Third time into the PIP ordeal.

Notified via text that my award is up for review.

Rest assured, before pen even touches paper I'll read all the latest guidance for PIP on the site. I'd just like to ask a couple of small questions to ease my mind a little if that's ok?

Last review was in 2020, this one is about 6 months early but such is life.

Questions:

Last award was won via MR, the one before at tribunal. Been on PIP since '17 and DLA before that. Will this be a "soft touch" review? (Note; even if it is I believe the site says to treat it as a new claim and i will do exactly that?)

I live in the SE, is it still the dreaded ATOS /IAS carrying out pip reviews?

I should get the review letter "within 2 weeks". From the date in that letter do I get 6 weeks to get all the paperwork back to them?

Thank you as always for the help and reassurance. I don't know how I would cope with the PIP ordeal without this site and forum.

Sorry, that was indeed the phrase I meant, brain fog.

Thank you, I'll treat it as a new application effectively, and assume they know nothing.

Ok, so form PIP.1043 turned up yesterday giving me just over 2 weeks to complete it and send it back. I was hoping for longer but I don't think I'll ask for an extension as I think I just want to get this part over with. Only fly in the ointment is that my SAR request from my surgery might not be completed in time. That said I do already have almost all of the info I need, one way or another as apart from one new illness things are basically the same with my health.

Tomorrow I'll be reading and rereading the current guidance on the site but may I ask:

1) Is the AR1 form the same as the PIP.1043 as far as the info you provide?

2) A quick look at the 1043 form gives the impression that the sections are the same as the full/ normal PIP application document? If the sections/questions are basically the same, it's my intention to use the same descriptor replies (I made copies!) I used 3 years back with minor alterations here and there as needed. Now, they *should* have all that info on file already but I'm guessing the new assessor likely won't have that info to hand or "have the time" to access it from records...and so it's worth adding this long descriptor replies? Just like a new application?

4) My health conditions are identical/slightly worse than they were when I last claimed...but I have been diagnosed with leukaemia within the last year. As I was already on the higher rate for both PIP components I actively decided not to inform them about the leukaemia. The leukaemia certainly hasn't improved any of the problems I am awarded PIP for(!) and I wasn't in the mood to go through a PIP review whilst starting on the chemo therapy "journey".
Will they attempt to penalise me for not telling them about the leukaemia? I'd like to think not but this is the DWP/ ATOS after all.

As always, thank you so much for the help and info.

4. I can't recommend this approach. Whilst it is one thing not to inform the DWP of a deterioration in your health when they have not specifically requested the information but this form is making such a request.

The danger in engaging in such a deceit is that it raises questions about the validity of your other testimony, making it more likely that you will be subjected to a full PIP review.

Apologies Gordon, my wording wasn't clear, to clarify:

I fully intend to disclose the leukemia diagnosis in this reassessment form but was just wondering if "they" are likely to take a dim view of me not informing them at the time of diagnosis, last Summer? Even though the illness obviously didn't have a "helpful" impact on the other health conditions I was awarded PIP for, twice since 2016. Indeed, it worsened them if anything... but I was already on the higher PIP rates anyway and knew a review would be along soon so it all seemed rather moot at the time. Particularly as I had more pressing concerns at the time of diagnosis.

In summary, I absolutely intend to make them aware of the illness in this reassessment whatever the consequences