Generalised Anxiety Disorder and Pip

AnnaBee

Hey everyone,
I haven’t claimed for PIP before, I had my assessment on 22nd April and received the no decision letter and a text 09/05.
I have an anxiety disorder and I’m obv quite edgy about why I haven’t heard anything back yet - is this normal for it to take this long?
wondering also if anyone has had any success claiming for GAD.
thanks 🙂

poppy123456

It’s perfectly normal. Waiting times for decisions are anything up to about 12 weeks after the report was returned to DWP. 

Alex_Alumni

Hi there @AnnaBee and thanks for reaching out, it can be a nervous wait yes, but you're not alone. Hopefully it won't be too long for you to wait, so please update us all when you hear more.

You're welcome to spend time on the forum if it helps, as there are members living with GAD here, and plenty who are in the process of claiming for PIP. Let us know if we can help with anything further

AnnaBee

I got my form back today and have scored zero points. The feedback is totally unrepresentative of my condition, what I wrote on my form and the interview I gave, I’m very upset.

going to contest this but very disappointing.

poppy123456

Is that the assessment report or the decision letter? If it’s the assessment report then this isn’t the decision, it’s a recommendation only. Whilst they mostly do go with it, they have been known to go against it.

You can request the MR if you’re not happy once a decision is made. 

AnnaBee

Hi poppy, thanks for replying, it’s the decisión letter.
what is an MR?

poppy123456

AnnaBee said:

Hi poppy, thanks for replying, it’s the decisión letter.
what is an MR?

Mandatory Reconsideration. It’s when a different decision maker looks at your claim again and comes to another decision. The most likely outcome will be it won’t change.

You should put the request in writing stating where and why you think you should have scored those points.

Include  a couple of real world examples of exactly what happened the last time you attempted each descriptor that applies to you. Adding detailed information such as where you were, what exactly happened, did anyone see it and what the consequences were. You should aim for at least 2 examples per descriptor that applies. 

jw68

"Hi poppy, thanks for replying, it’s the decisión letter.
what is an MR?"

I wonder how many other claimants out there do not know what an "MR" is,let alone have heard about the Tribunal stage?..All i know is that a few years ago i scored 0 points and promptly accepted the decision,not knowing that there were MR/Tribunal stages to help me-as well as a Welfare Rights Organisation.For me,it meant homelessnes..I know this does not really help matters regarding this particular thread,but please allow me to say this again-THIS IS A TRULY DESPICABLE SYSTEM.

poppy123456

jw68 said:

I wonder how many other claimants out there do not know what an "MR" is,let alone have heard about the Tribunal stage?..

It does say on the decision letter that you can challenge the decision if you disagree with it. 

jw68

poppy123456 said:

jw68 said:

I wonder how many other claimants out there do not know what an "MR" is,let alone have heard about the Tribunal stage?..

It does say on the decision letter that you can challenge the decision if you disagree with it. 

Hi Poppy,yes i do know about this,however,the fact that many people score 0 points when first assessed is enough to put people off from pursuing the claim further,yes?...Is this a fair assumption on my part.?

poppy123456

jw68 said:

poppy123456 said:

jw68 said:

I wonder how many other claimants out there do not know what an "MR" is,let alone have heard about the Tribunal stage?..

It does say on the decision letter that you can challenge the decision if you disagree with it. 

Hi Poppy,yes i do know about this,however,the fact that many people score 0 points when first assessed is enough to put people off from pursuing the claim further,yes?...Is this a fair assumption on my part.?

I was referring to your comment about not many people knowing they could challenge the decision. 

I looked up the stats for those that don’t proceed with the MR and it’s 8%, which is quite low. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-statistics-to-january-2023/personal-independence-payment-statistics-april-2013-to-january-

By the end of January 2023, 2.1 million MRs had been registered against normal rules claims since PIP began, and almost all of these had been cleared. Of these:

• 1.4 million (66%) related to new claims
• 720,000 (34%) related to reassessed DLA claims
• 170,000 (8%) were withdrawn or cancelled

nasturtium

jw68 said:

Hi Poppy,yes i do know about this,however,the fact that many people score 0 points when first assessed is enough to put people off from pursuing the claim further,yes?...Is this a fair assumption on my part.?

Hello jw68

The reason that "many people" get Zero points on the descision is because they did not fill there PIP2 Questionnaire form in with detailed information about there condition according to the activities descriptors. There is an advise link on the main Gov website pointing to Citizens Advice website on how to fill the PIP2 form questionnaire with detailed information according to the claimants conditions.

The System might seem despicable and yes I agree it does have its flaws but it is there for a reason mainly for more verbal evidence gathering from the claimant. If the Claimant sent in a detailed PIP2 Questionnaire form giving information on why they cannot do the activities reliably (safely, repeatedly, in a timely manor and to an acceptable standard) and what help or assistance they need according to the activites descriptors then they would stand a much better chance at getting an award.

If you need to do a Mandatory Reconsideration then it is strongly advised to write a detailed letter explaining on each activity and the problems you have and the help you need according to the descriptors because the detailed MR Letter will also be part of your Tribunal pack and used as evidence for your tribunal. It will increase your chances of getting an award at tribunal or before tribunal if the DWP think you have a strong case then they might give you an "offer" before a tribunal is needed.

Nasturtium

AnnaBee

when I filled in my form and when I answered the questions they asked me I gave similar detailed answers.
I gave evidence including GP and psychiatry referral letters.
the report I got back does not reflect any of this, it was very dismissive. It basically said that because I can string a sentence together I’m fine and that is not the case at all.

poppy123456

I wouldn’t expect the report to say what you said verbatim. It’s their opinion based on everything you wrote in the form, everything you said during the assessment and any extra evidence you sent.
If there’s any obvious contradictions you can mention a couple of those for them MR but then move on. Concentrating on the report or the decision letter isn’t going to get you a PIP award. 

jw68

Poppy and Nasturtium....thanks for the replies.I must admit,that 8% figure did surprise me.

jw68

Hi again Poppy.I have just double checked the Govt. website.It states..

"Source: PIP Statistics to January 2023, Table 5A

For initial PIP decisions following an assessment during the period April 2013 to September 2022:

• there were 4.9 million initial decisions following a PIP assessment, and 63% were awarded PIP...

• 1.1 million MRs have been registered about the 4.9 million initial decisions"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Having read the stats it seems that...

... (100-63%) 37% of people  were not granted PIP from the outset,since 63% of claimants were successful and 37% of 4.9Million = 1,813,000.

It would seem that of the 1,813,000 people who were initally denied PIP at the outset, just 1.1Million have requested a MR.That figure would equate to apx 60% of people requestng an MR-hence 40% of people have not asked for a MR.This is how I  interpret the figures,but please feel free to correct me if i have got my sums wrong.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
For clarification purposes......You posted...

By the end of January 2023, 2.1 million MRs had been registered against normal rules claims since PIP began, and almost all of these had been cleared. Of these:

• 1.4 million (66%) related to new claims
• 720,000 (34%) related to reassessed DLA claims
• 170,000 (8%) were withdrawn or cancelled

---------------------------------------------

Regarding the figures above that you posted ,it seems that the 8% figure is pertaining to the number of people who have terminated their request for a Mandatory Reconsideration AFTER initially requesting one.The figure i am looking for is the % of people who did not bother requesting an MR at all,after being initially turned down for PIP at the outset.I maintain that figure is near to 40%.

Cheers.

AnnaBee

poppy123456 said:

I wouldn’t expect the report to say what you said verbatim. It’s their opinion based on everything you wrote in the form, everything you said during the assessment and any extra evidence you sent.
If there’s any obvious contradictions you can mention a couple of those for them MR but then move on. Concentrating on the report or the decision letter isn’t going to get you a PIP award. 

Clearly not.
I’m not expecting a verbatim report but there are obvious contraindications between what they have said in their decision letter and what I said in my form and in my interview.
I respect that they have an opinion but not when it is not based on the facts I have given them.
I will read the assessment when I get it and go from there.

jw68

I’m not expecting a verbatim report but there are obvious contraindications between what they have said in their decision letter and what I said in my form and in my interview.
I respect that they have an opinion but not when it is not based on the facts I have given them.
I will read the assessment when I get it and go from there.

--------------------------------------------------------
A very diplomatic reply.Contradictions/Contraindications is a nice word for lies.At the end of the day we have to face cold,hard facts.Capita/I.A.S (ATOS) are rewarded by the Government to get as many people back into full time/part time work as possible.Often people are too ill to work,yet ATOS/CAPITA can miraculously cure these people with just the stroke of a pen..I am an educated and pragmatic guy.I often wonder if i am biased because of the bad experiences i have had at the hands of the CAPITA/ATOS medical "experts."..Maybe i am the exception to the rule?..But then,when i look at the ridiculously high Tribunal success rate of 70% i realise that i am not imagining that the system is unfair,to put it lightly.It's a scandal,and better people than me have said so.

Good luck and stay strong Anna x