Assessment report recieved.

Loverofwords

Hi everyone.

I hope you're all safe and well?
I had my telephone assessment for my pip review on the 12th November after being contacted following some cancelations. I'll admit I was extremely nervous as my initial assessment bore no recolection to the events. I completed a MR and sucessfully went from 0 points to 11 overall. 8 DL 4 MOB.

I requested my report and recieved this on 21st. I was relieved to find upon opening and reading it that it was a true reflection of my assement and my nurse, according to the report seems to specialise and know about my condition which doesnt usually happen.
It seems the assessment report has given higher discriptors this time, due to worsening of my condition and quite a high change in treatment and medication since my last assessment.

I know it's hard to advice, but is it common for the decision maker to go off the assessment report, along with the heaps of evidence and medical reports I've sent in or can/will they lower points which have been advised on the report?

My award was due to end in October but due to Covid, I was told this had been extended. However, if I'm awarded the higher award, will this difference be backdated or will this still be from when the decision was made?

Again, apologies for all the questions, but how long roughly following the Decision maker recieving the report does it take for a decision to be made. Overall last time it was10 months from start to MR decision.

The lady on the helpline advised me that sometimes reports are queried. I have no idea what this means, so advice would also be appreciated on this. She didn't say mine was being queried, just that it can happen.

Mnay thanks 

poppy123456

HI,

They mostly go with the report, it's unusual for them to go against it, although it can happen. Speaking from personal experience, for me they've always gone with the report.

You can use the PIP descriptors online to add up the recommended scores for the descriptors, if you haven't already done this. I find the PIP self test good for this. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/pip-test

If the decision is a higher award then itshould be from the date of the decision.

Hopefully you're not waiting too long for the decision but there's no timescales. Good luck.

Loverofwords

@poppy123456 thanks so much for your fast response. It looks as though the assement report would give me 10 for care and 10 for mobility, which I'm hoping is what they decide to go with.

I'll keep you posted.

cupcake88

Hi there good luck . With this being a review did you get the same points when you got pip the first time round or did you have to do a MR for that as well ? 

Loverofwords

@cupcake88 thanks for your reply.
On my initial assessment I was awarded zero for both elements, and the DM went with the report. I then submitted a MR and DM changed award to 8 pts for care and 4 for mobility.
This is my first review which going off the assessment report they have recommended 10 pts care and 10 pts for mobility. 

cupcake88

is that the same amount you received before your review ?

Loverofwords

No, before my review it was standard care but my review assessment looks like they have recommended standard mobility too. I'm just not sure if DM deduct points. 

cupcake88

Keep us updated with how you get on 

cupcake88

Did they stop your old pip or have you still been getting it till they make there decision ?

janer1967

@cupcake88 your money does not stop they contact you in enough time to complete the review before the current award ends eg 6 months before . When a new decision has been made if there is a change in award then the new award takes over even if it is before the date the current award ends

eg if your award ends in Jan then you get the forms in August if you then have an assessment and a decision in say October the new award will start then and cancel out the old award 

Loverofwords

I've still been getting my pip. Award was due to end in October but they extended it for 6 months due to covid

cupcake88

Aww great thank you for explaining 

Loverofwords

@cupcake88 No probs at all. Still patiently waiting for that brown letter lol. Hope you're well x

Ross_Scope

Hope it arrives soon @Loverofwords  

Loverofwords

Good morning all. 
I've received a payment into my bank account this morning from pip which I'm guessing and hoping is a back payment following a decision from my renewal as I'm not due a usual payment until the 29th.

I'll of course await the decision letter, but will this reset my payment dates or is it a one off payment and my usual payment dates will stay the same.

I've tried to work out the rates and divided them by the amount in my account but I'm struggling to get a solid figure for which rate I have been given as it's either under or over for standard or enhanced.

As always,
Thanks for all your advice.
X

poppy123456

Sounds like a decision's been made but you'll either need to ring them or wait for the letter to arrive.

When it's a review changes usually take affect from the date of the decision, rather than when you sent the form back. Only when reporting a change of circumstances money is backdated to the date you rang to report the changes.

Loverofwords

Thanks @poppy123456

I've just spoken to a lovely lady on the helpline who advised me that a decision had been made on Friday just gone and it's backdated money as I have finally been awarded the standard rate for mobility this time as well as daily living.

They also told me that my award is until 2023 so it looks like they have gone with the report for points and given me a double award time. 

Still waiting on the decision letter though. 

Xx

cupcake88

Wooooooooooo so you got back pay for the mobility ? That’s so good I’m so happy for you . I received my payment way before my report and letter also ha . 

poppy123456

Are you saying they backdated the mobility part further than the date the decision was made?

Loverofwords

@poppy123456 it seems that way as the lady on the phone said it had been backdated to when they received my forms?!?

Thanks @cupcake88 I'm hoping to have the letter asap so I have it in black and white xx

Uselessgov6

Thats good news ,i had my phone assessment  on the 26 th nov and am still waiting  on a decision 

Tori_Scope

Welcome to the community @Uselessgov6! Fingers crossed it won't be too long before you hear back. Feel free to start your own discussion if you have any questions or concerns about the process  

chiarieds

Hi @Uselessgov6 - welcome to the community & thank you for joining.

Ross_Scope

Welcome to the community @Uselessgov6, interesting username  

Loverofwords

@cupcake88 I hope you had a lovely Christmas and New Year.
I'm just wondering how long after your back pay did you recieve the letter?
Mines coming up to almost 5 weeks and I've not received it yet. X

poppy123456

Loverofwords said:

@cupcake88 I hope you had a lovely Christmas and New Year.
I'm just wondering how long after your back pay did you recieve the letter?
Mines coming up to almost 5 weeks and I've not received it yet. X

A decision letter should have been received well before now. My advice is to give them a ring and ask them to send the letter again.

Loverofwords

Thanks @poppy123456
Maybe it's been posted to a neighbour's house. I guess I'll never know. I've been trying to phone them all week but haven't been able to hold over 30 mins. X

poppy123456

Try ringing as soon as they open at 9am. I rang them on Monday at that time and was waiting just 3 minutes before someone answered.

Tori_Scope

Were you able to give them a call this morning @Loverofwords? 

Loverofwords

Hi @Tori_Scope
I managed to get through to them yesterday and they told me that my decision letter couldn't be opened as it hadn't been scanned onto my file so they have requested the decision maker to send out a duplicate copy. 
I'm guessing the first one hadn't been printed and sent out. 

Tori_Scope

That's frustrating @Loverofwords. At least they're aware now, and hopefully it'll be sent across soon! 

Loverofwords

Hi all.
I have finally received my decision letter which has been dated 11th Jan which must have been redone.

When I phoned in December, the lady stated my award had been made until 2023, however my letter states 2022.

In the letter the DM has said he has awarded me for a longer time due to my worsening condition, however going off the dates this award is 6 months less than my last one.

Do you think an error of dates has been added to my newly written letter? Should I query this?
I don't want to trigger them to look at the whole thing again but they've removed a whole year off my award it seems just by sending a duplicate letter.

poppy123456

It could be an error but on the other hand you could have misheard what she said on the phone, or she could have even read it incorrecty. This award being for a shorter time than your previous one doesn't mean it was an error.

Loverofwords

Hey @poppy123456.

The DM put in my New award lettwr that he's made my award longer than my last one?

But this one has been put down shorter than my last one by 6 months  so it doesn't match what he's written. 

That's what's thrown me, and the lady definitely said 2023 because I wrote it down and confirmed it twice with her x

poppy123456

Then the only way to know for sure is to ring them and ask.

Loverofwords

That wouldn't trigger them to look at the whole thing again would it?

poppy123456

No, providing you don't mention the MR. Just ask them to check the award length is correct.