05/09/2026
TRIBUNAL TIP (PIP)
PIP APPEAL PENDING BUT YOUR NEEDS HAVE GOT WORSE?
A question we are often asked is: “Can I report a change of circumstances or make a new claim while I am still waiting for my PIP appeal?”
Yes, depending on your circumstances, and sometimes this is important because a Tribunal considering an appeal is only looking at your circumstances at the time of the decision you are appealing. It cannot simply award you more because your needs became substantially worse afterwards.
If, while you are waiting for your appeal, your condition has deteriorated significantly, you have developed a new condition, or your functional difficulties have increased to the point that you may now meet higher PIP descriptors, you may need to consider reporting a change of circumstances or, where appropriate, making a new claim.
This does not mean abandoning your existing appeal. You can do both.
Your appeal of the earlier decision will still proceed. If you subsequently receive a new decision, the Tribunal will be considering whether you were entitled to PIP for the earlier period, up to the point at which the new claim was made, and the later decision takes effect. This can result in a “closed period” award.
This can be particularly important given how long appeals can take, which is increasingly worrying, with waits of around 12 to 18 months in many areas from lodging the appeal to the hearing date.
You do not necessarily want to wait many months for a Tribunal to decide an old decision before telling the DWP that your current functional needs have substantially changed and the court cannot consider them.
If you receive an award following the new claim or review, you can also send the new decision and assessment report to the Tribunal as evidence, whilst making it clear what changes occurred and when. In some cases, a later assessment report may also highlight inconsistencies or inadequacies in an earlier assessment, particularly where an assessor considers longstanding conditions or difficulties differently.
⚠️ HOWEVER, PLEASE GET ADVICE FIRST.
Reporting a change of circumstances can result in your whole award being reviewed again, and there is always a risk when an existing award is revisited.
A new diagnosis alone is also not enough, particularly if you have experienced the same symptoms and functional difficulties for years. What matters for PIP is how your condition affects your functional ability to carry out the relevant activities and whether your needs have changed sufficiently to meet different descriptors.
If your needs have genuinely and substantially changed while you are waiting for an appeal, get advice about your individual circumstances rather than assuming you must wait for the Tribunal hearing.
We can advise. Our legally qualified team is available on our FREE advice line most days and has been representing in tribunals since 2013.
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