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PIP Assessor lied in assessment
Serendipity77
Member Posts: 9 Listener
Background:
Father 62 has worked for over 45 years as a butcher. Has had venous leg ulcers since 2012. Only claimed PIP last year after he was told by by nurse that if he continued working his legs wouldn’t heal. He unwillingly resigned. (Also has vertigo, bradycardia, migraines and arthititis, depression but too proud to admit).
Anyway after a battle of form filling and hoop jumping he was awarded enhanced mobility and standard care (July 2018).
December (2018) pip review for arrived and he had a f2f home assessment.
Issues with f2f assessment:
Assessor refused to confirm purpose of assessment
- Became defensive and hostile when I asked for his name and qualification (paramedic).
- Ordered copy of his report- full of lies.
-Claims my dad can wash his hair- my dad is bald.
- My Dad uses aids in bathroom to wash himself but assessor wrote opposite (didn’t even ask the question).
- Kept saying because my dad’s ulcers have healed on surface they should be cured now. He’s had them since 2012 every year! Only stabilised since he stopped bearing constant weight on legs. And he’s sentenced to lifetime of compression stockings and cannot wear normal footwear.
- casually asked him if he was suicidal?!!
- saw him pick up carrier bag to vomit in- “this shows flexation in arm”
- left his charger and coat behind- I had to call his office so he could collect it.
im so disgusted with the way it was done. Dad’s lost care component and got 12 points for moving around. To top it all off whilst pip assessor walked out...ESA WCA letter fell in from letter box!!!
any advice!!!!! How to challenge and stay strong. I’m the only one that can fill his forms etc as CAB are mega busy
Father 62 has worked for over 45 years as a butcher. Has had venous leg ulcers since 2012. Only claimed PIP last year after he was told by by nurse that if he continued working his legs wouldn’t heal. He unwillingly resigned. (Also has vertigo, bradycardia, migraines and arthititis, depression but too proud to admit).
Anyway after a battle of form filling and hoop jumping he was awarded enhanced mobility and standard care (July 2018).
December (2018) pip review for arrived and he had a f2f home assessment.
Issues with f2f assessment:
Assessor refused to confirm purpose of assessment
- Became defensive and hostile when I asked for his name and qualification (paramedic).
- Ordered copy of his report- full of lies.
-Claims my dad can wash his hair- my dad is bald.
- My Dad uses aids in bathroom to wash himself but assessor wrote opposite (didn’t even ask the question).
- Kept saying because my dad’s ulcers have healed on surface they should be cured now. He’s had them since 2012 every year! Only stabilised since he stopped bearing constant weight on legs. And he’s sentenced to lifetime of compression stockings and cannot wear normal footwear.
- casually asked him if he was suicidal?!!
- saw him pick up carrier bag to vomit in- “this shows flexation in arm”
- left his charger and coat behind- I had to call his office so he could collect it.
im so disgusted with the way it was done. Dad’s lost care component and got 12 points for moving around. To top it all off whilst pip assessor walked out...ESA WCA letter fell in from letter box!!!
any advice!!!!! How to challenge and stay strong. I’m the only one that can fill his forms etc as CAB are mega busy
Replies
Good Evening & Welcome 🙏🙏
I am very very sorry to hear about your current situation.
I am one off the “Community Champion’s”
I would be more than happy in helping you with things if I can???
Please let me know how you feel????
@steve51
The stress of filling forms/gathering evidence/assessments and then lies in reports is putting us off with continuing to fight for the benefits.
I need to complain about the assessor. Any advice/tips?
Fill in WCA for for ESA- they’ll try to end it so my dad has to to go on universal credit?!!
Prepare for PIP tribunal... would I be allowed to speak on behalf of my father? He’s too proud and conservative with telling people how his conditions affect him!
btw for his ESA WCA Assessment- twice he was sent home as the assessor deemed him “ to sick to assess!”!!! Third time I refused to take him back so they assessed and put him in support group!
@Serendipity77 - I found myself in this position. From reading the advice (very good advice!) on this forum I came to this conclusion...
DWP apparently almost always go with the points score in the assessors report. To challenge their decision, I don't think it's worth concentrating on a strategy of "the assessor lied.” It’s better to help your father explain what issues he has,and give examples of how he is unable to complete certain task & what steps he has to take I order to manage i.e. whether he needs aids, or help from someone else. Maybe help hime keep a diary for a week or so?
As regards complaining about the assessor I have reluctantly concluded that this isn’t worthwhile as it’s like banging your head against the wall and no-one at the service provider seems to care. I did complain, but mainly because I didn’t want someone else to go what I had gone through.
They company were defensive from the start. They ‘lost’ my first letter (sent recorded and signed for), then I got ‘the assessor can’t remember’, and after a few more letters I got a begrudging apology that there were mistakes (after they had listened to my recording) Complete waste of my time and effort.
Use your time more productively and concentrate on providing good, clear examples in order to challenge the DWP decision.
Good luck!
Provide good specific easy to support examples.
it took me a long time to do all this but it’s worth it. If you look at some of my posts you’ll see the advice I was given hopefully which will be helpful for you too.
oh I’ve also put a complaint to the NMC regarding the nurse and her lies.
Feels like I’m not the only one fighting this system!
Having my own family and a stressful job, I need to, as you all advised, focus on what is worthwhile challenging.
Ive just filled in the ESA WCA form.
For PIP I’ll now evidence how he meets each descriptor.
Although his ulcers have healed on leg, he has had them for 8 years. If he was to start walking a lot and standing like he used to, they would definitely return.
His legs are still painful. DWP Assessors suggest he’s cured. How do I get my point across that his condition is stable not cured.
I just couldn't find the strength to fight them any further. Some weeks ago I found someone who would support me with a Tribunal hearing as previously there was no help in my area. This support and representation will come at a cost based on what the back pay is if I win. If I lose I won't owe anything.
How are things today??
It looks like you have had a great response from our members!!!!
I let me know if there’s anything else that would help you further???
@steve51
@Yadnad
The cuts to welfare rights has made it almost impossible to find support during an appeal. If I didn’t help my father, he would not have anyone else to help him.
I can advocate on behalf of others all day long, but when it comes to family I struggle. But I do hope to volunteer any future spare time to helping people with appeals and form filling for benefits.
You've had some brilliant advice from our community members and I just wanted to say how sorry I am to hear about your Dad's experiences- that must have been tough on you all, and I'm pleased to hear you'll be taking this further. Please do keep us updated and we'll advise where we can.
I do like the fact that Ash5896 said they have put in a complaint to the NMC and that is what I want to do as so many lies in the report is scandalous and letting down real medical professionals that have always treated me with dignity and respect. I am somewhat bothered though as I have heard if you complain you get marked down even more, it seems nobody is on the side of genuine disability cases and the ones holding any power are the assessors and the DWP. It is quite a struggle to keep fighting ones corner and trying to get anywhere.
i have a question in relation to medication.
my Dad used to have a carrier bag full of medication that he used to take daily. He had crazy side effects and affected his weight etc. One day he binned it all, and decided to invest in eating clean and using relaxation therapies/ cupping and things like magnesium flakes. This makes him feel in control and less worried about side effects. BUT the assessors think that if you don’t take tablets that are prescribed then you are not ill.
My my dad used to take naproxen and ibuprofen all the time for pain, but now uses a hot water bottle and curcumin tablets. Even if it’s placebo it helps him and we don’t need to worry about side effects.
Do dwp understand this? Can we justify this? Or do we just keep getting medication prescribed just to ensure our issues are seen as “real”???
they deffo do it for money and the hours.
normal paramedic starts at £21k whilst if you go to Atos aka IAS it’s £32. Go figure.
its really sad.
our GP is so busy he actually says “only one problem per appointment). Also once your over 60 they sort of fob you off. Apart from painkillers and antibiotics they try to avoid referring to other services.
I pay privately for alternative therapies for my dad. I do not have the time or strength to battle with the doctors.
Dress code is not in her competence for the NMC but she was dressed really unprofessional at the f2f. I do not like to judge people myself but from the minute she called me into the room I had a complete gut reaction that did not bode well.
She was wearing 3 inch stiletto high heels and a skirt one and a half inches above the knee, her eyelashes were caked in mascara and if she was a nurse representing her profession then heaven help the NHS. Sorry to be judgemental but how unprofessional.
I would imagine that the person who done that had too many side effects and was distressed they were feeling so bad. The answer is go back to G.P and get meds adjusted to suitable dosage. It can be depressing to find yourself on a lot of meds, perhaps it is best to ask for other therapies that can be beneficial after all being on too much meds long term does not help liver kidneys etc, even my consultant told me that and sent me off to pain management for their view on things.
In reality the individual now has little pain due to an improvement in his health, his mobility is far better than mine yet he recently received a review award of his PIP for another 5 years - Enhanced mobility/Standard care.
When asked why he does it and if he is worried about being caught he just says because he can. He briefly explained that he doesn't lie? but remembers how he was years ago when he was ill and disabled. and continues to repeat the same story/claim each time obviously backed up with an up to date repeat prescription list.
Some of the best and most accomplished liars that I have had the misfortune to come across are professionals - solicitors, accountants, bank managers etc not forgetting quite a few of my colleagues who sit as councillors - even one or two who actually have a gong!
I hope everyone is reasonably well today. This is just a check in with you guys and mostly an answer to ilovecats. I did say my assessor was incompetent and apart from what I have already said here is a bit more, I have long term chronic back problems, spondylosis of spine, sciatica which touches root nerve in leg injured knee which has now got arthritis in and so walking is a little bit difficult.
The assessor asked me to do a little bit of physical tests so okay I will do what I can if I cannot then I will say so. The so called health professional (although I would actually call her something else) asked me to bend my knees and crouch to the floor. I declined, at least she wrote declined to do this. Also without me getting up from chair she asked me to lift foot slightly off floor, I done that. So okay in physical tests she said she performed tests on left hand, considering I had to wear my left hand brace that day to support pain it fits all around my thumb and then fingers and reaches up as far as two inches over wrist the inside of it is moulded like a splint making it impossible to move anything at all around the hand, that is why I could not even drive to centre that day and got a taxi. I even told her you can touch right hand but you are not touching the left hand so she left it. The lies these people write are appalling does anyone know if those assessment rooms have cameras in although if anything actually got to court then we know that the PIP centre would conveniently lose the tapes for that day.
I do not like to complain about health professionals as the NHS staff that have treated me over the years are second to none and what they do for the pay they receive is all wrong, they should start paying basic nurses the rates that the damn Atos/Capita assessors get then PIP would have no assessors working for them.
Sorry to disagree with some that these people are good assessors but that is my experience.
As for the whole PIP process my daughter is fed up hearing about it and she has told me that she is phoning them up to tell them shove it where the sun does not shine. I have talked her out of that but she is fed up of me being upset.
Enjoy your day all.
I understand what you are saying about Apollo reporting the grievances to the HCPC. Although if Apollo has concerns then certainly that is a good thing to do. I cannot report my concerns to HCPC as my professional is not with them she will come under the NMC who are her regulatory body.
I am also reporting the HCP to Atos although something I already reported to them and asked for the complaints form they just told me that silly minor things are irrelevant and the DWP will just laugh, so I cannot see Atos taking any notice whatsoever about complaints.
That is why i asked does anybody know if there are any cameras in those PIP centers.
Enjoy your day.
If the regulatory body asked for any [email protected] footage to be used in any evidence would any be available they cannot lie about CCTV if they have some.
The government want to remove as many claimants as they can such draconian measures when will the voice of disabled claimants ever be listened to?
Just a reply to Apollo post of 28th Jan. I did see it yesterday and was leaving a post but I pressed the wrong key on keyboard and cleared the message so I was tired and left it until today.
I did look at the sites you put up, and that is a disgrace. Those poor claimants whose lives had been made a misery for months is so unfair.
I have contacted the NMC on-line and they said I would have a reply in three working days although I said I would send all documents by post delivery as I am not brilliant at I.T.
Right now I have a bigger headache to deal with only today received a letter from
Motability that P.I.P. have informed them from 30th Jan they are not paying me enhanced rate, Motability are okay although they were surprised I have not received my P.I.P award letter as yet and knew nothing of any decisions.
I have not been onto DWP today as I had a fall on Sunday badly hurt my knee and leg so when I went to GP he sent me to get an x-ray and I have been at hospital all afternoon. I have come back from there with crutches and painkillers.
I do like the way the health assessor said I could probably walk 200 metres
which was only based on assumption, since Sunday I have basically walked about 5 metres whenever I have hobbled around.
Maybe I feel a bit defeated because of the pain of the fall and feeling a bit tired what usually happens as still waiting for the awards letter.
All advice greatly appreciated from experienced and knowledgeable people on site.
I have never done the P.I.P. before as they are transferring me from DLA I know it is about how the disability affects your day to day life so I am learning, although I thought they at least would have notified me from DWP
Im so run down, drained and fed up! My father’s PIP decision letter arrived 10 days ago but is dated 24/1/2019.
They have removed his care but extended review period of enhanced mobility to 3 years....decision maker’s response was full of crap!
My father uses, walking stick, Aid to apply stockings, lives in adapted house, mother manages his medication and cold all meals. He needs help washing and bathing. PIP claimed he can wash his hair...my father is bald.
So many lies! I just don’t have the energy to deal with this! Got WCA to deal with too. This benefits system is pure torture!
I have to apply for mandatory reconsideration....please advise me on how to do it???
This whole process is taking a toll not only on my father but me and my young family.
CAB is a waste of time. There are hardly any welfare rights officers left who have capacity to take on cases! Fed up!!!
Firstly the Mandatory Reconsideration process : You have to contact the PIP line and register to them by telephone that you want a reconsideration, they will ask why. Once you have done that get your award letter and look at all the descriptors you disagree with and put your explanation as to what you disagree with and why and then get it posted to them. You have 28 days from the date of your award letter to do this and they like you to do that in correct time. At least you got the mobility descriptors so that is good news.
I do not know anything much about WCA is that the work capabilities assessment? I think others on the forum will know more about that.
Tell them the day and date you received the award letter and ask for the 28 days to reply to them
.
That is the only advice I can give as I had to do the same thing for Mandatory Reconsideration it is a headache doing all of it but best of luck.