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PIP assessor phoning me at home, help.
firefly22
Member Posts: 28 Connected
Hello.
I had my PIP assessment two weeks ago.It was very long, over an hour and forty minutes.
After this on the Tuesday following I got a phone call at home from the assessor. I thought it was my mum as she had gone to the shops to pick some things up for me. I answered the phone and it was her asking me more questions about going out with my mental health.
I was quite shocked, didn't know what to say as I didn't expect it. After the call I was in a huge panic, thinking something was wrong, shaking, couldn't breathe, I had a bad stomach (sorry if TMI) and didn't calm down for hours.
I'd finally put it out of my mind, and the same woman from the ATOS office has called agan. I was resting and my mum took the call. She said she has more questions for me on that question. I'm in a panic again, the same thing, bad stomach, shaking.
I've never heard of it once, but now twice. It makes me worried something is going on here. And also, it feels a bit intrusive. I knew what to expect in the assessment centre, but now it's in my home.
They must have enough information, this was a REASSESSMENT too, a renewal. The forms had a lot of information too, and I was in there over almost two hours.
Part of my issues are mental health, and this is really not helping. Should we call the DWP and ask why I'm being called so much by the medical assessor. I've never had this.
Thanks for any help.
I had my PIP assessment two weeks ago.It was very long, over an hour and forty minutes.
After this on the Tuesday following I got a phone call at home from the assessor. I thought it was my mum as she had gone to the shops to pick some things up for me. I answered the phone and it was her asking me more questions about going out with my mental health.
I was quite shocked, didn't know what to say as I didn't expect it. After the call I was in a huge panic, thinking something was wrong, shaking, couldn't breathe, I had a bad stomach (sorry if TMI) and didn't calm down for hours.
I'd finally put it out of my mind, and the same woman from the ATOS office has called agan. I was resting and my mum took the call. She said she has more questions for me on that question. I'm in a panic again, the same thing, bad stomach, shaking.
I've never heard of it once, but now twice. It makes me worried something is going on here. And also, it feels a bit intrusive. I knew what to expect in the assessment centre, but now it's in my home.
They must have enough information, this was a REASSESSMENT too, a renewal. The forms had a lot of information too, and I was in there over almost two hours.
Part of my issues are mental health, and this is really not helping. Should we call the DWP and ask why I'm being called so much by the medical assessor. I've never had this.
Thanks for any help.
Replies
I hate not being able to see the person and really struggle with that. I have mental health issues, but we suspect I have Aspergers through a few things, and this is something I really find difficult, so to have to speak on the phone is a lot of trouble to me.
I think I've seen you elsewhere. I came to another forum too as I can't explain the panic I'm in, and just wanted double the traffic.
Thank you. The trouble is, I feel all of the questions have been answered now. How many times going out, where to, and the fact it causes a panic.
I just don't know why it's still the medical assessor too. Two weeks afterwards isn't it usually sent off to a decision maker?
What does it mean to go to audit?
I'm just so bad on the phone too.
Should we ask if it's under audit and perhaps this is why there are now multiple calls afterwards?
I don't even know if it's that.
It seems you are exactly right.
She hadn't phoned back and my mum could see how much distress I was in and so called the centre and asked to speak to a manager explaining it all and that it was all making me a lot worse.
The man was apologetic and said she is new and they do an internal assessment of the reports before they go out and they have some issues with hers.
She's too busy to call today, so it'll most likely be tomorrow. It's just all added stress, as if the medical alone isn't stressful enough!
At least if the result is bad it will help in an appeal/MR situation. That the manager has been apologetic about it and said the issue is she is new, it can't hurt.
My advice in cases like this is to tell them to put the questions in writing that way there can be no confusion in what has been asked and what the replies were.
The DWP and assessors are far too handy in using the telephone especially when it involves something as important as an assessor's report or indeed anything relating to benefits claims.
I agree, it seems she's abusing it a bit too, and it's on my PIP and ESA forms that I struggle on the phone with communicating what I actually mean or think. As I said, we think it may be Aspergers, but I don't do well on the phone and misunderstand the people on the other end.
I wonder in the report whether it will state a difference in when my answers came, if it will be noted certain answer came form the phone, the first one in a surprise call I couldn't prepare for at all? I would think it has to be, but I have no idea.
Sorry, that was a joke.
The system is already falling apart time wise. I am pretty sure that a claimant to protect themselves would not object to a couple of weeks longer. Do I presume that you are assuming that with letter writing and not knowing who has written the letter that the claimant could well have intentionally colluded with others when giving the answers? Wow not very trusting.
Do you seriously expect us to accept what you say about the questions and answers being properly recorded on the report form? The many reports I have heard about on this site are generally full of lies including my own two. Even the Tribunals disregard the assessors reports as being normally a fairy tale.
So afterwards I could leave it there in the centre and home is where I'm safe, but to phone out of the blue twice, it feels like an invasion in my safe place.
It's hard not to stress about it, having answered these questions twice already and knowing I struggle on the phone. It's really taking it's toll on me.
So, I'm guessing she's given me a bad result then. I was on the enhanced rate for both.
I wish I had gotten anyone else now.
1) It will inevitably slow things down
2) It makes no sense to have an assessment in which you respond to the assessor's questions as they are asked and don't have a written record, but then insist that supplementary questions are put in writing.
Oh, so you was an assessor?
And you made calls to people at home afterwards?
I was thinking that it was quite rare and the DM did it instead. At least it can happen, especially with new assessors. But as it stands, we're two weeks past my medical and clearly the DWP hasn't got a report yet. She seems to have delayed it enough.
My advice has been that as you are not obliged to give your telephone numbers to anyone so why would you? Dealing with any government department and especially the DWP everything should be done in writing. That way there can be no confusion as to what was said by whom.
My other PIP was middle. The man didn't seem to care at all, but I got a good result.
This one has taken me by surprise. The assessment was awful and went on so long, my whole body had seized up in the chair for that long and now all these complications that have dragged it on and also made my health take a decline.
If you were able as an exercise to read both of my reports you would come to the conclusion that I do not have any form of disability. In fact at the age of 69 I am fitter than most men that are under 45! The look on the face of the Tribunal chairman when he asked me if it really was true despite all of the evidence supplied that I still played senior level rugby union said it all! From then on the report was completely dismissed.
However I don't believe that constantly making negative posts about what is wrong (and under your previous username @yadnad)helps anyone.
Do you genuinely not have anything positive to say?
I am not moaning and do not believe that my posts are negative. It's plain common sense that for as long as the assessors and the DWP produce and accept these assessments as being true and totally accurate and represent what was said at the assessment then contact with the aforesaid people should always be carried out via letter. Up to 48% of PIP claimants have no trust in those that administer the system. So as to have a clear record of what is or isn't said in a telephone conversation should instead be put in writing.
Even today what M/s Rudd said about the 280,000 pensioners in receipt of PIP has made a mockery of what she said in March this year. If she was running the railways she would be installing turntables at every junction on the off chance that she wanted to go backwards.
Let's move on ...this isn't adding anything to the topic as far as I can see...
However, I suppose I seem like I'm moaning too, however when the stress they put you through gets so bad, I suppose we all wish to vent or moan. And it is stressful, no matter if you try not to worry, or not think about it, it's still there.
As I said previously my assessment wasn't done well and I've had a whine about it. If you look through this forum a lot of others are the same - their first post is a full page moan about how bad their assessment was. Everyone understands this, and it actually does them good to vent.
In the long term constantly making negative posts doesn't do any good (in my opinion) It's not good for the poster, and it's certainly not good for anyone else reading the forum because there are times when perfectly good advice (in my opinion) is lost in posts about how poor the system is.
You may or may not believe that my assessment was done poorly and, if I'm honest, the only reason I can be certain about that is because I recorded it. I acknowledge that other claimant's assessment's went badly, and that's is down to the assessor but it's also clear to me, if you read through the posts, that:-
Some people haven't read through the form before completing it so they don't know what the criteria are
Some people think that they will qualify for PIP if they attach more than xx pages of reports from their clinicians.
Some people apply on a 'wing and a prayer'
I was angry and annoyed about my assessment but my answer is to try and post something positive.
In my opinion, constant negativity by @yadnad and others doesn't help anyone. All that it achieves (in my opinion) is to portray the system as a lot worse than it actually is...
Unless you make it so simple for the DWP to understand a claim then you are onto a bad decision. That's the level of quality of their staff. They find it difficult to understand anything that is not black and white.
It went OK I think, it was different questions to before, how I cope with panic attacks and how I would cope on my own etc. She says she thinks she has it all now.
I'm terrible on the phone and I'm expecting a bad result, but I just hope it's over now!
Scope
If you have a few minutes to spare, we'd appreciate your feedback on our online community.
I've been better now it's over and I'm trying to tell myself it's all done now. Hopefully it really is this time.
I'm sorry to hear you want your account deleted. I'll contact you by email to explain the process and we'll get it sorted for you ASAP.
Best wishes,
Adrian
Scope
If you have a few minutes to spare, we'd appreciate your feedback on our online community.
Scope
If you have a few minutes to spare, we'd appreciate your feedback on our online community.
The reason I've had to email with regards to closing your account, is that there are different ways of doing this, such as leaving your content intact but deleting your account, or by deleting everything and I need your explicit permission to do either. If you can let me know your preference, I'll be able to assist with this.
Additionally, if you'd like to make a complaint, you can do so here.
Scope
If you have a few minutes to spare, we'd appreciate your feedback on our online community.
Lot's of people who post on here - and I'm one - have had a bad experience with PIP but I don't think that constantly making negative posts on here helps anyone. People seem to 'vent' and then move on and I'm sorry that you can't do that. If you check back through this topic you will see what I mean.
Personally I've always thought of this forum as been for 'advice'. I wonder if your posts about Amber Rudd and "tories would send you up a chimney' might be better on a political forum?
When I became ill I get stressed very easily and also see a lot of negative in things.Whatever happens I always see the worst... I can't change that - it's just the way i am now.
If someone/something is making me stressed I ask myself "Can I actually change this?" If the answer is "No" then I try (and this is the hard bit) to just let it wash over me and not worry.
The same with thinking negative thoughts. I have to think all of the time "What's the positive in this?" and look at the positive rather than the negative. Same with posting on the internet, although I do lapse from time to time!
Can't help with your Housing I'm sorry as I've not claimed it but there is another forum for that I think..