Our Benefits Service is advising anyone who receives forms in the post about a benefit reassessment during the coronavirus lockdown to contact the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) straight away.
Although reassessments for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP, Employment & Support Allowance (ESA) and heath checks for Universal Credit have been put on hold due to the coronavirus outbreak, some of our clients have been sent forms about reassessments after they contacted the DWP to notify them about a change of their personal circumstances.
Clients who got in touch with the DWP using the contact information which is included in the letters have told us that the advice they were given by officials was that they did not need to fill in the forms.
Face-to-face appointments for new benefits applications and for reassessments and for health checks for Universal Credit are also suspended until mid-June – click here for the Government’s announcement at the start of the coronavirus lockdown period.
The DWP is expected to give an update on the arrangements for reassessments and face-to-face appointments during June.
All disability benefit awards that expire during the lockdown period are automatically being extended for six months.
- Our Benefits Service is still available to help with applications for the benefits listed above and for Carer’s Allowance and to advise you about eligibility to apply – email our advisers at benefits@autismberkshire.org.uk or call 01189 594 594 (option 2) and leave a message and we will contact you.
