home visit

williamA

I had a home visit from capita last time now its review time they are asking me to attend a assessment centre,I have a support worker who is trying to change it to home visit to no avail at the moment,it was requested on the review for and by telephone, why no home visit is there anything I can do.

Geoark

Hello @williamA and welcome to the community.

Sorry to hear what you are going through, I don't know the answer but hopefully @BenefitsTrainingCo may be able to offer you advice.

Alex

Hi @williamA

I've moved this post to our benefits advisor group. Hopefully they can help.

Thanks,
Alex

BenefitsTrainingCo

amanda8289

Hello 

amanda8289

I've asked for a home visit due to the aniexty of the last assessment i had a fit after the horrible assessment and i have not been out for such a long time as i get so panicky now i am  unable to go to the assessment centre i have to phone my  docs on Monday for a appointment but going to the appointment is ano matter what am I supposed to do plssssseee  help me with some  advice thank you 

dedus

Hi Amanda , if you can get medical evidence in writing as to why you cannot attend a centre , that is reason enough for them not to refuse you a home visit , contact your local ca centre , get them to back you up , it's amazing what powers they have , I have a personality disorder therefore I can't attend hearings , for various reasons , I just won my appeal and got the high level pips , just waiting to see what the d w p says , !

amanda8289

Well done on winning your appeal  as so many of ud get  kicked off our  dla/pip  benefits just because we don't look sick. Makes me so mad. I have my local mp helping me so fingers crossed that they will  reconsider where to have my assessment.  I forgot to mention on my forms  i have  psoriasis  which flares up when stress and  aniexty levels go up
 I'm so sick of being constantly harrased just because I have  health issues grr 

Matilda

@amanda8289

Yes it's hard enough having to cope with being sick without the DWP causing more unnecessary stress.

BenefitsTrainingCo

amanda8289,

It's your right to have a home assessment if you need one because of your condition. Your GP should either be able to come out to you as well, or they may already have enough details about you to provide evidence that you need the home assessment.

If you are refused a home assessment then the first step is to ask Capita/Atos/Maximus to reconsider. I'm not sure which benefit is involved so can't be sure which one you need to get in touch with. Or as dedus suggests, contact your local citizens advice. However, if you've got your MP involved, hopefully you won't need to do that.

In case you need it - you could mention that failing to give you an assessment which is accessible to you (taking into account all your conditions, physical and/or mental health) could be a breach of the Equality Act 2010. Worth mentioning this if you do have to complain.

Will

amanda8289

Thank you very much will for your  helpful  advice I've  seen the doctor today he has  dictated a letter asking for a home assessment i rang dwp a nd they said send it to them yet atos says send them it my mp is going to send it off for me. Not sure of the address pip 1 mailbox can't remember now. I mentioned on the phone that I can demand a visit under  regulations he didn't say anything though just that he'd updated my file to allow time for the letter.  I'm so  stressed out my aniexty &  psasrios is flaring up too.

amanda8289

I got my gp letter which in itself  caused my aniexty to go through the roof  (snotty receptionist calling myself and my  husband a liar when we stated we weren't told to pay for the letter beforehand ) i was shocked to see that  i have a condition i never knew i had emotional unstable  personality  i am devastated by this. Do i really have to inform the  pip people as i don't want a change of circumstances new claim or anything else i just want to have my home visit and  not have to go to the atos centre for the  face to face medical 

janice_in_wonderland

Hi 
I'm back after a break as I've been dealing with my DLA/PIP assessment, MR which came back the same and now appealing 
its made me more ill bc I've had dla stopped and now facing ESA 
Fortunately a local welfare advisor I have built up a good relationship with over the past few years has been a huge help in doing her best 
I'd like to add that I regret going to the assessment with a close friend as she helped me feel better about it alongside the assessor who came across very nice but after reading her notes and points it's impacted my symptoms bc of the lies and how things were misconstrued 
I'm seriously affected my this process as I'm sure many others are too 
I'm dreading ESA appointment as I'm an intelligent tall slim blonde who appears to be composed but nobody knows how invisible illnesses cause suffering... Why are people expected to be unattractive and scruffy? Even homeless people can look perfectly functional where as some people working look scruffy - judgements are so wrong!

wildlife

@amanda8289 You are worrying for no reason. Your PIP claim is done according to your condition when you sent in the claim form, so if you had this condition but simply didn't know about it till you got your GP's letter it should help you to get PIP for this claim. It won't mean you have to reapply as it's not a new condition that has developed some time after you applied. If it's mentioned in your GP's letter it will be seen anyway so I suggest you put your worries to one side and use this new piece of information to increase your chances of getting PIP. This is only my opinion. I am not an expert. It should help you get a home assessment. 

Matilda

Appearance is an ambiguous issue.  My assessor in her report stated that I looked 'tidy and kempt' (code for 'can't be very disabled') and I was awarded standard rate PIP both.  I wondered whether to go to the tribunal hearing looking a bit unkempt but then I thought, to hell with it, I'm going to be myself.  Another lady in the waiting room remarked that I looked nice and warned me not to go into the hearing room looking too good!  Anyway, tribunal awarded me enhanced both.  So, a good appearance doesn't necessarily count against you.

If a claimant is claiming for physical disabilities, I'd advise them at assessments and tribunals only to wear clothes with no fastenings and, if you are female, flat shoes and minimal make-up and jewellery.  

And don't drive yourself whatever your disabilities.

amanda8289

Thanks wildlife i worry so much i think because of my aniexty its been a bad time since i received the  letter of face to face medical x

amanda8289

I really hope that the home assessment happens fingers crossed 

BenefitsTrainingCo

Hi amanda8289,

Don't worry too much about the condition you didn't know about. Remember PIP is awarded on the basis of what you can and cannot do, NOT the conditions you have. It isn't a change of circumstances because your ability hasn't changed. As wildlife says, it's more evidence about why you have problems, so it could even help you. You definitely don't have to reapply, but you do have to inform them - it's simply another piece of evidence though.

As regards getting the home assessment, it's ATOS you contact but there's never any harm in contacting both them and the DWP!

If you don't get one it is worth complaining and mentioning the Equality Act 2010. That requires that public services are provided accessibly. 

janice_in_wonderland If comments are made on your appearance along the lines Matilda is suggesting (it does happen) then I would complain. It really shouldn't be relevant unless there's a direct contradiction between things you say you can't do and your appearance. But for example, it might take you absolutely ages to get dressed - so you could look good, but if it takes you more than twice as long as someone without your condition, you should still get points for dressing/undressing.

I hope that helps.

Will

amanda8289

Hi all i got the  news from my mp I've been accepted for my home  visit but as my depression and  anxiety  have been so bad I've  ended up with the  crisis team bck in touch with me. 

wildlife

@amanda8289 That's good news about your home assessment. Hope you don't have to wait too long for this. Sorry to hear you're having a rough time though. Try to take things one day at a time and not think too far ahead. Hope you feel better soon with the help you are getting...X   

amanda8289

I have my home assessment appointment it's on the  28th of  this month still dreading it  i now have the  crisis team involved when i rang talking  therapies they set the crisis team bck up for me and trying to help get me a cpn with mental health services it's been a very bad few weeks i have been through hell already before the  scheduled assessment