If you struggle to get around and you got PIP before 28 June 2018

This advice applies to England. See advice for See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Scotland, See advice for Wales

If you have a mental health condition that makes it difficult to plan or make a journey, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) might have:

  • not given you enough PIP

  • refused to give you PIP when they should have

This is because in 2016, a court decided the DWP had been making PIP decisions in the wrong way. 

The DWP should have contacted you already if they think you should have got more PIP. If you think you might be affected and the DWP haven’t contacted you, ask them to look at your claim again.

You might be affected if all of the following apply:

  • you have a mental health condition that makes going outside difficult

  • your PIP claim was decided after 27 November 2016 but before 28 June 2018 - you can check the date on your decision letter

  • you didn’t get the mobility component of PIP or you got the standard rate of the mobility component

If your PIP decision was made before 28 November 2016

If you didn’t get the mobility component or you got a lower rate than you expected, you might be able to get your claim backdated to before 28 November – contact your nearest Citizens Advice.

Ask the DWP to look at your claim again 

Write to the benefit office listed on your original decision letter. Tell them you think you should have got the higher mobility component and you want them to look at your PIP decision again.

You'll need to include your:

  • National Insurance number

  • address

  • contact details

If you don’t have your original decision letter, call the PIP enquiry line to find out where to send your letter.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) enquiry line

Telephone: 0800 121 4433

Textphone: 0800 121 4493

Relay UK - if you can't hear or speak on the phone, you can type what you want to say: 18001 then 0800 121 4433

You can use Relay UK with an app or a textphone. There’s no extra charge to use it. Find out how to use Relay UK on the Relay UK website.

Video relay - if you use British Sign Language (BSL).  

You can find out how to use video relay on YouTube.

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Calls are free from mobiles and landlines.

If you’re already getting PIP when you ask for a review

The DWP will look at your entire PIP claim again - this includes the care and mobility components. This means you might get less money overall than you were getting. If you’re not sure, contact your nearest Citizens Advice for help.

If you aren’t getting any PIP

You should make a new claim if you think you might now qualify for the mobility component – you don’t need to wait until your old claim has been reviewed. If you make a new claim you could get extra money sooner and they might backdate the payment.

How your claim will be reviewed

You won’t have to go to another face-to-face assessment. The DWP will review your claim by using all the information you sent when you applied.

If they need more information they might contact you or your doctor.

If you’re eligible for more money

The DWP will send you a letter after the review to tell you their decision. If you’re entitled to more money it will tell you how much you’ll get.

Your payment will be backdated to the date of your claim or when the mobility component rules were first changed (28 November 2016), whichever is later.

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Page last reviewed on 28 October 2019