I am new to the Forum so apologies if this ends up posted in the wrong place! I’m looking for some advice. Has anyone taken DWP to Tribunal with regards to PIP?
I was diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting MS in Mar 15 (after a a year of being unwell). Was awarded PIP at standard rate for Daily living component and awarded nothing for Mobility. Requested a Mandatory Reconsideration and provided further information (which I believe they paid no attention to). Letter back from DWP basically said nothing had changed, Standard Rate for Daily living and Nothing for Mobility. I have completed the relevant paperwork to go to tribunal which is the next step.
Has anyone here been to tribunal against DWP with regards to PIP? What happens? What was it like? Any tips/advice?
I’ve no experience myself. However, I’d highly recommend you get in touch with the Citizens Advice Bureau, as they shoujld be able to give you advice & support. I remember hearing a stat comparing people who appeal a decision by the DWP on their own, and those who appeal with the support of an advice service. I can’t remember what the actual figures were, but the percentage of those who successfully appealed with support was much higher than those who did it on their own… It might be worth giving the MS Society helpline a call too, as they’ll probably be able to give some advice or point you in the right direction.
The site has lots of guides and help available for members, it costs about £20 per year to join but the information is of a very high quality, accurate and up to date.
Or of course the citizens advice bureau, any welfare rights service that your local council supports and/or any other advice centre available to you locally.
I suggest that to successfully appeal to a tribunal, you may need some help. But the initial step with the DWP is to ask for a mandatory reconsideration of their decision. The time limits for this are quite strict. You have one calendar month from the date of their decision to request a reconsideration. Only after that can you appeal to a tribunal.
So you should find some external support or look at a really good guide to PIP and write within the time limits. Lots of people successfully manage to appeal.
Hi i have been to the tribunal process and won i was awarded nothing on either part so we appealed and i was given standard rate for both parts. I was a nervous reck for the weeks leading up to it , but the whole thing went fairly well and the judge was on my side from the start really , there was a judge a doctor and a person with disabilities their on the panel and they just asked me questions about my MS and how it affected me on a daily basis and went through the medical information i had sent in with my claim . oh an a man for DWP was there to say why they didn’t pay the claim to give there reasons he had none really for mine and my husband how came with me took great pleasure in watching the man from DWP squirm as the judge had a go at them for wasting the courts time with theses cases.
They gave me the verdict then so no waiting around for a letter just the money.
I applied for a tribunal but by some miracle, the DWP re-reviewed it and sought medical advice, they phoned and apologised! I am still walking but again, that comes with damages, I suppose once I’m in a chair I’ll be less likely to get so bruised etc.