Extra support for terminally ill people who claim PIP
DWP is improving the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims process for people who are terminally ill with a new, separate, fast-track claims process for these claimants.
A number of steps have already been taken to make the process better and to clear any cases that may have been held up including:
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Providing a single postal address for the DS1500 forms for PIP claims;
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Reviewing outstanding cases in order to identify why some have been held up and resolving them on a case by
case basis;
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Providing assessment providers with extra guidance in order to reduce the number of calls made to health professionals to query prognosis or the date when the claimant became terminally ill;
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Giving assessment providers new guidance so they can carry out clinical assessments, based on the balance of probabilities, in instances where they have been unable to verify whether the claimant is terminally ill.
In addition, later this month we are planning to introduce a dedicated telephone claim service for terminally ill people wanting to claim PIP.
Claimants will still call the usual PIP claims number - 0800 917 2222 - but if they select option one, to make a new claim, and then option three from the recorded message, their call will be routed to a dedicated team so they can complete the claim process.
We would like to encourage claimants and their representatives to send a DS1500 form in support of their PIP claim as soon as possible, as this will help us to process the claim rapidly.
However, we have made enhancements to the questions that the dedicated team will ask if a claimant or their representative is unable to send in a DS1500 form. This will help us to gather extra information so that we can progress the claim.
Does terminal mean in case of my CA no cure or death imminent?Confused.
Terminally ill is less than 6 months to live.
What is meant by terminally ill?
The definition used by the Department for Work and Pensions, when they assess a claim under the special rules, is that a person is suffering from a progressive disease, and their death can be reasonably expected within six months.