Challenging a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Decision - Options for challenging a PIP decision?

If you are unhappy with the outcome of your claim for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), what you can do about it depends on what you are unhappy about.

Challenge a decision

You can challenge a decision if you think it is wrong according to the rules.

You may want to challenge a decision because:

• You should have been awarded more points
• You should have got a longer award

Beware that if you challenge a decision, it can be changed to make the PIP award lower or shorter.

The decision about your PIP is set out in a letter that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) send you. This is called the decision letter. The date on the letter is the decision date.

Check a PIP decision

Before you challenge a decision, you may want to understand it better. Read our Check a PIP decision page for tips on checking and understanding your PIP decision. 

Mandatory Reconsideration

Mandatory Reconsideration is the first step of challenging a PIP decision. It is asking the DWP to look at the decision again. 

You must normally ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration within one month of the decision date (the date on the decision letter). You may be able to ask for Mandatory Reconsideration later if:

• You requested a written statement of reasons
• You have a good reason for the delay

Read about when and how to request a Mandatory Reconsideration on the Ask for Mandatory Reconsideration page of this guide.

Appeal to Tribunal

Appeal to Tribunal is the second step of challenging a PIP decision. It is asking an independent tribunal to look at the decision. You can normally only do this after you have got a Mandatory Reconsideration Notice.

You must normally appeal within one month of the date of the Mandatory Reconsideration Notice. You may be able to appeal later if Mandatory Reconsideration Notice date is less than 13 months ago and you have a good reason for the delay.

Read about when and how to appeal to Tribunal on the Appeal to Tribunal page of this guide. 

Other Options

Complain

You can complain about bad service or delays.

Read more about when and how to start a complaint on the Complain about a PIP decision page of this guide.

Tell your MP

You can tell your MP about bad service or delays. You can also tell them if you think the PIP rules are unfair.

Read more about when and how to tell your MP on the Tell your MP page of this guide.

Apply for Judicial Review

You can apply for judicial review if the way a decision was made was wrong or very unfair.

Read more about judicial review on the Judicial Review page of this guide.

Reviewed: February 2022