Home visits, walking distances and other little twists

CockneyRebel

Every so often some bright spark at the DWP or HCP comes up with seemingly innocent questions that are really loaded against a claimant.

Not so long ago, they were asking how long can you walk for but the requirement is how far you can walk. this in turn leave the distance very much a matter of opinion. Do you walk at a fast, slow or very slow pace ? 

Being able to walk for just one minute does not seem to be unachievable, if fact many when asked would agree to 1 or 2 minutes. At a very slow pace, which equates to up to 40 metres per minute, could easily be interpreted as 50 metres or more, putting you in the 4 point descriptor.

Recently, you are likely to be denied a home visit without very strong evidence from your GP. If you can attend your GP surgery or other appointments then you can obviously leave your house. There is, in my mind, a very big difference between travelling 5 minutes to see your GP for a prearranged 10 minute appointment and having to travel sometimes up to 90 minutes to an assessment centre. Then when you arrive you might be left waiting for an hour before being called into a 90 minute assessment. I really don't see how the two scenarios compare.

I have also heard that some people are being asked what they would do if the building was on fire. Unless you have been in that situation it is impossible to answer. We would all like to think that a miracle would happen and somehow we would manage to get out some how. I have been in the situation, smoke soon overcomes you and in my case I collapsed. Fortunately for me the firebrigade risked their lives to rescue me.

Have you come across any seemingly innocent but loaded questions ?

Please let us know of your experiance

debsidoo

Hi @CockneyRebel
I was once asked if I had a tv in the kitchen obviously this was meant to ascertain how much time I spent in there.
   Debsidoo.x

CockneyRebel

I wonder if a TV in the kitchen is classed as an aid to learn to cook

poppy123456

CockneyRebel said:

I wonder if a TV in the kitchen is classed as an aid to learn to cook

Love it...

freckles

Probably the questions are getting diabolical tv in your kitchen if only we could afford a tv in our kitchen mines bare

thespiceman

Hello @CockneyRebel   Thanks for sharing where do I begin.

Started first in the eighties applying for benefits. Why it still  rankles with me the memories.

Grey haired Doctor in the assessment for Incapacity benefit .  You can open a door with your hands. He uttered .  As I entered the room. Have fingers missing.

You can work.

Another one what do you watch on TV.?  I mentioned my favourite programmes.  Usual quiz and those of educational sorts, documentaries and science and art.

With the subtitles on.

Said to me why does that make you smarter than me. I am the Doctor. I replied back well I am very educational you will walk away from here saying that will taught me a lesson.  Those days had to .

Got hearing loss.  So he saying my name quietly so I could not hear asking him reacting what did you say..

Pardon excuse me.

He then spoke can you speak up cannot hear you your mumbling.

 I arrived with my support worker at an assessment . Where most of the interview was directed towards my support worker.  Insinuations and undercurrents of why I need a support worker.

This went on for an about ten minutes.  Not shy and very forth coming with her comments.

As I sat there.  Suddenly turned into a rant over me and the mental health issues plus addiction history.

So if I have a drink tonight and continue on for a few days does that make me an alcoholic.

Stunned silence for a minute.  Well what is an alcoholic? . I want to know she hollered.  

 I do not believe any of this.  You do not look like an alcoholic.

Shocked and stunned .  

I still get the shivers with that one.  All I did then was talk with my support worker intervening saying long addiction history.

Adding my mental health as well.  Mentioned that as well.  You do look mentally ill or anxious .

Beyond the ridiculous.

Take care.

@thespiceman

cristobal

I have problems with memory which I put on my application and I mentioned again when i had my assessment.

Q "Have you seen your GP about this/"
A "Yes - he made me do some memory tests"
Q " What was the result?"
A " I can't remember!"

I genuinely couldn't remember, although I imagine the assessor thought I was being smart!

Yadnad

cristobal said:

I have problems with memory which I put on my application and I mentioned again when i had my assessment.

Q "Have you seen your GP about this/"
A "Yes - he made me do some memory tests"
Q " What was the result?"
A " I can't remember!"

I genuinely couldn't remember, although I imagine the assessor thought I was being smart!

Hey I love that one.

I too went through two gruelling days of those tests plus a brain scan. On my PIP2 I explained what the impact was because of those issues. Then asked if I had any evidence to support that? Yes I have it's in the 5 page report that I sent in with the PIP2 idiot!. Result - 14 reasons why I don't have any mental health issues - errr.