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Awarded PIP but.. please help as my mental health is bad

Mytimeisnear

Hey everyone

Sorry for the long winded post that's about to follow but it's causing me a lot of stress so.

I applied for PIP in September 2024, I then had an assessment which I asked to be recored following the assessment I asked for a copy of the recording and the assessment report which I received before a PIP decision had been made, as there were discrepancies I complained to Capita and I then received a decision which stated I had scored 0 on everything so I asked for a mandatory reconsideration then Capita's response came back which states the assessment wasn't fit for purpose and offering me a new one essentially what happened then was that the report went to a paper based assessment I had recently moved GP practices so they didn't have my record yet I also complained to DWP as there was errors in their decision letters and they hadn't utilised evidence I had provided etc eventually I asked an advocacy company to get involved they resent all the evidence I sent initially and then DWP awarded me PIP and provided me back payment which is annoying because the evidence was there all along. I feel I should also state that the DWP case manager contacted me before the decision and stated Capita on the paper based assessment had scored me 7 but she didn't think this was right :| so I feel there was an element of DWP giving PIP just so it didn't go to tribunal.

I got the standard rate of PIP and enhanced mobility, I haven't received the letter yet but I know this as DWP complaints team contacted me recently stating this. My issue is this I appreciate I've been awarded PIP but for me I don't think I received the award I should have got because I believe I should have received enhanced Daily living and lower mobility or possibly no mobility at all I appreciate this would mean me owing DWP money but it feels disingenuous if I feel it's wrong to not correct it? even if it meant I owe them money back it's causing me a lot of mental health issues though because it caused me so much stress to go through this process and eventually, I was awarded PIP for me to rectify it I would have to go to tribunal and my understanding is that they could just remove the award all together so essentially I risk losing something that caused me misery over 6 months of my life to do the right thing, also I can't utilise the Advocacy company as the way they work is they get a percentage of the backpay so if I went to tribunal to correct what I think is wrong then they'd get nothing as I'd essentially owe money back

this is making me feel extremely stressed and I can't just let it go because I have a thing about things being correct… and accurate and currently it's not :( please advise me with any help you can.

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OverlyAnxious

Hi,

Can I ask what Mobility limitations you do have? Perhaps you've not fully understood the wording of the descriptors?

PIP isn't quite as clear cut as it should be, which is frustrating for those of us who like things to be accurate. I also struggled with getting a Mobility Award initially, based on the wording of the descriptor, but have accepted it now, and if I lose it in future then so be it.

My honest advice would just be to forget about it until you get reassessed in future. You won't owe any money as you didn't deliberately deceive them. If the award does get lowered then the future payments will just be lower.

Mytimeisnear

Hello OverlyAnxious

Thanks for replying to me.

This is what I'm saying I don't think it applies to me in reality because if I needed to follow a journey I could but I simply don't go outside unless it's for a GP appointment or a hospital appointment and I would get a lift from someone I knew. I can see that they've thought that I need a familiar person to take me which is probably why I've recieved scoring but what I told them was I can't really socialise outside which is like socialising face to face :( I don't understand what they've seen or done really i'm just so fed up of dwp now though everything is so hard and they said to me in the letter they wrote 'we appreciate that navigating the disability system can be frustrating or something to that effect' and I said I appreciate the need for it to be vigorous but the process is actively utilised to sort of illict complaint fatigue and for people to give up and it worsens mental health.

Mytimeisnear

rigorous not vigorous :X

Kimi87

I had similar issues with my PIP award.

For PIP if you cannot reliably, repeatedly, safely, and in a reasonable time frame complete an activity, for more than 51% of the time, you are to be treated as unable to do the activity at all.

I believe my reluctance with the award was some self denial about how bad my problems are.

After some time I have reluctantly accepted my PIP scores were correct.

Mytimeisnear

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1004463#Comment_1004463

Hi Kimmy

Thanks for replying, thing is the descriptors specifically say things like walk 200m unaided for mobility which i can do and it saysto have someone accompany you on journeys but I wouldn't do this i wouldn't even go out, which there's a question for socializing, I dunno I just feel like I'm being dishonest I just wanted them to assess me fairly but literally everything went wrong and now I feel like they gave it to me just to get rid of me if that makes sense.

In terms of stuff that went wrong for example

my HP scored me 0 fair enough for symptoms of depression where i'd stated self harm and suicide she wrote lack of motivation when the people helping me complained to NMC they responded stating she was new to the role and was a children's nurse and wouldn't be suited to dealing with adult's with complex issues.

They basically ignored all of my evidence and when it was resubmitted again they accepted it even though it was the same evidence.

They said they'd assessed my grip and functional strength but it was a telephone assessment.

They said I wasn't receiving specialist MH input when I am.

They said I drive which is an example of of co-ordination etc when I don't.

I could go on and I know I should go well the issue is sorted now they've provided it but they've done it I believe just because they know it was going to tribunal and now I feel bad that I'm getting more in one part than I believe I should be, I know people say just accept it but like I have ADHD so I've always had this weird thing for wanting things to be fair, even if it was in my detriment, but maybe I should just accept it as to get it changed would probably cause chaos and I haven't got the energy to argue with DWP anymore.

OverlyAnxious

The assessors don't always understand the Mobility descriptors fully. If you can't go out on the majority of days due to mental health issues then you should have been awarded at least Standard Mobility. There are others on here in a similar situation who have also been awarded Enhanced though. I appreciate that it's sticking in your mind but you really haven't done anything wrong and there won't be any consequences to just leaving the award as it is.

Mytimeisnear

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1004492#Comment_1004492

thanks for replying again, I mean I don’t really understand it to be honest I think for me being honest I should have got enhanced or standard daily living and lower or no mobility award I know people reading this are probably like but you got it so who cares why are you complaining but I can’t explain but thanks to you and Kimmy for taking the time to answer me I appreciate it

Albus_Alumni

Hey there @Mytimeisnear I'm sorry that this is weighing on your mind so much. I have acute anxiety, especially in social settings and I was awarded the mobility section of PIP after going to tribunal, as getting from A to B by myself just isn't an option. I was of course given 0 points in the initial assessment. 😆

The descriptors can be a bit weird, which is where most people have issues getting the correct award, as each assessor does things differently. But I'm happy they awarded you something before the long wait for the tribunal. 😊

Mytimeisnear

Hi Albus

Thanks for the reply

yeah i guess it's good i got something but it just annoys me I feel like it's inaccurate I'm saying I should get less, but I don't think i can cope with dealing with DWP again, I've already got a complaint to the ICE with them which will definitely be going to PHSO as ICE is just a DWP department essentially.

Thanks to everyone for their time / replies I appreciate it

Dendoo

I think

The stress of the last 6 months has just got to you it’s playing on your mind. It is really stressful to go through . I’m guessing your just honest and you feel guilty even when your not guilty of anything . I get like that too . Give yourself peace x

Mytimeisnear

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1004735#Comment_1004735

thank you! I just wanted the process to be fair I didn’t want anything I wasn’t meeting the criteria for, but I appreciate the kindness and everyone’s kindness on here - thank you everyone for the help ❤️ hope you all have a nice Sunday

anisty

I had similar to this with my son's claim. I expected enhanced care and standard mobility for him but he got double enhanced.

I had filled out his form truthfully, saying that he could catch one bus independently and get to a set number of locations by himself in a familiar place but that he could not travel to unfamiliar places.

It had taken us a number of years for us to teach him the bus route he needed to know but he is now confident on it.

When the award came back, i was surprised so i requested the form that shows how the points have been awarded.

It turned out that the assessor had phoned my son's support worker who did confirm he could take the bus alone but said that if the bus broke down, my son would not know what to do!

Supposition as, at that point, the bus had not broken down. And i did not know what my son would do either - though i did suspect he would sit still til it got moving again.

I had not ticked the box for overewhelming distress.

As far as i was concerned, i had told the truth. I am not the assessor. And the fact that the assessor had made reference to the fact my son can take a bus alone was good enough for me. I left it as it was.

Almost 5 years on, the bus HAS broken down! And my son was anxious as i got non stop texts til he got going again. But he coped fine.

Though my daughter happened to be on his bus recently and saw the stop he was getting off at and she told him to stay on til the next stop as it was nearer his destination.

She said his face turned to blind panic and he got off right away!! He is great in his routine but it cannot be changed.

He has moved onto ADP now (scotland) and gets a review this August so i expect he will lose the enhanced then. I'm not going to raise it before August though as his routine is exactly as it was 5 years ago. He might be more confident but there's not really much else changed.

letitbe

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1005326#Comment_1005326

same thing happened to me , assessor asked me if I could go out on my own , I said yes . She asked if I could take a bus on my own , I said yes . She asked if I went to my appointments on my own , I said yes . She asked if I could go into shops on my own , I said yes but I don’t go into big supermarkets because it distresses me. I was awarded enhanced mobility. If I’m planning an unknown journey I have to plan it so I know exactly how to get there and I don’t get stuck in busy areas / buses etc. I was shocked I got enhanced and in some ways it’s made me even more anxious about going out.

Mytimeisnear

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1005326#Comment_1005326

Hi Anisty

Thank you for your reply :) and explaining your situation which is similar I think for me it's because I said I don't go outside unless I go to GP appointments or hospital appointments I don't think I would struggle to follow a journey I simply wouldn't go anywhere except to hospital appointments or GP appointments that my sister would take me too, I just feel bad because from the start they basically scored me 0 on everything I had my GP write a letter of support about MH stuff I was recently diagnosed with ADHD but also I've had brain scans I had brain tumor (ependymoma and meningitis twice as a child) and subsequently had severla head injuries they've said I now have neurodegenerative brain disease and it could be early onset alzheimers (37) or more likely CTE even after this Capita wanted to score me 7 but the assessor said I've read all your evidence and I don't believe that's fair (bear in mind I was going to go to tribunal) so they probably realised that if it went there they would award, it just annoys me because

I am honest and I genuinely don't believe I should get enhanced mobility it annoyed me when they scored me 0 and it annoyed me that they scored me so highly on something I don't think I should get :( I just wanted an impartial unbiased assessment in terms of look at the evidence and decide, I always said if I was assessed fairly and they decided I got nothing I would accept but because they lied so much in decision report and decision itself I pursued it, the NMC even said the HP who assessed me was a childrens nurse who was new to the role and wasn't suited to be assessing adults with complex brain / mental health issues :X

Thanks for your reply like the others it did make me feel less alone in this, I hope your sons reassessment goes okay! thank you for replying to me :)

Mytimeisnear

Thanks for this reply! this is what's happened to me now even though I don't really go out I think to myself … if I go to hospital or GP appointment are they going to pursue me for fraud or say that I lied, I even said in the complaint response I sent to them I don't think this award is correct in terms of mobility but I don't have the energy to argue against yourselves.

Also can anyone explain when it says you're awarded the awards up to … (enter date) my date at the front next to both awards says like October 2027 but then on the following page it says we may need to contact you until at least after October 2026 so is my award 2027 or 26? I'm confused

Thank you so much for replying and sharing your story with me as like I said above it made me feel like it's not just me <3

Kimi87

Reviews are taking around a year to complete, so they contact you quite far in advance of your end date.

Mytimeisnear

thanks for explaining Kimmy! ❤️ I appreciate it, I was confused because I find their letters hard to read