PIP telephone review Monday 14th

Nuttymoo1966

Help , i have just received a letter telling me my pip telephone review is on monday 14th . Unfortunately my advocate from fightback is on leave and i cant re schedule it until she comes back as they only forward book two week and 4 days . Now i am left wondering if i should attend the original one or let them send it back to DWP and wait again until i get another appointment and hope she is available   I was relying on her support on the call and am now very anxious .Any advice appreciated  thank you all xxx

poppy123456

You can cancel this appointment, assuming you haven't cancelled one already. If you don't turn up for this assessment and your file is returned to DWP then you risk your current award ending because you could be refused your claim.

Having said that a lot of people attend assessments alone or they have someone they know with them, like a family member or a friend. Have you got someone like this that can attend with you?

I don't agree with what fightback do to be honest. I think charging people for helping them is totally wrong.

Nuttymoo1966

Thank you for your reply . I agree about fightback but desperate people will do anything to get support and someone to advocate for them . My husband is my support ,he is incredible and would be happy to support me however , telling a total stranger details of how he helps me with intimate care on a daily basis and him corroborating it is too much for me to bear. We ve been married a long time but saying the words  makes it real and is somehow too difficult for me to accept which is why i wanted an  independent advocate with me . I understand the need for assessments but i feel its so undignified and intrusive , my gp could provide these details and probably has done. Feeling anxious and uneasy about the whole process .  

Nuttymoo1966

I have asked for my assessment be recorded so if there is an issue later on i have something to refer to . Has anyone had any experience with this  please ?  

poppy123456

I totally understand that. Letters from your GP aren't the best evidence either because they don't spend anytime with you to know how you manage to wash/dress/undress/eat/prepare a meal etc etc. If they know then it's because you told them and then it becomes "hearsay" and you can tell them all that, which is what the forms are for.

I've never personally recorded an assessment because if the worst happens and you're refused the recording isn't going to get you a PIP award.