Help I can't do another reassessment again

Sausagedog

Edit: Sorry I posted this in the wrong thread, I thought I clicked the PIP thread 😅
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My first PIP assessment was horrendous. I went from having the highest payments of DLA to 0 points on everything for PIP. The assesor LIED on everything! I spent a year fighting for it and had to go to court (managed to get back the same amount I had on DLA).

I recently had a reassement and the assesor was extremely cruel. I've been having multiple panic attacks every day since getting the letter to confirm the reassessment, to this day (7 weeks post reassessment still waiting for the decision). I have 20+ health conditions (most due to brain damage) all of which have significantly worsened to the point I'm bed-bound every day now (rather than sometimes) since receiving the letter. I'm now severely suicidal again, any small thing can send me over the edge at this point. I'm terrified of being denied again like last time, especially as I will most likely become homeless. 😔

Please tell me there is a way to never have to do a reassessment again. Or at least for there to be a way where I only have to do the paper-based one. I don't think I can handle another face-to-face or phone one ever again, the damage it's been doing to my health is irreversible. Surely this cruelty is against human rights?

Audinut70

I have an idea of how you feel. I was awarded pip for 3 years in 2017, got a yearly assessment form 2018. Next letter telling me my claim has been closed because I didn't send the forms back. I took it to tribunal, which took a year. Low and behold, the day before the tribunal, I got a phone call telling me I don't need to attend the tribunal, they've found my forms. Next letter telling me I need to do another face to face assessment, which was more of a pain in the **** than anything, until I get a letter halving my award. I'm now dreading my next assessment early next year.
 The time discrepancies are the award being extended18 months because of covid.
 I wish there was an alternative, but I know Scope are fighting for professional, relevant examinations/examiners. 

Alex_Alumni

Morning @Sausagedog, I've moved your discussion over into PIP for you  

I'm sorry to hear the news about reassessment is causing you such distress, is this something you're getting support with at home, or from your GP?

We'll be emailing you a little later with some extra information and support, so please let us know if this doesn't come through. 

Thanks for sharing your own PIP journey @Audinut70, one of the good things about this community is that it shows we aren't alone in what we experience. 

Sausagedog

Audinut70 said:

I have an idea of how you feel. I was awarded pip for 3 years in 2017, got a yearly assessment form 2018. Next letter telling me my claim has been closed because I didn't send the forms back. I took it to tribunal, which took a year. Low and behold, the day before the tribunal, I got a phone call telling me I don't need to attend the tribunal, they've found my forms. Next letter telling me I need to do another face to face assessment, which was more of a pain in the **** than anything, until I get a letter halving my award. I'm now dreading my next assessment early next year.
 The time discrepancies are the award being extended18 months because of covid.
 I wish there was an alternative, but I know Scope are fighting for professional, relevant examinations/examiners. 

Im so sorry you're going through that:( its horrible isn't it

If it helps I found this: https://winvisibleblog.wordpress.com/2017/06/21/pip-paper-assessment-exemption-from-interview/

So I'm going to try and talk to my doctor at some point about it and see what happens. I hope it helps you too!

Sausagedog

Alex_Scope said:

Morning @Sausagedog, I've moved your discussion over into PIP for you  

I'm sorry to hear the news about reassessment is causing you such distress, is this something you're getting support with at home, or from your GP?

We'll be emailing you a little later with some extra information and support, so please let us know if this doesn't come through. 

Thanks for sharing your own PIP journey @Audinut70, one of the good things about this community is that it shows we aren't alone in what we experience. 

Hi thank you I got the email, I'm grateful for the support. im going to try and talk to my doctor about it at some point, I'm just very anxious about appointments so I need to work up the courage first 😅

Sausagedog

Update (sorry its LONG, I really need advice!)

I got the letter and by some miracle i have the same as before (in terms of rate)!
However, instead of giving me the correct amount of points for each thing, they gave me the absolute minimum points but for more things (than I had before). It still adds up to the same rate but I don't understand why they did it this way?

They did the opposite with mobility though which is an issue and I really need advice. 
So I get standard and last time it was from having points on both questions. Now I have 10 points for being unable to take any journey, and 0 for being able to stand and move. I still have standard, but now I'm concerned, because as I said in the assessment, I do (rarely) go out, and even plan on attending a uni this year. If I start going to uni, then wouldn't they take points off? And because I now have 0 on the other (when I really should have points for this), this means I may lose the mobility rate entirely? I dont know what to do but I'm way too terrified to contact them and open that can of worms.


Ps if it makes a difference: the uni is 10 mins from my house, my mum/carer will be there every journey there and back, otherwise I couldn't go. I've already made a pre arrangement with the tutor that I may have to attend most classes via zoom due to my health, and may not be able to attend in person without my friend (who is also joining) because of my severe anxiety. And it's only 2 days a week (still a lot for me but this is a huge life goal that I'm really pushing myself for).

In terms of pip mobility points, what would this be?

chiarieds

Hi @Sausagedog - I'm pleased to read you have been awarded PIP. As far as the daily living component goes, then yes, different assessor's will look at things differently, but, if you are happy with the rate you have been awarded, then I'd say that's what matters, rather than where you got points.

With the mobility component, they have assessed you as you are now, & even tho you're going to uni, then as you say this is only for 2 days a week, & PIP is how you are the majority of the time, this won't affect your award, & points won't be taken off. Again, if you're OK with the award for this component, then all is well. However, if you feel you have also difficulty moving around, you could consider doing a Mandatory Reconsideration where another decision maker will look at everything again, including the daily living component. Unfortunately the success rate, as in increasing your standard rate to enhanced for the mobility component, is low, & most awards stay the same. Then, if you wished to appeal further, you could take it to a Tribunal where the success rate is approx. 70% if appearing in person, or by phone/video call.

Sausagedog

chiarieds said:

Hi @Sausagedog - I'm pleased to read you have been awarded PIP. As far as the daily living component goes, then yes, different assessor's will look at things differently, but, if you are happy with the rate you have been awarded, then I'd say that's what matters, rather than where you got points.

With the mobility component, they have assessed you as you are now, & even tho you're going to uni, then as you say this is only for 2 days a week, & PIP is how you are the majority of the time, this won't affect your award, & points won't be taken off. Again, if you're OK with the award for this component, then all is well. However, if you feel you have also difficulty moving around, you could consider doing a Mandatory Reconsideration where another decision maker will look at everything again, including the daily living component. Unfortunately the success rate, as in increasing your standard rate to enhanced for the mobility component, is low, & most awards stay the same. Then, if you wished to appeal further, you could take it to a Tribunal where the success rate is approx. 70% if appearing in person, or by phone/video call.

Hi, thank you so much and that's reassuring to know (about it probably not affecting the rate).
Thank you again!

Alex_Alumni

I'm so pleased to hear you've got a decision through for your PIP @Sausagedog and hopefully this has helped relieve some of that stress and anxiety for you

poppy123456

Are you claiming for physical conditions or mental health? If you don't have physical conditions then you won't score any points for the "moving around part"

Where exactly did you score the points for following and planning a journey? If it was 1E "can't undetake any journey the majority of the time because of overwhelming psychological distress then this is correct.

Sausagedog

Alex_Scope said:

I'm so pleased to hear you've got a decision through for your PIP @Sausagedog and hopefully this has helped relieve some of that stress and anxiety for you

Thank you!

Sausagedog

poppy123456 said:

Are you claiming for physical conditions or mental health? If you don't have physical conditions then you won't score any points for the "moving around part"

Where exactly did you score the points for following and planning a journey? If it was 1E "can't undetake any journey the majority of the time because of overwhelming psychological distress then this is correct.

Only mental, I have physical conditions too but haven't been able to get diagnosises yet due to how hard it is for me to go to appointments etc.

The moving around part, I got points for it last time at my tribunal because the solicitor I was with said that if I can't move past a certain distance without my carer then it counts. I can't remember how many points I got though. And this was before I had any physical conditions too.

chiarieds

i didn't ask, as I noted you said that previously you had points for both moving around & planning a journey. However this time all your points have been for the planning a journey part, but the result is the same rate you had previously. It's usual to perhaps gain points for supervision, prompting or assistance from another person, i.e. your carer. I presume the tribunal took the viewpoint that one of these was needed whist you walked a certain distance.

Having a diagnosis doesn't matter with PIP, it's more about your functional ability to do an activity reliably, so, as mentioned above, it's whether you're OK with your mobility award, or if you wish to appeal further.

Sausagedog

chiarieds said:

i didn't ask, as I noted you said that previously you had points for both moving around & planning a journey. However this time all your points have been for the planning a journey part, but the result is the same rate you had previously. It's usual to perhaps gain points for supervision, prompting or assistance from another person, i.e. your carer. I presume the tribunal took the viewpoint that one of these was needed whist you walked a certain distance.

Having a diagnosis doesn't matter with PIP, it's more about your functional ability to do an activity reliably, so, as mentioned above, it's whether you're OK with your mobility award, or if you wish to appeal further.

Yeah that makes sense. Thanks!
Edit: I just realised, on the letter it says they won't award those points to me because I don't have a diagnosis for my pain condition, even though I never said it was for pain anyway.

poppy123456

Not having a diagnosis is one of the standard copy and paste reasons for not awarding points. As we know, PIP isn't about a diagnosis.