Still no pip decision

fizzy123

Hi 

I posted here a few weeks ago about not hearing anything about my pip claim. I went in for a f2f assessment on jan 14th an I haven’t heard anything since, I rang up pip last Monday an was told that it should have been dealt with by now but it hasn’t so the advisor said he would email the caseworker and find out what’s going on an that I should hear something in the next day or two.

now it’s been 8-9 days again an I haven’t heard anything should I contact them again? Or just leave it?

i don’t want to keep ringing and asking as the advisor would ask the caseworker again about it an might just risk being denied pip because I kept annoying them maybe I’m just being abit paranoid about it, it has been a long time though I’m just not sure what to do about it now

CockneyRebel

Hi fizzy123

Have you asked for a copy of the assessment report ?

This will give you an indication of what has been recommended

wilko

Hello, have you requested your assessment report, this will arrive about ten days or so after requested. On receiving you will be able to see what your award may should be, but you still have to wait until you get the official award notification letter.

fizzy123

I have not no, i fee quite anxious ringing them so always chicken out of asking for it I know it sounds stupid 

CockneyRebel

It doesn't sound stupid at all. many people feel the same. However, it will help you prepare if the award is not what you believe it should be

fizzy123

Well I managed to get myself to ring today for the assessment report but after the call I received my decision letter where I was awarded 0 points so I guess the battle continues, I wanted to ask does the asseser asign the points or is it the decision maker I’m abit confused by that.

The decision makers has decided to put in there own assumptions when it comes to things I struggle with there’s a few things that I said I was ok with doing which they agreed with but the difficulties I mentioned seemed to have been ignored the only mention I got was with going out which I don’t do unless I have too like a appointment an the decision maker just said I think you can manage safely which contradicts what I said lol just seems like a big joke I didn’t expect to have to go through this much to get pip, ive worked for 14 years before I got depression and anxiety 2-3 years ago an the help that’s out there is shockingly limited.

twonker

If the decision is that they say that you can do something yet you said you can't then the assessor/decision maker simply didn't believe you.
PIP can be a long drawn out benefit to claim. It has over the past couple of years been tightened up no end.
In fact so much so that what points/award you would have received in 2014, is now difficult to get.
Obviously the government are trying to protect the money that they are paying out by carrying out these assessments. 
It doesn't matter how many years you have worked or how much tax and national insurance you have paid in. 
You do have the right to appeal but be warned it may well take another year at least before that appeal is heard and once again you are going to have to prove to the Tribunal that what you are claiming is true and that you must get more than 8 points to stand any chance of getting the lowest award.

fizzy123

I’m going to wait till I get the full report from the assessment before I go for MR so I know what they missed or ignored 

CockneyRebel

You should request the MR in writing within one month of the date on your decision letter. If you have or expect to get further evidence that you will be submitting then you can ask them to wait until it is received

fizzy123

ilovecats said:

fizzy123 said:

I’m going to wait till I get the full report from the assessment before I go for MR so I know what they missed or ignored 

It may not be that they missed or ignored anything. It may be that they just disagree with you or you don’t have strong enough evidence to back up your claims.

There’s not much else evidence I could submit I sent a copy of my prescription, gp letter, mental health access team letter aswell as letter from my therapist. The reason I say ignored or missed is because in the decision letter the decision maker has wrote that I only take medication and don’t have any specialist mental health support but my evidence would have proven that I do.

Fetlock

ilovecats said:

fizzy123 said:

I’m going to wait till I get the full report from the assessment before I go for MR so I know what they missed or ignored 

It may not be that they missed or ignored anything. It may be that they just disagree with you or you don’t have strong enough evidence to back up your claims.

Out of interest, as an assessor, what would you need to see in order to tik one of the boxes for planning and following journeys/overwhelming psychiatric distress?

If someone doesn't leave the house except for GP or hospital appointments and is always accompanied then to them but makes it to the asessment centre seems to rule points out, even if signs of anxiousness/stress are present during the consultation.

So would it have to be a home visit and still visible signs of stress on that visit in order to qualify? Or what evidence would they need to supply in order to qualify?

The bar or this one seems almost impossibly high and hard to evidence. If someone rarely goes out and only accompanied when they do, and also are taken in a car, if its been like years I imagine they'd be short on examples as to what happened the last time they tried, because they haven't tried.

Elizabeth1

Sorry to jump in I’ve applied for pip had a home visit. I’ve been putting off applying , reading this has made me think I will need get pip . I have arthritis , fybromyalgia depression and anxiety. So because I do attend hospital/ doctors appointment sometimes I won’t score any points. I have cancelled appointments with doctors I don’t know as if had bad panic attacks before leaving the house even all my tablets didn’t help. But I thought it’s important to try and attend appointment that will help me.