Tribunal horrible

philipb

Went to the tribunal this morning. What an horrible experience cross examination. Wouldn't let my partner and carer speak. I do not want to ever go through the experience again. Stick your PIP where the sun don't shine. I have schizophrenia and multiple disabilities feel so downhearted

susan48

@philipb,

i know now exactly how you are feeling, I’m still trying to get over my tribunal which was heard at the end of February. 
i would rather have to sell my flat, be homeless than ever go through that ordeal again.

did you get there decision today?

Pippa_Alumni

Hi @philipb, and welcome to the community.

Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear this. Would you like to tell us some more about it? 

Matilda

PIP tribunal hearings are supposed to be inquisitorial. Mine was but luckily I had been forewarned by reading the Disability Rights Handbook so knew what to expect and therefore I didn't get upset. My appeal was allowed.

I advise people to find out as much as they can beforehand about what to expect at appeal hearings so that the proceedings don't come as a shock on the day.

Ritzy

Hello there
Which edition of Disability Rights Handbook
did you buy, 2016-2017 or, 2017-1018?
I'm looking on Amazon and the prices differ with each one.
Thanks

Matilda

2017-18.  Handbook is updated each year so out of date one would be cheaper.  2018-19 edition will be published in May.  You can buy Handbook from Disabilty Rights UK site.

mrsramm

Oh no!! Can i ask how long you waited for your apoeal? My husband has been waiting over twelve months now..i couldnt bare a horrible experience on top or the anxious wait we all have..its just not fair

philipb

I waited Jan 2071. Asked the judge for an urgent hearing it took two weeks to get a hearing after such a long wait

susan48

I was fortunate, I got my hearing within 3 months 

mrsramm

It seems like the only thing  one can do is wait n hope n pray

Matilda

Prepare as best you can for the hearing.  Find out what the procedure is.

susan48

@lillybelle,
yes I won my appeal, hopefully you get good news soon

philipb

Got standard rate awarded had that already. Got low mobility better than I expected

Ritzy

Hi all
Good to hear from the people who are going through what I am, and its positive to hear that even though the hearing is horrible that we are seeing some results.  I am going to get the Disability Rights Handbook from Amazon this weekend to prepare myself, not that I haven't done that already, but every little helps.  Still anxious, still nervous and unsure if I am doing the right thing.    For all the Fibro., sufferers I empathize, today is not a good day, if they could see me now I look and feel awful.....I'd get my benefit back.....  
Keep positive everyone, and thanks for the support it's very much appreciated.

rachieg

So the cooking question - I was led to believe that one should talk about getting tired and dizzy with cooking , needing assistance , not carrying heavy pans , dangers of cutting oneself while on warfarin but no- the tribunal woman said sharply :-‘ it’s not about whether you can make a nice meal , the test is whether you can chop a potato and a carrot - well can you ?!’

Topkitten

I had a particularly awful judge 3 times for 3 tribunal hearings. During one, after I stated that without a vehicle I was completely housebound, she stated that it wasn't her place to give me a free car. That, in itself, proved she has no idea how disability affects people or how benefits actually work. All tribunals failed btw and I had to appeal to the UT and then go before a different tribunal group to get a fair award.

Tribunals are supposed to be inquisitorial, there is no other way to weed out false claims. The very fact that it affects a person badly is a good sign they deserve the help. That sounds bad I know but is important to understand. Most of our life we are under pressures of one sort or another and disability affects our abilities to deal with such pressure. I guess that a lack of ability to cope is one thing they look for.

TK

rachieg

Expected inquisitorial but I was just surprised re the cooking question as I thought I needed to include what I said above . ( especially as I was previously awarded 4 points for cooking and nothing has changed ( which my cardiologist wrote in his report )

missm

Topkitten said:

I had a particularly awful judge 3 times for 3 tribunal hearings. During one, after I stated that without a vehicle I was completely housebound, she stated that it wasn't her place to give me a free car. That, in itself, proved she has no idea how disability affects people or how benefits actually work. All tribunals failed btw and I had to appeal to the UT and then go before a different tribunal group to get a fair award.

Tribunals are supposed to be inquisitorial, there is no other way to weed out false claims. The very fact that it affects a person badly is a good sign they deserve the help. That sounds bad I know but is important to understand. Most of our life we are under pressures of one sort or another and disability affects our abilities to deal with such pressure. I guess that a lack of ability to cope is one thing they look for.

TK

to weed out false claims as you say isnt that what F2F was all about as well ? 

Topkitten

missm said:

Topkitten said:

I had a particularly awful judge 3 times for 3 tribunal hearings. During one, after I stated that without a vehicle I was completely housebound, she stated that it wasn't her place to give me a free car. That, in itself, proved she has no idea how disability affects people or how benefits actually work. All tribunals failed btw and I had to appeal to the UT and then go before a different tribunal group to get a fair award.

Tribunals are supposed to be inquisitorial, there is no other way to weed out false claims. The very fact that it affects a person badly is a good sign they deserve the help. That sounds bad I know but is important to understand. Most of our life we are under pressures of one sort or another and disability affects our abilities to deal with such pressure. I guess that a lack of ability to cope is one thing they look for.

TK

to weed out false claims as you say isnt that what F2F was all about as well ? 

As has been said many times, most assessors are not qualified for the position they hold and the job they are supposed to do. It is also much easier to "pull the wool over" in a calm and safe environment, such as a f2f at home. There has been so much comment made in the press regarding unfair claims you cannot expect them to make things easy for people. Remember also that you only have to go through one case, yours, these people spend all their time going from case to case trying to give reasonable judgements. Despite trying not to it is only human to be affected by doing so and it may well lead to a "bleed over" of emotional baggage from one case to another, especially if they realise they may have made a mistake.

If it was easy then everyone would be on disability.

TK

rachieg

Yes , point taken . When I left , I could just imagine them saying ‘how many times did she mention her bloody bad shoulder and how it affected her daily life !’

Topkitten

LOL @rachieg. I don't smile much these days but that almost made me laugh.

TK