Nil Points
Posted , 8 users are following.
I have taken almost two weeks to post this as I am utterly appalled at the process of assessing people who need help, those who are suffering every day and get little or no respite from pain and worry, and the utter contmpt we are treated with when we beg for help so we can pay others to do our chores etc. I had my assessment with a 'lovely smiling young famle' who reassured me she was listening to my, understanding how difficult was for me and could empathise with having to rely on another person to do the things that come so easily for most people such as washign and dressing yourself. I got so upset in the assessment when I actually told her the difficulties I was having and how this affected my abiltiy to carry out a normal life. I was angry with myslef for crying but I was so full of pain and emotion I couldn't help it. So in her opinion not being able to peel, chop and cook vegetables, having to have someone wash and dry my hair, havin gsomoen to do up my buttons and zips, having someone do all my cleaning and wshing because I have no energy or strength to grip a washcloth or broom, she thinks I deserve ZERO POINTS. I could go on and on about how my life is limited by Fibromyalgia and that I am awaitng an appointment with a Neurologist to rule out MS but appretnyl I am perfectly OK. I have of course asked for a reconsideration and I am going to my GP for a letter. Good luck to you all and God bless these assessors and give them some compassion.
0 likes, 20 replies
Kett87 Beanieles
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Beanieles Kett87
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Kett87 Beanieles
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Beanieles Kett87
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Hello I know it's been a long time but I had my appeal 23 January and I'm very pleased to have been awarded standard rate daily living component. It's taken since June 2016 for the whole process to be completed which was very traumatic and stressful. My initial assessment resulted in nil points. Please everyone have faith, get documentation and appeal a wrong decision. Good luck
marshall71 Beanieles
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Sad post too read about what's going on day to day with the interviews
With assessors shocking way to treat sick people who DWP seems as low life and waste of space
I had a interview which was like a police one you See on TV also did a MR which was so much stress of not sleepe at all I rang every week 20- 30 mins
Wait till I spoke too a clueless person who just wanted me off the phone then 4 weeks a letter came turned down
Compassion they don't have any just an easy job typing lies and picking up a nice wage so called DR's and other health staff lol
Been on DWP books for 3 yrs and now its got too the stage I can't take anymore so I rang them and asked for my claim to end
Go for pip if you have not my assessor was a lovely lady who understood everything even sent atos a letter saying she was a credit to them
Beanieles marshall71
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Marahall, It is a PIP claim, and the assessor was lovely, she's just not a very honest person with no compassion or integrity.
Newburyrat Beanieles
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Hi, don't let this decision destroy you, the problem is the way they carry out the assessment, especially with non visible conditions, like mental health issues, fibromyalgia, dyspraxia. They treat us like liars because nothing shows on the surface. Challenge the decision, go for MR and then to a tribunal if necessary, and above all, keep strong, believe in yourself, carry on fighting for the help that you need
Beanieles Newburyrat
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Thank you for your understanding comments, I've gathered up all my GP occupational health letters and i'm currently trying to get through on teh 'phone to ask how I send then to them but keep getting cut off, I think if they don't asnwer in 6 rings the system cuts off the call, once again fixing statistics to say everyone they spoke to was answered within 6 rings ! Just so degrading when they treat us like we're stupid rather than ill.
les59996 Beanieles
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I wonder when they might wake up and demand that housing benefit should be repaid when you start earning more.
Beanieles les59996
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Beanieles Newburyrat
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Thank you, I have recently copied everythign again and re-sent it as they said they didn't get it. I had a text this morning saying they have everythign they need so it's a waiting game again. I really feel for everyone who is awaiting desicions as it puts so much pressure on us, if our conditions are made worse by stress, this certainly doesn't help.
dawn35319 Beanieles
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On the advice of a friend I ask applying for PIP. Assessment Friday week (30th Sept). I have a balance disorder that has totally change my life. I can barely walk 10 metres without almost falling over. ENT and Neurology can't put a name to my problem but have confirmed I have lost the balance in my left ear. VR is all they can offer to help me prevent falls. I have no test results in writing or outcomes of the consultations - will I need these for a PIP assessment or do they contact the relevant people for this information?
Scally dawn35319
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It's safest to assume that they won't contact anyone for evidence. They don't for most people. It's best to get whatever evidence that you can. Start with your GP, some charge for a letter and then only provide a diagnosis and a list of medication - that wouldn't be particularly useful. Others, like my own, don't charge and discuss what you need in your letter. It's really best if any evidence that you send links the symptoms of your condition to the PIP descriptors. This isn't always possible if they've not observed certain problems directly. If your GP either refuses to provide a letter or is only going to state your diagnosis then you might be better getting a copy of your GP records. If they're electronic records this will cost £10, if they're on paper they can charge up to £50. You can then search through yourself to find any letters from the hospital to your GP or comments that your GP has made about your condition that you think support your claim and send those with your claim.
If you are already getting VR help then you might be able to get a letter from them.
You can also get supporting letters from non medical people who provide support and know how your condition affects you.
les59996 Scally
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It's like playing poker. certain cards/runs/sets trump others.
The DWP are in effect judges looking at the evidence before them. For a start it is a given that they place more imortance and weight on a report following a face to face assessment. You have to come up with better and more evidence that not only overshadows the assessment report to make it seem insigificant or less believable.
The assessors or the DWP are not there to help you. They are not your friend. The assessors job is to try to discredit your claim.
They certainly will not try to help you make your claim by gathering evidence that would support your claim.
They should and so should the DWP - but in reality you should treat both of them as your enemy.
dawn35319 Scally
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Thank you for this info, very useful. I am going to try and get copies of letters from consultants (re findings and test results) to my GP and will take copies of my OH (GP) findings with me too. What's really frustrating me is that I work for my local hospital and when our consultants send letters to referring practitioners a copy is, ALWAYS, sent to the patient in line with protocol. I have not had one copy letter from any of the consultants I have seen in the past two months. I think a few phone calls are in order tomorrow.
Kett87 Scally
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les59996 dawn35319
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What's really frustrating me is that I work for my local hospital and when our consultants send letters to referring practitioners a copy is, ALWAYS, sent to the patient in line with protocol. I have not had one copy letter from any of the consultants I have seen in the past two months.
?This type of comment was raised recently in another thread. Someone assured me that it always happens too.
?Wrong. For all of the years since 1995 when my health hit rock bottom I have never had any letters from any consultant/doctor etc. I have always had to pay my GP to get copies of my file. Wouldn't it be nice if this idea of sending copies of all consultant letters to the patient was done in every case? I have only just found out that this option is available - but you do have to apply and ask for it.
les59996 Kett87
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