No points on pip f2f interview

Thank you for replying Denise I am devastated I had several panic attacks in the meeting. And the letter says I was fine which is a lie. I have to have my medication in a locked box as I have had several suicdal thoughts and got 0 points for that. I just can't understand it. I have called the Dwp and advised I want a copy of the report and also that I will be appealing the decision and have booked to see my dr next week for a report of her. I have to see the dr every two weeks because of my ongoing mental state and the letter have advised that that is ok too. X

Sorry to bother you Denise but would I have to attend a tribunal? My nerves would not take that.

Tribunals are always more successful if the claimant attends in person - this is because the panel is made up of legal, medical and care experts who can get a better idea of how your disability affects you if they can see and question you personally.  You don't have to attend - an appeal can be done just on the paperwork but it is preferable if you can attend because your mental state probably speaks for itself when observed by someone who knows what they are talking about.  It's a sad fact that many people with mental health problems get a raw deal from PIP because the assessors don't have to be trained in this area.  

As Denise said, your next step is to ask for a mandatory reconsideration - get a copy of your medical report and write to the DWP stating which points you disagree with and why.  If they reject this you need to appeal.

Take a look at the PIP descriptors and see which apply to you this will give you some idea on what points you should have got. There's 10 in total for daily living and 2 for mobility. You need to score at least 8 points in daily living/and or mobility for an award. Did you send in evidence to support your claim? Pam has also give good advice, as always regarding tribunals.

You say you've been on PIP for 2 years due to anxiety and depression so I assume that this face to face was for reassessment. Had you notified a change in your condition or was it a planned review date ?  Either way, you should have been given time to gather evidence to support the claim. If there is no change in your condition since the last assessment and you haven't submitted any medical evidence as yet, perhaps the best way forward is a letter from your GP or other health care professional involved with your care, stating that your condition is still the same.  Send this with your reconsideration request - you have 28 days from the date on your decision letter in which to ask for a reconsideration and what I would do is ring the DWP and ask for copies of EVERYTHING they have used to make this decision - that way you'll get a copy of the assessment report and anything that the DWP may have obtained without your knowledge. It's really important that when you ring, to tell them you want a reconsideration but that you will be putting this in writing along with supporting evidence.  Ask them for more time in which to gather the evidence - they will usually grant up to a further 4 weeks if you need it, but you have to be specific and get the request in to them in good time.  If you don't tell them you are putting the request in writing they may look at the decision again after the phone call and without proper documentation, you're likely to get the same decision again. 

Yes it was a reassessment and i think it was due. If anything my mental state is much worse as having daily panic attacks and can no longer go out on my own. When I called them I asked just for the report and advised I will be getting a report from my doctor. I will call them again tomorrow and request copies of everything. And advise i will respond in writing. I keep reading the letter back and Connot believe this was written following my face to face.

The problem is that the service providers have very few assessors who are experienced in mental health issues - the only training a lot of them have is that provided by the various providers and this does not replace qualification and experience in the area of mental health.  There is recent case.aw to suggest that if a GP or other healthcare professional who knows you well provides a report, the DWP cannot just dismiss it in favour of an assessors' report, but any report you obtain should be directly relevant to the activities they are assessing and not just an overview of your condition.  If you can get your GP to state specifically the difficulties you would have with the activities, that would be much more helpful, and not as easy for the DWP to ignore.

If you are on good terms with your GP, take the decision letter with you and show it to the GP - you can then discuss which activities you are disputing and hopefully you'll end up with a more tailored report.

Thank you so much for your help Pam. My doctor is excellent and I am planning on taking it with me. My doctor knows everything so should be able to help. I had a breakdown a few weeks ago and cut my hair off... this was all before this. Just hope I can put it at the back of my mind until I have spoken with my doctor. Thanks again.

You say you take your 3 children to school, does anyone go with you? for you to be able to get back home, because you said you can't go out alone. It's things like this they will look at and you do have to be careful you don't contradict yourself. You normally have about 28 days from the time they write to you before they ask for the forms to be returned not 24 hours. I've heard CAB are very good at helping with situations like this but haven't had the need to use them myself. Maybe you can give them a call? Good luck x

My eldest is 20 she helps me daily I take my two youngest 7 and 2 to school but as I am with them I have my mind occupied and I walk home from the nursery (which is at the bottom of my road) with a neighbour who's son is in the same nursery. I have a older daughter 20 who helps me cook for the kids and my son 17 understands my mental illness and keeps my medications in a locked box so I don't have myself. It's so difficult. X

I agree completely.  The other things they look at are the fact that you have got to the assessment under your own steam, and not asked for a home assessment, whether you can go to GP or hospital appointments etc. They simplify everything down to the dubious conclusion that if you can go out to do these things, then your mental health problems are not overwhelming.  That said, if the assessors report can be challenged by someone with a better qualification in mental health, or who knows and has treated the claimant for the condition, then that would carry more weight than the assessment findings - assessment providers have difficulty recruiting staff with backgrounds in mental health and their opinions very often do not to stand up to scrutiny at tribunal. 

These are important points to bring up in your reconsideration letter and if possible get letters from your family to back up what you are saying.   You would also need to make these points if you went to tribunal - if it got that far - and perhaps your family could attend with you to give supporting evidence.

I got there in a taxi with my daughter and got myself in such a state. Cried all the way there, whilst in the waiting room through most of the assessment and all the way home. It has really knocked me for 6. I still feel drained 9 days later. X

Pam these points weee made to the lady who done the f2f but there has been no mention of it in my letter. So much has been left out. My eldest who came with me actually asked if it was my name on the letter! It's a joke x

This isn't the first time I've heard of assessment reports which don't accurately reflect what was said and done at the time.  Did your daughter go into the assessment room with you ?  If so, at least you would have some corroborating evidence.  Into the reconsideration letter, I would put everything you can remember saying at the assessment with regard to the disputed points, and ask why this does not appear in the report.  This way, if you have to go to tribunal, the dispute over events will be a matter of record. However, it's important to remember that what it claims Mrs down to in the end, is your word against that of the assessor, and you need to tackle the actual inaccuracies and inconsistencies in the report, rather than relying too heavily on disputing what was said.

sorry - that should have read 'what it comes down to in the end is your word against that of the assessor.

Yes my daughter came in with me and as I say she cannot believe the letter. I can remember what I said as it's all true. I understand people make fraudulent claims as I used to be a motor claims fraud handler before I could jo longer work due to my depression as a result my marriage broke down I lost our family home as no job to pay the mortgage and lost my car. All contributing factors as this was only 3 years ago.. and since then I lost my best friend my mum to cancer 2 years ago and if anything that is what is making it so hard now. I have no friends anymore as cannot go out socalily as too many people scare me. And would they not just say my daughter is siding with me? I will ask my daughter to write what she remembers being said in the interview.. what I have said and also will also add what I remember to my own letter and ask my son to write how my illness affects him.

The DWP may not think your family's statements carry much weight, but a tribunal would probably put more weight on them, as they've more than likely seen this scenario before.

Pam you really have been so helpful. If I'm honest it is really nice to talk to someone about the mess that my head is without being frowned upon. Mental illness is so difficult to live with because a lot of people don't understand. Some people need to see a stick or scars to understand an illness. When it's in your own head and you battling it daily it's so hard. I would love to wake up and feel normal instead of waking and feeling like a failure and crying most days. I forget what being "normal" is. So thank you so so much

No problem.  I know a little of what you go through, having had depression, anxiety and panic disorder on and off for the last 25 years.  I've just started a new anti depressant regime and am awaiting counselling, having reached crisis point in the last couple of weeks.  I know people do n't understand unless they have had it themselves - depression is not simply feeling sad or miserable or being able to 'snap out of it' (you wouldn't believe the amount of people who've trotted that old chestnut out at me, including a former employer).  As you say, talking helps and I quickly found out who my real friends were.  

Yes I found out who mine where... non. All I have are my children and it breaks my heart. I used to be so outgoing out every weekend and a house full but now nothing. How those of us would love to be able to just get ourselves together but unfortunately it's not as easy as that. I have had it for 25 years since my only sister was brutally murdered with her body parts found on a park and in the sickos freezer. I lived with it simmering away up until 3 years ago when I lost everything that I had worked so hard. I hope your new medication and and councilling helps you with your depression. It's so hard to function but with help and support I think we will all get somewhere close to normal life one day. X

I'm so sorry - I simply can't imagine how you even begin to cope with something so tragic.  A lot of people would just give up.  You did well to confront your feelings after bottling it all up for so, so long and I hope you'll be on the road to wellness very soon.  Will you keep in touch and let me know how you get on ?

I will Pam and thank you so much. It has really helped me talking to someone who is not hiding me for my weakness and failures. I don't cope anymore that is why I was on pip but now I'm not after a lady I have never met has sent an untrue report to the dwp. and to score 0 points it's just... wow. But gain thank you so so much. I will let you know how I get in. Look after yourself and I hope the councilling helps you get to the place you want to be. Xx

Been there and got the Tee shirt.

?I was (up until 1995) outgoing, enjoyed sports, had a big circle of friends and enjoyed a vary active social life.

?Because I did the right thing I ended up in hospital in London (via HEMS helicopter) with two bullet wounds and a cracked head.

?The wounds healed but the experience left me with PTSD, Depression, Anxiety and an Altered Personality Disorder (brain damage)I have spent months since then in psychiatric lock ups under section, and years seeing every type of mental health medic you can think of. I spent weeks/months over the years part living in a mental health facility.

  

?I claimed DLA and IIDB from 1995 & ESA from late 2009. Every assessment & re-assessment resulted in the refusual of all benefits. I had to fight the DWP every year for 21 years to keep what I believed I was entitled to.

That is just my mental health history, so don't expect too much from the DWP regarding your claim, you will normally have the decision reversed in your favour at court. 

I would agree with that Les. The DWP seem to regard reconsideration requests as just another obstacle to put in the claimants' way before they can go to appeal.  In the last three weeks, I have prepared tribunal submissions for two people.  One of them had a phone call on Friday from the DWP to say that the tribunal had been cancelled because they agreed with our appeal submission - the award was increased with back pay.  This morning the other person received a revised decision letter from the DWP saying much the same thing.  Both of these revised awards were made on exactly the same grounds as I submitted for the reconsideration requests - which were both dismissed out of hand - so it appears that the DWP are routinely rejecting reconsideration requests regardless of their validity, and will only look seriously at the claimants' case when it's passed to them by the tribunal service.  For every one claimant who goes to appeal after their reconsideration is rejected, there are probably five or more who don't - benefit savings by the back door.  The appalling lack of services available to help with appeals probably saves benefit as there must be many more claimants who give up because they can't get the support they need.  The plans to move tribunal services online will only make things worse.

What can I say Pam you are correct in everything you say?

?There will come a time for most that the appeal process will end upon receipt of the rejection letter following a MR application.

?How many claimants would have the intelligence, knowledge and ability to prepare (on their own with no help from anybody else) a written submission for their appeal and attaching relevant evidence? How many would be able to research case law? How many would be able to understand the PIP regulations and not just the DWP's version of it?

?How many would have the funds to pay for professional help (as the voluntary sector is at breaking point)?

As you intimate, for most they will just have to accept what the DWP decide and be done with it.