Under the DWP benefits system for England and Wales, children receiving Disability Living Allowance (DLA) must transition to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) once they turn 16 - but it’s not automatic. The process begins months earlier, when the DWP invites a parent or guardian to become the young person’s official ‘appointee’. Alongside PIP, there’s also the option to apply for credits-only ESA, adding another layer to the journey.
This blog is a living diary of our experience navigating Andrew’s transition. It may span many months, and I’ll be updating it as we go - one step, one date, one decision at a time.
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3 Apr 2025 - Brown envelope time! Letter arrives from the DWP inviting me to apply to become Andrew's Appointee. This also gives me an opportunity to nominate a different bank account - something we’ve anticipated by setting up a basic current account with online access. Posted back on 7 Apr.
21 Jun 2025 - I've heard nothing, so I phone the DWP. It turns out that, in my excitement to provide the new details, I forgot to sign the actual form (my fault - the signature line is immediately below the building society roll number space, which wasn’t relevant, so I didn’t see it). I duly receive the form back, sign it, and post it off again
21 Jul 2025 - Still nothing, so I phone again. They've got my form and say they'll process it the next day. I wonder how long it would have taken if I hadn’t called.
23 Jul 2025 - DWP letter of 'New or existing appointment to act' received.
19 Aug 2025 - Andrew turned 16.
19 Aug 2025 - I tried to advise Universal Credit via the Journal that Andrew is staying at school post-16. They don't want the information yet, and cannot retain it - "come back later".
20 Aug 2025 - On the HMRC online system, I confirm that Andrew is remaining at school post-16. HRMC would not accept this information before his birthday.
28 Aug 2025 - DWP letter ‘Your Disability Living Allowance is ending’ received. So the next day, I phone them up and start the process for claiming PIP. I'm told the forms can take up to four weeks to arrive, and that I should chase it if they haven’t come by then. I’m also cautioned that I’ll only have four weeks to complete and return the forms once they do arrive.
1 Sep 2025 - On the UC online system, I eventually find and complete the form to confirm Andrew is remaining at school post-16. It was really not obvious, you have to amend the child's record.
25 Sep 2025 - Okay, so it’s only been 3 weeks and 6 days, but nothing has arrived! I phone up - lesson learned: select option 2 for an ongoing application, not option 1 for a new claim (the latter is answered in seconds, the former took 20 minutes!). Apparently there’s been a “hiccup” on the system that prevented the forms from being sent out. This is resolved, and I’m given the two 4-week cautions again.
5 Oct 2025 - The PIP form has landed. It’s dated 25 September, giving me until 25 October to return it - though thanks to the postal service, we’ve already lost a week. Still, first impressions are cautiously optimistic. The form leans heavily on "Yes/No" questions and open narrative responses, which is a relief. I’m not being asked to tick a box declaring how disabled Andrew is for each task and then defend it in miniature essay form. I remember the DLA form vividly - scribbling in margins, spilling out of boxes - because Andrew simply didn’t fit their neat categories. It’s also reassuring to see the EHCP listed as a suggested supporting document. We don’t have much else. There’s been no follow-up from CAMHS since his autism diagnosis, and no further contact with Audiology since we concluded hearing aids weren’t the right fit. So the EHCP may have to do a lot of heavy lifting.