AR2 Light Touch Review Form: successful experience

I received an AR2 Light Touch Review form earlier this year.

I’m past retirement age and have been receiving the enhanced rate for both mobility and care since 2015. My award was originally for 5 years but was extended in 2019 for “an ongoing period”.

The form was very similar to the example on the Benefits and Work website, with a slightly different layout. Essentially, it asked if there had been any changes in my health and disability, my daily living needs and my mobility, allowing a little space to describe any changes.

As I’m already receiving the highest rates it was tempting to just say “no change”. I didn’t want to trigger a full review because of the work and stress involved. It was hard enough to get the award in 2015, and I didn’t want to go through that experience again. However, the letter that came with the AR2 form stated, “If you tell us your needs have not changed, we may still refer you for an assessment with a Health Professional”.

In fact, my condition has worsened and my needs increased since being assessed in 2015. I checked the points awarded then and decided to look again at the various “descriptors” (the questions asked in the PIP assessment).

The Benefits and Work online PIP training was helpful to understand my entitlement within the descriptors. It was also useful to see examples that describe complex problems without using a lot of words.

Even though I’m already receiving the maximum rates I decided it was better to explain how my needs in several of the descriptors have increased, rather than to state, “no change”. I’ve no idea whether this was the best decision, or whether it would be the right one for others in similar circumstances, but it worked for me.

I gave a brief description of my overall problems, and stated how long I’ve had them and that they have continued to worsen over the years. I wrote short statements about the specific things that have got worse, using the descriptors (e.g. “moving around”), and sent back the form.

It took two or three weeks to receive a response confirming that I have advised the DWP that my circumstances have changed and that I am still entitled to to receive PIP at the previous rates. The points awarded for the various descriptors remain the same as those awarded in 2015, despite me describing increased needs. I presume that only a “Health Professional” can change those, which would involve a fuller review, and that would benefit neither the DWP nor me, but at least I’ve recorded how my disabilities have increased.

Thanks David.

You seem to be saying that the AR2 review should be treated as if it is a new claim, similar to the AR1 review (or perhaps you have confused the two forms?).

The current advice about the AR2 form in the Benefits and Work PIP guide (page 140) advises that, "we don’t think it is necessary to give details of how your condition still affects you in the way that we suggest for the AR1 review form above. This is because the light touch review is based on the assumption that your needs will still be the same" . . . "If there has been no change, or where the change could not make a difference to the award, this is likely to result in a decision to continue the award being made in-house by the DWP without passing the case on to an assessment provider."

Has the view on AR2 changed? You say in that it is preferable to treat a review as a new claim as far as explanation and evidence are concerned. Are you saying that it is NOT advisable, for instance, to simply say 'no change' (if this is applicable) on the AR2 form without providing any further details of how the condition still affects us? If so, does the advice for AR2 need to be updated in the guide?

There seems to be little feedback so far about how often the DWP refers the Light Touch Review on for further assessment, and there are contradictory opinions online on how to approach answering the questions. I hope my experience is some help.

Sleepy