No Advocate and feeling scared

Shlbly

Hi all I am starting to get really worried now, as have my third assessment at my home with an IAS aka Atos person on the 8th August, have had all money stopped first time going from IB to ESA, reinstated 3 months later, then in February 2017 went from DLA high rate to PIP standard, appealed and lost March 2018, complaint gone in re assessor. New claim put in June 2018 and now they want to do it to me all over again, 14 hours on 3 occasions spent at the DDIC filling out form, very complex illnesses needs. Have spent the last two weeks trying to find an advocate, without any luck, my lady I had before doesn’t cover my area anymore, I have nobody to be here for me and I’m scared now, my mental and physical health are going down hill rapidly, help!

BenefitsTrainingCo

Shlbly,

Lots of people have to have their assessments without help & it is very scary, but it should be ok. Having someone with you unfortunately doesn't make the assessors any better as you already know! Try to take notes as soon as possible afterwards to help you remember what happened. 
Are you still getting your PIP standard award? Remember that whatever the decision is on the new claim, it will take over and replace what you're getting now. But hopefully it will be a better decision.

If you haven't already done so, it can be helpful to have a clear idea of what points you think you should get for the relevant activities. This can help you prepare yourself in advance and you'll be better able to notice if the assessor misses anything out or doesn't ask you enough questions.

The PIP self-test is here. You've obviously already got help from the DDIC, is there anything else they can do to help? You can ask to have a friend or family member with you, it doesn't have to be an advocate. Sometimes just having someone with you can help to make you feel calmer, so it's worth considering.

Will

Shlbly

BenefitsTrainingCo said:

Shlbly,

Lots of people have to have their assessments without help & it is very scary, but it should be ok. Having someone with you unfortunately doesn't make the assessors any better as you already know! Try to take notes as soon as possible afterwards to help you remember what happened. 
Are you still getting your PIP standard award? Remember that whatever the decision is on the new claim, it will take over and replace what you're getting now. But hopefully it will be a better decision.

If you haven't already done so, it can be helpful to have a clear idea of what points you think you should get for the relevant activities. This can help you prepare yourself in advance and you'll be better able to notice if the assessor misses anything out or doesn't ask you enough questions.

The PIP self-test is here. You've obviously already got help from the DDIC, is there anything else they can do to help? You can ask to have a friend or family member with you, it doesn't have to be an advocate. Sometimes just having someone with you can help to make you feel calmer, so it's worth considering.

Will

Hi Will thank you for getting back to me. It’s the fact that I have had this twice now with Atos and the lies and omissions, my MH is suffering now, as why can’t they do it again. Have now got my local counsellor to be here next Wednesday for assessment, thank goodness, they are coming Monday to ‘revise for the exam’ as they put it. It’s disgusting all this as things have only got worse for me in the last 12 years. Have done the self test on good days and bad days, and it is so far from what they have said. Have no family locally and very few friends now, who both work. DDIC tried to find an advocate but without any luck. Hard when you live rural and no car since last October now, so very isolated.
I can imagine a lot of people give up and I don’t blame them, I have wanted to so many times over the last few years believe!

take care