant. It is individually addressed and barcoded to speed up processing PIP Toolkit – How to claim

PIP claim call: basic info needed Claimant’s personal and contact details Residency and presence details Relevant periods spent in hospital or residential care Payment (bank account) details PIP Toolkit – How to claim

PIP Toolkit – How to claim PIP new claim process New claims line: 0800 917 2222 - callers claiming under special rules for terminally ill people will be routed to a dedicated team to complete the claim (textphone: 0800 917 7777) PIP enquiries: 0845 850 3322 (textphone: 0845 601 6677). Claimants sent ‘How your disability affects you’ form – return with supporting evidence already held PIP Toolkit – How to claim

PIP Toolkit – Completing the form 3 How your disability affects you The form allows the claimant to explain how their condition affects them in their own words Some disabled people have fluctuating conditions, that affect them in different ways on ‘good and bad’ days, so they can use the form to explain this Claimants may ask someone, such as a family member or support organisation to help them complete the form Any additional evidence that may help support the claim can be returned with this form. They shouldn’t request other documents which might slow down their claim or for which they may be charged The form and any supporting evidence is returned to DWP in a freepost envelope PIP Toolkit – Completing the form

‘How your disability affects you’ form Explains how condition affects claimants in own words Include affect on ‘good and bad’ days PIP Toolkit – Completing the form

‘How your disability affects you’ form Family member or support organisation can help Additional evidence already available to help support the claim returned included Claimants should only send in photocopies of things they already have available to them. They shouldn’t request other documents which might slow down their claim or for which they might be charged a fee, for example from their GP. If we need this we will ask for it ourselves. PIP Toolkit – Completing the form

PIP Toolkit – Assessment process and providers 4 Assessment The claim information, completed form and any additional evidence is passed over to the health professional They will decide if there is a need for any further evidence and will make all the arrangements to get this Some assessments may be completed at this stage– such as if someone is claiming under the special rules for the terminally ill or where the written evidence is sufficient Most will be asked to attend a face-to-face consultation PIP Toolkit – Assessment process and providers

PIP Toolkit – Assessment process and providers 4 Assessment Face-to-face consultation required Face-to-face consultation not required Claimant will be contacted to invite them to a face-to-face consultation Claimants can contact the health professional to ask questions about the consultation or rearrange appointments Claimant attends face-to-face consultation with health professional The health professional reviews all the evidence against a set of everyday activities and clear descriptors to assess the challenges faced by the individual The health professional will ask the claimant to explain how their condition affects them on a day to day basis. The claimant may also be able to provide additional evidence The health professional sends a report back to the DWP to help inform their decision PIP Toolkit – Assessment process and providers

How eligibility is assessed Assessment considers effect of health condition or disability on daily life Information considered by Assessment Provider They may request further evidence from a relevant health professional or someone who supports claimant PIP Toolkit – Assessment process and providers

How eligibility is assessed Assessment Provider may arrange face-to-face consultation with claimant who: can ask questions about the consultation or rearrange appointment explains how condition affects them on a day to day basis is able to provide additional evidence PIP Toolkit – Assessment process and providers

How eligibility is assessed Assessment provider reviews all evidence assesses challenges individuals face against set of everyday activities and clear descriptors reports back to DWP to help inform PIP decision PIP Toolkit – Assessment process and providers

PIP Toolkit – Decision and Payment 5 Decision The DWP Decision Maker reviews the evidence they’ve received – including the report from the health professional They make a reasoned decision on entitlement, level of award and the length of any award Claimants can call DWP to ask for more information about the decision A decision letter is posted to the claimant PIP Toolkit – Decision and Payment

PIP Toolkit – Decision and Payment PIP decision DWP tell claimants how and when to report change in circumstances DLA will continue to be paid until 28 days after the next payday, until the PIP decision comes into force. Claims to Personal Independence Payment are currently taking longer than expected. The actual length of time a Personal Independence Payment claim will take will depend upon individual circumstances. We are taking steps to speed up the claims process and dealing with claims as quickly as we can. Any delays experienced by the claimant will not affect the date from which their benefit is paid. PIP Toolkit – Decision and Payment

Awards If someone is awarded PIP we will tell them how long the award is for We will write to them to tell them how and when they need to tell us about any change in circumstances Claimants will have their award regularly reviewed When someone’s award comes to an end, they can decide to make a further claim to PIP, if they still have needs arising from their health condition or disability If someone is given a longer award we will contact them occasionally to see if their needs have changed over time PIP Toolkit – Disputes

PIP Toolkit – Decisions and Payment Award reviews The length of award for PIP will be based upon each claimant’s individual circumstances DWP regularly reviews awards When awards ends, claimant can make new claim DWP contact claimants with longer awards occasionally to see if needs have changed PIP Toolkit – Decisions and Payment

Special rules for terminal illness Claims for those who are found to meet the special rules for terminal illness criteria will be dealt with more quickly than normal claims Those claiming under the rules for terminal illness will be routed to a dedicated team to complete the claim. are guaranteed an award of the enhanced rate of the daily living component of PIP without having to wait until they satisfy the qualifying period or prospective test both the daily living component and, providing the conditions are met, the mobility component will be paid straight away The claimant will not be sent the form ‘How your disability affects you’ they will be asked some extra questions whilst they are on the phone about their condition and how it affects their ability to get around PIP Toolkit – Special rules

Special rules for terminal illness Special rules claims will be routed to a dedicated team to complete the claim . Telephone line: 0800 917 2222 (text phone 0800 917 7777) DS1500 report needed to support claim Both the Daily Living and, providing conditions met, the Mobility component paid straight away Don’t have to complete the ‘How your disability affects you’ form Don’t need a face-to-face consultation PIP Toolkit – Special rules

Rising 16s Children can continue to claim DLA until they are 16 These changes do not affect children in receipt of Disability Living Allowance They'll continue to receive it until they reach 16 when they become eligible for Personal Independence Payment. DWP will write to children who turn 16 years old on or after 7 October 2013 (unless they have been awarded DLA under the Special Rules for terminal illness), to invite them to claim PIP Existing DLA SRTI claimants, including young people reaching 16, will only be invited to claim PIP when their DLA award expires. There are no plans to extend PIP to new or existing claims for children

Passporting to other benefits and services Many DLA claimants are receiving other benefits, such as ESA Most DLA claimants receiving Incapacity Benefit will have already been reassessed for Employment and Support Allowance by the time they need to make a claim to PIP Households where someone is in receipt of DLA/PIP are exempt from the new Benefit Cap PIP Toolkit – Access to other benefits and services

Passporting to other benefits and services Most existing passporting arrangements have been maintained for PIP receipt of the Daily Living component (either rate) means that their carer may be entitled to Carer’s Allowance Motability scheme will work with PIP in the same way as it does with DLA Changes in entitlement may affect other benefits or support that the claimant or carer receives PIP Toolkit – Access to other benefits and services

Motability, Blue Badge, Concessionary travel and Vehicle Excise Duty If a claimant gets the enhanced rate of the mobility part of Personal Independence Payment, they may be able to use all or part of their allowance to lease a car, scooter or powered wheelchair from the Motability scheme If a claimant gets the mobility part of Personal Independence Payment they might be able to claim for a Blue Badge They may also be able to claim a pass to travel for free on public transport If the claimant gets the enhanced rate of the mobility part of Personal Independence Payment they won’t have to pay car tax If the claimant gets the standard rate of the mobility part of Personal Independence Payment they will only have to pay half the price of a car tax disc PIP Toolkit – Access to other benefits and services

Claimants in care homes PIP Daily Living component will stop being paid after total 28 days in a care home Mobility component payment not affected when claimant is in care home Claimants in hospitals Both components of PIP will stop 28 days after claimant admitted to NHS hospitals

Disputes The change to the appeals process for DWP consists of the following key elements mandatory reconsideration of decisions prior to appeal direct lodgement of appeals with HMCTS time limits for DWP to return appeal responses to HMCTS. DWP will introduce mandatory reconsideration and direct lodgement for PIP from April 2013 PIP Toolkit – Disputes

Where to find more information Information for support organisations and advisers is online at www.gov.uk/pip/toolkit. The site includes a quick guide to PIP for advisers, an overview of the claimant journey and frequently asked questions We’ll also include the latest news in the monthly Touchbase bulletin – sign up at the DWP website Information aimed at claimants is available on www.gov.uk. Please signpost to these pages from your own sites or materials Updated leaflets are also available – generic information in existing leaflets, and PIP specific leaflet Talk to your local DWP Partner Manager