DWP not fit for purpose!

Droopy1

I have had a few torments with PIP/DWP
Unfortunately I have come to realise that they are just people, untrained, and ill equipped to do the job assigned to them. They make terrible mistakes at the expence of those in need. And they dont own up to those mistakes. You have to be persistant. And not take it personally. I have anxiety, and other physical issues, and, its been tough to understand why, after winning my tribunal hearing, I am still without ANY money, due to someone (?) deciding to cancel my claim completely awarding ZERO points, just previous to the tribunal doubling my previous award.
Now, I find I have to await the DWP deciding if they want to appeal the tribunal findings. All because of a mistake someone made by starting my claim again during the wait for the hearing. If I was suspicious, I might think its a ploy...
The process has taken since October so far.
Plus my husband being blind, I had to beg and play their game to get him any benefits at all. Citizens advice told us to sell our house live off its money until broke. (Thanks guys). 
My therapist reckons, the unwritten rule is to turn as many claims down as possible, and let people appeal. Many will give up. 
This is a system that fails, at every turn. 
Currently they cant tell me if they will honour the tribunal, I must wait a month, this..after they stopped my original award over a month ago, and apparently if they decide to appeal, wait again. 
Surely its all costing lots of money.  
Trying not to let it grind me down! 

Tigermoth42

Hi @Droopy1, so sorry to read about your nightmare with the DWP. Am I right in assuming that you did a Mandatory Reconsideration and then had to appeal that decision? What reason did they give you for overturning the tribunal findings? I thought they had to concur with the tribunal and award PIP at the rate recommended by them. 

Droopy1

Hi, @Tigermoth42 they have not yet said, or done anything. They didnt overturn the tribunal decision because someone decided to cancel my claim a week before the hearing. Therefore shutting down my claim completely. The tribunal went ahead anyway, and found in my favour. Now DWP dont know what to do at all.

Droopy1

sorry, @Tigermoth42 yes went through the MR, kept original points, so decided to go to Tribunal. They awarded adv mobility too. 

Tigermoth42

Omg @Droopy1 that’s just awful for you. Have you contacted your local Citizens Advice? It might be worth giving them a call as I know they have helped a lot of people who have experienced problems with PIP. You can also contact your local MP, again some have helped to get things moving for people.

I’m so sorry you’re having to go through this, I can imagine the nightmare, I’ve had quite a journey with them too but nothing on your scale. Sending you hugs ? 

Droopy1

Thank you @Tigermoth42 I wondered about my MP to be honest!  Might research that avenue!  Just waiting, waiting, waiting. Xx

Tigermoth42

@Droopy1, I’d defo go down that route, here is the link to the website where you can find your MP and other info https://www.theyworkforyou.com/search-hansard/?gclid=CJDCt5zT460CFe4htAodnygqgA

Do keep us posted, I sincerely hope you can get things moving in the right direction soon x

Yadnad

Tigermoth42 said:

Omg @Droopy1 that’s just awful for you. Have you contacted your local Citizens Advice? It might be worth giving them a call as I know they have helped a lot of people who have experienced problems with PIP. You can also contact your local MP, again some have helped to get things moving for people.

I’m so sorry you’re having to go through this, I can imagine the nightmare, I’ve had quite a journey with them too but nothing on your scale. Sending you hugs ?

Droopy has already sought advice from the CAB. They were of little help it seems - Citizens advice told us to sell our house live off its money until broke

Tigermoth42

Sorry, I missed that bit in my eagerness to try and help ?

debsidoo

Hi @Droopy1
It may be beneficial to contact your local Age U.K. if you are over 50 they can help sort out this minefield or at least give you advice as to where to turn. 
   Debsidoo.x

Droopy1

Ooh @debsidoo being of a certain age. Thats a good call.  I will contact AgeUK for help.xx
And @Tigermoth42 thank you for the web site, I tracked my MP and WILL be writing an email to her. She seems to be a sympathetic type! Xx
all good help, and thoughts! 

feir

They aren't mistakes if nobody is rectifying them.

jesmjf84

I put in for pip August 22 and 10th October 23 had my tribunal I won got told 10 mins after it. But yet on 20/10/23 still haven't hear nothin from the dwp this has made me worse in every way still not feeling the stress lift feel 100% worse now than when I started. How can they do this !! Plus got awarded 4 years but from a year and a half ago so not long now to do if all again !! I really don't think I can !

poppy123456

jesmjf84 said:

I put in for pip August 22 and 10th October 23 had my tribunal I won got told 10 mins after it. But yet on 20/10/23 still haven't hear nothin from the dwp this has made me worse in every way still not feeling the stress lift feel 100% worse now than when I started. How can they do this !! Plus got awarded 4 years but from a year and a half ago so not long now to do if all again !! I really don't think I can !

Great news! It's perfectly normal for it to take anything up to 8 weeks for DWP to put an award into payment and pay what is owed to you after a Tribunal win.

This is because DWP have the same chance we do to appeal the decision. Before they can do this they first need to request the statement of Reasons and Record of Proceedings within 1 month of the date of the decision. Once they receive them they need to find the error in law before they can proceed any further. They sometimes request them but rarely appeal it. If they request them, it doesn't mean they are appealing it.

Yes, unfortunately, if this was a new claim the Tribunal will award from the date you claim, or from the date DWP made the decison if it was a review. This then eats into the time it took for the Tribunal to make a decision.

Hopefully, you won't be waiting much longer and then at least you can relax for a while.

jesmjf84

Well this has made me feel even worse the woman from the dwp that was at the tribunal did tell me I will b backward with in 21 days so don't think their going to fight me on my win

poppy123456

jesmjf84 said:

Well this has made me feel even worse the woman from the dwp that was at the tribunal did tell me I will b backward with in 21 days so don't think their going to fight me on my win

I'm sorry i made you feel that way, that wasn't my intension. I did advise "up to" 8 weeks, rather than 8 weeks. Some wait less than that and others wait longer.

Before they pay what is owed and put the award into payment they will need to ask if you've been in hospital or prison as this is the standard procedure after a Tribunal win.

Jimm_Scope

Can you double check the tribunal award letter for me if that's okay? In my anecdotal experience many tribunal decisions are awards from the date of the tribunal not the initial application. I might be wrong and I've only noticed this more often.

poppy123456

Jimm_Scope said:

Can you double check the tribunal award letter for me if that's okay? In my anecdotal experience many tribunal decisions are awards from the date of the tribunal not the initial application. I might be wrong and I've only noticed this more often.

I'm afraid you are indeed wrong here. As i advised here..

poppy123456 said:

Yes, unfortunately, if this was a new claim the Tribunal will award from the date you claimed, or from the date DWP made the decison if it was a review. This then eats into the time it took for the Tribunal to make a decision.

jesmjf84

Awarded from when I applied in 2022 would of rather it of been from tribunal as it would of been 4 years untill looked at again.the thought of it only being a year and a half now as I've waited that long is a joke! Not sure any1 even knows what there doing 🤔 

poppy123456

jesmjf84 said:

Awarded from when I applied in 2022 would of rather it of been from tribunal as it would of been 4 years untill looked at again.the thought of it only being a year and a half now as I've waited that long is a joke! Not sure any1 even knows what there doing 🤔 

It would be so wrong if they didn't start the award from when you applied. It would mean that you would have lost all that money, which is a lot to lose. All that stress, all the waiting not to be owed anything.

When awarded by a Tribunal DWP usually contact you again about 14 weeks before the award is due to end. They will then ask you to reapply if you want to continue with your claim. When the time comes please post back here and someone will advise you about filling in the form.

jesmjf84

It's not about the back pay for me I've did that struggle already would of been nice just to have a bot of peace of mind knowing I'm OK for the next 4 years but I didn't even get that, definitely doesn't feel like a win yet .