Overview

From June 2013, it has not been possible to claim Disability Living Allowance if you are 16 or over. Instead, people aged 16-64 who have care and mobility needs have to claim Personal Independence Payment. Hundreds of thousands of existing DLA claims have been assessed under the new criteria, which for the first time is based on a scoring system.

This course is essential for anyone working with sick or disabled people. We will use practical examples and comprehensive course notes to enable participants to identify who can qualify for PIP and how best to prepare for a new claim or a DLA reassessment.

Key learning objectives

By the end of the course, participants will:

• Understand the basic rules and principles of PIP and how it differs from DLA
• Be familiar with the scoring system and descriptors
• Have confidence in supporting and informing clients through the claiming and reassessment process
• Be clear about the impact of PIP on other benefits, especially Carers Allowance
• Understand how PIP fits into the Government’s welfare reform programme
• Have seen the claim forms and used them in the context of a case study
• Have had the opportunity for discussion and networking with other participants
• Understand how to proceed if a claims fails

Course content

We will cover all the relevant areas of PIP, including the basic qualifying criteria, the daily living and mobility components, the scoring system, special rules, claiming while in hospital or care, how PIP affects other benefits and what to do if a claim fails.

Who should attend

No prior knowledge will be assumed, so the course might be too basic for specialist benefit advisers but will be just right for everyone else! More technical courses on PIP and other disability-related benefits are available – just get in touch.