Confused about assessor's report

PaganLady

Hi you lovely lot! 
I have just received the Assessors full report as request after my Pip review and it has led to some confusion. If you have read my previous post you will have seen how lovely my Assessor was while reviewing my claim during a home visit and he was BUT he was inaccurate in some of his point scoring and comments in which I clearly mentioned both in my review form and the F2F.  All in all though, I have scored 12 points in each category (just) suggesting that if the decision maker agrees, would entitle me to the enhanced rate as opposed to the current standard rate that I'm on and I'm wondering if I should challenge this still because I worry it could affect the next review which he had suggested should be in 2yrs time even though he has said he doesn't expect many changes by then. to give some examples, I now need help to dress my upper body but he has said lower body only, I need help washing my hair and back but he's marked that I need help getting in & out the bath as he failed to take into account the pain in my upper arms for the other two reasons and said that I refused a medical examination when in fact he himself said he wasn't going to carry one out as he could see I was clearly in too much pain (is this normal to write this on a report regardless of who's decision it was, like, is there only one option an Assessor can choose when one isn't performed does anyone know?) Of course, I will challenge if the DM doesn't award me my rightful amount but what would you advise I do even if he does? Thank you x 

poppy123456

Hi,

As the recommendations are Enhanced for both parts then there's nothing to challenge at this time because you can't have a higher award than is already recommended. I agree that contradictions are not nice but it would be pointless requesting the MR because you could lose everything.

It's very rare for them to go against the report and they usually go with the recommendations.

PaganLady

Hi Poppy, thank you for your helpful and sensible reply as always. I feel better about that side of things now.  But can I be penalised for 'refusing the medical' as he put it do you know?
I hope you are well x

poppy123456

You're welcome. At this stage no because the recommendations in the report suggest Enhanced for both and it's very rare for them to go against that. You will of course need to wait for the decision but i'll be very surprised if they do go against it.

Good luck but please come back and let us know when the decision is made. I'm sure everything will be fine.

PaganLady

Thank you so much Poppy, Truly grateful for your advice and encouraging words.
I will certainly do that, have had the letter saying they have all the information they need so hopefully any day now x

twonker

poppy123456 said:

You're welcome. At this stage no because the recommendations in the report suggest Enhanced for both and it's very rare for them to go against that. You will of course need to wait for the decision but i'll be very surprised if they do go against it. 

Which actually proves what everyone thinks that the DWP do not consider any other evidence submitted bar the assessment report!

PaganLady

Hi everyone, well I have had my decision letter and yes, they have awarded me the enhanced rate instead of the standard rate that I was on for both components.  I also received a back payment of almost two thousand pounds which dates back to November of last year when they received my review form which was a nice surprise.  I think I had back pay because the Assessor wrote on his report that he thought my worsening disabilities had been present for 'over three months.'

Adrian_Scope

Hello @PaganLady, that's brilliant news about both the award and back pay! Thank you for coming back and updating us. 

PaganLady

You're welcome - yes, It was a welcome surprise as I needed to replace my Rollator for getting about.  I had read that you don't get back pay if they instigate a review as opposed to you reporting any changes so I can only think that it was because of what the Assessor wrote about my changes being present for at least three months..Who knows? (I requested his full report a couple of days after the assessment and would urge others to do the same who don't already because it really does give you an idea of the possible outcome so you can prepare if need be) He was right about that anyway but I didn't report it myself for fear of rocking the boat as it were and assessments are stressful enough, I just couldn't face it.  I will be getting reviewed again after two years the decision letter said as I've started new bio meds for my Rheumatoid Arthritis which they say might ease my difficulties even though the Assessor wrote that he expected it might stay the same..I started them six months ago and there's been no change so...I just hope that the next Assessor I get is as honest as the recent one if there is still no change but I'm not going to dwell on that, it will be what it will be. 

Adrian_Scope

Great advice for others, thanks @PaganLady, we'd always urge people to request a copy of the report where possible. 

PaganLady

It really is valuable advice, I wasn't aware of this myself before joining this fab site - thank you, thank you all x

[Deleted User]

That's good news @PaganLady I'm still waiting to hear back. My Son called to ask for my report AGAIN and the person on the phone told him they hadn't made a decision yet.

PaganLady

Thanks WF2k, over for another two years thank Heaven's.  Was this a review or a first time claim? Of course I have no way of knowing what's happening for you but going on my own experience, (mine was a review) it took a while to come too.  I was sent the review forms last November and only got an assessment date a couple of months ago.  I requested a copy of the full report the next day and only received it about a week ago so I know they can take time.  Did you ask for the Assessors FULL report because you are sent a very basic one along with your decision letter which makes me wonder if that's what they were referring to when they said they hadn't made their decision yet? If so, I suggest you call them back and explain that you want a copy of the Assessors full report.  I hope you get it sorted/hear soon x

[Deleted User]

It was a review, I have no idea about the report, my Son called and asked for it (twice), the person at the DWP said he would print a covering letter with it to make sure we knew that a decision hadn't been made yet to send a long with the report.

When he first called and asked for the report it was three weeks after the assessment (neither of us like using the phone due to anxiety) they said they didn't have the report yet and said it was weird, they said they would request the report and then send us a copy, they sent me a text the following day to say they now had the report but never sent a copy.