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PA3 Report

AnxiousUK

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone can give any feedback.

I requested my PA3 (Paper Based Review) report 9 days ago now and I still haven't received it, also I've still had no decision which I am well aware could take a while.
However I spoke to a case manager who gave me their word they'd personally send it to me which was on the 23rd yet I've still not had it.

Should I recall them? I gave extra time as last Monday was a Bank Holiday.
Starting to think the person I spoke to hasn't even posted it.

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Comments

Hannah_Alumni

Hello @AnxiousUK

I'd wait until mid next week until you call them. As you mentioned, we did just have a bank holiday which could have delayed your report. I had a blood test form sent and it came 4 days later than usual because of the bank holiday.

AnxiousUK

Hannah_Scope said:

Hello @AnxiousUK

I'd wait until mid next week until you call them. As you mentioned, we did just have a bank holiday which could have delayed your report. I had a blood test form sent and it came 4 days later than usual because of the bank holiday.

Thank you Hannah.

Just extremely worried obviously with what the decision is.

Was told it was a Paper Based Review after reviewing form and evidence.

I had someone from the assessment provider actually contact me after doing my report and said they've asked DWP to look at my award urgently, whatever that means, I have got much worser since my last review but never bothered to raise these things during the claim.

I've spent the last week in bed trying to sleep and having to take more medication to try and stop the anxiety, I feel really drained.
I just want this to be over and a decision or at least some idea of one.

They had my report as I had the text and I waited a week almost before requesting it.

When my review is complete will they tell me the decision over the phone if I call them?

Thank you again

poppy123456

Once a decision is made on your review it will take up to 24 hours for them to be able to see it on the system. After that you can ring to ask what that decision is.

As you're already experiencing a lot of anxiety then requesting the report may not be a good idea anyway. Even if it's good, it often causes a lot more anxiety.

Hannah_Alumni

I'm sorry it has been stressing you so much. I hope we in the community can be a place of support for you

Keeping everything crossed for the outcome! You will be sent a letter with the decision. You can call to ask, but sometimes it can take a day or two for it to go onto the system.

AnxiousUK

Thank you both.

I will wait and if I hear nothing in the will recall to get the report.

Will drop back again in the week.

AnxiousUK

I still haven't received the PA3 report or any decision.

DWP have confirmed it was sent around 10 days ago now, initially they've said wait for it then said they've resent it - hmm.

No decision as yet either, initially a case manager said it would be first week of September but I'm not sure; it's not even with a case manager now it's waiting to be looked at.

This time line is disgusting, for someone ill and its making my health much worse.
They could easily read the PA3 and tell me the last few pages what it says on the phone.

Seems they want to prolong this.

I get there are waits, but I've waited and waited and not only I've not had my report copy, I was told a decision should be the start of the first week of September yet my case isn't even with a case handler now, it's waiting for one to allocate to it to look at it.

I hate that we have to prove ourselves over and over, even for lifetime illnesses and while they've been told by professionals.

I hate how your life is practically on hold while they make a decision.

On top of all this because they didn't inform CT about my review I got a massive CT bill, they advised it was because DWP hadn't given them an update so they took the discount off!

I'm exhausted by all of it, I really genuinely am.

poppy123456

AnxiousUK said:

They could easily read the PA3 and tell me the last few pages what it says on the phone.

That isn't going to help. Points are not added up in the report because it's a recommendation only. The person from the call centre would need to use the PIP descriptors to work out how many points are recommended. There's just no time to do this sort of thing on the phone.

Once the report is returned a decision can take anything up to 12 weeks. Some wait less, some wait longer.

I know it's difficult but the best thing is to try to focus on something else while you wait because all the extra stress isn't helping you.

AnxiousUK

Hi

I've received my PA3, finally.

One question I had was will they backdate any higher award from the PIP review form submission? As mine went back last September and I was only contacted in July this year.

poppy123456

As it’s a review started by DWP then in normal times they don’t usually owe any money if your new award is higher.

However because of the delays with reviews sometimes they may backdate it to an earlier date but not always.

Jimm_Alumni

Glad you finally got your report.

There is no harm in asking for it to be backdated, especially if your review has been quite delayed. The worst they can say is no.

AnxiousUK

Update;

I am still awaiting a decision with it now almost going into 4 weeks since they had my report back.

As you will see above I initially didn't receive the PA3 report which they claimed to have posted, I was made to wait almost 2 weeks for another to be sent which came within days of it being posted second time.

My MP made contact with them and they claimed my case was with a case manager, and likely a decision would be made by the end of last week.

That's not happened, they also told my mp they were working on a 2 week decision time, its now going into the 4th week.

Then the assessment provider confirmed they had had DWP to make a decision promptly given my health issues.

Spoke to DWP today, they claimed initially my case was being worked on by a case manager.
Explaining the affects of all this they decided ro transfer me to a case manager.

This person said no one is currently working on it, although they confirmed it was sat on someone's desk somewhere as they had been allocated it but haven't done anything with it.
They saw that a decision was told to MP of 2 weeks and still no decision.

So now they've said they are going to chase the case manager who has my case and that if they can't do it this week they'll find another case manager.

BUT I will have to wait another 2/3 weeks as the letter will take that time to follow.

I'm disgusted by this treatment, it's distressing.

I've lost 2 stone in just over 6 weeks, yes 2 stone.
I'm not sleeping, my health is worsening yet I've been lied to.
One minute it's with someone next they admit it's not being worked on at all.

I am guessing a complaint won't move things anymore now.

Hannahmarie1234

@AnxiousUK had my assessment over 5 weeks ago paper based had my report which suggested enhanced on both but still haven't hade decision. It does make you ill all this waiting . Hope we all here soon 🙏

AnxiousUK

Hannahmarie1234 said:

@AnxiousUK had my assessment over 5 weeks ago paper based had my report which suggested enhanced on both but still haven't hade decision. It does make you ill all this waiting . Hope we all here soon 🙏

I can understand when they give a time frame and sure someone will say its upto 12 weeks for a decision.

But the assessment provider was so concerned they asked DWP to make a decision promptly and consider doing it quicker than normal.

Then my mp was told my case was with a case manager being worked on and it would be made the decision by last week, that's not happened and its not being worked on.

It was allocated to a case manager who hasn't done anything with it.

So basically they've lied to my mp, ignored the assessment provider and lied to me on the phone by saying initially it was being worked on.

I hope you get your decision soon, this is really having a very bad affect on me, I keep warning them, but soon they will find out the consequences of just ignoring my health situation.

I'm worser now than I was 5 weeks ago.
I have a theory why it's taking so long.

Is your current award less than the recommendation new one?
Because my theory is if it goes up they take forever to make a decision yet if its a disallowance they make a rapid decision, I've read this in other places too.
Maybe that's my mh issues showing suspecting this

Hannahmarie1234

@AnxiousUK.its a new claim .aww I'm so dorry they are lying to you . Don't think they realise what this waiting is doing to people and their mental health. I know my mental health is on overdrive at the min waiting for that text .I hope the decision maker isn't on performance related pay xx

Hannahmarie1234

@AnxiousUK. I do really believe when you phone them they just tell you what you want to hear just to get you off the phone.they have given me a couple of different timescales and they have exceeded both of them

Jimm_Alumni

Hey @AnxiousUK, this really sounds like a group of people trying to pass around the blame. The fact they lied to your MP about this just really puts the cherry on top. I'm just going to link you the complaints procedure for the DWP, incase you'd like to review it and consider having this mess actually investigated.

AnxiousUK

Hannah, I hope you get a positive outcome on yours.
I find it degrading having to repeatedly go through all this when my health will never improve. A few of my conditions will never ever improve, they are life conditions and I understand PIP isn't regards diagnosis but my symptoms will never improve.

Jimm, thank you for this although right now I don't feel in the correct head space to contact them to raise a complaint, I'm really really angry, worried, scared, nervous and in limbo.

The last month I've been waiting on a decision every day, my life, not that I had one before this, has stopped.
I'm having to take more diazepam just to see through another day because of all this.

So for the last month waiting on a decision my case has been stuck on a desk not worked on.

Yet if I was late returning the form I'd be penalised as others would.

I will go back to my mp and report all this but they took all this time to reply to them telling lies so won't hold my breathe for any real action.

I may hold out on a complaint and then raise one if I don't get a backdated amounted.

I've never complained about DWP but this time they've made me more ill and not been truthful.

Hannah_Alumni

I'm so sorry to read about what's been happening @AnxiousUK or not in this case. I echo Jimm to go back to your MP and maybe they can help support you further.

I was concerned to read that this has made you more ill. Can I ask, have you been keeping in contact with your GP? Have they been supporting you?

AnxiousUK

Hannah_Scope said:

I'm so sorry to read about what's been happening @AnxiousUK or not in this case. I echo Jimm to go back to your MP and maybe they can help support you further.

I was concerned to read that this has made you more ill. Can I ask, have you been keeping in contact with your GP? Have they been supporting you?

Hi Hannah,

Thanks for your reply.

I have raised these issues with the MP and they've gone back to DWP to seek clarification.

I have spoken to my GP, who has noted my concerns; and they've put me on some new anti anxiety drugs now to try and help.

Earlier today I did speak to DWP who have confirmed my decision was made today, strange how that happened after they looked yesterday and took the case off the manager who initially had it and gave it to someone else.

They've gone with the HP report, and I have a higher award than previous.

I did ask about backdated payment and was told at present as the decision was only just made they can't see that information, if I will have it, but to recall end of the week and they should be able to see.
They did say at this moment it doesn't look like any backdated payment has been agreed.

My award ended in 2022 and was extended by them, and its taken a year to complete so I hope they'll pay me the higher rate backdated but not sure I have a case if they don't, seems unfair though as my conditions have been noted by the HP I have been worser than the previous report now and that it's likely that happened sometime ago.

I just have to wait for the letter also now.

Jimm_Alumni

I'm glad you at least got an answer about the decision @AnxiousUK, even if it was a saga just getting it. I really hope you get the backdated agreement and once all that is in place you could perhaps submit a change of circumstances about how you are even worse off now?

Please do keep in touch with us, I hope your MP is helping you out further. Not many MPs who would help out like that anymore.