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long distance to travel for PIP assessments

Posted , 5 users are following.

susan556
susan556

Hubby got his letter through this morning about his date and time for his PIP assessment, want him to  be in Ashford by 9.30 in the morning, 17 miles even further than our nearest  assessment centre,34 in total, infact i think theres one down in our local town, a 10 minute drive away!  Anyways im looking on google and came accross many more being asked to travel as far as 500 miles or more.  People arriving exhausted and in some cases only to find theres no where to park and being refused the mobilty part cos they walked in to the building!  If i give the link i know my message wont be sent through so type in scandal marathon PIP assessment journeys.  After what we read we are greatful that his is only 34 miles away!  

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • sukes
    sukes susan556

    Posted

    Hi Susan,

    my assessment appointment was arranged for early morning 35 miles away.  We checked online and found one a 10 minute drive from home and so my hubby rang the number on the appointment letter and explained that it would be impossible for us to get there without having to have that many stops due to my problems and would they please change it to the nearer one and they said yes. It just shows it pays to ask.

  • mike09523
    mike09523 susan556

    Posted

    Hi,

    It is truly amazing what the dwp are getting away with. Asking the sick and disabled to travel many miles to an assessment centre, with no disability parking available, often with steps to climb, and then refusing benefits because you were able to carry out their wishes stinks of entrapment.

    In an ideal world if you drove yourself to the assessment centre, parked your car outside and shuffled into the lobby, taking minutes to do so your assessment should start from the time you are signed in. Having staff watch your approach to the entrance observing you while you are made to wait to see how you behave whilst being kept waiting, this all sounds like gestapo tactics which should be stopped. If your letter gives a time for an appointment then that is when surveillance should begin. Shameful.

    Mike.

    • StevefromBrum
      StevefromBrum mike09523

      Posted

      Another sound comment and observation Mike. One of the tactics by one of the companies doing the assessment is to send travel directions and a claim form for expenses, inc taxis. I have to use taxis because, and as my consultant pointed out, the distance to the nearest bus stop is in excess of 300 yards, and I cant use buses anyway. However after my assessment I submitted my claim for taxis with receipts and clearly indicated why but I got a standard refusal, which wasnt even marked to indicate why, and my expenses claim were refused.
  • denise15811
    denise15811 susan556

    Posted

    Hi,

    I don't think people are being asked to travel as far as 500 miles for an assessment. However when the appointments are first given they are computer generated so mostly people get appointments for further away than need to be. Simple answer is to ring them and ask for an appointment closer to home. When you do this though please bear in mind that you can only change the date and time once so please make sure it's ok for you to attend the date and time given. Also before both my PIP assessments i rang them before i left home just make 100% sure the appointment was still going ahead. That way i wasn't going on a wasted journey. Luckily for me both my assessments were close to home.

    • susan556
      susan556 denise15811

      Posted

      Good point Denise, ive known people to travel only to be told when they arrived they cant see them today and have to go back home again. Thing is my hubby cant drive to far and the date they have given him clashes with kids going to school so our son cant take him either for 9.30 to be there. Ive told him to ring and change it, if he can be seen to be driving himselfe there then he has already lost the mobility side of it!  
  • mike09523
    mike09523 susan556

    Posted

    Hi,

    You would think that if the first assessment appointment is computer generated then a small software adjustment could result in the computer linking the appointment/claimant more closely therefore reducing the need for claimants to bother overworked staff in the first place, or is it the same computer that chooses the post code lottery.

    Mike.

    • StevefromBrum
      StevefromBrum mike09523

      Posted

      No its not the computer which draws the lottery balls, its the one which was bought off Little Britain, you know "The computer says `No`.

      But on a more serious note, why is that we, the claimants, have to do the phoning to rearrange appointments/venues etc when common sense, never mind a computer, would make life easier for the claimants and the overworked staff?

  • zorro56
    zorro56 susan556

    Posted

    Just another bad policy from ATOS who I'm sure have been told by the DWP to make everything as dificult as possible. At least Ian Duncan Smith felt so strongly about disabled people being treated as they are now, pity the rest of the goverrnment doesn't have the same morals. About traveling, people seem to have to go for an assessment to where ever they are told. I can only speak for myself but on the end of the form where it says about that I put home visit or put me in a care home, Don't know if it made that much difference but I did get a home visit. I can't get there because I never know what condition I'm going to be in on anyday but most days I don't leave the house. If you get them to rearrange it closer or at a later time to suit do that, try to explain how difficult it is, me I can't do anything until 11am. I don't think you should be penalised for asking for a change.

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