PIP claimants may also have to pay a penalty if they give the DWP wrong information. There are several changes in circumstances people receiving Personal Independence Payments (PIP) must tell the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about or risk losing their benefit entitlement and having regular payments paused or stopped. It's important to be aware that changing your name, doctor, health professional or address do not need to be reported to the DWP and will have no impact on your payments or your award.
However, leaving the country or planning to leave the country for a period of more than four weeks - even just for a holiday - may affect entitlement. Guidance in the 2024 edition of the PIP Handbook on GOV.UK states: “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.” If you’re planning on enjoying some winter sun before the end of the year with an extended holiday over the next few weeks, make sure you contact the DWP with the details they have asked for as soon as possible - and keep it in mind when booking. Contact the PIP enquiry line on 0800 121 4433 to report a change of circumstances - lines are open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Here is a comprehensive guide to all the changes in circumstances and whether you need to contact the DWP about them. You should tell DW.