Help with your PIP review form

The questions in the PIP review form are based on the same everyday tasks and activities that are covered by the PIP claim form, for example preparing food, mixing with other people and moving around.

You’ll have to describe how you’re now finding each task or activity. Think about if anything has changed since your last assessment and if it’s harder or easier.

What you say on the form will help the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) understand how things have changed since your last assessment.

There are different versions of the PIP review form - so the form you get might look different from ones you've filled in before. It doesn't matter which version of the form you use - it won't affect your PIP review.

If your PIP was automatically extended

The DWP should have extended your claim automatically if it was about to end before they reviewed it. They should have contacted you to tell you your claim has been extended.

If the DWP have sent you a review form, you’ll continue to get PIP while they review your claim.

If nothing’s changed

You’ll need to write that things have stayed the same since your last assessment. Still describe how you’re finding each task or activity.

The DWP might need more information to help them make a decision about your PIP award. They might ask for a face-to-face assessment or for more information from your GP or healthcare professional. If you describe how nothing's changed your PIP should continue as usual until DWP makes a decision.

DWP could decide to:

• keep your PIP award the same and extend the length of the award

• reduce or remove the amount of your PIP award

• increase the amount of your PIP award

The form includes questions about your treatments, therapy, operations and medication. Even if nothing's changed since your last assessment, you should still answer these questions so the DWP has an up to date record.

If there’s been a change

You’ll need to say:

• what‘s happened to cause the change

• when it happened

• how this has made things easier or harder for you

You should mention things like:

• if your condition or its symptoms have got worse or better

• if you’ve stopped or started taking any medication

• any new aids or appliances that you’ve started to use

Even if you’re finding a task or activity easier, you should still give details of any help you need, or if you need to use an aid or appliance.

If you have good days and bad days

Explain how you cope on both good days and bad and how you manage over a longer period of time (like a week). This gives the DWP a better picture of how you cope most of the time.

Make it clear:

• if you have good days and bad days

• how often you have bad days

• if you have bad days more often than not

• how your difficulties and symptoms differ on good days and bad - for example, you can't finish preparing a meal or you only use pre-chopped vegetables

It's OK to estimate your bad days but say if you are. If it's too difficult to estimate - explain why. For example, because your condition fluctuates.

If you run out of space on the form

You can use extra sheets of paper if you run out of space on the form. Make sure you:

• put your national insurance number on each sheet

• make it clear which question you’re answering - it’s a good idea to put something like 'Answer to Question 3 continued below' before you carry on with your answer

• attach any extra sheets to the form so they don’t get separated

You can also tell the DWP about anything else they should know about your health condition or disability, for example if you’re waiting for an operation or an adaptation to your home.

It’s a good idea to keep a copy of your completed form, in case you need to check what you wrote later on.

Supporting information

When you return the form you should also send supporting information to show how your health condition or disability affects your day to day life.

You should include copies of any of the following documents:

• a list of your prescriptions

• a copy of your care plan, if you have one

• any paperwork you’ve been given by health professionals, including reports and letters (not appointment letters)

It’s a good idea to attach any documents to the form so they don’t get separated.

You shouldn’t send:

• the original documents

• appointment letters

• copies of anything you’ve already sent to the DWP

What happens next

The DWP will write to let you know what they’ve decided. You can challenge the decision if you disagree with it.

If you say that something’s changed the DWP might:

• phone you to ask for more information

• ask you to give them more evidence to show how your condition affects you

• ask you to go to a face-to-face assessment

• ask you to complete another PIP2 form (just so they can get the information they need - you won’t have to make a new claim)

If you tell the DWP that nothing’s changed, they could still ask for more evidence or a face-to-face assessment.

If you’re waiting for a medical assessment

At the moment the DWP will try to do the assessment by looking at your medical evidence and talking to you over the phone or by video call. It’s important to send your medical evidence as soon as possible.

If the DWP can’t assess you over the phone or by video call, they’ll invite you to a face-to-face medical assessment.