is it classed as a new claim when you do a Mandatory reconsideration for pip?

[isflih]

I'm (trying and failing) to help my sister with pip. She has various disabilities including two chronic illnesses and has been on pip for five years.

She had a review in June last year, then waited for the decision, then they took it off her completely in November saying not entitled to it at all so I helped her do a Mandatory reconsideration. she called for an update yesterday and the guy sounded confused over the phone saying was she asking about her new claim, I explained she did the Mandatory reconsideration and was told I'm wrong and when you do that they class it as a new claim.. google says a Mandatory reconsideration is not classed as a new claim.

not sure how I'm suppsed to hep her when I'm so confused myself.. worried we did the Mandatory reconsideration wrong somehow and now my sister is saying she feels like giving up, not on the claim, on life. this is my first experience with the dwp and even I'm lost..

if they are treating it as a new claim does it mean the Mandatory reconsideration has gone wrong somewhere?

You can get in touch with "Benefits and Work" and for a small subscription they will help you with disability applications for PIP and other benefits. They have a series of excellent guides available and a forum for questions.

Your local Citizens Advice, or their helpline, will be able to help you. They are experts on this sort of thing.

No a mandatory reconsideration is effectively a first stage appeal against the nil decision and if you are successful it will be backdated to when the award ended. You need to ring them again to clarify they are treating it as a mandatory reconsideration and not a new claim. Did you keep a copy? Did you make it clear? Always keep a copy of every You send and get proof of postage as they often lose things

If it were a new claim they would have sent you a whole new form out to complete wheras an MR is just you asking them to look at their decision again / writing what points you disagree with and explaining where you think she should have scored points and didn't. Did you or your sister submit a written MR with additional medical evidence etc? this is the best way to do it. I'm an advisor and finding at the moment that DWP departments just seem to worse than ever in terms of the call handlers not knowing what they are talking about/ giving wrong information etc. I have numerous issues going on with numerous clients, work coaches not knowing correct regulations etc. It may be worth calling again and hoping you get a better call handler.