Hi, my name is rainbowboo!

rainbowboo

Hello 
I'm new here but I really wanted to ask, if anyone has had a strange experience with a telephone assessment for PIP? 
The lady I had was really chatty and seemed friendly enough, but when asking me if I was left or right handed to which I told her left handed she then told me did I know when I was in the womb I was a twin and the twin died and that's why I'm left handed!!!!!!!!!! 
I didnt know how to respond!! And what the heck has that got anything to do with a pip assessment??
Also she told me at the end of the call I had been the second person she had spoke to that day and she normally dreads it because people can be really horrible to her and shout at her !
Also I said I think I got abit muddled with some of my responses to the questions, and she said no you did alright your be fine ! 

I scored 6 points for daily living and nothing for mobility I'm now at tribunal stage and have hearing soon, I did mention how weird the lady had been to me on my MR but no one has said anything about it like it's been totally ignored for her completely inappropriate behaviour,
not sure if I should bother bringing it up at the hearing or not? 
Would love to hear from others with there experiences of telephone assessments 
Thank you for your time xx

poppy123456

That's a very odd thing to say and even if it were true (which it isn't) then i agree it's not related to a PIP claim. Maybe she was just trying to be friendly.

You don't need to mention it in the hearing because the Tribunal will not be interested in what happened during the assessment. They will only be interested in how your conditions affect you.

At the time of your assessment if you weren't happy with the assessor then you could have made a complaint to the health assessment providers.

rainbowboo

I did think that to! 
Thank you for the information, ahead of my hearing, I didn't think bringing it up would be a good idea as you say they are interested in my conditions not what happened in my assessment 
Thanks again 

Alex_Alumni

That is an odd one @rainbowboo thanks for posting about it, I hope it wasn't too unsettling for you at the time.

I'm left handed too, funnily enough, which might well be down to my CP affecting my right side. Either way, the twin thing she mentioned is a debunked theory!

Wishing you all the best for your Tribunal, and let us know how things go. If we can help in the meantime, just ask  

rainbowboo

I know ! Very odd thing to say to me ! 
Thank you I will update my hearing is the 27th I've got a telephone hearing let's hope this phone call goes better! 

Sandy_123

I've never heard of that before by anyone ever. I know lots of left handed people, my mom was for one. Good luck with your tribunal 

rainbowboo

I know , it was such an odd thing to say I actually googled it later that day as it was playing on my mind.
when I spoke to my mum about it , it really upset her that someone could say that to me,
Thank you with regards to my tribunal 

Sandy_123

What did Google say bet it said whattt

rainbowboo

It does mention about what she said but I dont know I still find it very strange!!!! 
When she said it to me in my head I was thinking, what!!!!! 
I didnt know what to say to her I was in shock more than anything ! 

Sandy_123

I'm not surprised, I would try and put it to one side and focus on your tribunal have you got a date 

rainbowboo

Well it was last year, it's just something that's always played on my mind, 
I've been waiting 36 weeks for a tribunal hearing date apparently!, when I rung up thats what I was told didnt realise I had been waiting so long! 
In my area i was told 28 weeks for a date so I've gone way over that, but last week i got a date, 27th April so not to much longer to wait 
Thanks 

rainbowboo

Thank you 

chiarieds

Hi @rainbowboo - & welcome to the forum. I think when such strange comments are made it can really throw you. I'm a long-retired physio, & at my first PIP face to face assessment, which took place next to a physiotherapy room, I mentioned the fact I'd been a physio as a courtesy. The assessor responded with, 'I know all about physios, I hear the cries of pain from the next room.' When I said, 'no, that should never happen,' she said she was only joking! Again, I felt, totally inappropriate, & made me feel most uncomfortable for the rest of the assessment.

As others have said, do just concentrate on moving forward, & explain to the Tribunal exactly how your disability affects you when doing/attempting any applicable PIP activity/descriptor; all they want to understand is exactly that. Here's hoping it all goes well for you, & that you'll let us all know how you get on.

poppy123456

My grandson is left handed, so is my son in law and another family member. None were part of a twin. 

rainbowboo

chiarieds said:

Hi @rainbowboo - & welcome to the forum. I think when such strange comments are made it can really throw you. I'm a long-retired physio, & at my first PIP face to face assessment, which took place next to a physiotherapy room, I mentioned the fact I'd been a physio as a courtesy. The assessor responded with, 'I know all about physios, I hear the cries of pain from the next room.' When I said, 'no, that should never happen,' she said she was only joking! Again, I felt, totally inappropriate, & made me feel most uncomfortable for the rest of the assessment.

As others have said, do just concentrate on moving forward, & explain to the Tribunal exactly how your disability affects you when doing/attempting any applicable PIP activity/descriptor; all they want to understand is exactly that. Here's hoping it all goes well for you, & that you'll let us all know how you get on.

Hello 
Thank you , that was definitely inappropriate behaviour,  but I will just concentrate on explaining my conditions with regards to the descriptors I didnt score any points in and see how it goes I guess, I'm presuming i will hear in the post, or will they tell me over the phone what the outcome is ? Thanks 

rainbowboo

poppy123456 said:

My grandson is left handed, so is my son in law and another family member. None were part of a twin. 

My mum said I wasnt either, just such a weird thing to say to someone, thank you for the support means alot 

chiarieds

Sometimes you get a response on the day of your tribunal; sometimes you'll get to hear with a letter in the post a few days later.

My eldest granddaughter is also left-handed....

rainbowboo

Ok thank you, hopefully on the day! Thank you for the support 😊

rainbowboo

Morning all 
Another question I wanted to ask , I claim carers allowance for my daughter her issues are mental health, shes had issues since she was 2 years shes now 20 years old ,
 
DWP had mentioned this in all the paperwork bundle I received from them ahead of the tribunal hearing,

my conditions are physical, and last year or so I do require more help in certain areas, 
 I have done abit of researching and as far as I can make out there isnt any reason I'm not allowed to claim both CA and PIP , I have said , that my conditions in no way effect my ability to help my daughter, but I think this might be something that comes up at the hearing and I'm not really sure how to answer them about it
any information would be greatly appreciated thank you x

poppy123456

People do claim carers allowance and PIP at the same time. (i do) Providing your caring duties do not contradict the reasons why you're claiming PIP. I have physical conditions but my daughter doesn't. They may ask you questions related to your caring duties if they think they contradict the reasons you're claiming PIP but i can't tell you whether they will for certain.

rainbowboo said:

my conditions are physical, and last year or so I do require more help in certain areas, 

Please be aware that any worsening of condition will not be taken into consideration.

rainbowboo

Thank you , that's good to know and no it doesnt interfere with my conditions, I think it was just a point they were making as they are against me I guess,
 I didnt score in the managing treatments, I had got confused about that question, and didnt mention my exercise programme I do daily given to me by my chiropractor or that sometimes I use a tens machine, this I did mention in my MR and told them I had misunderstood the question and provided evidence, but I feel it was overlooked, and not taken into consideration, as they still only scored me 6 points so this tribunal hearing is literally to try and explain this and hopefully gain the 2 extra points as my daughter helps me with it