A PIP assessor contacted my GP about safegaurding?

LMJ

Hi all! Has anyone else had a PIP assessor contact their GP for a safeguarding issue? I completed my review form a year ago so I presume they have got to it now but the first I heard about it was my GP calling me asking me if I need an appointment urgently? I do claim PIP for mental health issues mostly but this has never happened before? I am panicking, I have no idea what this means and no one from DWP has spoken to me. Thank you for reading x

poppy123456

Yes, they can do this if they have any concerns about your health conditions. I would be more concerned if they didn't contact anyone with any concerns they have with safeguarding issues. Nothing at all to worry about.

LMJ

Oh, thank you so much. That made my mental health worse with the panic! I do actually appreciate that the assessor made the effort because it is better that concerns are flagged. I just wish I knew in advance so it wasn't quite a shock. I presume this means they are assessing me now? I haven't heard a word from them other than a 6 weekly message saying we still have your claim. Again, thank you so much xxx

Margihome

Hi, I'm  the 75 year old carer for my daughter. She has CPTSD, and CFS/Fibromyalgia plus a few other problems including trigeminal neuralgia and a malformed right lower leg. I only saw this site because I  was trying to find out what MASH  was, and why they would suddenly contact my daughter, and Google brought up an almost identical account from someone on this forum .

This is what has happened.

My daughter received a telephone call, out of the blue, from IAS regarding her PIP renewal in December last year. Her CPTSD means that she does not ever answer the telephone, so I replied to the voicemail, and called back. The assessor was extremely rude to me, while I was explaining the problem, but agreed to speak to my daughter on loudspeaker with me present. I stress here this was not an actual assessment, just a call to let her know they were looking at her case. On speaking to my daughter, she asked just two questions, demanding a yes/no answer. The first one was regarding her ability to cook meals, and was answered with 'it depends...' at which point she was cut off and asked, ' are you actually capable of looking after your daughters health and hygiene?' Her daughter is 14years old. I think she's been taught how to wash and dress herself, and is pretty healthy, but, as we are all aware, a 'yes' answer would suggest that my daughter needs no help in any way and therefore no PIP, and a 'no' answer suggests she is not capable of looking after her daughter. My daughter did not know how to reply. I tried to speak on her behalf, but was told to shut up, and the question was repeated, with the addition of ' well? yes or no?' My granddaughter was also present in the room, and at that point she asked the assessor  to give her mother enough space to answer. The assessor then said that since my daughter was not cooperating, she was now closing the call, and did just that.

Two days later there was a phone call from our doctor. The assessor had contacted him, wanting information on my granddaughter. He had refused to help her, but wanted to see both my daughter and granddaughter. She saw him, and he reassured her that her daughter was fine, and that he would back her up if any further problems occurred. 

3 days later there was a phone call from child social services. As I said, my daughter does not answer the phone, so once again,  I responded to the voicemail, and spoke to them. They visited the flat the following week to check things out. There were no problems with my granddaughter, but they did offer my daughter possible help with finding better accommodation via the adult services. They felt that her housing situation was inadequate. (My daughter has been trying to change it for 5 years already). They also noted that my granddaughter is being homeschooled, with permission from the LEA. My daughter explained that she supervises and arranges her education, I do some face to face teaching, but otherwise, she works on online platforms and goes to outside classes (drama, music, art etc). They were satisfied, and left.

My daughter's mental health  was, however, massively impacted by the intrusion, which in turn caused a lengthy physical decline. When these things happen, they stay at my house until my daughter is able to manage well enough to return to her own home. They have been staying with me since then. She has not been well at all.

 PIP reduced the amount she receives ( we are awaiting the results of a mandatory reconsideration) and now she has been told once again, that there are concerns regarding the welfare of her daughter. She is awaiting a home visit from both MASM and the LEA  ( both in mid April) with regard to her daughter. My granddaughter is terrified they will force her to go back to school, or put her in foster care, and my daughter is equally terrified of the same prospects. Her love for her daughter is the one thing which gives her the will to keep going.

I stress here that my granddaughter does not in any way act as a carer for her mum. This was a decision made by my daughter when she became ill with CFS  9 years ago. She in no way wanted to ever  be  dependent on her daughter. When outside help is necessary, either I or another family member steps in. My daughter pays ( with her PIP) for cleaning the house, and gardening and odd jobs which she can't manage herself.  She uses taxis as transport when necessary,  and when unable to cook, uses ready meals  or orders ready cooked meals on home delivery. My granddaughter makes the occasional cup of tea, and is expected to tidy her own room  (after a fashion) That's as far as it goes. She sometimes tries out recipes she finds online...she enjoys cooking and baking. Oh and she answers the door to delivery people and visitors. She also visits her friends and goes out with them. The flat they live in though is too small to accommodate more than one visitor at a time, and offers little privacy, and no possibility of sleepovers. They do not have enough space even for a table to eat from, or a proper desk for schoolwork.

We don't yet know how this latest intrusion will pan out. I have written a letter of complaint to PIP and IAS and the DWP. It has been acknowledged as received, but not yet answered. It still remains though that since 12th December 2023 up until  today, and, as far as we can see, for the immediate future, it has caused, and will cause nothing other than extreme stress, and the inevitable detrimental effects on both my daughter's physical and mental health. We are over one quarter into this year, and it has been utterly miserable for us all.