PIP AR1

a_78123

Asking for a friend

Hi everyone I am looking for some advice as I previously had Enhanced Daily Living and Enhanced Mobility and recently completed my PIP AR1 review and had a telephone assessment with Capita after the assessment I requested a copy of the PA4 report and was shocked to see the assessor has recommended 0 points throughout the assessment so I immediately submitted a formal complaint to Capita and requested that they review the assessment recording and I have also sent additional evidence including a GP letter and a detailed letter explaining my concerns about the PA4 report to the DWP before any decision has been made I sent this to the same address that I used to return my AR1 review form because I wanted the Decision Maker to be aware that I have an ongoing complaint and to consider the further evidence before making a decision this is not a Mandatory Reconsideration because no decision has been made yet I just wanted to know if sending it to the same address as the AR1 form was the correct thing to do whether the Decision Maker will read and consider what I have sent before making a decision how long decisions are currently taking after a Capita assessment and whether in people’s experience Decision Makers usually follow the assessor’s recommendation or if they sometimes make a different decision when concerns have been raised about the accuracy of the PA4 report

luvpink

@a_78123

Hi welcome to the community.

Decision makers do generally tend to agree with assessors but they will sometimes disagree with their recommendation.

They ask us not to send gp's letters as they and they only occasionally contact them if they need something clarified.

Its not necessarily about evidence claimants submit.

Its about how a persons disabilities affect them and whether they meet the pip descriptors for an award.

I find it's most helpful to enlist the support of Citizens advice or another free advocacy service for completing forms and disputing decisions.

Also a complaint to CAPITA regarding the assessors report.

You would need to focus on the issues you disagree with and state your reasons why you feel the recommendation made is based on inaccuracy and therefor unjustified.

a_78123

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1140149#Comment_1140149

I appreciate your advice I understand that PIP is based on how a condition affects someone rather than just medical evidence and that Decision Makers often follow the assessor’s recommendation however my concern is that the PA4 report appears to contain a number of inaccuracies and contradictions for example the assessor recorded that I do not go out alone because of anxiety and fear of being harmed but still recommended 0 points for planning and following journeys and also recorded that I can only walk the length of 1 to 2 double decker buses before stopping due to pain but then concluded that I can walk more than 200 metres I have therefore submitted a complaint to Capita and written to the DWP before a decision is made because I wanted the Decision Maker to be aware of these concerns and consider them before reaching a decision