Awarded standard rate - appealing for enhanced

brighid

Hi, got my PIP award letter and at least I have been awarded something! However I believe they have ignored a significant part of my issues and just decided other things don’t exist, because I ‘engaged with the assessment’! 
Firstly despite noting in the report that I struggled to stand (even with a stick and support from my partner) and moved ‘very slowly’ they have decided I can walk 20 metres. I plan to appeal this on the grounds that I can neither stand nor walk to a reasonable standard or in a reasonable time. They also decided I could follow a journey unaided because they don’t believe I have cognitive issues based on my presentation at the assessment. Totally ignoring that I suffer chronic fatigue, difficulties with concentration, distorted vision and dizzy spells, making it unsafe for me to drive. I told the assessor that I had been fit to drive on only one occasion in the past month, depending on my partner for any other journeys. 
I wont bore you with all the issues in the daily living part, but it is a similar pattern. Ignoring the fatigue, etc and dismissing my anxiety, pain and depression because I engaged with the assessment, am not taking anti depressants (they didn’t work for me)  and don’t take the full dose of painkillers daily ( they knock me out so wouldn’t help if I did ). 
Just wanted to share my journey really and ask how other people had got on in similar circumstances?
part of me thinks that at least I got something so should I just accept it? But another part thinks that what they want. Probably knew they wouldn’t get away with awarding me nothing so award standard rate and hope I don’t make a fuss? 

BenefitsTrainingCo

Hi brighid,

You are entitled to ask for a mandatory reconsideration, and then an appeal, if you don't think the decision is fair.
However, the DWP will look at your decision again as a whole if you dispute it, which does mean that they can keep it the same, increase it, or even take it away if the next decision maker thinks the last one was too generous. It is rare that this happens, but it does and has happened, so it's always a risk that everyone needs to understand before they go ahead with any dispute when they've been awarded something.
I'll leave it to other users to explain how they have got in similar circumstances but if you do dispute it you need to ensure you tell them exactly which descriptors you think apply to you and why they do. It sounds obvious I know but you'd be surprised how many claimants don't do so. If you don't feel you can do this on your own you may be able to get some help from a Welfare Rights team at your Local Authority, or CAB or any other advice agencies in your area. Good luck!

Lee