Just had PIP telephone assessment - Can you share your experiences and timelines you had

anxietyannie

Hi,
I made a new claim for pip on 17th February and had my telephone assessment this morning. I felt the assessor was supportive and understanding, i had read so many horror stories online prior to having this today. I suffer with Bipolar, clinical dpression and sever anxiety. My assessor was a mental health nurse so she understood everything I explained, well i got the impression she did. 
Ive waited 5 months to get to this point, can you share your award / non award experiences with this process and how long i should expect to wait. Also, if you thought your assessment went well and the award wasnt what you expected? Any info would be appreciated. 

poppy123456

Hi and welcome,

I've claimed PIP since 2013 and never had a problem. I claim purely for physical conditions. My daughter also claims PIP and has done since 2017, she claims because of ASD, learning disability and social anxiety. It's worth remembering that PIP isn't awarded based on a diagnosis, it's how those conditions affect your ability to carry out daily activity based on the PIP descriptors. It's very difficult to compare 2 people because we are all affected differently by these conditions.

Timescales? There isn't any, it all depends on backlog in your area. A decision can take anything from 2-8 weeks, sometimes longer. If you wait a week and you're living in UK then ring DWP to request a copy of the report to be sent to you, this will give you some idea what the decision is likely to be because they mostly go with the report. When you receive the report, look online for the descriptors and compare those with the recommendations in the report.

When reading on the internet, it's only natural that you'll mostly only ever read the bad stories. If someone's had a decision they're happy with then we don't hear their story because they have no questions to ask.

The good news is that with telephone assessments, rather than face to face it seems that a lot more people are being successfully awarded.

Good luck with your claim and if you're not happy with the decision then it's Mandatory Reconsideration then Tribunal, if that fails.

shazzy93

Hi, 

I had my assessment on 7th July and have been awarded today with money going in today. 

Shaz. Xx

jcalderwood

Applied on the 24th Feb and had phone assessment in the 1st May. I know they have made a decision but still waiting for word on what that decision is. (Decision was made on the 24th July)

poppy123456

jcalderwood said:

Applied on the 24th Feb and had phone assessment in the 1st May. I know they have made a decision but still waiting for word on what that decision is. (Decision was made on the 24th July)

If you ring they should now be able to tell you what that decision is. If it's a first time claim then backdated money is usually received before the letter.

jcalderwood

poppy123456 said:

jcalderwood said:

Applied on the 24th Feb and had phone assessment in the 1st May. I know they have made a decision but still waiting for word on what that decision is. (Decision was made on the 24th July)

If you ring they should now be able to tell you what that decision is. If it's a first time claim then backdated money is usually received before the letter.

I rang them this morning and they said that the decision needs to be approved by the case manager’s manager.. told to ring back at the end of the week

janer1967

Hi @anxietyannie Welcome to the community greatto have you on board

I have been claiming PIP for 4 years with no problems awarded standard care and enhanced mobility first time for 2 years.

Then had review and awarded enhanced for both for 5 years

I have physical disabilities

Good luck keep us updated

FairHairedFoodie

anxietyannie said:

Hi,
I made a new claim for pip on 17th February and had my telephone assessment this morning. I felt the assessor was supportive and understanding, i had read so many horror stories online prior to having this today. I suffer with Bipolar, clinical dpression and sever anxiety. My assessor was a mental health nurse so she understood everything I explained, well i got the impression she did. 
Ive waited 5 months to get to this point, can you share your award / non award experiences with this process and how long i should expect to wait. Also, if you thought your assessment went well and the award wasnt what you expected? Any info would be appreciated. 

I've detailed my full journey from the first phone call to the results of Mandatory Reconsideration here. I also have BP2 but my assessor was a paramedic and oh my goodness was the report a total steaming pile of 💩.

cupcake88

Hi there my disability is mental illness as well I applied in feb and just had my telephone assessment 6 days ago . Keep us updated on how you got on .