PIP ...STILL WAITING!!

chunky8217

hi there i am struggling to keep up with it all if im honest..my claim for pip started july 2017 i suffer pvd and i have depression and anxiety .I have been refused pip been to the dreaded assesment where i can prove some of her lies..its caused me alot more anxiety than normal and dont go out as i suffer incontinence i wet myself at least once a day..my daughter helps me dress and even my 8 yr old ..well after 3 made appointments for my assesment first to birmingham 2nd was an home visit which the person didnt turn up ..then they finally sent me to derby..the assessor was a complete liar and didnt write half down ..she asked if i felt suicidal and i said not right now and broke down crying.Im currently in termoil and feel im not getting anywhere . I am currently awaiting tribunal and in my 25th week av rang today and they said i have another 20 more weeks to wait i dont know if can go another 20 weeks am stressing like mad x

poppy123456

Hi,

Tribunal waiting times are huge across most of the country and some are waiting as long as 1 year. Hopefully for you it won't be this long. Are you getting help with the process or doing it yourself? Are you appearing in person as this will give you the best chance of a decision in your favour. Good luck.

Yadnad

Even better and having the maximum opportunity of an award is to be represented at the Tribunal, that is if you can find someone!

chunky8217

Yes i am going myself and i have a welfare rights adviser coming with me..i found out too friday im being tested for ovarian cancer..i feel everthing is on top of me with anxiety i keep having panic attacks so yes i am stressed to the max the assessor also lied blatenly and im fighting that too..so yes i have it all going on ..xx

debbiedo49

All you can do is prepare for the tribunal and keep in touch with your w r o and find a way to stop thinking about the process while you wait. You could try to keep a daily diary of how your condition affects you in terms of pip. Then switch off from it. I’m so sorry to hear about your troubles it’s very hard to bear. Are you getting help with your mental health issues? 

mikehughescq

If you already have a rep then the best advice would be to stay off a forum like this and direct all your issues at your rep. This is why they’re there for. 

debbiedo49

Stay here and chat if it helps @chunky8217

michelleth64

Still waiting my f2f was 8june phoned 2 weeks ago with Dm now 19 weeks and counting given up not phoning no more keep getting same reply 

chunky8217

Hi debbie thanks for your reply im on sertraline for my depression but am fed up of ringing up and getting nowhere does anyone know how i get in touch with the health proffessional complaints x

Yadnad

chunky8217 said:

Hi debbie thanks for your reply im on sertraline for my depression but am fed up of ringing up and getting nowhere does anyone know how i get in touch with the health proffessional complaints x

I really hope that you get an assessor that knows what Sertraline is for. I take 200mg a day and the assessor earlier this year (like the previous two) said that it was a soft anti depressant. She came up with 14 reasons why I do not have any mental illness.  

debbiedo49

@Yadnad
https://beta.nhs.uk/medicines/sertraline/

debbiedo49

@chunky8217 is it someone on the NHS?
https://www.mygov.scot/nhs-complaints/

Yadnad

debbiedo49 said:

@Yadnad
https://beta.nhs.uk/medicines/sertraline/

Yes thanks, I know why I have to take it - PTSD and Depression. But the assessor said it is a mild AD and justified her statement by citing 14 reasons why I do not have any metal health issues.

I can't remember most of them as it was 6 months ago when I had the last assessment. and failed. Good eye contact, understanding what medication I was on and why, didn't rock in the chair or salivate, etc etc were some of them.

mikehughescq

Classic snapshot nonsense.

debbiedo49

I wondered if @chunky8217 required the info? My mum was on the same one for depression. It didn't help her much,

debbiedo49

mikehughescq said:

Classic snapshot nonsense.

Pardon?

mikehughescq

It’s a fine example of the HCP breaching their own guidance and recording a snapshot of the person on that day rather than the required bigger picture.

Yadnad

mikehughescq said:

It’s a fine example of the HCP breaching their own guidance and recording a snapshot of the person on that day rather than the required bigger picture.

Obviously it was and it put me back where I had been twice before having to prove that it was a snapshot. Unfortunately the third time they tried it on the DWP told me to go away and tell it to a Tribunal by which time I had had enough of their antics.

Which takes me back to my earlier posting in that the assessors are either under trained or aren't given enough time to do a full assessment. Maybe a bit of both?

mikehughescq

5 to 7 days training at most. Each assessment needs to be around 90 minutes. 

Iamgettingthere67

Hi Chunky, I just wanted to reassure you that the tribunal won't be as bad as you might expect. I won mine recently and everyone at the court was kind and helpful. Best wishes 

mikehughescq

There can be some bad tribunals but generally you get the experience you’re expecting. If you go in there worked up and believing the tribunal will be as negative as DWP then every question will seem loaded; stress levels will rise; traps will appear to have been set and the tribunal and DWP PO will appear rude, aggressive or many other adjectives. 

If you go in there understanding that 71% win; that tribunals are inquisitorial not adversarial; that questions are trying to pull out valuable information in a time limited slot and treat it for what it is - just another step toward entitlement or a clearly explained decision - then you’ll be fine.