0 points on assessment report. Even with multiple disabilities

sam2992

Hello,

I just got my assessment report and they have scored me 0. I'm not sure why as they seem to have acknowledged my issues however they did include some of there own information what I never said. And also she didn't include every thing I have said. She also contradicts what she has said several times about medication when I take medication and I apparently stopped taking medication 6 months ago which is completely false as I never stopped taking any medication and I'm still on it to this day I take four different medications two of which are for anxiety the other two are for pain relief she seems to think only one of my medications is for anxiety however the medication she thinks I stopped is only prescribed on a need basis it's not a regular prescription that I take regularly only if I feel I need it and I was only prescribed it to try and bring myself to go to a funeral but I still wasn't able to go due to having a panic attack when trying to go.
I suffer with severe anxiety and am unable to leave my home and suffer with depression. My brother passed away due to cancer afew years back at just 28 years old and this really had a negative affect on my mental state. Making my issues even worse. And back in 2018 I broke my hip and had 3 bolts put in place. Due to my anxiety and depression I was unable to do physiotherapy and strengthen my leg therefore I have a much smaller leg and it's very weak and causes me pain and much grief to this day. I broke my right hip and when I was younger I broke my right leg so my right side has taken a beating and is very underdeveloped. Sometimes it gives way, sometimes I struggle to get out of bed but sometimes it completely locks up. I use a walking stick to go up in downstairs and if I went out I would use my walking stick however I don't go out. I am unable to wash my below my knees or cut my toe nails my mum helps me to do these things. I have attempted to cook and had accidents in the kitchen one time I was chopping cheese and my hip went as I turned around and ended up falling over. And two other occasions I nearly set the house on fire it was only due to the smoke alarms going off that stop this. My medication makes me very sleepy and forgetful and I forgot to turn the hob off one time and another time I fell asleep with food in the oven. My mum no longer lets me cook as I'm not safe to do so. I have been signed off work and I am claiming ESA in the support group. I often forget to take medication or I overtake medication to try and ease my pain or lower my anxiety. I wake up anxious every morning feeling sick. Sometimes are urinating a bottle as I just can't get out of bed or I don't want to leave my room. She said I go out with friends however I never said that I said I can't even go out with family let alone friends! Sometimes I don't eat due to feeling so overwhelmed with anxiety I don't feel hungry I just feel sick with zero appetite. I wash twice a week maximum. My mum helps me put my shoes and socks on and does my laces. I can't even go to get my haircut due to my anxiety. I haven't been a supermarket or any type of shop for years due to panic attacks. I have the reading age of a 7-year-old. (This hole post is done via voice to text) I don't mix with others due to my anxiety. I never seen my friends I never go out. I I'm unable to follow a journey or make a journey due to my anxiety I don't leave my home. Sorry for the long post just wanted to include as much as possible as I will definitely be doing a MR then a tribunal. I just wanted to seek some advice before hand. I'm really shocked that she scored me 0 and I feel this will go in my favour as no way can I possibly score a 0!

sam2992

She also said I have a dog but I don't my mum has a dog. 

With the contradictions she said my medication is effective but then later on she decided to say that I haven't taken it in 6 months but that's complete nonsense.

She then says my medication is not effective in another part. Effect of in another part and that I don't take it at all in another part later on.

She says I can't walk more than 20 m without an aid but then goes and ticks the box I can walk over 200m

She said I don't have no coping medication for following a journey but I have been prescribed a medication for an occasion where I might need it to go on a journey. 

She notes that my anxiety medication is prescribed monthly however seems to think I haven't taken it for 6 months but also noted that I managed my medication and often take too much of my anxiety medication.

poppy123456

The assessment report is a recommendation only. Whilst they often go with it, it has been known for them to go against it.

You can ring PIP to ask for a decision maker to ring you before they make a decision, this way you can get your point accross to them.

Other than that once the decision is made you can request the MR, followed by Tribunal.

chiarieds

Hi @sam2992 - & welcome to the community. I'm sorry to read about your struggles, & the loss of your brother at such a young age, & can well imagine the effect that had upon your mental health.

I can identify with a fractured hip, as the same happened to me in 2016, & I now have a plate & screws in my left hip. I understand the importance of physio, as I am a retired physio myself, so was fortunate in therefore knowing how to help myself. You see with a fractured hip, everyone's experience will be different from my comparitively good one, to your problems, & the assessor needed to know exactly how this also affects you in doing/attempting some activities of daily living.

The assessor writes down what you say, & forms an opinion from what you've written in your claim form, & what you've said during your assessment. Yes, they sometimes get things wrong, but overall they're trying to see how you are most days. So, with a medication that you only take when needed, it would be correct for the assessor to form an opinion that you don't take this regularly. Again, they are looking at how you are the majority of the time.

Do follow poppy's advice by ringing the PIP enquiry line: 0800 121 4433 asking for a decision maker to ring you back.

Let us know how you get on, as we're all here to support you.

sam2992

chiarieds said:

Hi @sam2992 - & welcome to the community. I'm sorry to read about your struggles, & the loss of your brother at such a young age, & can well imagine the effect that had upon your mental health.

I can identify with a fractured hip, as the same happened to me in 2016, & I now have a plate & screws in my left hip. I understand the importance of physio, as I am a retired physio myself, so was fortunate in therefore knowing how to help myself. You see with a fractured hip, everyone's experience will be different from my comparitively good one, to your problems, & the assessor needed to know exactly how this also affects you in doing/attempting some activities of daily living.

The assessor writes down what you say, & forms an opinion from what you've written in your claim form, & what you've said during your assessment. Yes, they sometimes get things wrong, but overall they're trying to see how you are most days. So, with a medication that you only take when needed, it would be correct for the assessor to form an opinion that you don't take this regularly. Again, they are looking at how you are the majority of the time.

Do follow poppy's advice by ringing the PIP enquiry line: 0800 121 4433 asking for a decision maker to ring you back.

Let us know how you get on, as we're all here to support you.

Hello, @chiarieds thanks for your warm welcome and advice it's much appreciated. I will do as poppy says and call them up first thing Monday and ask for the decision maker to call me before a decision is made. However her opinions don't seem to have anything to back them up or very clear at all. And to give 0 points is just madness. Also when I mentioned she said I stopped taking anxiety medication 6 months ago she is trying to say that I haven't taken any anxiety medication for 6 months however I take anxiety medication every day and it is prescribed to me monthly on a repeat prescription so her saying I haven't taken any anxiety medication for 6 months is completely wrong I just take one medication for anxiety daily and another medication for anxiety should I ever need to leave the house I was prescribed 6 pills 6 months ago and have only taken them twice on one occasion when I went out to go to a funeral and ended up having a panic attack and coming home I haven't had to take the medication again since as I haven't been out of my home. So she is a nurse but doesn't understand what medication is for what I have clearly noted what medication I take yet she doesn't even know what medication i used to treat my anxiety. She clearly has very little knowledge about the matter or mental health in general. We discussed my medication and she even acknowledged that I said I take more than my recommended dose of anxiety medication in an attempt to make me feel better. For her to score 0 points is absolutely disgusting. I will update you when I get the decision I'm praying I don't need to wait long for a appeal ect should it come to that as struggling financially is a understatement.

chiarieds

You're very welcome. poppy will give you nothing but good advice, so I'm pleased you're going to follow it.

Be clear to stress the anxiety meds you take daily, & that the prescription list you hopefully provided backs this  up. The other anxiety meds that you don't take regularly, well there's no point in arguing that as they're just trying to see how you are most days, but say that you rarely leave your home, & you have them for when, just on the odd occasion, you attempt to leave your home.

The decision maker doesn't have medical knowledge, so spell it out for them first about the anxiety meds you need to take daily, then those for occasional use, & why you may also need these.

Alex_Alumni

Best of luck with your call tomorrow @sam2992 hopefully you'll be able to successfully challenge this decision. The community is here to support you, so reach out anytime you need to and we'll do what we can to help  

sam2992

Hello,

I just wanted to update people that I had my tribunal and it went very well. I have gone from 0 points daily living to now 10 points and 0 points mobility to 20 points! So it couldn't have gone any better. Very glad I followed through with the appeal. I took one piece of extra evidence with me that I think helped abit(x-ray scran results) but I think the main thing was seeing them face to face. So to anyone that has been wrong done by in the assessment keep fighting and everything will work out as it should.

Kind regards
Sam

Albus_Scope

Hiya @sam2992 I'm so happy to hear that outcome!  I had the same, I went from 2 points to being awarded both enhanced rates.   Tribunals seem scary, but I'm seeing (personal opinion) they're often the best way of getting results.

I really hope you're going to treat yourself to something nice after that win? 

sam2992

Hey @Albus_Scope I was very worried about my appeal and it did cause a great deal of needles stress and anxiety but it was definitely worth the fight. I'm glad you also had a similar outcome it's just a shame we need to go through all of this. With this money I will be giving my mum alot of it as she has been supporting me in everyway including financially for a long time so I think it's only fair I now repay her. And with what's left I will finally be able to get debt collectors off my back and pay my credit cards. Unfortunately I don't have much left to treat myself but I will be able to live a more normal life without being harassed by debt collectors so I am filled with emotional joy right now and can finally stop worrying about how I'm going to survive. 

Kind regards
Sam

Albus_Scope

I'm glad things will be more comfortable at least @sam2992. Most of my backpay went on back rent to my sister as she allowed me to live with her mostly rent free during the 18 months. Then it was me paying off credit cards too.  It was a very freeing feeling, I hope it feels the same for you and you can finally breathe easy again  

Best of luck for the future, but don't be a stranger now, you're always welcome here to just have a chat with people and swap stories.  

chiarieds

Hi @sam2992 - delighted to read your update, & thank you for letting us all know, as it's really good to hear of good outcomes, & yours certainly was. Wishing you all the best