PIP Personal Independence Payment 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Special Rules for End of Life, a claimant must have a progressive disease and be expected to live for how long or less?
- 3 months
- 6 months
- 12 months (Correct answer)
- 24 months
Correct answer: 12 months
Since April 2023, Special Rules apply when a claimant has a progressive disease and is not expected to live more than 12 months; the previous threshold was 6 months.
Question 2: What is the name of the form a healthcare professional completes to support a PIP Special Rules (end of life) claim?
- PIP2
- SR1 (formerly DS1500) (Correct answer)
- Med3 fit note
- ESA113
Correct answer: SR1 (formerly DS1500)
The SR1 form (which replaced the DS1500 in 2021) is completed by a doctor or nurse to support a Special Rules claim and enables faster award of the enhanced rate.
Question 3: If a claimant disagrees with a PIP award decision, what must they do before they can appeal to a tribunal?
- Contact their MP to intervene
- Request a mandatory reconsideration from the DWP (Correct answer)
- Submit new medical evidence to the assessor
- File a formal complaint with the DWP Director
Correct answer: Request a mandatory reconsideration from the DWP
Mandatory reconsideration is a compulsory first step where the DWP reviews its own decision before a claimant can appeal to an independent tribunal.
Question 4: If a claimant is still unhappy after mandatory reconsideration, they can appeal to which body?
- The High Court
- The DWP Regional Director
- The Social Security and Child Support Tribunal (Correct answer)
- The Citizens Advice Bureau
Correct answer: The Social Security and Child Support Tribunal
Appeals against PIP decisions go to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal, which is independent of the DWP and part of HM Courts & Tribunals Service.
Question 5: How long does a claimant typically have to request a mandatory reconsideration after receiving a PIP decision letter?
- 14 days
- 1 month (28 days) (Correct answer)
- 3 months
- 6 months
Correct answer: 1 month (28 days)
Claimants have one month (approximately 28 days) from the date of the decision letter to request a mandatory reconsideration, though late requests may be accepted with good reason.
Question 6: If a claimant's condition significantly worsens during an existing PIP award period, what can they do?
- They must wait until the scheduled award review
- They can report a change of circumstances to request a reassessment (Correct answer)
- They must make a completely new claim
- They can only report the change when renewing the award
Correct answer: They can report a change of circumstances to request a reassessment
Claimants are required to report changes in their condition to the DWP, which can trigger a reassessment and potentially a higher award before the scheduled review date.
Question 7: What is a PIP 'award review' initiated by the DWP?
- An annual automatic payment increase review
- A DWP-initiated check to determine whether an existing award remains appropriate (Correct answer)
- A review triggered only when the claimant requests it
- A review exclusively for claimants whose awards are about to expire
Correct answer: A DWP-initiated check to determine whether an existing award remains appropriate
The DWP schedules award reviews periodically to reassess whether the claimant's needs have changed and whether the current award level is still correct.
PIP Personal Independence Payment 5
Under the Special Rules for End of Life, a claimant must have a progressive disease and be expected to live for how long or less?