Regarding my PIP claim

Yes l thought l would have recieved some acknowledgement by now but alas nothing so far and sadly like many going through it l suspect its  takes its toll on many..

​Thanks

Unless you put a mobile number down on the form when filling it out they don't send a letter out saying they're recieved your form. The only time they send a letter out is for a face to face assessment, they sometimes send one if there's a delay with anything, then they send one out sometimes when they have all the info they need. As i said 5 weeks isn't that long some people wait a lot longer than that.

Yes l have heard from someone on a forum that it can take up to 16 weeks which is not what one wants to hear as thats not what l want to hear as l have very significant long term  health issues which could get even worse when l go to the hospital late next week and this is just a huge stress on top of that so the tunnel is pretty dark at the moment and one hopes the light will appear sooner rather then later Denise.

?They obviously don't employ enough staff or cannot retain them if the delays are that long. 

Hi

I agree with your comments made in reply to Denise about the wait.

In my opinion, DWP tell us how long we have to answer their forms, letters etc (28 days from date of their correspondence) but as they send everything second class we have far less time to get our MR, evidence etc to them. But DWP can choose how long they take. The backlog is not a reason, it is an excuse. It would be far better for them to employ people who actually know about and understand how conditions can and do affect people and to show some degree of empathy. Instead, hundred of thousands of pounds have been spent on assessors whose word the DWP DMs take at face value. And, as you so rightly state, little or no consideration is given to the stress which delays can have on the claimants. Rant over.

Yes it took 7 days to arrive and thus that does not leave us much time to gather evidence and supporting letters before we then have to quickly send it in.

?Sadly DWP and the companies they employ to carry out the assessments don't know the word of any humanity and compassion  as how the people that work for both of them can go home at night without a consience just tells you how nefarious and pervasive their whole ideology is and then we have insincere obfuscating ministers telling us we will look after those who are ill and disabled which is another big lie as we know.

Hi I understand your rant and i agree with every word you said. 

Sue 

Yes belgravia, another big lie 

Sue 

Well l won't be long before its 7 weeks since they recieved my PIP claim form and thus still have not heard anything thus so whether no news is good news remains to be seen Denise.

The average waiting time is 16 weeks so 7 weeks isn't that long in comparison. Hopefully it won't be too much longer. Luckily your DLA will continue until a decision has been made on the PIP.

Good grief l cannot believe it could take up to 16 weeks as it never took nowhere near as long when it was DLA,

What l still don't know coming up to 7 weeks is whether they will contact me to have a assessment brcause as l am sure you can understand its the waiting and not knowing what is happening that is terribly stressful Denise as l am lucky l have a supportive family but for others it must be absolutely terrible for them.. 

When i first applied for PIP just over 3 years ago and i wasn't on DLA before, i waited almost 11 months for my face 2 face assessment. Most people are asked to attend an assessment with only a few people getting a paper based decision. They contact you in due coarse. I'm sorry i can't help you any further but good luck.

My neighbour knocked on our door yesterday as her husband has been going through the PIP process as he waited 5 and a half weeks for his f2f which he had right at the start of March as he was getting MC and HM on DLA and the upshot of it all is he has been awarded  Standard care and Standard mobilty on PIP so his wife was deeply upset about it and sought my advice on the next steps

It just makes me more concerned then ever as it will be 8 weeks come Sunday and while his has been done in about 8 weeks l have heard diddly squat as of yet.

 

I can understand that the waiting is having an affect on your neighbour.

I have discovered that in the DWP statistics (see thread PIP: DWP Statistic announced, which sadly no-one has commented on) that DWP admit that the average waiting time from registration to decision is 12 weeks, and the average waiting time from referral to assessment to the decision is 7 weeks. Cold comfort but those are the facts according to DWP.

Yes my brother downloaded their own statistics for me Steve and yes that is about right l would say,

 

Its good to hear that you have the DWP stats.

My point was not a criticism but to say that we now have the evidence from DWP themselves which we can use to answer questions about waiting times and so cannot be accused of estimating or exaggerating the delays.

my last post should have also said - answer questions about how many applications have been rejected and how many applied for MR.

apologies but could not edit previous post

Indeed Steve as talking to  our neighbour yesterday she had been concerned for quite a while that no matter what evidence was presented there was going to be a reduction in their award and sadly l fear the same even though the huge medical evidence and supporting letters that l sent were very considerable indeed  as its nearly 8 weeks in and my hunch is they are trying to find little holes in my claim and medical evidence whatever way they can as they are hellbent on reducing PIP awards no matter what.

No doubt, Belgravia, DMs try to find holes. In my case, I asked for reconsideration with regards to 0 points for preparing/cooking food. The MR came back, the DM refuted the evidence I gave, with the standard DWP response "not in the criteria", but not only that the DM had gone through the original decision and reduced the 3 points awarded to me for washing/bathing to 2 points.

As you so rightly say "they are hellbent on reducing PIP awards no matter what".

I hope that you do receive a favourable decision and if not you are able to take your case to tribunal - remember nearly two-thirds of PIP cases which go to court see the decision reversed and PIP is awarded.

So true, PIP should  stand for permanently impossible payment for many of us. What hope do i have with M.E. then, under no consultant, no meds, and diagnosed like 19 years ago!   No supporting letters, I think ill not even bother to apply at all.  Im not as bad as most of you on hear and its very distressing to read of how many are coming out with no points and thats with lots of backup as well.  Im just greatfull we both will at least have out state pension to survive on, i really feel for all those of working age, really very poorly and told to sign on to JSA, Its so cruel. Reductions in awards is causing so many to lose their disabilty cars which they so badly need. 

I so agree with you StevefromBrum, if any subject gets me going its this one!  

Yes l quite agree with you Susan as my next door neighbour disability car was a lifeline for him as he has several serious ongoing conditions which affect him massively and he has had a cancer battle as well and it is still only 48 so god knows how they will cope as his wife who came over yesterday was extremely upset.

As l say what else can one expects from the inhumane , unempathetic DWP and their servile servants who serve them. 

Thanks Susan

The reason why I have put up the stats in two threads is to show not only how many have been refused PIP but that no matter how much the gov and DWP move the goalposts (and to use the same football analogy) we can still score a victory as evidenced in how many have the DWP decision reversed at appeal and receive what is rightfully theirs.

Although this subject might get you going, do not give in, despite the pressure and concerns which some have had. We are winning. Stay strong and if you have any concerns or want advice I am sure that the contributors to this discussion will be only to pleased to try and help.

Steve

OMG Belgravia  your poor neighbor and his wife. Is he waiting for his assessment results or has he already had it and lost his disabilty car?  Surley not!  

What i dont get is there doesn't seem to be anyone out there  who seems to care and doing anything about these barbaric inhumane dealings, We may well be going forward with technology but it seems we are  going backwards in out treatment for the way the really unwell and sick are being treated. Started off with attacking the fraudsters but now gone well OTT.. Even other countrys are appauled at the way the DWP and all those who involved and approve the way this is all being handled.so my son told me, true or not i dont know? And i thought ATOS were finished, apparently not as this is who my hubby has to see on Tuesday.  ATOS =  couldnt care a toss. Rant over. ill shut up now! 

I fully understand your comments, Belgravia.

I too was diagnosed with cancer (of the bladder) for which I had surgery and my bladder was removed and now have to wear a urostomy bag over a stoma 24-7.

I recorded this in my application but at the assessment the assessor appeared to have absolutely no idea of how this affects my daily life and claimed I showed no sign of discomfort from the bag over my stoma.

The DWP DMs, with no medical knowledge and ignorant of medical conditions, have no concept of empathy or understanding or how their attitude and delays in reply cause stress to claimants. They might be civil servants in name but are uncivil in dealing with us, the people they are meant to serve.

Yes Susan they will be losing the car in 2 months as they are applying for a MR first and if that is unsucessful then it will be the appeals process but the problems is this can take 6 months plus.

 Your kidding, oh no! how could they possibly come to that conclusion with some one with several health problems and battled with cancer as well. Sorry to be ignorant but whats MR stand for?  This is just so cruel.

Sue

My health is even worse then his and that takes some doing but l do fear for the outcome of it all.

MR stands for mandatory reconsideration Susan.

I'm sorry but saying "your health is worse" than someone elses really isn't fair. No one knows how others are and what goes on in the inside. To judge someone elses condition isn't the way to go, sorry.

His wife actually said that  so please don't think l don't know how many are suffering because l know exactly how many people suffer in silence and in extreme discomfort and  without anybody to support them Denise.

If "no-one knows how others are", how can you, in the same breath, say it isnt fair for Belgravia to believe that her "health is worse".

I don`t know, and nor do you, what she goes through on a daily basis, so I would not dream of commenting on someone describing how they are.

 

Sincere apologies to Belgravia - I wrongly wrote her instead of his and she instead or he - and only spotted this once my post had gone up so could not change it. Again, sorry for any embarassment this has caused.

Steve

No one should comment about anyones health being worse than anyone elses is what i meant! I never said i knew what anyone goes through daily. Just like you or anyone else know what i go through daily. My comment was based on what belgravia said which i quote was "My health is even worse then his" Then after i said this belgravia came back and said that person even said that. If that was stated in the first place then i wouldn't have put the comment i did.... rant over.

Don't worry Denise as l think we all know the terrible problems and stress we are all facing and l just wish l could wave a magic wand and wish it all away for us but sadly we are not living in a country  which looks after the sick and disabled.

So would i and nope sadly we don't.