I am applying for PIP. So worried with what I am reading about the process

He asked just after assessment and was told I couldn't have it before decision, I must admit it was the day after and then I forgot so asked for it last week, I only want it to see what was said LOL

Maybe it has to appear on computer or something before they can send it out,  mine arrived almost 3 weeks before the decision letter arrived.  It will make for interesting reading. 

I just rang and the lady was lovely but said it has been passed to be sent but could be another week, I will give them a couple more weeks, oh well I'm sure they will send it, eventually LOL

The DWP will not normally let you have the assessment report until after your decision has been made and notified to you.  The report contains the assessors' decision for each descriptor, but at this point there are no points allocated.  The DWP decision maker will use the report along with any other evidence to make the decision, so their reasoning is that the report alone may not fully reflect the final decision, and so they will usually make you wait until you have had your decision letter and are aware of the reasoning behind your award.  In practice I have seen very few decisions that have disagreed with the assessors' descriptor choices so I question the validity of this approach, but there we are.

One point people might find useful is that if you disagree with your decision and want to put in a mandatory reconsideration request, there is a procedure you should follow with the DWP to avoid any problems - as follows:

1. As soon as possible after you receive your decision letter you should ring the DWP and state that you disagree with your decision and would like to request a mandatory reconsideration.  State very clearly that you intend to put the request in writing along with supporting evidence, so you would like them not to make a decision until they receive your request letter.   This is important because the DWP also allow claimants to make their request over the phone, and if you don't state clearly that you intend to put it in writing they may go ahead and make a decision based on your phone call - in which case you are likely to end up with the same decision as you have not provided any further evidence.

2.  If you think you may need extra time to gather any further supporting evidence ask for an extension to the time limit. You have 28 days from the date on your decision letter to request a mandatory reconsideration, but the DWP will grant up to a further 4 weeks for you to get your case together - you MUST make it clear how long you are asking for and make every effort to get the request in as soon as you can.

3.  Ask them for a copy of EVERYTHING they have used to make your decision.  If you just ask for the assessors' report that is all you will get, but  if you have given contact details for other people involved with your care on your PIP2 form, the DWP may have obtained reports directly from them which you have not seen, and which may have had a bearing on your decision.  You need to see these to make sure the information contained in them is correct.

YoUr mandatory reconsideration request should be straight to the point in the areas in which you disagree.  Say what you disagree with and why, and correct any information you think is wrong on any of the documentation.  State what your actual abilities are in each area, as opposed to what the decision maker has said and try to stay on point.  The letter should be polite and none confrontational. However aggrieved you feel, you must not make accusations, be abusive or apportion blame, as this is your opportunity to have your say in why you think the decision is wrong so use it wisely - an inflammatory tone will get you nowhere. 

If at all possible get further evidence to support what you are saying.  The DWP will have used all the evidence you submitted for your original application so relying on that is likely to result in the same decision.  I recently handled a case where a GP report had been misinterpreted for the original decision.  The claimant went to see his GP and got a further statement which clarified the position and supported what he was saying in the mandatory reconsideration request.  His decision was overturned and he  got a higher award - had he merely pointed out the error and not had the GP herself clarify it, he would likely have ended up with the same decision and would have had to go to tribunal. It's definitely worth the effort to get the supporting evidence if you possibly can.

I received my report long before my decision and I know of several others on here who also received theirs.  Has the ruling been changed in the past couple of months I wonder.

Hi Pam, i know you say normally don't let people have the AP before a decision has been made. I have heard so many people say they've got this report and no decision yet. I also had my AP before a decision was made when i first claimed just over 2 years ago. The reason it took longer this time with my review is because my decision was made just 4 days after assessment.

She did say that if I was granted it I would be reviewed about 12 months before it expired, I do find it strange that they grant you 3 years, your car is also 3 years but they assess you at 2 years, surely then they should just give you 2 years or do they not assess everyone at 2, the system baffles me.

Not sure if it's the same in every area Denise, I can only speak for my own experience in the North West.  I routinely advise claimants to contact the DWP The week after the assessment to request a copy of the report, because it's useful to know the assessors' opinion and of course the earlier you have it, the better placed you are for any reconsideration request. I also advise people to keep the report safe until the PIP review date so that it can be compared to any subsequent assessment report and used to challenge it if necessary.  In a few cases claimants have been told that the report has not yet been received, but that a copy will be sent as soon as they have it. The claimant inevitably has to ring back because the report does not arrive, and then they are told that it's not available until the decision has been made and notified to the claimant.  I only know of one claimant who was sent the report within a few days of the assessment and her decision letter arrived at the same time.

I think the problem is the DWPs interpretation of the rules regarding this because there seems to be a lot of variance from what I'm reading here, and I don't want to put anyone off requesting the report ASAP because it's an important tool for challenging the decision.

I'm saying there are no hard and fast rules where evidence is concerned. If a gp report is all you have access to, make sure its' relevant. And yes i have seen quite a few instances where a family careers report has made the difference - for reasons pointed out in my reply above. Everything I have said is based on experience of the system.

Please don't give up.  If you have given a clear picture of your condition and provided evidence you may not have to go for an assessment, but if you do, the key is to be prepared and don't go alone.  I know there are some horror stories out there but there are some good outcomes too. I won't deny that it is a very stressful process but try to take it one stage at a time.  See what happens with your application and if you do get called for an assessment, come back and post on here and I'm sure we'll rally round and support you.

Pam is right. Don't give up. The problem is with these assessments for both PIP and ESA is while there are a very and worrying process for all of us. We very often never hear of the success stories. All we hear is the bad bits. Don't get me wrong, it's not an easy process for so many people. However i've had to for PIP and 1 for ESA and i have to be honest i was worried sick through all of them. Once they were over i didn't really know what i was worried about. All of the AP's i've had were really nice, fair and very understanding. I have a lot of conditions to deal with and i just went there told them exactly how my conditions affect me daily, what i can and can't do and why. Produced my evidence and ended up having very short assessments each time. Just remember not to answer each question with just a yes or no. Tell them why you can't do something. The more detail you tell them the better it is for you. Good luck and like Pam has said if you want more support before the assessment please do come back. We'll help you all we can x

As you know (this info is for other readers) the assessors are bound by guidelines they must follow. They can’t veer from that path and are not there to help you.

Evidence and a proper completion of the PIP2/ESA50 forms are vital. Like you I have had a number of personal assessments and the HCP/Doctors couldn’t have been more pleasant and gave me a positive outcome.

However, I have been on other assessments where I have witnessed the behaviour often associated with HCP at assessments. Being objective the difference was IMO the amount and reliability of the evidence and linking it to the descriptors on the PIP2/ESA50 forms.

There is a poster on this forum who told his story that after 20 years of claiming DLA he was invited to claim PIP. He still suffered with his medical condition and was looked after by his wife.

Unfortunately (for him) he simply managed his circumstance and hardly saw his GP never mind a consultant at his local hospital. When he went for his PIP assessment he simply couldn’t verify anything he claimed in his PIP2 form with evidence and as a result lost his benefit.

IMO they make up their minds BEFORE even seeing the claimant. If there is overwhelming evidence to back up what the claimant has said on their PIP2/ESA50 forms then they get an easy ride as the balance of probabilities is well in their favour.

Opposite to that if a claimant is relying just on their PIP2/ESA50 forms and then the assessor will spend the whole time phishing for answers in order to reject the claim (e.g. Do you drive? Who does your shopping? Do you have a pet?) and I have seen firsthand this happen and the resultant Nil Points which follows.

The key is EVIDENCE both MEDICAL and CARE along with a credible explanation to why you fit a descriptor. It is also advisable to keep in touch with your GP on a regular basis and attend all outpatient appointments.