Assessment tomorrow - a few questions

anxiousbird

Hi all, I’ve got my telephone assessment tomorrow morning. I have DWP a call today to ask whether they have already received the additional evidence that I sent to add to my application, but they haven’t yet. So the assessor won’t have the new evidence tomorrow! 

The additional evidence is about getting referred to Secondary mental health care, chronic fatigue syndrome, health anxiety and vomit phobia and letter from CBT therapist. 

Is there any chance that the assessor will take my word for it when I describe my conditions in light of the additional evidence even though he doesn’t have access to them yet? Or am I looking at an MR now? 

Also, any advice on how best I can present my case given the lack of evidence the assessor will have tomorrow? 

Any help much appreciated. 

Tia 

cupcake88

Hi @anxiousbird best of luck with it , I get pip for My mental illnesses And I didn’t have loads of evidence only some . I know it’s such a worry I wish you luck and hopefully you have a quick decision my decision was very quick I got my back pay before my decision letter x 

janer1967

Hi there 

First of all good luck for tomorrow 

Try not to worry over the evidence not being with the assessor they are mainly concerned with going through what you have put in your form but you should also mention what is in the evidence where relevant 

The DM will look over the evidence along with assessment report to make a decision 

cupcake88

Do you have a mental health nurse as well or just therapy ? Are you under a mental health team ? Xx I wish you all the best with your therapy x 

I’m waiting to do therapy my therapy had to be stopped as my mental health nurse said I wasn’t ready yet and would make me worst .

i have heard really good things bout therapy x 

anxiousbird

Thanks all for your helpful replies! I know it *should* be about how it’s affecting us daily but from my last (unsuccessful claim) I know that she marked me down for ‘no specialist input’ even though I had the letters attached, so I assumed the threshold for ‘professional evidence’ was quite high, and so this time I made an effort to gather relevant evidence. 

@cupcake88 yes I remember you from my previous posts. It’s really good that you’re getting what you deserve! I’ve been on CBT but they have referred me to secondary care (still waiting for that to start- whatever it’s going to be) as I wasn’t really making progress with CBT even after two rounds of it. I really hope I do get a sympathetic (or is it empathetic ?) assessor. I’m a mess and I know I deserve pip, just hope that I’m able to get it all across in an hour! It’s so depressing having to put down all your issues at one place and analyse how you’re crippled because of those problems. I guess in day to day life we focus so much on getting by that we rarely get a chance to reflect how miserable it all is!  

anxiousbird

One more question, does anybody have a list of descriptors/points for each activity? When I search online it seems to only show an older version (I’m assuming), as it only goes till activity 9 whereas the form I received had more activities for daily living and some of them I can’t find descriptors for. 

anxiousbird

The form I received had 12 daily living activities and 2 mobility ones 

cupcake88

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip/pip-points-system

Here are the pip descriptors x 

cupcake88

If your pip isn’t successful then don’t give up  appeal and appeal . I know how nervous it makes you like your self I’m really not well mentally and the money has made such a big difference to my self as I’m not able to work . I’m wishing you all the best and I’m seriously hoping you get awarded pip xx

anxiousbird

Thanks so much @cupcake88 ?

berry123

I had my assessment last week make sure you ask them to repeat question if you dont understand and take your time answering.  The assessor will ask you first about your health and recent changes just inform them.. @anxiousbird go through the form.  Best of luck for tomorrow xx

anxiousbird

berry123 said:

I had my assessment last week make sure you ask them to repeat question if you dont understand and take your time answering.  The assessor will ask you first about your health and recent changes just inform them.. @anxiousbird go through the form.  Best of luck for tomorrow xx

Thanks a lot @berry123 Feeling so anxious. I just hope he gives me enough time to answer all the questions and ask me to fill the gaps if he doesn’t understand something fully, rather than him filling in the gaps himself later on. The assessment is quite early morning as well; don’t know whether I’m going to get any sleep at all ?

leeCal

Good luck today, I hope all goes well for you @anxiousbird

berry123

@anxiousbird hope it goes well I had my assessment at 8am hlad it was over done with first thing.  Keep us updated xx

berry123

**glad**

OverlyAnxious

anxiousbird said:

The form I received had 12 daily living activities and 2 mobility ones 

The descriptors aren't the same as the questions...I made that same mistake when I filled out my form.

The HCP decides which parts of each answer fit into the descriptors - so more than one descriptor can be covered within a single question.  Hope that makes sense!

Good luck for today! 

berry123

@OverlyAnxious your right and not in the same order.  My assesor missed out 2 questions but it was coveted in my previous answers 

anxiousbird

Thanks all  
just got done with the assessment, it was only 45 mins long and the assessor didn’t even go into too much detail. I had so much to tell him but the conversation was all very superficial (sort of). Don’t know what to expect, should probably start thinking about MR now. 

berry123

@anxiousbird best if luck just wait of the outcome of your assessment dont give up 

janer1967

Af least it's over now you can request copy of the report after approx 7 days to see what it recommends 

Adrian_Scope

Hi @anxiousbird. You can't read too much into the length or apparent detail of the assessment, so please don't let it play on your mind. 
If you wait a week or so you can request a copy of the assessment report which will give an indication of what has been recommended (keep in mind the DM doesn't have to go with the report but usually does).

Fingers crossed for you.