Pip scores way off

BlakeAZPettitt

Hello I am new to this site but just had to get a few things off my chest. I suffer from bipolar badly. I initially applied for pip when it first changed and was granted higher level and a very high score, I needed 12 and I was over 20. Recently however I was reassessed, I went to the place with my social worker who is also the one that filled out my application as I am unable to do things like that they just go over my head. Ultimately I was told I will be put on the lower rate scoring me 11 even though the scores were complete rubbish. Thankfully my social worker faught for me and during the mandatory reassessment I was given one extra point to put me on higher but in my opinion the scores are still wrong. I was given a 1 out of 8 for medication management even though my wife has to get my meds and physically pass me them or I forget to take them or just don't bother. Also was given 0 out of 8 for money management even though it was made very clear I do not have access to any funds as I cannot be trusted to not impulse buy very expensive things without thinking if i can afford it or the consequences. It was put on the report that I can read and understand complex literature, I cannot in the slightest as I said my social worker did the form as even that was to complex. He had to read it to me and explain what they was asking. There are other scores wrong aswel but these ones that stick out most. When I was put on the lower rate they said they wont ask for a reassssment for a long time as they recognise being bipolar my situation is unlikely to change, as soon as I got higher rate apparently I will be reassessed in a few years as my condition might change, I mean seriously what the hell. It just scares me that when they reassess me I will lose my points again or somehow be miraculously cured of all ailments in their opinion. Has anybody else experienced anything like this? if so how did it go? it will be a huge comfort for me just to know I'm not alone.

CockneyRebel

Hi BlakeAZPettitt and welcome

You are deffinately not alone with this type of thing happening to many. You are lucky to have a supporting social worker as many people are on their own to deal with the shoddy assessments

CR

Barbiesnemesis

Hello @BlakeAZPettitt as CockneyRebel says you are not alone. Part of the remit set out by the government for the changes to ESA and PIP was to save money. They don't care who they claw the money from and rely on people not complaining. Some of my memorable scores/statements on my PIP were:
no points for using the loo even though I have a raised toilet seat and toilet frame.
No points for managing medication even though I have to have them delivered weekly to avoid suicide attempts.
"Takes a low dose of medication for pain" - I told her I couldn't take any pain relief tablets. Also, I've seen the exact same phrase stated by another poster on here. I think (couldn't give) ATOS have it on copy and paste!!
I could go on and on and on.......
But I won't 

Fight4Justice

@BlakeAZPettitt They did the exact same thing to me. Dropped me to 11 points, 1 point below the cutoff for enhanced Daily Living. Even though I've been receiving the enhanced rate, since I first switched over to PIP from DLA back in 2013. I'm currently going through the Mandatory Reconsideration process.

Out of interest. Did they let you keep Mobility at any rate? Or do you not have any Mobility needs? I had been receiving standard Mobility since 2013, however, for the first time they've award me nothing for it. I'm appealing to get both my enhanced Daily Living and standard Mobility back.

Waylay

Yup. Went from standard for both to 0 points, and I've gotten worse in between.

whistles

Waylay said:

Yup. Went from standard for both to 0 points, and I've gotten worse in between.

That's bizarre really. It's just so random.

BlakeAZPettitt

Sorry posted something twice and no idea how to delete so just edited to this

BlakeAZPettitt

Fight4Justice said:

@BlakeAZPettitt They did the exact same thing to me. Dropped me to 11 points, 1 point below the cutoff for enhanced Daily Living. Even though I've been receiving the enhanced rate, since I first switched over to PIP from DLA back in 2013. I'm currently going through the Mandatory Reconsideration process.

Out of interest. Did they let you keep Mobility at any rate? Or do you not have any Mobility needs? I had been receiving standard Mobility since 2013, however, for the first time they've award me nothing for it. I'm appealing to get both my enhanced Daily Living and standard Mobility back.

Fight4Justice see that's the thing on the form they gave me I specifically said I do not want mobility because I do not need it the only thing I put on that form is that sometimes I have trouble bending down far enough to put my socks on so my wife frequently does this for me they gave me a score of 1. my mum however has been on disability her entire life and has only gotten worse. she cannot go around without a wheelchair now, she cannot get changed at all without my dad helping, she cannot leave the house or walk around the house freely but she has recently had it taken off her and received a score of 0. oh she been diagnosed with fibromyalgia as well. struggles to see due to a head injury and has to take regular naps during the day. But according to their scores I am worse than her regarding mobility

BlakeAZPettitt

Oh and also on my mum's interview they genuinely lied. the lady that came to see her at her house. they said that she got up and walked around which she never did and I am aware she can't do. I wasn't there but I guarantee she was sat at the table the whole time  and will have waived the lady in  through the glass door  which she had installed  so that she could wave people in if they knocked. also she said that my mother was appropriately dressed for the interview even though she was in her pyjamas because my dad left for work earlier that day and was unable to change her because she wasn't awake at the time he left

dantheman2015

Also can I just say when I went to the face to face interview the lady helped me in and she told me she was not going to be long with me as she so the pain I was in . But when I got my paper work from pip she told them I was fine and she never so me in any pain and I walked in without any help at all . How can thay get away with lies like this . The lady and my wife helped me in and out of the place. But how do I prove this to anyone. Thank you 

BlakeAZPettitt

Can i please suggest that people start independently but secretly filming there interviews? I think this would cause so many problems for them they might actually learn a lesson when they blatantly lie like they do.

Pippa_Alumni

Hi @BlakeAZPettitt, so sorry to hear about your past experiences. I can understand and empathise with your frustration, as many of our other community members will.

However, we cannot endorse secretly filming interviews. If you wish to record your interview, please follow the outlined PIP procedure:

Audio recording

Should you wish, you may use your own equipment to record the face-to-face consultation. This must be undertaken in line with the following DWP rules:

• You need to notify us before your appointment that you will like to record your assessment by calling our Enquiry Centre on 0808 1788 114.
• You will need to provide your own audio-recording equipment. Your recording equipment must be able to produce two identical copies of the recording at the end of the assessment, either on audio cassette or CD. Mobile phones and laptops are not suitable mediums for recording assessments.
• You will need to give one copy of the recording to the assessor, at the end of the appointment.
• You will need to sign an agreement that sets out what you are and are not allowed to do with the recording.
• We will retain a copy of the recording for a maximum of 14 months, at which point it will be destroyed. We do not pass on the recordings to the DWP and they are not used in determining your entitlement or award.
• Should you attempt to record the assessment without having contact us first and agreeing to the above guidelines, then your assessment is likely to be stopped and we may return your case to the DWP.

BlakeAZPettitt

Ye that's not gonna happen. You know it's being filmed you cant and thereore won't lie. If we record without knowledge it's uncensored. And although it may not be correct procedure no judge it is going to throw out the evidence when it's so blatant based on the fact they're not happy with how it was obtained. People with disabilities can only be pushed so far if the people assessing Pip are going to push us to the point where we feel the need to do this they need to accept the fact that we are going to do this. if the assessment is at our house we have every right to film the assessment it is in our house if it is elsewhere it is public and therefore we still have the right to record.

dantheman2015

It’s not about recording the interview that’s something I’d never do or done in my life it’s just I went in to the face to face interview and told the truth 100% about my condition and how it’s changed my life and day to day activity.all I was saying is how can thay lie about things about how I look and feel day to day thay don’t know me thay new me for half an hour and judged me as if thay so me every day and night that’s my rant over 

BlakeAZPettitt

Ye and I honestly respect that but in my mind it' just bullying. They take your money off you by lying then tell you you can't record interviews I'm fairly sure that's also a lie their policy is not law but they threaten to take the money off of you if you record because you can catch them out and they don't want to be caught out because they know that will be the start of bigger troubles for them they grab you by the b***s and don't want to let them go. But the thing is if they lie to take the money off you what harm could come from recording the interview they can't take any more money off of you and if you win don't bother showing them the tape. simple

dantheman2015

Well said Blakeazpettitt