Personal Independence Payment Contact Number

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is given out to those who suffer from physical or mental disabilities. If you wish to apply for PIP yourself, or if you wish to apply for PIP on behalf of somebody you care for, then you should call the PIP Helpline at 0843 903 3237.

What is PIP?

Personal Independence Payment is a state benefit which helps to keep many disabled people living healthy lives. PIP was introduced on the 8th of April 2013 and was a replacement for the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) which preceded it. These payments may prove to be quite helpful for those who find it difficult to find work as a result of their disabilities, however it is not intended to substitute a person’s earnings. PIP is offered to everybody, regardless of their employment status, and is intended to lessen the financial burden which often comes with disabilities. It is not available to children or adults who are above state pension age. If you have been receiving PIP and have passed state pension age then you will continue to receive your payments.

What is the Difference Between PIP and DLA?

Before 2013, the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) was the state benefit provided to disabled people, but following the Welfare Reform Act of 2012. This was intended to ensure that the system was fairer and that everybody got the greatest benefit out of it. The DLA had been seen as inefficient and it was believed that many were making money from it despite being quite mobile and active. There were also concerns that people may be receiving DLA payments while also having undeclared earnings. PIP was introduced in order to combat the perceived flaws with DLA.

In order to receive DLA payments, it was required that you fill out a form and send it off along with a doctor’s note which could confirm your health status. PIP, on the other hand, is much harder to obtain and requires its claimants to undergo a full medical assessment with an independent health professional. These medical assessments are repeated on a regular basis to determine whether or not there has been any change in a claimant’s condition. For some people, this unfortunately meant that their payments had to come to an end.

What are the PIP Rates?

If you wish to apply for PIP and would like to know what kind of payments they provide, then please check them out below. Like its predecessor, DLA, PIP is divided into two distinct components, the Daily Living Component and the Mobility Component as these two aspects of life could be quite different for each person and different people will require more or less money for different things.

Weekly Rates for the Daily Living Component

• Standard Rate: £55.10
• Enhanced Rate: £82.30

Weekly Rates for the Mobility Component

• Standard Rate: £21.80
• Enhanced Rate: £57.45

There is a considerable degree of variation in the amount a claimant might receive for each of the two components. The medical assessment will determine how much money you receive each week, but you will hopefully get the amount you require as this system was made to be fair.

How Long Will I Be Receiving PIP Payments?

While things vary for different people, PIP is generally awarded on a fixed term basis. Once a claimant reaches the end of their fixed term, they will have to reapply. As some conditions will improve over time, claimants will be given a shorter period of time before reapplying is necessarily. Here are the the two time brackets that their fixed terms fall into:

• Short term awards: Up to two years.
• Long term awards: Up to ten years.

Once it has been determined which type of award you are eligible for, you will hopefully be provided with the income support that you require. However, PIP payments can be forced under review at any time, which could potentially bring an end to your payments.

How to Contact the Department of Work and Pensions

The Department of Work and Pensions are responsible for PIP payments and if you ever have any issues with them or need to get in touch with PIP for any reason, here are the PIP telephone numbers to call.

Your carer, or a family member, may contact PIP on your behalf for any enquiries, but you should be close at hand so that you can verify their authority, should you need to.

If you prefer to have things in writing and are looking to make a new claim for PIP, then you might like to send a letter to the following address:

Personal Independence Payment New Claims,
Post Handling Site B,
Wolverhampton,
WV99 1AH

Make sure that you have found all of the correct forms and provided all the relevant information before sending anything.

How Do I Challenge the Decision to Stop My PIP?

If it has been decided that you are no longer entitled to receive PIP following one of your medical assessments, but you believe that the assessment was wrong and those payments are essential to you, you can call up their complaints line. You first need to be sure whether you wish to make an appeal against an erroneous decision or a complaint against mistakes that they have made. These are two different things and it’s worth familiarising yourself with the particular details of these definitions. (Click here for the DWP complains page.)
Additionally, if you have found that their own resources are not helpful, then you might like to check out the advice from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau about challenging decisions made by the DWP. There decisions have been found to be wrong and unlawful in the past and it is possible for you to reverse their decisions and get the money which you are entitled to. (Click here to find the useful guide by the CAB.)
If you wish to send a letter of complaint, here are some important factors for you to keep in mind:

• Include your full name, date of birth National Insurance number (NiNo) and all contact details (house phone, mobile phone, full address, email.)
• Include your PIP claim reference number.
• Make sure that you inform them that it is a “formal complaint.”
• Include the date that you made your PIP claim.
• Make it clear how long you have been waiting to resolve your issue.
• Explain how many times you have tried to resolve this issue.
• Tell them that you want it to be handled under their complaints procedure.
• Ask them to confirm receipt of your complaint as soon as possible.

These will help to ensure that your complaint is treated seriously and that the issue is resolved and responded to as quickly as possible.

When To Call the PIP Helpline

There are lots of reasons to call the PIP Helpline, but if you’re not sure whether or not you should be calling them about your particular enquiry, take a look over this list:

• If you wish to determine whether or not you might be eligible for PIP.
• If you wish to determine whether or not somebody you care for might be eligible for PIP.
• If you receive PIP and you wish to determine whether or not your care is entitled to a Carer’s Allowance.
• If you wish to apple for 50% off your vehicle tax – a benefit which many claimants of PIP are entitled to.
• If you have six months to live or less, you can call them to ensure you get the enhance PIP payments without having to go through the drawn out assessment process.

If you’re unsure as to whether or not your call is suitable for the PIP Helpline, it is worth calling them anyway as they will be happy to point you in the right direction if you have called the wrong department.

The Department of Work and Pensions on Social Media

The DWP is quite active on social media and following them could be a good way to keep up to date with any changes to the benefits you receive and any additional benefits which you might also be entitled to. Here are the links to their accounts:

• Facebook: Here they share useful articles to help you to better understand your different entitlements.
• Twitter: On Twitter you’ll find lots of staright to the point posts on any updates and services offered by the DWP.

They’re sure to let you know of any changes to your own benefits directly through the mail, but these social media accounts could help you to gain an understanding of the other benefits which they provide.

Useful Links

The following links might be helpful for anybody wishing to apply for PIP or for any claimants who are experiences problems:

• Official PIP Application Guide:An all-in-one guide on the DWP website.
• British Sign Language (BSL) Video Relay Service: This is a service for any Deaf people who might wish to apply for PIP and who would be unable to speak over the telephone.