PIP Review

Nashota

Hello,

I have a few questions about my PIP review which should be around August time.

The last time that I had a review, the HCP removed any points that was about my mental health which was most of them and made the award about my physical health/fibromyalgia, in turn, my award was dropped for both despite a GPFR being requested which the CM didn't received on time due to Capita requesting it from the wrong medical centre and it taking them 2 months to rectify. MR of course failed and so I had to appeal, it was overturned without me having to have a tribunal, so my questions are:-

1. With me having to appeal, will I receive a PIP2 form or will they send an AR1?

2. If they send an AR1 how would I go about explaining certain things, such as mixing with  people, in my first assessment they acknowledged that I couldn't and gave me 8 points but in my review as I said the HCP changed it and when I appealed they still wouldn't acknowledge it. It's never changed it's always been the same, I find mixing with people very overwhelming so I don't do it, the only person I can just about stand to be around is my son and I'm in my bedroom and he's in the living room, can I explain that on the form if I do receive an AR1?

Part of my worry is, when people have filled out my forms, they've never given enough information about my conditions, I'm going to do it myself with the help of my son this time and just have someone check it, like I did with my ESA50. The DWP do have a GPFR from PIP and one from ESA, can I mention those as well?

I'm also currently having issues with the medical centre that I'm registered with, for 2 years with the help of  my advocate, we've been trying to address some issues with them along with my medical records, I believe there's around 6 years missing and there are inaccuracies with how my conditions have been recorded. I was made aware of the inaccuracies when I requested a supporting letter and the GP didn't include all of my diagnosed conditions. So that's also worrying me a bit. We've tried emailing them several times, NHS England and the ombudsman emailed them, nothing, their current practice manager did get in touch after almost 2 years then started ignoring us again, so I've also contacted PALS, their management company and the ombudsman again who have all contacted the practice... 

I hope I've made sense above, I'm not the best at explaining and I don't like to post very often due to my anxiety.

Thanks in advance.

poppy123456

If your current award was given by DWP then it will be about 8 months before your award is due to end that you will be contacted. Then it will be the AR1 form.

If it was awarded by the Tribunal then usually it's 14 weeks before the award is due to end you will be contacted. Then usually it's a PIP2 form. 

Regardless of which form you receive, you should always treat it as a new claim as give as much relevant information as possible. Even if there's been no changes, you should always give plenty of details. You can use extra sheets of paper but make sure you state which question it relates to, this is what I usually do. 

If you were awarded by the Tribunal you can also send a copy of the decision letter with the form and any other relevant evidence you have to support your claim. 

You should also 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 can mention the GPFR and if you have a copy of this you can send it with the form. However, letters from a GP are never the best evidence to send because a GP doesn't spend anytime with you to know how you manage the activities related to the PIP descriptors. They don't see you wash/dress/engage with others, prepare a meal etc etc. If they know then it's because you told them and then it's hearsay. 

I can't advise about the missing medical records though, sorry. 

Nashota

Hi Poppy,

Thanks for your response.

I just found the appeal letter, because the appeals officer revised the decision and gave me a new one with was more favourable according to the person writing the letter, they said it meant that the appeal had lapsed and that they'd take no further action. So I'm assuming it'll be an AR1?

I have noticed that AR1 has 3 sections but am I able to do as I would with a PIP2 form but do the responses on seperate sheets of paper, if that makes sense? Rather than answer each of the questions per descriptor or would I need to answer each question? I got an headache just looking at a copy of the form lol.

Like I said, there are certain things that they acknowledged in my first assessment but then didn't with my review and to me even though I have enhanced/enhanced those things are  important to me as they are in relation to my mental health conditions, acknowledging that I can't go out but then not acknowledging that I can't engage with people when both agoraphobia and social anxiety go hand in hand is very mind boggling, unless of course when the information was sent to them from the GP it didn't include the social anxiety due to the inaccurate records. Either way, I want to be able to include proper information about it but I wouldn't know how to address it on an AR1 because it asks about changes and there has never been a change to me having social anxiety, they just wouldn't acknowledge it in the review. I know it's not based on diagnosis by the way but rather how you're affected.

I am a bit weary about adding things to the AR1 about previous things that were acknowledged when I first applied and weren't at my review.

I was told the following when I emailed Scope for advice: -

- Mention the change in your assessment outcome from the first assessment to the review.
- Provide detailed information about your struggles with mixing with people, even if it wasn't acknowledged in the previous review.

I hope I've made sense, my head hurts, my anxiety and depression aren't great and my headaches have gotten worse and are being made worse by the medical centre.

Nashota

Anyone?

poppy123456

Yes it will be the AR1 review form, about 8 months before your award is due to end. For the form itself I usually answer the questions with a brief sentence and then write "see extra sheets for more information."

I agree with the advice you had from scope here.

Nashota said:

I was told the following when I emailed Scope for advice: -

- Mention the change in your assessment outcome from the first assessment to the review.
- Provide detailed information about your struggles with mixing with people, even if it wasn't acknowledged in the previous review.

There's also some advice here about filling out the form. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/pip-changes-and-reviews/help-with-your-pip-review-form/#:~:text=You%27ll%20have%20to%20describe,changed%20since%20your%20last%20assessment.

Remember the more relevant information you give, the less chance you have of having an assessment and the more chance you have of keeping your existing award. 

For me, the most important part of filling out the form is the real world examples. You only need at least 12 points for both parts for Enhanced so if there's any chance of not scoring exactly what you think you should have scored then it won't make a difference anyway. 

Nashota

Thanks Poppy! I feel a tad less anxious now.

I'm definitely trying to avoid an assessment because of my struggles with people.

So is it ok for me to add the information on a sheet but not put the following or should I make sure I add those questions as well? It's just certain things for example with the engaging with people has never changed, so I wouldn't know how to address it on the form and suggest that I should have scored points for it.

Tell us if anything has changed and approximately when

Tell us how you manage this activity now, including the aids that you need

Tell us about any changes to the help that you need or help you get from a person

Thanks in advance.

poppy123456

You don't need to put those actual questions on the sheets of paper. All you need to do is put which question it refers to so example 1/ Preparing food 2/ Eating and drinking etc etc. 

Nashota

Phew, ok thanks Poppy!! 

So I can do pretty much the same as I did with the ESA50 then. That's much easier!

It's my 50th tomorrow, so I'm going to sit here and TRY and relax with my son and cat for the day, not that I know what relaxing is as I'm anxious most of the time!

Who knows, maybe I'll get a response from PALS or the ombudsman this week or maybe the practice manager will pull her finger out of her bum and sort things out.

poppy123456

You're welcome. Happy birthday for tomorrow! 

Nashota

Thank you!

Adrian_Scope

Happy 50th Birthday @Nashota! I hope you have a lovely day. 

Nashota

Thanks @Adrian_Scope !

Also something weird happened, I'll quote myself here "Who knows, maybe I'll get a response from PALS or the ombudsman this week or maybe the practice manager will pull her finger out of her bum and sort things out."

I received an email from PALS yesterday who had escalated things, but then later on in the day I also received a call from a manager in regards to the medical centre! So hopefully everything gets sorted now

I went through everything with her, the call made me feel a bit ill but I guess I needed to do it to sort everything out and it can be hard to get a hold of my advocate.

Leigh14

Happy Birthday @Nashota. Hope you have a lovely day🎉🎂🥳🥳

Nashota

Thanks @Leigh14

Albus_Scope

Happy birthday @Nashota!

Nashota

Thanks @Albus_Scope