DLA v PIP which one should my dad claim?

[della2]

How does your dad know he'll have to appeal?

 

Experience, experience!

 

Since late 2009 when the initial claim for ESA was made, my dad has had six assessments & re-assessments which have all been subject to appeal. Each one has been overturned by the tribunal and awarded him the Support Group. He is re-assessed every 6 months.

 

Based on that it is anticipated that he will have another ESA re-assessment this year, two more in 2013 and one in 2014, all are expected to go to the appeal tribunal.

 

Given that history and the many comments on here saying that the first claim for DLA/PIP is almost always turned down together with the fact that failures at an ESA re-assessment will trigger a review of the DLA/PIP award, it is highly likely that appeals will become the norm for DLA/PIP as well.

 

Remembering that PIP will be re-assessed on a regular basis as well. thereby giving the DWP the opportunity to downgrade or remove the award that had previously been given.

[della2]

 

If that is what you believe, you have been duped like the majority of the population, and there is little point in carrying on trying to give you advice.

 

I don't believe anything until I can prove it to myself that it is right. I haven't been duped by anybody.

 

All I have done is to give the reason put out by the government as to why they will push PIP forwards.

 

As my last contribution to this thread I will try once more to explain what I mean. To say there are no real checks for DLA and it is open to fraud could not be further from the truth. It is one of the hardest benefits to get because of all the checks that are made with REAL medical professionals. It also has one of the lowest fraud rates of any benefit. The reason for PIP is to save 20%, as stated by the government.

 

I have no idea how hard it is. I can only say what the government put out as information as to why PIP is replacing DLA. If there are other reasons, then I just don't know. Yes I know they are trying to save money, but I cannot really believe that the sole reason is for that.

As I have said my grandfather has had DLA for about 19 years now, and he has said that it was quite easy. He hasn't been contacted for any re-assessment in all those years. Whatever the real truth is behind PIP I don't think any of us know.

You may be right about how difficult it is to get, but it cannot be that much harder than ESA!!

 

I understand what you are saying about not wanting to apply for DLA and them having to be Assessed for PIP. What I was saying you might as well apply for DLA because PIP would be subject to regular reassessments anyway, and no matter how small if there was a chance of getting DLA and missing out on all the reassessments for PIP it must be worth going for.

 

Yes I do understand what you are saying. The problem I have will be trying to convince my dad that it is better to fill out two lots of forms, have two lots of assessments and then two Tribunal hearings. He just sees it as - 'well why not wait 12 months and just claim PIP thereby cutting out 50% of the hassle and stress'.

I know PIP will have regular re-assessments, I know that that isn't ideal but he does manage two ESA re-assessments and Tribunals a year as it is. Those will finish when he is 65. In their place will be the PIP regular re-assessments.

 

I think that we will have to agree to disagree over PIP coming in/not coming in.

It is quite clear from everything I have read that it will happen next April and that my dad will be caught up in the DLA/PIP re-assessment process - to think otherwise is putting your head in the sand. From what the government are putting out for whatever reason (which to be honest doesn't really interest or bother me) they are committed to PIP.

 

And reading between the lines, once PIP is with us and the 16 - 64 re-assessment has been completed, logic tells me that they just cannot have PIP running in tandem with DLA for years to come until the last DLA claimant/survivor pegs it. That could be decades. I would think that in 2016 they would start to mop up what is left of the under 16 category and concentrate on those that were 65 in April 2013. By say 2018 at the latest I would imagine that DLA would be dead in the water and everyone, no matter the age, will be on PIP.

 

I won't bother you anymore. I'll most probably lose my DLA, but at least we persevered and my wife got hers. When she was 64 she applied and got turned down. She appealed and that took over year but she got HRM for 2 years. When she was 67 she got sent the forms for a reassessment filled them out, and got an indefinite award of HRM with MRC. If she had not been prepared to go through all this she would have only got Low rate AA.

 

I'm sorry that you are likely to lose your DLA and not being able to qualify for PIP. I'm a bit like that - a pessimist.

 

Oh, and good luck with whatever you decide.

 

Thanks and I really do appreciate your help along with others that have contributed. I hope you don't mind me replying to each part of your posting as it is easier to do.

[Nystagmite]

I don't know what the point of this thread is, in honesty. Why did you ask and then say there's no point?

[abc123def]

I don't know what the point of this thread is, in honesty. Why did you ask and then say there's no point?

 

I've wondered that

[count orlok]

[della2]

I don't know what the point of this thread is, in honesty. Why did you ask and then say there's no point?

 

The purpose of this thread was maybe a little 'blue sky' thinking on my part.

 

Knowing that there are two benefits DLA & PIP. I just wanted input to see which way to jump with my dad.

 

Given all of the advice and comments given, as well as considering all of my dad's abilities, I have come down in favour for waiting 12 months, just before his 65th and putting in a claim for PIP.

 

Given that it is now clear that he will go to PIP if he claimed DLA.

 

The reasons I have already indicated - one form instead of two - DLA/PIP, only one failure and one Tribunal appearance.

 

If he fails at the Tribunal then nothing has been lost as he would be in the same position as if he claimed DLA initially.

 

I just needed a bit of re-assurance that taking everything into account, assuming the worst, that it would be too much for him to go the DLA - PIP route.

 

I can see that there are some that hope and pray that PIP won't come in - which is a bit like putting your head in the sand - it will happen!

Personally I agree that it should come in, if only to give the general public confidence that the money paid in taxes is actually being spent wisely.

 

I agree that it isn't right that the disabled are having to prove themselves time and time again.