Pip Assessor scored me too high?

Henny5

Hello everyone I really need a bit of advice. I had a pip assessment the beginning of Dec which was my 2nd attempt after being denied first time because of an untrue report. I asked for this assessment to be recorded, which it was. I have various health issues and suffer with anxiety & depression. I provided evidence including a report on how problems with my back and nerve damage in my leg since last summer resulting in me needing crutches to walk and in extreme pain the past year. I was asked about walking and was given a scenario on walking the length of my house & how many times I do it. I answered describing that I walk back & forth probably 4 times a day, I use the furniture for support. I was on crutches and have reduced it to using one if I need to. I was only asked about walking inside because I haven't been out for 3 months.

To cut a long story short, I have received my assessment report and the mobility question 12 has been ticked at d 10 points. The thing is I don't think I explained myself properly and fear that I have exaggerated because I was describing how the pain had affected me during this period and bearing in mind, I had a 4 hour interview on the phone and felt completely bamboozled and frazzled. Since the actual assessment the pain has improved a bit and I can walk further without an aid on a better day. I keep thinking, should I have scored that high? Or am I overthinking things?

Please can someone advise me on what to do as I do not want to look dishonest. On daily living I had scored 9 points and agree with everything. I feel that if I am awarded mobility I will feel that I cannot go out for a walk at all incase I am deemed dishonest, even though it is still very painful and I still cannot get upstairs as normal. Do I just leave it and see if I am awarded or say something and potentially risk losing the whole claim which would be so unfair as my health conditions are genuine and affect my life and I have given a true report on how my back and leg have affected me the past 12 months. Thank you very much

poppy123456

Difficult to give specific advice on here really without knowing a lot more details about how your conditions affect you.

PIP is based on how your conditions affect you at least 50% of the days over a 12 month period. You do not need to be affect all of those days. If you can't complete an activity safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable time period you are treated as not be able to complete it at all.

It's very very easy to underscore yourself if you don't completely understand the descriptors and what they mean. I would say it's very unlikely that they've recommended too many points. 12D is can stand and move with an aid between 20 and 50 meters.

twizzle1202

you have to say to the dwp about your worst days which are probably more than good days , so in your worst you probably don’t walk . If you went by you good day they probably wouldn’t award you anything ! But sometimes it’s not good days it’s good hours or minutes ! With my illnesses it changes day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute and if someone is ill and I’m in the same room wham I catch it ! So it’s not about being dishonest because that’s just how it is for you on a bad day , if we all wrote on the forms about our good days , hours , minutes we wouldn’t see any help , fact ! It’s a very hard process to go through and you feel bad for having those good moments menta doesn’t mean your not entitled to it , you may walk one day but because you did that one walk be in bed for the next week suffering for it ! That’s the difference !!

Lauren29

I think that you may be over thinking this. It sounds from your description that you were very honest with the assessor. If the interview lasted four hours then this must been very thorough. At an assessment you can only explain your current situation honestly which you did. You say that you are still in a lot of pain and that you can't go upstairs as normal so you obviously have ongoing issues with your mobility.

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Henny5

Thanks Poppy

So would that mean at this moment in time, if I could go for a walk for say 30 minutes once a week without an aid but with my husband and in discomfort needing to stop for a break, which is an improvement from when I spoke to the assessor, would that score seem fair or should I contact DWP and check? As I say, I'm concerned I will lose it all if I am awarded.

Thank you

Henny5

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/964067#Comment_964067

Thanks for replying, this whole process is the most stressful thing, it has really played with my mind and I haven't even been awarded yet.

Thank you

Henny5

Thanks Poppy

So would that mean at this moment in time, if I could go for a walk for say 30 minutes once a week without an aid but with my husband and in discomfort needing to stop for a break, which is an improvement from when I spoke to the assessor, would that score seem fair or should I contact DWP and check? As I say, I'm concerned I will lose it all if I am awarded.

Thank you

I've just realised how to reply, so ignore the same reply on it's own 😊

Kimi87

I struggled with the same issue after my PIP award, before (reluctantly) agreeing with the assessor eventually.

From what you've written, you fail the "reliably, safely, repeatedly and in a reasonable time frame" test and your points are correct.

If you cannot meet the above criteria, with PIP you are treated as unable to do the activity and awarded the points.

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/964066#Comment_964066

Nooo that's not what you should do at all! it makes me cringe when I see this advice, sorry. When filling out the forms if you base it on your worst day and then had an assessment and that was one of your better days they could think "well they are not as bad as they claimed they were" points recommended …zero.

For PIP it's about how you're affected at least 50% of the days in a 12 month period, as I advised in my first comment.

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/964072#Comment_964072

Going for a 30 minute walk once a week and having to stop for breaks is not the majority of the days. If you went for a 30 minute walk twice a day for 4 days a week then I would say that potentially those 10 points are wrong. Based on the information you've given here I would say those points are fair. You have nothing to worry about.

No, you shouldn't ring PIP/DWP at all because you'll be speaking to someone from a call centre, not someone from DWP.

Henny5

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/964091#Comment_964091

Thanks again Poppy

I Worried myself sick over it. When I spoke to the assessor , I couldn't walk at all unaided. She has put on the report for me to be assessed again in 2 years as my situation could change.

Thank you!