Complaint advice please

PaganLady

Hi everyone,
I have decided to make a complaint to PIP for misinformation last Thursday and Friday which not only left me out of pocket but had an adverse effect on my health and I've only just begun to feel able to even make the complaint. I have tried researching for the best and quickest way to do this without opening up a GOV gateway account so I can send an email and the only other option according to CAB is to phone the department to speak with them. I'm a bit apprehensive of even doing this as my claim is currently being reviewed so don't want to rock the boat as it were but I feel that what happened was unnaceptable and want to log the complaint in the fastest way because if the need arises, it could very well count as supporting evidence as well as account for other evidence I had to send in to them in case they say they didn't receive it. So, if I call and make the complaint, should I follow up with a letter afterwards? It's a sad day when you don't trust the DWP to take everything you say into account, this is a tense time as it is. Any advice on this gratefully received, thank you.

pixie61

I had to do an MR, in it I started by saying I wanted to complain about the assessor & bullet pointed areas I was unhappy with, I then went into give reasons why I disagreed with their final decision. I have said I will be contacting my local MP, to discuss any further outcome & the assesment I was put through. This may or may not have an adverse affect on their decision, but we need to speak out about the treatment we’re getting from people, who know nothing or very little about our conditions & how it affects & impacts on our lives! That’s just the way I’ve dealt with it, not saying it’s the right way to do it!!

PaganLady

Hi Pixie,
You can only try your best and I agree with all you've said, we really do need to speak out - I hope everything works out well for you. My claim is currently being reviewed so I haven't had a decision on whether a f2f is needed or no (although very likely that will be the case).  I sent my review form back a couple of weeks ago and rang the DWP for advice on how to send further supporting evidence - I was told on two consecutive days to take it down to my local Job Center where they will scan it over but when I got there they looked at me as though I was mad!! They said they stopped scanning evidence some time back and that the DWP would know that.  I'm not saying that I was deliberately misinformed but after having had a Drs appointment which depleted all my energies and was in a lot of pain (I have mobility issues), I then had to get a wait and return cab to send the papers over only to have to post them which they could even say they haven't received. They were so helpful at the JC though and stamped my papers for me as well as giving me a pre-paid envelope but this wouldn't prove postage.  They did advise me to get proof of postage from the post office but honestly, I could barely move after that. All that activity knocked me for six and I wasn't going to complain but the more I think about it the angrier I feel x

wilko

They know nothing about yours mine or any bodies condition, they don’t have to know, their job, role in the acessment process is to ascertain how your conditions, disability impacts on your daily living to meet the PIP descriptors. Taking or sending in pages of descriptions of your illnesses, disability and medications and not showing and describing how these effect and impact on your dail life in relation to the PIP descriptors is not going to get you any points. The sole role of the acessor is to make a report of how your answers you gave in your application form relate to the PIP descriptors by listening to your answers and making an acessment from these and other information you give at your acessment. Having a rant afterwards may make you feel good but the ball is in our court and it is up to us you and me to play it well.

PaganLady

Hi Wilko,
Yeah I do know this but as you, I and anyone else know, it is a panicky time.  I know I fit most of the descriptors and have recently realised that I met (& told them) about them without realising I had in the assessment of my original claim but they were ignored. It just makes me feel better to send them as much as I can so that should I have to ask for an MR at some point once a decision of this review is made, that I have evidence that would make sense medically speaking.  I don't want to go to my review assessment (should it come to that) too anxious by constantly asking if they're noting this or that because it won't help no-one and I'm already going to be on edge as it is. Thank you Wilko x
 

vollante

My daughter's report was correct in some areas but totally wrong in others. We did the MD but nothing changed so we appealed. I pointed out and pulled the descriptors apart but didn't mention the assessor once, as it would not make any impact at all. WE WON THE APPEAL and points awarded went from 0 to 28 which was her original award before it was stopped. When I tried to make a complaint regarding the fact that her learning difficulties were not taken into consideration,  I was told after phoning that the DWP was responsible for the decision about any award. I then went on to tell the lady on the phone that it was what was written by one of their assessors that was inaccurate in places why the decision was made. I was talking to a robot who had all the answers and I felt  was reading off a computer text, so in the end I just sent a letter to Capita complaints department in Darlington .  As of today I still have not had, a reply, not even a letter of acknowledgement of my letter, although they received it as I sent it recorded delivery. It seems that you can complain but it falls on deaf ears. The whole process from start to finish was frustrating and time consuming but sadly it seems that this is the normal process with PIP assessments and it all falls down to one person typing on a computer.

PaganLady

Hi Volante,
Gosh that's awful, what a terrible process it is.  I haven't called because I fear it will be the exact same for me and quite frankly, I've not got the energy but all the same, they shouldn't be allowed to get away with it - this is a benefit for people with all kinds of incapacities for crying out loud.  We have enough to deal with without the added hardships of trying to deal with them and have the right to be treated fairly.  I'm sorry they treated you this way but I'm so glad that the Judges at the Tribunal came through for you and your Daughter, it's just a shame that so many people have to go that far.  I know I'm not the first to say but it truly is a warped system, I hope you get some accountability on your complaint soon x

poppy123456

Looking at your previous post here, is the complaint regarding your previous assessment? If so then it's not the DWP you need to complain to about that, it's the health assessment providers but it maybe too late now anyway.

I know you're anxious but you'll be better off concentrating on this claim and not your previous one. All the information about how your conditions affect you should have been put on the form, this way during the assessment if they don't ask you certain questions then it doesn't matter because you will have already given them everything they need to know. The assessment should be just to verify things about how your conditions affect you.

PaganLady

Hi Poppy,
No, it's not a complaint about the previous assessment, I feel cheated on that of course but have accepted it's too late so am concentrating on this upcoming one as you advised previously. The complaint I want to make is for the misinformation they gave me last week which not only left me in a lot of pain due to all the running around but left me out of pocket but I can't mentally face that right now in case they don't deal with it or give me more of a runaround - Had it up to here with forms and letters etc already x