Pip wrong decision

afells

Hi my wife has been awarded enhanced for daily living and standard for mobility which is a relief as we were dreading the initial assessment but we have a positive result! However, on the decision write up it states that my wife can make a planned journey to see her regular gp and small walks to the post box etc as long as she is accompanied by me (her husband). She cannot do this alone, only with the help of me. She has been awarded 10 points for this answer cannot undertake any journey as it would cause me overwhelming psychological distress whereas I am under the impression on the descriptors, she should score 12 points as she cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person? Any help would be appreciated, is this good grounds to start the reconsideration process? 

afells

Anyone else with advice please 

ASDIBS

You could ask for a reconsideration and write about what would happen if you weren't there to assist your wife on a familiar journey

woodbine

Or you could see enhanced and standard as a decent result?

afells

Yes it is an amazing result but my query is, my wife has informed them that she can leave the house on a familiar journey only accompanied by myself. The descriptors say that should be 12 points? They are also stating in writing on her decision that she doesn't take any journey. So what would happen if the dwp seen my wife out with me? They would surely say that she shouldn't be out? We are just stating facts to them and their decision is contradicting

janer1967

If you feel the decision is wrong then go for mr and detail what descriptor you feel is wrong and why 

You can do this by phone but always follow up in writing 

MR are not always successful and would then be tribunal where they will look at the whole award 

How long is the award for ? If it is short award it may not be worth going to tribunal as they take a while to compete 

However payments will still be paid at awarded rates till any new decision is made 

afells

The award is 4 years. It's not necessarily about the money, although it will definitely help and she deserves what is due it's the fact they have wrote in their own words that she cant take any journey as it would cause psychological distress and scored her 10 points yet in the assessment the assessor has wrote she can go on a familiar journey with her husband. Which is contradictory. 

ASDIBS

I personally would ask for mandatory reconsideration over the telephone and like the above post says, then write to them explaining why. You'll also receive a confirmation text (if using A mobile) to confirm that you've requested an MR. You won't lose anything by submitting it. They'll just ask for another decision maker to look at the original report and whatever else you choose to submit. 

janer1967

No harm in requesting the mr 

MarkM88

Just bear in mind too that the decision maker looking at the MR can also reduce the award, so that is also a possibility. 

afells

Yes I'm aware of this and not worried as my wife has medical evidence going back 20 years plus doctors support. But of course you have to be careful but also we should all surely fight for what is right and written in black and white...

MarkM88

afells said:

Yes I'm aware of this and not worried as my wife has medical evidence going back 20 years plus doctors support. But of course you have to be careful but also we should all surely fight for what is right and written in black and white...

I agree, fight for what you think you need to, just wanted to make sure you were aware. 

afells

Thanks for replying and I appreciate your positivity. The evidence will come from her gp, as her gp has wrote letters to dwp in the past supporting my wife's illness and the fact she visits her when she really has to. Which is approximately 6 times a year. Also I am always with her inside the doctors office. So if evidence was needed, then yes she does visit her gp and it's easy to provide from a letter from her gp to state I'm always present with her. 

afells

The only times she goes out is to her gp appointments and on a good day, which is rare, she will walk to the end of the road to post a letter..... all with me  never alone. Her illness is anxiety, panic disorder, social phobia and agoraphobic tendencies. Family gatherings, hairdressers, shopping etc are not done, haven't been for 10 years. 

afells

We are going to ask for a MR and take it from there! Thanks for the advice 

Tori_Scope

Thread closed pending review.

Tori_Scope

Hi everyone,

I've moved some of the comments from this thread over to a new thread, which I'll make public once I've reviewed the comments in question. 

Please remember to:

• Keep comments on-topic: I understand that the comments were somewhat related to what the OP asked, but it got to the point where the thread was being derailed and the OP no longer felt they were receiving constructive advice
• Please watch your tone: this applies to all members. Please don't attack other members personally, and try to avoid using a tone that could be perceived by other members in a negative way. We understand that written text can be interpreted differently by different members, so we expect everyone to bear in mind the tone of their comment, and how it might be interpreted by others
• Report comments or posts: we did receive reports on this thread, which helped to flag this up to me this morning. If you're unhappy with the behaviour of other members, please report this to us and then step away from the thread. Let us deal with it

I've re-opened this thread for the time being in case anyone else has some on-topic advice for the OP, or others who might have the same query. 

afells

I'm back with one more question if anyone could kindly give their constructive opinion please. What would you personally do if you were in my wife's situation? Accept the award or ask for the MR? To recap, the assessor gave her 10 points for mobility. And it was "cannot undertake any journey as it would cause overwhelming psychological distress " whereas we told them she can go on a familiar journey to the gp surgery or the post box with only my assistance, not alone at all. Surely this falls into the 12 points descriptor " cannot follow a familiar journey without the help of assistance " 

On the decision letter they have stated in black and white she can go to the gp surgery with my assistance, then they score 10 points. For me this is a contradiction...is it not? 

Many thanks 

janer1967

I personally would go for the mr as the award is quite long 

But it's up to yourselves and if you want to have the stress for the amount of extra money involved and for basis of future awards 

ASDIBS

If the reason is psychological distress then I think it's 10 points. If it's a reason other than psychological distress, I think it is then 12 points. However I may be wrong but that's how I read it.

ASDIBS

Sounds like your scenario would be 12points but I'm not an expert