Need guidance on PIP, been made to feel like a liar.

WendyS

Hello Everyone, Im new to the site and to claiming PIP. I have just been for a Capita Assesment to claim PIP and received my awards letter giving me Zero points. I have not yet asked to see a copy of the report and will do so when the offices are open again. In the decision letter it  seems to be a complete fabrication of what was said in the assessment and I feel like such a liar, it has made me feel ashamed, 
My situation is that I am 48 years old and I have severy Anxiety and Depression, most days I have to talk to myself into being logical and Im constantly feeling scared. I get physical symptoms including pins and needles and palputations. I also have Asthma and COPD, which of course is draining, both physically and emotionally. I have problems with the bottom of my back with 3 sections of my spine being damaged, this does not leave me completely immobile however I do need to use a stick sometimes and when very severe a walker. I also have borderline T2 diabetes. 
I do work and my employer is really supportive, I did work days until 2 years ago, being unable to handle the workload on days I have changed to night 30 hours on minimum wage. I get no benefits at all. I am a support worker ironically for Adults with Autism and the reason I do the nights is that is it so quiet. It is a home with 5 service users and they are usually in bed. I was no longer able to deal with behaviours, some activities, a lot of personal care. I have quite a bit of time off sick and am finding it increasingly difficult to handle the workload. I cannot praise my employer and my work colleagues enough helping me, they have been so understanding and the dynamics of the team on nights means that my colleagues are supportive and understanding with my predicament. 
At home I live with my son who unfortunately has his own problems, he was sectioned last year with 1st episode psychosis and is under the Early Intervention team. He has a support worker and sees a psychiatrist weekly. He does help but this depends on his mood. There are no signs of the psychosis returning.
I do drive and I work less than a mile away from home, I am comfortable with this. I dont like busy traffic and I would not do a longer journey or strange journey alone. 
Capita rang me to have an assessment the following day, I agreed and a friend took me. I found this very stressful and was upset by the time I arrived, shaking and sweating, The assessor had to put on a fan for me. As soon as I started talking I got distressed crying just talking to another person. I dont know why it just happened. I answered the questions honestly about my own routine, how this affects me and about my Job.  I did everything asked. When I have had my letter back I have scored 0 points and by the looks of it I can already see fabrications on the answers I gave. I am now going to ask for a Mandatory reonsideration and also complain about the assessor to Capita. 
Please help any guidance would be appreciated, I feel like Im being punished for trying to stay in work, I have good friends there and do not want to isolate myself any more than I do. Since receiving the letter It has made me so upset I feel dread at the future and cannot see a way forward. 

poppy123456

Hi,

PIP isn't awarded based on a diagnosis, it's how those conditions affect your ability to carry out daily activities based on the PIP descriptors.

You have 1 month from the date of the decision to request the MR. You should put this in writing stating where you think you should have scored those points and your reasons why. Adding a couple of real life examples of what happened the last time you attempted that activity for each descriptor that applies to you.

DWP and Tribunal won't be interested in any lies or contradictions that may have been told in the report they will only be interested in which descriptors you think apply and why.

Only 18% of MR decisions change so you'll most likely have to take it to Tribunal. Appearing in person will give you the best chance of a decision in your favour and 74% of those that do appear are successful.

This link will help you find what's local to you for face to face advice. https://advicelocal.uk/

This link will help you have more understanding of the PIP descriptors, what they mean and the criteria.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-the-assessment-criteria#daily-living-activities

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-the-assessment-criteria#mobility-activities

Good luck.

WendyS

Thanks Poppy! Ill take a look. 

cristobal

@WendyS - as Poppy says it's not about diagnosis but about whether you can do daily tasks, and mobilise.If you read your post you will notice that you haven't mentioned this at all but concentrated on your illness, work, and your son. This isn't what the DWP are looking for (a bit like not reading the question in an exam)

My advice is to study the PIP descriptors - Poppy has put links in her post - so that you know exactly what each 'descriptor' (i.e. daily ask or mobility) means.

Then go back and see which, if any apply.

Most of them have a sort of graduated scale - so say whether you can, for example, prepare a meal unaided. Or do you need aids? Or help? Or supervision? Or if you can't prepare a meal at all?

Give a couple of examples explaining each descriptor.


Good luck...

wilko

A lot of claiments don't read the filling in the PIP application form information booklet that comes to help and give you guidence for each question, descriptor that you are being asked to describe your abilities to or not do the  the descriptior being asked. Just putting down or saying it's because I have this or that illness, diagnosis is not enough. 

Opus

@wilko

Even when you do tell them the disability and restricted actions ,they still fudge and change them 

What theyre really interested in are the cases they cant ignore that are so obvious...

These people are $%%^$$ers......plain and simple!
Unless youre a liberal and believe they have your best interests at heart...It really is a lottery...

How can they know your restrictions?>   theyve not spent a day with you have they!......

wilko

@Opus, the accessor  hasn’t spent a day with you or any other claimants, but through their training, experience and knowledge of different illnesses, diagnosis and disabilities they understand what  the difficulty’s ,limitations and restrictions are likely to affect the many illnesses, disabilities and health problems that are presented to them on a daily basis. Just as we take our cars for a service the mechanic through his training and undertaking of many services of different makes and models of cars can make a diagnosis just by your telling him the symptoms. There is no lottery, luck of the draw just going prepared and presenting your claim correctly.

worried33

@wilko pip is not supposed to be awarded on diagnosis tho, so assigning or not assigning points because condition X is likely to or not likely to cause a restriction that fits descriptor Y is wrong.

Anything health related is a big lottery in itself, if you get to 80 years of age without any functional restrictions, congrats you a winner.  Then going to hospital is a lottery, some people get diagnosed and treated efficiently, others dont, even when presenting same symptons.  Most doctors whether its assessment or hospital appointment comment that I have no pain in their notes, this I have concluded that the medical profession has a flawed method of determining if a patient has pain.

So personally I think anything health related is a lottery, the chance of getting problems, the chance of diagnosis and of course the chance of benefits.  You can manipulate the odds, but you cannot control the outcome.

WendyS

Yeah, I was very accurate on the form and the interview.  I explained all my limitations of day to day life, Im in pain when walking too far, yes I do work and adjustments have been made there. I work 2 streets away from my home and have to drive there, I could never walk it.  My breathlessness is unbearable sometimes when im doing the simplest of things I have to sit to do most things, I get pain and terrible body cramps, My mental health has deteriorated so much its a constant fight to keep on top, I wont wash or dress if I dont have to, partly due to lack of motivation and partly due to the symptoms, they go hand in hand. My memory and processing is getting worse. I no longer use the grill on my cooker as 3 times I have forgotten about it and caused fires. The letter simply said that I could talk and explain myself so therefore Im not in pain, also that my movements were fluid even though I did not move from the chair apart from the end when they ask you to put your arms up etc. Which lets face it takes 2 mins and although I did it to the best of my ability it caused me pain to bend and caused breathlessness. According to the report I was practically performing Swan Lake in front of the Assessor whilst reciting the Oxford English Dictionary from memory. I dont have my report yet but I can see from the letter that the absolute opposite of what I actually said has been put down. Thankyou for your links etc Poppy and to everyone. I shall be calling the DWP to ask for a Mandatory reconsideration today. 

poppy123456

I wouldn't ring to request it yet. You need to put your request in writing as advised above. If you ring first and then send the letter, they may not wait for that letter and extra evidence, if you're sending it. I've heard of this happening many times. See my previous comment with advice on how to write the MR.