Before you challenge a decision, you may want to understand it better.
You may want to challenge the decision straight away because you normally have to start a challenge within one month of the decision date.
The decision about your Personal Independence Payment is in a letter that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) send you. This is called the decision letter. The decision date is the date on the decision letter.
Check the decision yourself
If you’re not sure whether the decision is right, you can check whether you qualify for PIP using these resources:
If you disagree with the decision, you can ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration, which is the first step of challenging a PIP decision. Read about how to ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration on the Ask for Mandatory Reconsideration page of this guide.
Get an explanation
If you don’t understand the decision, you can ask the DWP to explain it.
You don’t have to get an explanation before you challenge a decision. You may want to ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration straight away. Read about how to ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration on the Ask for Mandatory Reconsideration page of this guide.
To ask for an explanation, contact the DWP using the details on the decision letter. It is a good idea to keep a record when you contact the DWP. You can also ask for a copy of the assessment report so you can see what information the DWP used to make their decision.
The DWP can explain their decision over the phone or in writing. If you don’t have an explanation in your decision letter and you want an explanation in writing, you can ask for a written statement of reasons.
Explanation and time limits
The normal deadline for asking for a Mandatory Reconsideration is one month from the decision date (the date on the decision letter). The deadline can be extended if you ask for a written statement of reasons.
If you ask for a written statement of reasons and you receive it before the normal deadline, you have an extra two weeks to ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration.
If you ask for a written statement of reasons and you receive it after the normal deadline, you have two weeks from the date of the statement to ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration.
Get advice
If you need help to understand the decision about your PIP or you’re not sure what to do next, you can find a local adviser to help you using our Find an Adviser tool.
Reviewed: February 2022