Questions about Pip assessment

scotti

Thanks to everyone who replyed yesterday.still panicking about results. I did ask for a copy of asement .dwp said it was posted out on 10th April. still haven't received it. is this usial?

also yesterday I forgot to ask if during the face 2 face I became so distraught the lady cut it short. is that a good sign? also a lady who was a support worker who came with me and dwp agreed to pay a cab asked what I would have done if she didn't come what would I do. I said well i didn't have much Now choice. which is true they had to give me another appointment because my support worker coldest make the original appointment and they said i could only change it once. otherwise I would have lost my existing dla would that question go against me?

praps I'm looking to deeply into it. I'm as bad now if not worse when I had a breakdown in the interview. looking back I wish I had asked what she was going to recommend. never mind. should be enjoying the sunny day not Sat indoors worrying.

Sam_Alumni

Hi @scotti It is hard to say what the outcome will be and I know this is MUCH easier said than done, but you cant make any difference by worrying about it now.  Once you have your result, if it isnt what you were hoping for, we can offer support in appealing the decison.

CockneyRebel

Hi scotti

There is no more you can do now, we all wish we had done or said things differently but you did the best you could

Reports are sent second class like all DWP mail so 10 -12 days is not unusual and the decision should be 2-4 weeks

Let us know what happens, we will still be here for you

CR

shazier

@scotti. I hope all goes well for,my pip renewal form  is due shortly and had my ea letter review come a couple of days ago:( more stress. my concentration at the moment is terrible, i dont even know what day it is. easy for us to say try not to worry but its very difficult not to isnt it.
 good luck

mikehughescq

They would never tell you what they’d recommend. The most they could say would be which activities they had scored some points. 

In the meantime, nothing to do but wait. No point in trying to second guess every last aspect of the face to face. It means nothing. 

shella

I had mine on the 18th April and I kinda lost it I was not swearing or aggressive they kept asking the same question and it was irritating me I gave them the answer in a very sarcastic manor  looking each one of them in the eyes it went down hill from there I was in pain, tired and weak even my friend was surprised at the out bursts. I had had enough. when i left that room I was convinced I had lost the tribunal was nothing like i was lead to believe It was sugar coated. I got home and started to go through my out goings to see what I could cut out 3 days latter the letter arrived. I had won I wanted to cry but couldn't I was in to much shock.
you never know its no use for me to say don't worry etcetera etcetera etcetera.
it did not help me I wish you all the best   

susan48

I don’t think anything can prepare you for a tribunal unless you’v had experience, had one before. It’s very traumatic 

mikehughescq

susan48 said:

I don’t think anything can prepare you for a tribunal unless you’v had experience, had one before. It’s very traumatic 

A decent representative can fully prep you. There are bad tribunals but they’re mostly not like that at all. To some extent it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.

dianadee

I just got my pip letter back and I'm heartbroken they said I can't claim pip yet I have been epileptic for 34 years I have mini daily seizures and they said because I haven't had a major fit since October I'm ok how can I be ok and cope on my own if I'm having the small ones any help in appealing would help

Yadnad

For those that have a mental health problem the way the assessment is structured is just as bad as a Tribunal hearing although I have never had the pleasure of the latter. Take someone with PTSD and because of how the PIP regulations apply, the poor claimant has to bare his soul and explain in great detail of his inabilities and why they exist. That's cruel. Done in the wrong way can send him/her over the edge. It did with me when talking to the psychologist I was whisked away in a taxi with my CPN and was locked up in psychiatric unit for a month.
I have had mental health issues for the past 23 years and the last thing that I would want to happen is relive the horrors that exist in my head that left me with PTSD & a brain injury It is bad enough in a hospital setting never mind an inquisition when claiming a benefit.
For that reason I did not mention any aspect of my mental health difficulties on my PIP claim or at the assessment. It was self preservation.
I have worked hard on trying to come to terms with everything and had no intention of allowing the DWP or a Tribunal to undo the work, stress and pain that I have put myself through to satisfy them. I relied only on the physical points.
 

dianadee

They said because I walked in and communicated on the day I was ok but it would have been a different matter if I was having seizures so I can't see how they can just sit and say I'm well when they don't see on daily bases they saw me for 1 hour I take 11 tablets a day to control the big ones I want to appeal

Matilda

@dianadee

Have you asked DWP for a copy of the assessor's report and are you going to ask for a mandatory reconsideration (MR).

dianadee

No I don't think so but they gave reasons why they said no and the reasons were terrible .the said because I walked into the office unaided and communicated but on good days I can I never stated I couldn't walk or communicate I have epilepsy and I have the small seizures regular and I wish I could turn them on and off so when I went in they could see them .I have some really bad days I don't go a week without a seizure so how can they deny me. I feel hurt and saddened by this decision 

dianadee

I think it's the Mr I'm phoning about on Monday but wondered if anyone could give me guidance 

mikehughescq

If your main focus is epilepsy then the key issue is not frequency but whether or not you have sufficient warning to have the option of putting yourself in a safe place. If you do not then frequency is much less relevant.

dianadee

I do have small jerks which if continue and strengthen lead to large seizures 

mikehughescq

Right, so the way DWP address this is enshrined in case law. If you have a warning and can put yourself in a place of safety or alert other people then the risk when performing any activity is minimal. Consequently you can perform those activities without a need for assistance and, more importantly, reliably. 

If you believe that’s not the case then you need to provide revent anecdotal evidence of examples where, despite the above conclusions, you were neither reliable nor safe when performing every one of the activities you believe you score points on. Medical professionals can’t help you with this aspect. This is about your actions and your stories. If you can’t provide such stories then your PIP claim can’t succeed unless other conditions assist you. You might want to think, for example, about what you’re like post episode. How long you’re like that. The specific impacts it has. What it prevents you from doing and why. Examples of what happened when you did try to do such activities post episode. 

dianadee

Thank you you have helped a lot. I do need assistance as when I have the small seizures I cannot do things I can't cook clean or tidy as they become more frequent and lead to large seizures I need my carer and they are trying to get rid of my carer if I can't claim I can't go a couple of weeks without these episodes. I'm very worried about the decision of being turned down

Waylay

I would NOT do the MR by phone. Do it in writing, so you say exactly what you want to say, and in the way you want to say it. I'd also ask for the assessor's report and wait until you get it.

shella

hidianadee said:

Thank you you have helped a lot. I do need assistance as when I have the small seizures I cannot do things I can't cook clean or tidy as they become more frequent and lead to large seizures I need my carer and they are trying to get rid of my carer if I can't claim I can't go a couple of weeks without these episodes. I'm very worried about the decision of being turned down

I know a lot of people who did not get pip because of their epilepsy so i feel for you its like they don't see it as a disease. when you have a seizer are you coking have you face planted the floor have you fallen down the stairs when out does your seizure make you act out of place meaning not knowing danger when out when you are having seizers are you in any sort of danger. break it down piece by piece once you have done that do it again then you will see the dangers of your epilepsy
like if you have one in the bath walking on the street are you likely to fall in the road. then you go onto how long it takes you to come round. and are you a danger to you and others. 
The bath Scenario  having a bath/shower you would need someone  there waiting till you came or even to help  you bath when you where have a seizure.  
you could say that it is dangerous for you to have a shower on your own
hope you understand what I am saying