my PIP assessment

grammy

Hi

just wanted to tell someone about my PIP assessment (test). I arrived in a dreadful state. Nervous and afraid of what was going to be asked about me. I had travelled an hour in a car with my hubby and was so stiff I could hardly get into the building.  I spoke to someone for reassurance but didn’t receive any. No one would talk.   I was called through into the room. I hobbled in and sat on a very hard chair.

The first question I was asked “did you talk to anyone in the waiting room. I said yes!   We went through the form and all I remember was being asked how does this effect you over and over and over and over again. All I could focus on was the chaps filthy finger nails and thinking he must have rushed out of his garden to get here on time.

Some questions were so personal I cried when trying to answer them. Which was do you wipe your bottom, through your legs or from the back. I was in awe. And then that question again and again how does that effect you. All I could say is I don’t know or the same way as the last question. I didn’t tell him some days I wanted to go to bed and not wake up.

 Throughout the assessment I was in so much pain. After one and a half hours of gruelling questions and being asked to squeeze his hands it was time to go. I couldn’t get out of the chair. I hurt everywhere. My husband helped me to the waiting room where I had to sit down. Dizziness swept over me and so I asked for a drink. 

I half hobbled and half fell out of the office. I cried all the way home, I couldn’t sleep that night as I was trying to remember my queastions and answers. I told my husband that I did really badly and hadn’t come across as I should.  The pain over the next few days was awful. I feel in my heart that I will be rejected. I was 64 when I applied and 65 when I was tested.

I was told if you fail you cannot try for the PIP again and will lose the opportunity of the mobility side of it.  My husband has to drive me everywhere because my wrists hurt too much to steer.   I later discovered that the assessor lives in the next village to me and works in a care home just around the corner.  He even knows where I live. I feel all assessments should be in our own homes. ??????

thespiceman

Hello @grammy   Pleased to meet you welcome.

Thank you for joining and sharing.  So sorry what you have been through.  I feel for you and understand. 

I had similar assessment as the assessor more interested in my personal intimate stuff about me than my other daily living tasks.

Please can I reassure you there are members of our community who can and will identify what you are going through.

I have myself being through twenty years plus of assessments and it still stuns, shocks the stories I read from our members who join.

I am one of the team of community champions who guide and inform new members.  What to do support and advise. Any help.

 I offer my advice would be to first complain to ATOS . Also make a suggestion also speak to your local MP. About the assessment.

Do know members of our community have done so.  As I know the MP's are interested in looking at the barbaric treatment we as a community receive.

I know it is difficult and may I add to recall everything you have said.  Did I do the right and say the correct thing. This I have concern and care over.  Hope and wish you a successful outcome.

We are a friendly community. Care and share.  Please ask if we can help with anything some one will know.

We are here as a community to support you. You have come to the right place.

Pleasure to meet you

Take care

@thespiceman

poppy123456

Hi,

Sorry to hear this. These assessments can be very grueling, for sure. The reason they ask you so many questions is to try to get a picture of how your conditions affect you. Filling out the original form with as much information as possible may have reduced the amount of questions you may have been asked at the face to face assessment.

I don't know when you had the assessment but about 1 week after you can ring DWP to ask for a copy of the assessment report. This will give you some idea what the decision is likely to be because they mostly go with the report.

If the decision doesn't go in your favour you'll be able to ask for the Mandatory Reconsideration then Tribunal if that fails. Good luck.

grammy

Well as I want able to answer how it effected me I won’t stand much chance. My head was muscled and I was anxious and in so much pain. 

No no one said I could ask for the report 

what number should I ring?  Thank you for answering 

Sam_Alumni

Hi @grammy

The number should be on the correspondence you've had from the DWP about PIP.

poppy123456

You need to wait a week before ringing for the report. If you live in the UK they will send it before a decision is made. If you live in Northern Ireland than you have to wait until after the decision is made.

grammy

According to the book. Understanding you PIP assessment I cannot have a copy until after the decision is made

poppy123456

grammy said:

According to the book. Understanding you PIP assessment I cannot have a copy until after the decision is made

If you live in the UK this is not correct. You can have a copy of the assessment report before the decision is made. I have done exactly this, 3 times and plenty of other people have too.

Yadnad

From memory I must admit, but somewhere in the DWP guidance manuals for PIP it did say that the report will come with the decision letter - there is no guidance to suggest that you can get a copy beforehand.

poppy123456

There may well be something in the guidance somewhere but regardless of all that you can have a copy of the report before the decision is made. I've never ever heard of it being sent with the decision letter, even for those that don't ask for the report it's not sent this way.

April2018mom

Welcome to the community!

 The assessment process is not always easy. The questions are there to help them supposedly work out how much they should give you. I provided them with a lot of information about how much our own lives are impacted by our son’s disability and limitations. I sent a photocopy of the form off today. I suggest you make a copy of the application form for reference. That way you have a backup copy just in case you need it. Ring up and ask politely if you can have a copy of the report. 

grammy

I was asked how I felt when I was left at home when others members of our family went out and left me at home. I couldnt answer as all I want fo do is curl up in bed. That not the answer he wants to hear. 

Matilda

Unless you live in Northern Ireland you can have a copy of your assessment report before a decision is made.

If you don't receive an acceptable decision you can ask for a mandatory reconsideration and then go to a tribunal.  71% of tribunal appeals succeed.

grammy

I called and requested. The answer was No and that if I read my booklet I would see it’s not available until after the assessment 

Yadnad

poppy123456 said:

There may well be something in the guidance somewhere but regardless of all that you can have a copy of the report before the decision is made. I've never ever heard of it being sent with the decision letter, even for those that don't ask for the report it's not sent this way.

Sorry Poppy - I have had three decisions (2013, 2015 and 2017) and with those decisions a copy of the report was included.
Additionally the case manager then also described the reasons for their decision with comments taken from that report.

poppy123456

grammy said:

I called and requested. The answer was No and that if I read my booklet I would see it’s not available until after the assessment 

You obviously spoke to a person that wouldn't agree to send it. If you live in the UK they will send a copy of the report out before the decision is made. Myself and thousands of others have received the report before a decision is made.

Ring again and speak to a different person, chances are they will agree to send it.

If however you live in Northern Ireland, you have to wait till after the decision.

Matilda

Maybe you just got someone difficult.  Phone again and you might get a more reasonable person.  Many people including myself have been given assessment reports before they received their decision.  The only exception is if you live in Northern Ireland.

grammy

Hello. Today I received my letter and my report together as per what was said in the book.  It said I wasn’t agitated or nervous  I certainly was.    I have standard mobility and enhanced because I can go to a cafe and cinema from time to time. I’m very happy with the outcome as now I can afford a cleaner twice a week ?

poppy123456

Great news.

grammy

Ive booked a cleaner for two days a week ?

April2018mom

Good news!!