Summer is in full swing and Brits heading off on holiday are being warned to make sure they don’t fall foul of DWP rules.
Rules are in place for PIP claimants who have more than four weeks booked off and those who don’t plan ahead may be at risk of getting a fine or even having their payments stopped. Brits taking a holiday of more than this length are being urged to tell the DWP straight away.
PIP provides help with extra living costs for people who have long-term physical or mental health conditions or disabilities, as well as those who have difficulties doing everyday tasks or getting around. Referring to those planning to leave the country for more than four weeks, GOV.UK says: “This change may affect the claimant’s entitlement to PIP.
“We will need to know the date the claimant is leaving the country, how long they are planning to be out of the country, which country they are going to, and why they are going abroad.”
Brits claiming this benefit are urged to contact the DWP with details as soon as possible if they are in this situation.
The Manchester Evening News reports that as well as going on holiday there are a number of other circumstances in which claimants must contact the DWP.
your health professional tells you that your condition will last for a longer or shorter time than you reported before
a medical professional has said you might have 12 months or less to live (you could get PIP at a higher rate under ‘special rules for end of life’)
you go into a hospital, a hospice, a nursing home or a care home
you go into a residential school or college
you go into foster care or into the care of a local authority or health and social care trust
you’re imprisoned or held in detention
you plan to go abroad for more than four weeks
your immigration status changes and you’re not a British or Irish citizen
you start or stop getting pensions or benefits from an EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
your husband, wife, civil partner or a parent you depend on starts or stops getting benefits from an EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein