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PIP Home Assessment
chasnbons
Member Posts: 60 Courageous
Hi,
I'm new here and this could be my last resort. I'm not sure what help I can ask for so if the following isn't allowed then I'm sorry.
I have an assessment with Capita on Monday and due to not being able to travel I can't attend, they are aware of this as it was all put on my application form. The first appointment was made at an assessment center 40 miles away, so they were again told I couldn't travel and that I needed a home assessment but they said without a letter from my GP stating that fact, seeing as the 1st appointment was only 2 weeks away and given that I needed time to get the GP letter, that all they could do, was change the appointment to a center 3 miles away which gave me an extra week to get the letter and that once they had received it they could change it again. I got the letter, sent it recorded delivery and they have received it, but now they are saying that it makes no difference as their 'Health Care Professional' has said I can't have a home assessment as they are usually for terminally ill people. I now don't know what to do. I can't travel to the medical, (which is scheduled for this Monday 8th August) but if I don't go they will say I haven't turned up and my claim will be stopped even though they are fully aware of my situation. A friends husband was given a home assessment without even asking for one, even though he COULD have gone to the assessment center so the 'terminally ill' statement is complete rubbish.
Can anyone please advise what else I can do, I'm at breaking point now and really can't cope with much more of this.
Capita have everything they need to give me a home assessment, but they just don't want to know.
Just to add this has been going on for 3 weeks now and although we have done everything they have asked they just keep moving the goalposts to make things as difficult as possible..
Many thanks for reading.
(NB. If you have any questions about PIP or any other disability benefits-related issue, try asking our online benefits advisors)
I'm new here and this could be my last resort. I'm not sure what help I can ask for so if the following isn't allowed then I'm sorry.
I have an assessment with Capita on Monday and due to not being able to travel I can't attend, they are aware of this as it was all put on my application form. The first appointment was made at an assessment center 40 miles away, so they were again told I couldn't travel and that I needed a home assessment but they said without a letter from my GP stating that fact, seeing as the 1st appointment was only 2 weeks away and given that I needed time to get the GP letter, that all they could do, was change the appointment to a center 3 miles away which gave me an extra week to get the letter and that once they had received it they could change it again. I got the letter, sent it recorded delivery and they have received it, but now they are saying that it makes no difference as their 'Health Care Professional' has said I can't have a home assessment as they are usually for terminally ill people. I now don't know what to do. I can't travel to the medical, (which is scheduled for this Monday 8th August) but if I don't go they will say I haven't turned up and my claim will be stopped even though they are fully aware of my situation. A friends husband was given a home assessment without even asking for one, even though he COULD have gone to the assessment center so the 'terminally ill' statement is complete rubbish.
Can anyone please advise what else I can do, I'm at breaking point now and really can't cope with much more of this.
Capita have everything they need to give me a home assessment, but they just don't want to know.
Just to add this has been going on for 3 weeks now and although we have done everything they have asked they just keep moving the goalposts to make things as difficult as possible..
Many thanks for reading.
(NB. If you have any questions about PIP or any other disability benefits-related issue, try asking our online benefits advisors)
Replies
It seems though, that we are just two of many and Capita think they can treat people however they want.
My Landlord, who has to do all the phoning round etc for me as I get too stressed on the phone (typing this is bad enough, but at least I can take as long as I like on here and I don't have to actually face anyone) even called into Disability Solutions yesterday and even though he didn't have an appointment, when he explained what was going on, they rang Capita straight away in the hope that they would have more 'power'.... they didn't and were shocked and appalled at Capitas disinterest in helping someone.
They managed to get Mondays appointment cancelled and were told that we had to ring DWP on Monday (after the scheduled appointment time) to tell them why it had been cancelled and why I couldn't have attended anyway, and we have to ask them to pass it back to Capita. Then on Friday, we have to ring Capita and ask them for a 'Paper Based Assessment' instead. In the meantime I have to get 'more info' from my GP but this time in the form of a letter stating all my problems, how they effect me, how long I've had them, a list of medications, etc etc etc etc etc etc! All of which they have already had, but they want it all again. Why all this is necessary I really don't know. I haven't refused to have an assessment, only said that I need a home one People who are quite able to get to one of their Assessment Centers are only a daily basis, without asking, are getting home assessments, so why are people who DO need one, being disallowed?
Anyway on Tuesday of this week, my Landlord made his 4th call to Capita on my behalf and ended up asking to make a formal complaint about this fiasco and was told that he would get a call back within 48 hours max, but the person he spoke to said in reality the timescale (to assessment) and they way this had happened, they would put it through as urgent, so it would 99% be within 24 hours to ensure there was enough time left to try and get things sorted. Unsurprisingly the call came today, with just under an hour left to the 24 hour maximum. The formal complaint has been officially made and everything has been listed. My Landlord has told them everything and apparently they can check back as 'ALL calls are recorded'. When asked if THIS call was also being recorded, he was told yes, so he asked why he hadn't been informed that it was. The Capita guy then got defensive and didn't really know what to say, so my Landlord told him to add this fact to the list of complaints, which he has done.
I now have to wait for a letter confirming the complaint which should advise me what happens next. So I will keep you informed.
My Landlord is also sending an email to them, itemizing everything so that we have a 'paper trail' of our own, as Capita can't really be trusted.
All this idiocy, with the amount of people it's happening to, must be costing an absolute fortune in money being needlessly spent, that taken together with the work involved with Mandatory Reconsiderations, and then the Appeals Process surely is costing more than if genuine people were treated fairly in the first place and they were allowed what they were entitled to. Doctors and Judges alone don't come cheap, so I dread to think of the amounts which are involved
I was horrified when I read your post and what you've been through in trying to get the home assessment you clearly need. Home visits are not exclusively reserved for terminally ill people, anyone who is unable to attend an assessment centre and has medical evidence of a need for a home visit will be entitled to have that assessment carried out in their home.
I realise my post is quite late and you may have since progressed further down the line and managed to sort things out. If not I would like to talk to you some more about this.
I also want to point out that there is a call for evidence for the Second Independent Review for PIP and I would strongly encourage you and anyone else who has claimed PIP to submit evidence to the review. It's really important that we all participate and share our stories. Scope will be submitting evidence and if you would like to talk to us about your experience please get in touch with minesh.patel(at)scope.org.uk telephone: 020 7619 7375.
I really hope that you manage to get this resolved and please do let us know how you get on.
Best wishes
Debbie
thanks for your reply. Unfortunately no further along. Still waiting for a letter from DWP to let me know what's happening. In the meantime I'm just getting worse mentally, I feel like I'm on a helterskelter going round and round further and further down. No way of stopping it or way of getting off. I can totally understand how and why people decide to end it all and you are made to feel that there is nothing wrong with you and that you should just pull yourself together.
Oh if only things were so easy! I thought this new form of system was supposed to make things easier for genuine claimants not drive them into the ground and stamp on them, in the hope that they will decide against claiming anything. Which to be honest if it wasn't for my Landlord, I would have probably done myself and who knows I might have even ended up as yet another who was 'permanently' off ANY sort of benefit! I also haven't had a reply from my MP as yet but I live in hope.
I have already submitted evidence, well my Landlord did, to the Independent Review, anonymously, as I'm only just up to reading things on here and typing a reply, I can't cope with the stress of having to speak to someone on the phone.
I suppose it's just a waiting game now and I will update this thread as and when there is any more news.
Penny Mordaunt MP
and although I won't post exactly what he's said on any forum, suffice to say, it's not a very supportive read where Capita are concerned as this extract shows....
Hopefully this may go some small way to Capita going the same way as Atos, at least I hope so.
Will keep updating as and when I have more info.
they want a fight I'm ready !!
@chasnbons you've done the right thing by getting in touch with your local MP and getting support from them. I'm sorry that you still haven't had a response to your complaint but hang on in there and hopefully the response will arrive soon.
I urge anyone having similar difficulties to get in touch with their local MP. You can find out who your local MP is and how to contact them using the following website http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/
@tesco47 is there another GP at your surgery who can write a letter for you or are there any other health care professionals you're in touch with who can write a letter for you? Could you try the local MP route to see if they could write a letter on your behalf?
Please keep posting your updates and drop me a line if you need help with anything.
Have a good day all
We will acknowledge all complaints within two working days, outlining the steps we are taking to examine the situation. We will provide a full response to your complaint within 20 working days. The full response will include information about what you can do if you are not satisfied with our response.....
So it's now 3 working days and counting and no acknowledgment from SAFINA AHMED. So the same rules obviously apply to the people 'higher up' in this joke of a company.... just ignore and/or don't do anything which the company states will happen on their website.
@codfisherman you need to contact your MP not your councilor. If your MP refuses to help then try this..... http://www.parliament.uk/documents/pcfs/current-inquiries/Complaining about an MP Mar13.pdf You can read what your MP is supposed to do for you here,,,, http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmcode/1076/107602.htm#a3
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/independent-case-examiner/about#corporate-reports
What good is it if you can't complain till you have had a response yet you can't get a response to start with? No matter which way you turn, the buck keeps getting passed and NOBODY will take ANY responsibility for people being treated in such a disgusting manner. I wondered if it might be a good idea and maybe help people in the future if I were to make a video and post it online saying exactly how these companies, Capita and the like, DWP and everyone else involved in this whole sorry mess are being allowed to get away with the things they are, how desperate they are making people feel and how they are ruining that last vestiges of a normal life some people have, by making them feel so bad. Culminating with me committing suicide to show (Yes I have seriously thought about it a few times) just how bad things have got.
But I though better of it, as they (DWP) are even managing to cover these facts up according to DNS so it would be pointless and would have no effect on the powers that be, save for being one less lower class benefits scrounger for them to worry about!
What chance does anyone have in winning the fight, when the people you are fighting against and the people you need help from, are all in league together and paid by the same Government? A Government who no matter what they may try and get you to believe, are so 'anti giving deserving and warranted genuine cases the benefits they need', are still try to tell terminally ill people that they are fit for work!
Many thanks
I also had a text today from DWP saying that they have accepted my reasons for not attending the assessment center and that they will 'contact me again if they still need to see me' What this actually means apart from I'm presuming at the moment they won't be penalizing me for 'non attendance' is anyone's guess, and I suppose I just have to wait AGAIN till someone contacts me! This is beyond ridiculous now and I have lost just about all hope of this ever being sorted, at least for it to be sorted in a fair way and in my favour. I have yet more days/weeks/MONTHS by the looks of things, of no sleep, constant worrying and my life (for what little it's worth) going even further down the toilet. Is it any wonder people get to the point where enough is enough and they do the unthinkable? On a daily basis it looks a more appealing option to me rather than having to carry on like this. Sorry but that's truly how they make you feel.
Will most likely update again when I have more to tell. Thanks for reading.
Oh and I got the results of my MRI on Monday which she was told about, it has shown that I have a lateral tear of something in my hip and also 2 discs which are 'bulging forwards'. My Landlord was given the info over the phone and couldn't remember what exactly is torn so I will have to wait and see what the Doctor says when I go see her. She's actually been very good and rang Steve with the results like she promised (to stop me worrying about it being cancer) and also so she could arrange an appointment for me to see her before her surgery starts so there will be hardly anyone about when I go, so this might ease the stress a little of me being in a public place. I will keep updating when I know more about anything.
Also it was day 20 yesterday for Capita to get back to us about the complaint and you guessed it...... not a word from them since the acknowledgement letter! But I DID get a letter from DWP saying that I can have a copy of the telephone conversations Steve made to Capita if I filled the enclosed form in, so that's been done and I now have to wait for a CD to arrive with the calls on it.
It's lovely to have you back, I'm really glad that you've posted. I know the last time we spoke you were in bad place. I hope things have gotten better over the past couple of weeks?
Thanks for telling us about your home assessment, it sounds really in-depth and thorough. Did you find it exhausting? Lots of people I speak to feel exhausted once it's over. So much anxiety is felt in the run up to the assessments and then all the arranging that goes into it as well. We only need to look at all the problems you've had just trying to get a home assessment. It's really hard work and takes up a lot of time. I really appreciate how detailed you've been and I'm know others appreciate it too. It helps so much to hear about people's experiences. People feel supported knowing that others are going through the same things and have the same worries. It's good to hear that your Doctor has been so supportive and reassuring.
I hope the complaint with DWP/Capita is resolved soon.
Best wishes
Debbie
Things aren't much better to be honest but I felt I should update the post. Exhausted doesn't cover how I felt and I have a bruise on my side where I must have banged on the chair as I fell. I know the assessment for PIP is done but I still have the ESA one to deal with, I had to re apply for that weeks before the PIP one yet I'm still waiting for them to contact me and no doubt when they do, it will be the same scenario all over again. It just seems like you never move any further forward and I now have at least 4 to 6 weeks of worry while waiting for the decision letter to arrive, a letter which will no doubt show me as receiving no points!
We had an email from the MP last night with a copy of a letter from Penny Mordaunt attached. Unfortunately I'm not allowed to post the words I'd like to use about her on here, but suffice to say she obviously didn't know who her father was! One line in her letter made me feel sick to the core regarding claimants suicide rates. She seems to think that suicide and claiming benefits aren't linked, which I suppose is true to a certain degree, but what she doesn't seem to grasp is the way she and her cronies are allowing claimants to be treated by the likes of Capita etc, certainly DOES have a direct link. There are only so many times you can cope with being accused of being a scrounger and that there is nothing wrong with you etc etc, before you get to the point where there seems to be no point in continuing with anything and sadly more and more people seem to be going down that route. If someone treated an animal like they treat claimants, they would be fined or imprisoned, so I wonder when a benefit claimants welfare was deemed to be lower than that!
I will update when I have more news....... which could be some time as I can't go any further with anything until I get some replies, and we all know how slowly they do these things..... as slow as they can, in the hope that we have died in the meantime!
This is 'legal' because it's the same Government who make the rules and they are hell bent one way or another, of spending as little as possible on the ones who need the most help!
The sad fact is, that the people they employ to do the assessments are in fact qualified medical 'professionals' (and I use the word professionals in the loosest possible sense) so surely they should have some compassion and morals, unfortunately though, it would seem not. If they tried to use these tactics in the NHS they would be out on their ears and in front of a Judge, which is nothing less than they deserve.
Two weeks after my assessment I got the dreaded letter regarding ESA. The DWP although they have accepted I need a home assessment for PIP, decided in their infinite wisdom, to then send me an assessment appointment for ESA at an ASSESSMENT CENTRE!!!!!!! Do these people not communicate with each other? Anyway Steve rang them and although aparently my GP filled a 113 form in back in July, which they received, they also want him to send ANOTHER letter which states that I HAVE to have a home assessment. So that has been sent and I now have to wait again.
Now closer to the edge than I have ever been and sick with worry I wasn't sure how I was managing to keep going, in fact if it wasn't for Steve I dread to think where I might be.
This afternoon the postman came with the brown envelope of doom, which I duly sat and stared at for an eternity. When I eventually had the courage to open it I collapsed at what I was reading. NOT the news I was fully expecting, but a rather one hell of a shock. I've been granted enhanced care AND mobility for four years and I still can't quite believe it. So now I just have to battle through the ESA claim.
I'd like to finish this post by thanking everyone for their continued support ans an extra special thanks you to @DebbieVoakes I wish there were more people like you in the world, your caring means so much and I will be eternally grateful to you.
I will update again when I know more about the ESA claim in case it helps anyone else.
Thanks again everyone xx
i requested a home assessment for PIP but was told by the advice centre who phoned them up that they only do it for people who were completely housebound which is bit unfair, I get out but not often and then with difficulty (mental health problems), the advice centre person is taking get me to the assessment and helping me with it, I didn't think I could get there and attend it, and not on my own.
My heart sank when you told us about the ESA and what would appear to be the repeated ordeal of organising another home visit which your GP has already asked for but now needs to send another letter in. I would expect that the ESA assessment will be quite straight forward and the correct decision made at the outset. If not, you have our support to help you through it.
I then carried on reading and was absolutely blown away by the PIP decision you received in the post yesterday. After everything you've been through to get here, all the trauma, distress and battling. This is absolutely the right decision. It's awful that the process has been so traumatic but you've done all the right things and you kept going. Despite all of the hurdles and hoops you've had to jump through, you kept at it and you kept fighting. Not only did you keep fighting but you inspired other community members to do the same and to not give up. You shared with us the rawness of the ordeal and yet you still managed to find the strength to support and encourage others when it was incredibly traumatic for you.
Your kind words brought a tear to my eye today, I really appreciate what you wrote, more than you'll ever know. Thank you so much.
Thank you also to everyone who has joined in the discussion and supported each other. This community is so unique and it's such a pleasure to be a part of it.
Have a lovely day all
*Group Hug*
Debbie
It's been a very long and difficult road but I consider myself half way along it now with just the ESA 'street' to conquer, but my advice to anyone in the same or a similar situation is carry on, no matter how hard it gets! I was lucky to have Steve doing most of it on my behalf, and I'm sure others will have a family member or friend who will help them (Don't forget your GP and MP, they are there to help you!)
Talking of GP's Steve discovered that mine filled a 113 form in and sent it to DWP so he rang the surgery and we are getting a copy of it tonight (for free) so that we can see what he said to them, will let you know what's what when we've read it.
As for my 'kind words', they were nothing less than you deserve, you really have played such a big part in all this for me and just saying thank you really doesn't seem enough.
You mentioned the rawness, that's a really good word for it, and at times I've been glad that swear words get removed from here as there have been some choice ones, I can tell you! But really my main reason for logging everything on here was in the hope that it might in some small way help someone else in their down moments. It is always a comfort if you know you are not alone (which is another thing you did for me) and if people can hear/read a true account of how someone is being treated then maybe it will prepare them for 'battle'. Plus if gives an insight as to how these people are allowed to treat claimants.
I wish people the best of luck with their own claims, and again no matter how disheartened you might feel at times, make sure you carry on. If you don't then THEY will have won and you won't get the help you so rightly deserve!
the advice centre secured an assessment in my home town and she will take me
to it, otherwise I wouldn't be able to get there and attend. they've written to say the location is back to another town, so I will ask her to take this up with them again, I can't arrange things like this myself, not completely, I do have some fair days, but I'm often too poorly.
By attending the assessment center you have proved to them that you didn't need the home visit in the first place (that IS they way they will take it, trust me on this) and everything else will no doubt be now classed as 'suspect' by them. Also bear in mind that the assessor WILL be watching you both before and after the assessment, even before you enter the building and also when you leave, looking for anything that they can use against your claim.
I REALLY hope that things go your way, but I fear you will now have an even bigger uphill battle to get/keep the benefits you so rightly deserve. You have to bear in mind at all times that these people on the whole (yes there are a few honest ones - but not many) are there to trip you up at every opportunity and their ultimate goal is to get people off benefits.
Really sorry if this sounds harsh, but harsh or not, it IS the way they work, good luck and let us know how you get on.
If they are these people https://www.chdauk.co.uk/ then you should be aware that they are also Maximus, one of the companies which do the actual assessments, they are like Atos and Capita. This is taken from a post about the state of assessments and the lies they tell
Maximus AKA the Centre for Health and Disability Assessments AKA The Health Assessment Advisory Service have taken over the contract, though ATOS still gets paid to provide the LiMA software for ESA WCA's ('medicals'). Maximus are just as bad.
ATOS are still assessing people in the majority of the UK for PIP - and every PIP assessment report I've seen is also full of untruths.
The problems come from two directions: first, the covert targets that the Health Care Professionals work to, and second, the flawed software. LiMA automatically fills in a report based on the answers to a few questions. The PIPAT software was roundly denounced by a software expert here http://voxpoliticalonline.com/...
None of these assessments deal with the real complexities of a person with long term sickness and/or disabilities.
If they are the same people who are going to accompany you then maybe you should think about getting either a family member or friend to escort you instead, as taking someone with you as an escort, who is from/also works for, the company who are going to assess you has to be a really bad idea, as they will no doubt also be watching your every move on the journey, ready to report back to the assessor.
The lengths the Government will go to, to try and get genuine people off benefits is mind boggling, wrong and if it isn't already, then it should be illegal or at the very least claimants should be freely told that they are all one and the same company, without having to trawl the internet to find out for themselves.
All the money wasted in allowing these practices to continue is disgusting!
I deliberately only wore a watch to my assessment and I recommend all claimants to do the same. Don't give those trying to force you off benefits any excuse.
The trouble is they are allowed and even condoned in some cases to do and say whatever they like, as if they are some kind of Gods, the Government are aware of this and refuse to do anything about it. The be all and all of it is, as long as the Benefits bill is cut drastically then it doesn't matter how this happens or how many people are hurt in the process.
Ok on this occasion I consider myself to be very lucky in getting PIP, but the reality is, seeing as I have been allowed it, some other poor sod will have the nightmare appeal scenario to go through, to try and get them off it. Or maybe they will take my ESA away to compensate for it, only time will tell I suppose.
I've made a small step along this (ESA) road by getting a home assessment approved, but there's still a hell of a long way to go.
The laughable thing is, that although I have to go through this horror again to keep ESA, I have received a form today telling me that I might be able to get the Sever Disability Premium part of ESA. All I have to do is fill in the form they have sent and according to what I have read, as long as I live alone (ie no dependents living with me) and nobody gets Carers allowance for me, then I should qualify for it! I won't hold my breath here either, but what does seem strange is that with one hand they want to take it away and with the other they want to give me more!
I will keep you updated as and when I hear something.
It appears that tribunals know how incompetent and corrupt the assessment companies and government are, and that is why so many decisions are overturned on appeal.
I was refused a home visit on the grounds that in my pip2 form my carer mentioned I get angry and aggressive. They then wanted me to attend a f2f at a assessment centre. This all dates back to the beginning of September. Now I am fighting for a reconsideration for not attending my medical. I thought the medical was cancelled as I had involved my MP and from the letter she sent me that's how I took it. I have had my DLA stopped.In one letter I was told to ask them to look at it again but in another letter my Mp got from the compliants team it told me to ask for a MR which I have done. Today I missed a phone call from PIP and rang my Mp to see if she could find out what they wanted but so far she hasn't been back intouch. I suffer from Agrophobia,panic attacks,depression,OCD list is endless. I haven't been out the house in years and I am now at breaking point because I too feel like the goal posts keep getting moved.
Do they ring you to tell you that you haven't been successful and they want to hear you break even further? I think its a very very cruel way of doing things
Steve had to ring about the Severe Disability Premium as I had heard nothing from them, only to be told that 'it hadn't been looked at yet', but the person on the phone said they couldn't understand why and that they would push it through as urgent! I thought 'yeah whatever' and resigned myself to yet another waiting game.
This turned out not to be the case...... two days later. yes you read that right, TWO DAYS!!!!! a letter arrived to say that I'd been granted the payment from the date I was granted PIP and that I was entitled to an extra £61.85 a week because I am severely disabled, PLUS an extra £15.75 a week because of the Disability Income Guarantee (I knew absolutely nothing about this bit and had never even heard of it) Stunned isn't the word, and I'm not complaining, but I do find it weird that by changing over from DLA to PIP suddenly a whole new world of entitlements has opened up, as when I was on DLA I was only getting about £71 a MONTH in total.
My point in posting this is not to brag, but to try and let people know that it IS worth sticking with the process and not ALL claims turn out badly. I'm fully aware that if it hadn't been for Steve and his tenacity, that I wouldn't have had any success as I'm simply unable to do these things myself, and I will be eternally grateful to him.
This just leaves the ESA to get sorted (you'd think that with all the latest evidence about my disabilities and decisions which have already been made by DWP, it would be very simple) but I'm under no illusions here, Capita or some other nasty vindictive, uncaring company have to be involved and will no doubt go against every earlier report and diagnosis (just because they can) and upset the apple cart, not to worry though as although it will likely be an horrendous experience, at least Steve and me now only have one thing on which to focus the fight on.
I will update again as and when I hear something from them.
Thanks for reading and for all the support I've had from this site over the last months, and I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy (as possible) New Year.
I'm starting to have withdrawals though and I miss speaking with everyone. Things have quietened down a little bit in the run up to Christmas but this changes minute by minute at the moment. I will always try and check in when I have some spare time and i'm always available at the helpline if i'm not on the community just email [email protected]
Best wishes
Debbie
Senior online community officer
Ok so we received a letter on Friday from Capita regarding our complaint, 3 months late but at least they have replied.
It has four points of reference on it which were complained about and I will list each one in order with their answer (boiled down to basics)
1- Delay in responding to complaint
Three months delay is below their standard, caused by the backlog of complaints so they have brought in extra staff to ensure no further delays.
2 - Our request for copies of all telephone calls to Capita
Capita say that this is down to DWP as it's DWP who have the copies and they should be in contact soon...... we had them weeks ago and Capita were informed about it, proving they still don't know their ass from their elbow!
3 - The way in which we were addressed in Capitas response letter
They agree that the way we were addressed was unacceptable and they are committed to improving, so they have spoken to the person who drafted the letter and 'provided appropriate feedback' (Obviously not sacked the person for being so rude) and they are sorry for any upset caused.
4 - The arrangements for my home assessment
This part is THREE A4 PAGES LONG! with lots of the usual blah, blah, blah stuff, but is also sprinkled with admittance of guilt. This mainly being that it should have been done better and misinformation had been given by some members of staff. One phone call in particular is highlighted and they admit that THIS SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED!
Apparently they have a 'quality champion' within their CS team who has 'provided a full account of the call to the CSM and feedback has been given to the agent (someone else obviously not sacked for ineptitude!)
Three out of the four parts guilt has been admitted leaving only a subsection of part 4 where they deny that someone said that home assessments were reserved for terminally ill or severely disabled people. They have stated that they have listened to the phone call (strange how they have a record of it but said we had to get copies from DWP). The problem is, they have listened to the wrong conversation (our fault as we put the wrong date in the complaint letter) Anyway they have now been informed of the correct date and even given the times the agent stated the fact (he said it TWICE) so once they have listened to it we should have a full house!
So there you have it, guilt admitted but basically nothing done about it. That is until we read the last paragraph of the letter, which we actually didn't believe what we were reading, here is it in full.....
We aim to deliver a quality service for all claimants going through PIP assessments and are committed to making improvements. To reflect the poor customer service you have received, I would like to offer you a gesture of goodwill of £100.00. Should you wish to accept this gesture, please contact the Customer Relations team with your bank account details and we will process the payment.
Although the money is nice, I get more satisfaction from the fact that they have admitted their wrong doings and if it means one less person is treated they way we were, that's worth far more to me than the cash, which I will be giving to my Landlord, because if it wasn't for him I probably wouldn't be writing this post now.
I hope this update gives others the courage to continue to fight against the hideous things they (the Government) try and force upon us.
PS
Still not heard anything yet from ESA
I'm really pleased to see that you've finally had a response to your complaint. Well done for pursuing this all the way! I really hope that others who have had bad experiences like yours take up complaints. We can't change anything if we stay quiet and accept things the way they are. I really admire your courage for seeing this through and I hope that other people draw from your experience. You're right about the money, the apology means more and if your complaint helps them to improve their practise and make the PIP journey a better experience this is worth more.
Thanks for keeping us updated with the progress along the way
It doesn't come as a surprise that you're still waiting to hear about the ESA. I hope that this is also resolved soon.
2017 is going in the right direction so far, let's hope it stays that way.
Very best wishes
Debbie
The relevant CSM has been given the information and 'appropriate action' will be taken with the individual involved'
Something in the letter might not be too widely known so I will quote it all for future reference in case anyone should need it...
In a very small number of assessments, we do not have home visit appointments available when requested by claimants. In this situation, in order to avoid booking an unsuitable appointment and potentially triggering the failure to attend (FTA) process, WE ASK CLAIMANTS TO CALL US UNTIL AN APPOINTMENT THAT SUITS THEM BECOMES AVAILABLE. While we recognise that this may be inconvenient for some claimants, we have this process in place so that we can see claimants without further delay.
So the thing is why wasn't this process offered to US and if it is true that they do this, then why haven't I heard anything from ESA since they told me there wasn't any HA's available? The keep ringing option wasn't offered in this case either! Needless to say, I am still waiting
I've not been here for a while but I thought I ought to update on my ESA fiasco.
I FINALLY got a HA date 06.09.17 between 10.30 and 12.30. We (Steve and me) waited for the Doctor (yes an ACTUAL Doctor) to arrive. By 12.45 he hadn't arrived so Steve rang Maximus and was told he was running late and should be with us in about 15 mins. 30 mins later he still hadn't arrived so Steve rang back and was told they couldn't contact the Doctor and they were worried about him but that he SHOULD turn up eventually!!!. 45 minutes later still no Doctor so Steve rang back again and was told that IF the Doctor turned up that we were to turn him away as it was now outside their accepted time scale for being late and that they would send me another appointment out as soon as one was available on out area! I was out of my mind by this time and it took me 5 days to start to get over it... just enough time for them to send me another appointment letter and start the stress up all over again.
Steve had booked time off work to be there with me which had been a total waste of time so he put in a complaint and it turned out that someone had cancelled their appointment but the Doctor had cancelled mine instead of theirs!
The new appointment was for 09.10.17 at 9am (now 2 hour window for this one, but an actual time) but this time the guy coming was a physio so I was even more wound up as I don't see how a physio can be qualified to assess mental health.
Anyway the day dawned and I was close to a nervous breakdown. Steve sat in the living room watching for him arriving so he had the exact time (he notes EVERYTHING down in case it's needed later).
8.55 the car pulls up and he comes through the gate onto Steve's property at 9am prompt.
9.14am he went back through the gate! No I haven't mis typed that 9.14!
Things went as follows...
He came in (Steve had warned him when he answered the door how wound up I was) he asked if it was OK for Steve to answer the questions for me, which I nodded in acceptance, and Steve questioned him about whether or not he was qualified to assess mental health (the answer was only that he was qualified to do assessments, which means he's had Maximus's minimal training. Then spent 7 minutes confirming who I was and looking at my meds etc, Steve gave him loads of further evidence which he didn't read then told me that he could see what a state I was in and that if I preferred I could go to my room, which I didn't as I couldn't get off the chair as though I was paralyzed with fear.
He continued asking Steve questions for a couple more minutes and then stated that he had enough information and the assessment was over and left and I hadn't said a word to him!
Stunned and exhausted I collapsed onto the floor literally sobbing.
Three weeks later the dreaded brown envelope arrived. When I'd plucked up enough courage to open it, it wasn't the decision letter but a letter from Jobcentreplus saying that due to a recent change, they had looked into my claim again and that my money had been increased and I'd been moved from the WRAG to the support group!
The next day I got a letter from HB saying that due to a change in my benefits they had reassessed my HB and they had increased it by a whole £0 (what a waste of paper!)
These 2 letters led me to believe that I had been granted ESA but I hadn't had the ACTUAL decision letter (I still haven't) so I asked Steve to ring and find out when I should get the letter. They told him that it should have been posted on 31.10.17 and that it should arrive soon. He asked them to confirm that ESA had been granted and they did saying 31.10.19 is the date they may need to look into it again. He asked for a copy of the Assessors report and they said they would post it out and that I had been awarded the magical 15 points (strange how it never seems to be more than 15)
Anyway that was a week ago and as yet nothing more has arrived. My benefit went into my bank last Saturday and it was the higher amount, so that's another plus point, but why does it take so long for them to send the decision letter out when they have obviously made their decision, everyone and their Mother's clearly have been informed of this, apart from the most important person, namely me!
So that's it, hopefully all sorted (apart from the letter) for 2 years and I might be able to calm down a bit now.
To anyone currently going through this keep your chin up and try not to let them grind you down (too much).
One final thing because Steve had lost work time for the assessment that never was, he was sent £100 as compensation, yes that's TWICE they have done this so if you have a complaint make sure you register is in the loudest possible voice, as they WILL listen if you shout loud enough, although threatening them with your local MP helps as well
Take care all, and good luck.
Best wishes from Christmas and the New Year (can't quite believe I just said that lol)
Many thanks again for sharing, I'm sure there will be many people who read your story and find it helpful/applicable to their own situations. Hope today is as kind as possible to you!
One important thing to add to this. The PIP face to face, regardless of where it takes place, is not a medical. The assessor can do functional assessments such as a musculo-skeletal assessment or a hearing test BUT only if you haven't already provided up to date information.
If you have provided up to date results then the DWPs provider guidance says these medical elements of the face to face should not happen. You need to give separate verbal consent for this so (separate to the one which allows the assessment to begin) so you could refuse.
Better to advise them they're wrong then carry on anyway else they can do you for a failure to attend (despite your actually being there). Will make them look silly at a later stage. I have examples of the HCP functional assessments bearing no relationship to the clients own specialist e.g. visual acuity tests conducted wrongly. and with results which bore no resemblance to those done by an ophthalmologist!
It's really lovely to hear from you again and with such an in-depth account of how things went with your WCA at home and the subsequent ESA award.
It's no wonder you were feeling the way you were in the run up to the assessment, during and afterwards. You had such a bad time with your PIP and going through another assessment so soon was bound to cause the greatest of distress.
I'm so pleased that the right decision has been made and you'e been moved to the support group. I hope this gives you time and space to recover and rebuild.
Those decision letters do have a habit of coming out late. I often hear from people who find out that they've been awarded a benefit from sources other than the actual decision letter. It's hard to believe until you've seen the decision letter!
Thank you for coming back and sharing with us. It's really good to see that Steve was compensated too, rightly so. It's also really reassuring for others reading this that sometimes the right decisions are made first time around.
I'm sorry that your overall experience with the benefits system has been so tough. I wish I could say that the worst is over, but Universal Credit is coming, and this has problems of its own.
For now though relax, recover and have a lovely Christmas (can't believe I'm saying that either). Here's hoping for a great new year!
Very best wishes
Debbie
I just hope that it shows that if you battle on and don't give in, the right thing might just happen in the end.
If by reading my posts it helps just one other person, then it will have been worth it.
Stay safe and keep well and most of all.... thanks for being there when you were needed.
Lots of love and best wishes x