How long for a pip decision

thedarkknight

just asking to see how long it takes and could I phone up and check what's going on 

CockneyRebel

You can ring and request a copy of the assessment report. This will give you an idea of your possible award but although the DM usually takes notice of the report they are the ones who make the decision. It is a good idea to obtain the report for your records or incase you want to challenge the decision,

Liam_Alumni

Hi @thedarkknight,

It can take between six to eight weeks to find out the result of a PIP assessment. However, if you need to find out more about the status of your claim, then the contact info for ongoing claims is 0345 850 3322.

I hope this helps. If you have any other questions, then please do get in touch!

thedarkknight

Thanks I'll give them a call by Friday , is the claim stronger if u have a lot of evidence  and medical records? 

Liam_Alumni

Hi @thedarkknight,

The 'How your disability affects you' form allows the DWP to understand more about your condition and the problems you face, so I think supplying medical evidence would certainly help your claim.

Disability Rights UK say "The DWP encourages you to send supporting evidence with your completed form", and Citizens Advice say:

"It's useful to include evidence from health professionals on how your condition affects you. It can give the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) a clearer picture of how your condition affects you and give you a better chance of being properly assessed." 

I hope this helps!

wildlife

@thedarkknight Sorry to have to say this, but the way PIP works currently very often means Medical evidence or any type of evidence is ignored. The advisors job, which they do very well, is to tell you how PIP is supposed to work, but unfortunately that's not the reality of how it is actually working. It'll be helpful to you to know how the assessor's and DWP Decision Makers make their decisions. Firstly assessors are supposed to have read your claim form and looked at all the medical evidence before they do your report, but this very often does not happen. Asking for a copy of your assessment report will tell you to see whether or not your assessor had any other knowledge of your condition and how it affects you apart from what was discussed during your assessment. After the report is sent to the DWP the Decision Maker's job is to use ALL available evidence along with the report to make their own informed decision on what your PIP award should be. The reality is they mostly just take what the assessor has suggested for points and reasons given and do your Decision letter based on that alone. At this stage if you're not happy with your award it's a good idea to check which evidence the DWP are not using and tell them this when doing a Mandatory Reconsideration. Many people have quite a fight to get their evidence used correctly as it should be. You may be OK and not have to do any more than you have already done but knowing what to look out for if things don't go your way will give you the advantage over a system that is not working as it should. 

AKris

Hia Wildlife, what you're saying about them ignoring evidence is extremely worrying. Is there any way we can try to ensure they do take evidence into account?

wildlife

@AKris All you can do is become proactive as soon as you realize they've got something wrong. Whenever you contact DWP whether by phone or letter refer to your Medical Evidence. By phone I mean you can at any time ask for a call back from a Decision Maker and when they ring tell them the assessor did not take into consideration your Medical Evidence. When writing your MR you can for example say you can only walk 20 metres before having to rest Reference: My Doctor's Letter dated .......... (only an example as I don't know your circumstances). They have no excuse then not to look at the evidence you have provided and it will also help if you have to Appeal. Hope that helps.    

thedarkknight

@wildlife when the assessor finished her assessment with me she did say going from all your medical records and evidence i can understand everything so from that she has deffo read my stuff 

wildlife

@thedarkknight I'm sure there are some good, genuine assessors and hopefully you had one of them. For many of them it's a question of time and pressure being put on them to complete so many assessments per day and therefore not being able to study all documentation for every one. The amount of people having to complain and 65% being overturned at Tribunal is undeniable. ATOS are 5 months behind in their investigations of complaints. I'm truly hoping it doesn't happen to you. Let us know what your assessor's report has to say.

ourvoices

Hi Everybody, @Wildlife knows how I (and many of us) feel aggrieved by this process.

I am currently putting together a complaint to Atos about my own personal experience.

Unfortunately, it is very true to say that all the evidence is not always considered.  Since obtaining a copy of my own assessment report, I have discovered that a number of things the Health Professional (HP) reported were not factual or were incorrect.

Personally, I felt like the opinions were based on which bits of evidence fitted the descriptor that awarded the least points.  For example, I said that I can occasionally walk short distances and that I am a wheelchair user.  This was corroborated by the HP at the assessment and by my consultant. 

I was awarded 10 points - "I have decided you can stand and then move using an aid or appliance more than 20m but no more than 50m"

Being flippant - maybe they considered my wheelchair to be a fashion statement and that it is my personal choice not to walk.

I have submitted a Mandatory Reconsideration refuting this (and other decisions).

So, I will complain to Atos, the DWP........

(and to our MPs on behalf of everyone).

wildlife

@ourvoices thanks for agreeing with me. It sounds like you got off lightly unless there were other worse statements on your report. I hope things have improved What I and many others experienced as recently as earlier this year were false MSE results, some not even done, and the rest of the reports were like someone else's. 
                  Complaining is useful to help DWP and the Appeal panel to know you are dissatisfied with the quality of your assessment and the report but ATOS and DWP are not accepting there's anything wrong. The only thing ATOS did accept was the lack of editing by the assessor i.e. spelling mistakes which cannot be denied as they're in black and white. I received 6 A4 sheets of absolute rubbish as the final outcome of their investigation of my complaint. There were lies to cover up the original ones. We need to be helping people to overcome the treatment that these companies are getting away with. It's no use just saying how things are supposed to work leaving expectation and then further frustration and anger when you realize they're not playing ball. That's what I'm trying to do. to tell it how it is. While ever we just sit back and accept this gross injustice the longer it will be before things are changed.  

Henry

How   do    the   disabled   people  over come this injustice  as  all   appears   to ly  in the hands of the  assessment person. ?

lisabrazil80

 I had my assessment on Wednesday when do you think I'll hear from them for when will they contact me

lisabrazil80

When will they contact me how long do I need to connect my mobility

lisabrazil80

 assessment on Wednesday when do you think I should call them to get my decision and how to get recall and tell me please if they've already deleted it in Medway

lisabrazil80

 I had my assessment on Wednesday when do you call them to get the report anyone know for how long will have to wait coming

Henry

Liz's.     I telephoned for  report. I  was told  I could  not  receive it until  the Decision maker  makes decision.
It  will  be   8   weeks.

wak10

What I have found is that people who suffer from mental health I.E anxiety and depression seem to be successful and proceeded faster . 

joyclyn

I don't personally   I have suffered many years .on DLA  years now after pip  I got no points  iromic

Henry

Joycyln.    Got  no points  for  anxiety &   depression  ?
Seems strange