New, frustrated, scared & angry - PIP

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pagodaswan

Hello

I apologise for the long post...especially as it is my first here...but I am just so confused and upset by the PIP assessment process and how the firm doing assessments is treating me

A little background first.

In 2017 my DLA low care for life was stopped as part of the transition pruning to PIP.  I requested mandatory reconsideration and that failed.  So I appealed.....3 years later and 3 phone tribunals and two upper tribunals later its back with upper tribunal.  The last phone tribunal was so bad that I left my own room and my advocate/support worker told them to call back which they did and they turned me down, squashing all previous points acrued.  So as I say, that is back at upper tribunal and awaiting a date.

In the meantime I decided to make a new claim after taking advice.  Submitted the new claim in October 2019 clearly stating the need for a home assessment and that they must arrange through my advocate/support worker so that she will be here with me.

First appointment came though......to me, not my advocate/support worker......she was unable to attend so she rang them reminded them to go through her for a date, they cancelled and told her they would rearrange through her.

Second appointment came through.....again to me and not my advocate/support worker....again my advocate/support worker unable to attend, reminded AGAIN to make appointments through her, they cancelled

Third appointment arrived, through advocate/support worker......advocate/support worker arrived as planned.....assessment company cancelled - no-one available to attend - after we had waited 3 hours

Fourth appointment arrived through advocate/support worker.....advocate/support worker arrived as they called her - no-one available to attend

Formal written complaint lodged....apologies and compensation agreed for their mistakes

Fifth appointment arrived through advocate/support worker.....assessment completed......this was on Feb 19 this year

Today I get a "we have rearranged your PIP assessment to March 19" letter

My advocate/support worker is on leave so I rang PIP assessments..."what is going on, I completed the assessment last week"

"We want more information so you must agree to an assessment"

I mentioned that there had already been a catalogue of errors, apologies sent, compensation agreed (although still not received) and that an assessment was doen last week and the woman who did it took a GP letter and my Mental Health Practioner letter stating my conditions and treatments and limitations etc and that the constant and stressful situation that the assessment firm keep throwing at me are becoming life threatening......seriously life threatening

"Well you must have an assessment or your claim for PIP will be voided....your choice" and she hung up on me

I have left a message at my advocate/support worker's office but she is not back til Monday next week.....

What do I do?

I am at the end of my rope with these people...they have more than enough evidence so why are they torturing/punishing me?

skullcap

This situation is not entirely new. Many have had a face to face assessment only to find that the assessor failed to record things and/or the report has been lost and consequently the claimant will have to go for another face to face assessment. 
Not much you can do about this that is if you want a PIP award.
I would also add that many claimants go to these assessments on their own. The claimant is the person that needs to answer the questions. Have you considered just taking a friend with you to sit with you? I had my assessment to transfer from DLA to PIP when I was 66, 5 years ago. I wanted the assessment to be between the assessor and myself so I went on my own.