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P I P ASSESSMENT

Posted , 6 users are following.

jayne03174
jayne03174

Ive been doing alot of reading up on P I P assessements wide range of comments and time scales ranging from 1 week to 2 years, if your ill now whats the point in having assessment in 2 years time or even 16 weeks, has anybody actually had P I P granted that didnt have to go for face to face interview and if so what was the illness obviously not terminal patient id really like to know, A lady ive been chatting to sent off her P I P FORM same day as me got aletter same day as me and had her assessment 3 days later, i havent heard another word, just wondering how the system works.

2 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • clurbur
    clurbur jayne03174

    Posted

    Hi Jayne,

    PIP is like all the other benefits it goes through a process that varies dependant on the area you live in, the amount of new claims, the decision makers looking at the cases, medical report requests, assessment centre availability and so on.

    If you send a form in you should ger an acknowledgement pretty quick and if you haven't you need to call them to confirm receipt - never assume they have it until you have a letter confirming they have registered the claim!

    I used to work for DWP many moons ago and I'd say unless you provide medical evidence (GP/Consultant reports) with your claim form its unlikely you'll get away without an assessment these days.  

    Making sure your form is full of relevant examples helps the process but as Fibro is one of many conditions that varies person to person and also each person may also have other conditions that contirbute its hard to compare like for like so its not an obvious decision.

      

    Claiming ESA has been known to help if you had an assessment for it as sometimes they will use the assessment info to assist in making a decision for PIP, but I'm not sure how many people have avoided a PIP assessment because of this, mainly because the descritptors are a little different so I don't know how they cross reference? 

    How can you retrospectively make a decision based on things that happened months/years ago?  Well I asked that at my PIP assessment since it was 9 months old and they told me I'd be taken on face value on the day, a balance of probability as to whether or not my bad days were more than my good days generally throughout that time.

    I waited 9 months for my assessment but only waited a further 4 weeks to get my decision and the award details.  Other people I know who filled the forms out at similar times had their assessments / decisions months before me, I think its a postcode lottery unfortunatley.

    If you haven't heard anything for a while contact them and check what stage it's at and whether you can do anything to further support it (like a report from a GP or consultant if you can get one).

    Good luck and keep us informed how you get on :-)

     

    • jayne03174
      jayne03174 clurbur

      Posted

      hi there thankyou for that imformation bit difficult to take it all in, when isent of my P I P fprm isent drs letter sick note OH letteers insurance letters re work therapist contact. When i had O H assesseement it took 2 wks for the appointment after sending of forms etc then took a day to send report and was given 3 days to change anything before it went to my employer, they stated NOT FIT TO WORK AND CANNOT PUT TIMEFRAME ON WHEN I WOULD BE ABLE TO. Do you think that ATOS or DWP will take any notice of that as i have read that O H people also do ASSESSMENTS for the DWP. Hope i hear soon as the worry of this isnt helping condition. thanks for the support will let you know how i get on x
    • clurbur
      clurbur jayne03174

      Posted

      Hi Jayne,

      It is a lot to take in, I think I'm lucky (if thats what you call it) as although I'd never claimed anything up until last year, I do have a working knowledge of benefits, its a shame its 11 years out of date, but the principles stay the same :-)

      Occupational Health assessors are known to do PIP assessments, as are Physios, Pyschologists, Nurses but you never know what you will get until you arrive.

      You would think it would be sensible to match you appropriately to your assessor but the questions they ask are the same its just their professional judgement that differs.  DWP/Capita/Atos don't think it matters that someone with depression is assessed by a physiotherapist and likewise a person with mobility issues assessed by a psychologist its more about getting the job done!.  

      As PIP isn't empolyment dependent (you can get it irrespective of whether you work) they won't be too concerned with the not fit to work statements (ESA would be if you needed to leave employment) but I'm sure anything else contained in the report may be useful as its an up to date report of how you are.

      What you need to remember with PIP is isn't about what is wrong with you or your ability to work - it's how your conditions/disabilities effect you and this is the most important aspect to remember when you go to assessment.  You need to drop any barriers of embarrasment or pride and go in there with a warts n all attitude and base it on your worse days.  

      I was embarassed to tell the assessor that at 36 my partner had to help with toileting when my back is so bad I can barely move, or the days when I can't even use a knife and fork because my fingers feel like they are about to explode and my partner has to cut all my food up, but the reality is, this is what I live with and what has become "normal".  

      Take someone with you who can support you in the assessment, I used my partner like a sounding board in the assessment, my memory is shocking sometimes so it was good to have someone there to remind me or tell the assessor about specific times I've needed support.

      I know it's easy to say try not to worry as I'm in a similar position with my ESA work capability assessment but don't let it stress you.  The only bit you can control at the moment is calling them for a progress update so do that and know that everything else is out of your hands for the time being.  

      If you go on the Benefit and Work site they have quite a lot of info on PIP that you may find useful. xx 

    • jayne03174
      jayne03174 clurbur

      Posted

      your lovely to explain all that, i got a letter today from dwp to say that my sick pay has ended and to contact them so i did, really nice man spoke to me i tried my best to explain through all my tears and he was patient and understood and it took an hour for him to take me through a ESA claim, oh im so confused by all this P I P  and  ESA  nothing is simple any more, got to wait agian for more forms and yet another assessment

      already had OH assessment and to top it all saw my doctor tonight hes icreased venlafaxine to 225mg that 3 increases in 2mths and he told me my councellor and him agree that my progress has not been as good as it should have been and he is refering me to a phyciatrist, thats all i need ontop of forms and assessments,dont know what im doing anymore. take care and thanks for your previous advice x

    • clurbur
      clurbur jayne03174

      Posted

      Oh hun, I'm sorry it's having such a negative impact on you.

      The main thing is you keep talking to you your GP and counsellor so they can monitor you and let's hope you with the new increase you feel more able to cope.

      Gentle hugs xx

  • kaz_40
    kaz_40 jayne03174

    Posted

    it took me 6 months from start to finish with pip I was sucessful and got pip. my gp wrote a report also my rheumotologist, I had a lady come out to me to assess me at home for pip, she asked me questions that were based on the form, it took 1hour to complete the assesment.  people say the form difficult to fill in my husband helped me, we didnt find it hard to complete. I would get in touch with them to make sure they have recieved your form take care gentle hugs
  • susan556
    susan556 jayne03174

    Posted

    All i can say is down hear in East Sussex things arnt good, our grand daughter who has M.S. and is struggling to continue to work as a hairdresser got 1 measly point so refused P.I.P. She gets dreadfull head aches, scans have showed swellings on her brain, she gets numbness in her face, legs, and arms, its affected her bladder, her legs nearly give out sometimes yet she didnt get P.I.P.?  my son who has a bad back, had scans which showed slipped and split discs, he cant walk upright, his legs are affected, he has now pain in his shoulders  and neck. got a load of info to show at his tribanl meeting proving he had deteriated since he first applied, letters from drs hospital consultants, oestapath,  said they wernt interested in how much worse he got only going by how he was like 6 months ago. Any how they asked him other questions which had nothing to do with his back to which he answered three questions truthully, about how he felt about travel, being around people and some other question, then they said they would give him back his benefits for six months based on these three questions.  The man who went in before him on crutches, lung and breathing problems was told he was fit for work! because he came accross as a confident

    person?   The whole system is unfair and corrupt in my opinion. one only has to look on utube to see all the unjust storys, i have already had a letter telling me by 2016 i will be called in, i have M.E. with fibro but only slight and feel unwell every day, being 64 they cant say ive got to go back to work but you can be sure they will slash any other benefits im on as im on no medication, not under any specialist so a very weak case.  type in Human cost of welfare reform: 'I'm being punished because of my health'    on youtube. Good luck to all of you and well done those who get good results.

    Sue

    • clurbur
      clurbur susan556

      Posted

      Hi Sue,

      I'm so sorry to hear about you and your family, I hope you are all as well as can be.

      Like I mentioned earlier PIP is looked at by effect not by cause. This means two identical people with identical problems could be given different awards because it's how it effects their daily living.

      All I can suggest for anyone claiming is seeking guidance from CAB or your local welfare rights as they are used to the form completion and questions asked. They will ensure the examples are there for you if applicable and guide you through the process.

      Make sure when your review (I'm assuming PIP not ESA) commences you get someone to guide you through. Like I said to Jayne you have to have a warts n all approach tell them every limitation.

      I'm in the middle of my own ESA hell at the moment so please don't think I'm pro DWP!

      If you saw the letter I sent them a few weeks back you'd see I'm not pleased with their conduct and attitude over the huge assessment delays faced by thousands of us.

      Don't give up, Keep on keeping on & take care xx

    • kaz_40
      kaz_40 susan556

      Posted

      Hi susan Im shocked appauled at how you and your family have been treated. I would fight this all they way this just isnt right at all. have you been to the CAB for advice. I think its sickening how people are being treated I think its going to et much worse with all the government cut backs. take care gentle hugs
    • susan556
      susan556 kaz_40

      Posted

      Thanks Kaz, CAB and HARC cant help, it was HARC  who told my son before he went to his tribunal that they wouldnt be intersested in his new medical evidence, you can be turned down and a month later be bedbound but if its down to the same medical condition in which you originally got turned down on the first time around then you cant re claim on the same condition.  problem is the ones in control, our government are ok themselfes financially,  even if they were to be unwell they wouldnt be under threat from their own policys, they could afford top rate medical private treatment, rest when they needed, they havnt a clue how the other half live, id like to select a few i can tell you to live how most of do struggling to make ends meet then threaten them with losing even more benefits plus of course all with a severe on going medical condition to cope with, then send them for an asessment by ATOS ( dont care a Toss) to be told your fit for work, now struggle down and sign on job seekers, oh and no car as you have loss yoiur mobilty allowence as well.  Rant over but i felt all the better for writing this  lol

      Sue

    • kaz_40
      kaz_40 susan556

      Posted

      it helps to have a rant its just so unfair how we are treated more benefit cuts are on the way the government dont give a damn the poor get poorer the richer get richer. how they expect people to live I just dont know, so long as their ok their not bothered about any one else. take care 
  • shaun19153
    shaun19153 jayne03174

    Posted

    I had my assessment 6 wks ok still no decision I got severe asthma and copd on a nebulizer 4 times a day steroids for rest off my life and 3 inhalers can't walk far I get out off breath I was on lower wait mobility but got re assessed
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