Appeal - Representative

LilyD

Hi guys,

Just joined this group, have got loads information on here, thanks.

I have a question now before applying for PIP appeal, on the form it shows that we can assign a representative after send out the appeal form, does anyone know will it delay the appeal date? Because I am aware of how long I have to wait for the appeal date, do not want to waste more time to find a representative first then send out the form. 

My report is full of lies and the MR stays 0 points.

Thanks in advance.  

Peasmold_01

From personal experience, I submitted my own appeal documents. However, I was fortunate enough to have been advised, 6 months after I submitted the appeal to seek the advice and help from my local community law centre. Again I am fortunate enough to live reasonably close to a University that has a School of Law. My help and advice was Pro Bono. Two weeks before the appeal hearing my legal representative notified HMCTS that he was acting for me, and that was that  We won, and although I'm no slouch where the law is concerned, he brought a professional approach to the hearing, emotions were kept well under control. Practical and pragmatic, those were the attributes he brought to the proceedings. If you can, approach a local Community Law Centre, in my humble opinion, they are far better than CAB, who did nothing to help me, because I had the temerity to completed my MR request without contacting them prior to sending it off  
(Humans are the only animal that blush, or need to) 

Yadnad

Peasmold_01 said:

From personal experience, I submitted my own appeal documents. However, I was fortunate enough to have been advised, 6 months after I submitted the appeal to seek the advice and help from my local community law centre. Again I am fortunate enough to live reasonably close to a University that has a School of Law. My help and advice was Pro Bono. Two weeks before the appeal hearing my legal representative notified HMCTS that he was acting for me, and that was that  We won, and although I'm no slouch where the law is concerned, he brought a professional approach to the hearing, emotions were kept well under control. Practical and pragmatic, those were the attributes he brought to the proceedings. If you can, approach a local Community Law Centre, in my humble opinion, they are far better than CAB, who did nothing to help me, because I had the temerity to completed my MR request without contacting them prior to sending it off  
(Humans are the only animal that blush, or need to) 

You are indeed very fortunate.

Many try to get through the system, like myself, on their own with no advice or help in sight. I agree about the Uni. I have one close by that also has a Law School. Unfortunately they had to give up on advising on benefits due to the volume of asylum seekers in the area that needed the help to stay in the country.

Peasmold_01

OK, now do a local Google search for Pro Bono legal advice, if you have a Law School near to you, guaranteed that a firm of solicitors will have law students on a in-house trainee course or similar, they may let you have an advice session with them. Seek and ye shall find. 

                        (Man is the only animal that blushes, or needs to!)

Yadnad

Just checked it out. London is the nearest, some 80+ miles away but they only deal with people from their area. The Law Works also in London - too far away.
And the Uni - listed as only taking asylum and detention cases on.

Apart from those are the local CAB which I tried yonks ago but they were too busy as they never got back to me as promised to give me an appointment, AgeUK that had to close due to lack of funds but now reopened but no advice work taken on. DIAL shut up shop and was taken over by a charity about 90 miles away.

mikehughescq

Try this.

https://advicelocal.uk/

Yadnad

mikehughescq said:

Try this.

https://advicelocal.uk/

Thanks Mike The map shows all of the CAB offices which from past experience when I went to one out of my area they refused to help telling me that I must go to my local one. The rest apart from one are AgeUK offices which are again out of district. Don't know if they will help out but worth asking. One that looks to be a good resource again will only deal with the local  town people it is in which is about 40 miles away
I will ring the nearest AgeUK. 
Thanks again for the link

LilyD

From the answers, I believe it will not delay the appeal date, thanks so much for the help!

BenefitsTrainingCo

LilyD,

That's right Lily - the main thing is to get the appeal form submitted sooner rather than later. You can look for a representative later. Some people don't find a rep until they have a hearing date, which is months later. There's no need to identify a rep first and I wouldn't delay on sending out the form.

If you can't find a rep, don't despair. It's still worth appealing. Many people are successful at appeal stage. The main thing you can do to help yourself is to identify the points you think you should have scored, and why. If you can write that down so that it is submitted to the tribunal (at any stage, whether you've done it already for your MR, or you put it in later on when you get the DWP bundle for the appeal), then that helps them enormously. It gives a structure to the hearing & they can go through & ask about any issues on which they want clarification.

Also....honestly, not all advice agencies will judge you for having done your own MR, I'm sorry to hear that anyone would! I'd say most advice agencies are used to people coming to them at all stages of the appeal process, but it is the case that often due to volume of work and time pressures they can't always help. It's worth talking to people locally if you can. I don't know where you are exactly, but I know that in some 'advice desert' areas there are still volunteer reps who have learnt the rope & have lots of experience, if you know who to ask.

Will

LilyD

Thank you for the advice!