Eight reasons your PIP benefit payments could be stopped by the DWP

PERSONAL Independence Payments (PIP) are a lifeline for many Brits with physical or mental health conditions that make it hard to carry out everyday tasks or get around.

Worth just under £10,000 a year for someone on the higher rate for both the daily living and mobility elements, a sudden stop to payments can cause a serious black hole in people’s finances.

Worse, if the change is unexpected, it could mean bills going unpaid as there’s not enough in the bank to cover outgoings.

The government has said that around 3.1 million PIP claims have been reviewed since 2016. 

According to Citizens Advice, tens of thousands of people have their payments stopped or reduced as a result of these reviews.

The charity says that there are eight key reasons that payments could be decreased or stopped altogether, and has explained what you need to do about each of them. Here’s everything you need to know.

You didn’t return a review form in time

If you failed to send back your review form by the deadline given, you need to call the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as soon as possible.

If you have a good reason, the benefits office might give you an extension. Make sure you then fill in the form as soon as possible and send it off.

If your claim is successful, you’ll be paid the money you should have got if your claim hadn’t stopped.

If you aren’t given more time, and don’t have a good reason that you can use to challenge this (such as ill health or an emergency) then you need to start a new PIP claim.

You should do this as quickly as possible because the process can be time consuming.

If you want to challenge the DWP about a stopped PIP claim, you need to do so within a month. Read our guide on how to make a challenge.

You’ve reached the end of your fixed-term PIP award

If your fixed-term award came to an end, the next step depends on whether you’ve been sent a review form or not.

If you didn’t get a form, but think you should still qualify, you should start a new claim as soon as possible.

If you did receive a form, but didn’t return it on time, you should follow the process above.

If you sent your form back within the deadline and haven’t heard anything, ring the DWP. You can check whether your form has been received – and ask when you can expect to get a decision on your award.

You had a medical assessment and the DWP decided your condition has improved

The DWP can decrease or stop your benefit payment entirely if they believe that your mental or physical health condition has improved.

However, you can challenge the decision if you think you should still be getting the benefit.

Make sure you gather evidence before making any challenges, for instance, a note from your doctor or a specialist saying that your condition hasn’t improved or that you still struggle with everyday tasks.

Read our guide on how to make a challenge explains the specific steps you need to take and the deadlines you should consider.

You missed a medical assessment

If you missed your medical assessment, the DWP will stop your claim. In the first instance, ring up and ask whether you can get a new appointment. This is more likely to be successful if there’s a good reason you missed the first one.

If you are given a new assessment date, make sure you turn up. If you’re successful in your PIP application, you’ll be paid the money you would have got in the interim if your claim hadn’t stopped.

If the DWP won’t let you arrange a new appointment to be assessed, you’ll need to start a new PIP application and should do this as soon as possible.

You told the DWP about a change of circumstances and they decided you can’t get PIP any more

You must alert the DWP if you go abroad, go into hospital or a care home, go into prison or custody, or if your immigration status changes.

Depending on what has changed, your benefit payment could be stopped. For instance, if you go abroad for more than 13 weeks or you’re in hospital for more than four weeks.

You don’t need to tell the benefits office about changes such as getting a job, changing earnings, or moving in with a new partner.

If your circumstances change again, for instance if you come out of hospital or return to the UK, call DWP. Citizens Advice says that you might be able to restart your claim, or you might need to make a brand new claim instead.

If you think the DWP has made an error, you can challenge the decision, using our guide.

The DWP is taking back a benefit overpayment

If you’ve been paid too much benefit, the government will usually reduce your future benefits payments until you’ve repaid what you owe.

You should get a letter explaining why they think you’ve been overpaid, including a list of reasons. If you haven’t been told why you can ask to be sent the reasons in writing.

You can challenge the decision if you think it’s wrong. We have a guide to how overpayment happens and what you need to do to make a challenge here.

Even if you have been overpaid, if the reductions are causing you financial hardship, for instance, if you can’t afford your rent or to eat, ring the DWP’s debt management centre.

You might be able to work out a more affordable plan, or even have the overpayment ignored.

The two main numbers are:

• Telephone: 0800 916 0647 
• Textphone: 0800 916 0651

You have been accused of benefit fraud

If you’ve been accused of fraud, your payments will stop while the DWP investigates. Citizens Advice says that you should try to find a solicitor that can help you while you’re being investigated.

The charity has a helpful step-by-step guide explaining how to get help and what else you need to do here.

If your health condition worsens, or if you have a new disability or condition, you might be able to make a new claim, but otherwise you’ll have to wait.

If the DWP decides your claim wasn’t fraudulent, you’ll get all of the money you should have received while the investigation was going on.

You are subject to immigration control

If the DWP say your PIP has stopped because you’re subject to immigration control, you should get help from a Citizens Advice adviser.

You can speak to the charity online, or by ringing 0800 144 8848 in England or 0800 702 2020 in Wales.