Pip Text Message

Rosie_Scope

Hi @Catherine21 and anyone else who might need some help, remember you can flag anything you find upsetting or concerning so the team can take a look.

Just press the flag link under any discussion or comment. If you have any trouble doing that, you can also message @Community_Scope so we can look into things for you.

Abbie65

I got the very same text last year. Then one to say they had backlog so extended it for one year but couple moths after that I got awarded for another 3 years without the medical assessment it’s so confusing and it causes a lot of anxiety I don’t really understand it all but hope this may help you

poppy123456

It’s a standard text and doesn’t mean anything other than what it says. I had a few of those during my recent review.

My last one was mid August. Then I had a phone call a couple of days ago from a decision maker wanting to ask me some questions. Then yesterday i received the text that my review was completed. No assessment was needed. Award was increased and ends in 2030.

malvinmulch

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/924716#Comment_924716

I would say starmer walking right into ex conservative club leader nick Robinson's trap and agreeing that disabled people should be expected to work for their social security payments is pretty much evidence of trouble brewing, given how easily he agreed with that, that it's likely yet another u turn, coupled with the DWP pushing hard to replace direct payments with heavily monitored and restricted vouchers or worse "one off payments"

Starmer is giving the increasing impression of being in the wrong party as his rhetoric is further right than even new labour was and they were the ones that came up with the work capability assessment.....some might even float that he is even further right than David Cameron.....

colejames

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/924691#Comment_924691

HI Topcat,

Marvinmulch is right. I've just had my first phone assessment which was really draining even though the assessor was pleasant. I made sure that I had someone with me and that they knew that I had another person there. My friend also had input and described how I was affected by things. I have attended several in person interviews as the "friend".

I have found that it can be a lot easier for the person accompanying to qualify things and to jump in on leading questions, which are being asked to get the answer they want. Often we try to dial down how we are, but the person accompanying can say that the applicant is underselling the situation and the reality is x. On the whole, actually being accompanied is important, even if the person with you doesn't say anything.

I have had a friend who went unaccompanied because he didn't want to bother me. They did mark him down as he had taken a three-quarter of an hour journey by train and got from the train station to the assessment centre on his own which they used to negate the whole section on planning and completing a journey (even though he had attended the assessment centre several times before).

I'm in Lowestoft and we are fortunate to have a local charity Danes (Disability Advice North East Suffolk) who will help complete paperwork whether it is PIP, Benefits, Housing issues as well as hosting support groups and activities. If needed they would go to an assessment (with enough notice as they are not a large charity). Although I have helped friends and family to do forms, I have signposted a lot of people their way. They will also deal with any appeals. They have a lot of experience, so I would suggest that if you have a friend/family member who you are comfortable to have with you or a local charity along the lines of Danes, take advantage of it. Personally I knew that having someone with me in the assessment stopped me being alone and although some of the questions were very personal, embarrassing and played on my mental health, I had someone in my camp with me.

My son has received the same text as you and he received a second copy of it today, which I wonder whether it means that there is a computer somewhere that is programmed to send out that text if there have been no updates to the system for a set period of time with no human involvement. He has been on PIP for some years and should have had a reassessment during Covid, so is is significantly outside their review period. He gets stressed when he hears from the DWP, but I say to him "Whilst this is all going on, you are still being paid your benefit, if they do a paper, telephone or in person interview we will deal with that then. Whilst you are receipt of the payment and are in "limbo", live in the moment, try not to worry "what if". If you are really worried, then see if there is a local organisation that you can speak to (hopefully your GP should be aware of organisations if it doesn't have a high profile).

I know how difficult it is not to get stressed, worried or upset as that is likely to make both mental and physical health worse. I'll be honest, I struggle and I think we all do, but this community is a great support because we are all going through similar situations and appreciate the stress and upset that it causes.

Topcat71

Thank you . This community is the best and should anyone attack or be rude the ladies here take them down in seconds . No chance

Annabelle26

In spite of being awarded lifelong DLA under the old system. I remember I spent what seemed like days but turned out to be a couple of hours at what was then the DHSS. I was examined bya Doctor directly retained by the Department. It was a complete assessment & at the end he told me what he was going to recommend the Lifelong award. as I would likely only to stay the same or get worse but never better. This was back in the mists of time of the 1980s. Although at the time I felt awful in hindsight it was a fair assessment & I was awarded the maximum and it remained so.

Then when PIP was introduced & the Disabilty Benefit system was reformed by The Challencellor of the Exchequor of the time Gordon Brown the stated that people awarded lifelong PIP would stay on it.

We then fast forward to George Osborne being Chancellor who decided everyone had to go on PIP but had to apply for it & go through the procedure as a new claim. The DWP were working through the existing DLA claiments. Eventually in late 2017 it was my turn. By this time my physical and mental health ad deteriorated. I was sent the form and told to return it by a certain date if I did not I would lose my existing DLA benefit. By this time the medical assessment procedure had been farmed out to a private contractor called CAPITA. I was eventually called for a medical assessment a their Offices which was a complete farce. The person doing the assessment did not introduce herrself or look up properly from her laptop. According to her the assessment lasted 50mins & I could all sorts of wonderful things. One of the silly things she said was that I was using a walking stick that had been self prescribed (I assume because it was a nice flowery one which I bought myself with my Consultants approval) but she never actually asked about it. A lot of the questions she asked she did not wait for an answer. I was only in there 20 mins & at no time did she ask me to do anything physical. Of course it it came back that I was perfectly healthy when I got the report. I remeber being on here at the time and I had apparently undergone what became known as The Capita Cure. Apparently youy just turned up at their Offices & you were cured of anything wrong with you even chronic problems. Unfortunately there were lots of disabled people losing their benefits & unfortunately there were lots of deaths as a result. A Parliamentary Enquiry was eventually set up & I followed it. One Charity who gave evidence called it a Cull of the Disabled. I sent a written statement to it. After going through the Appeals procedure & a tribunal which took over 12 months I got the benefit back but it took a serious toll on my health.

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/924828#Comment_924828

Thank you! Yes, it definitely is.