PIP reassessment age 67

blue32

Hi this is quite a complicated situation to type out so keep this in mind.

My mother in 2018 then aged 66, was invited to move from dla to pip. She was awarded enhanced rate of care. For 18months.... Around November last year she received forms for making a PIP claim stating her award is ending... Basically treating it as a new claim. Her award was ended and payments stopped, all forms etc were sent on time.

Forms and information was sent and received November 26th last year 

Support workers etc on Friday after looking at some information passed it on to the claimants champions ( someone I beileve who works for atos)

Anyway today she received a text saying we have received your pip assessment and a decision will be made in 8 weeks.

No assessment has been offered let alone taken place ( except the last one)

I rang and he confirmed we have the assessment but said he can't tell either of us anymore.

Can anyone shine any light on anything I've mentioned above as to what may be happening

Thanks in advance

woodbine

It looks like they have done a paper based assessment, I have never heard of claimants champions attatched to atos?

blue32

Nor had we but a charity had and are involved with her claim.

I don't think it's that as the GP hasn't been contacted or support services

We only sent the form back nothing with it in terms of go letters etc

janer1967

They dint always conract gp or support it is the claimants responsibility to provide this if required 

They may have had enough evidence from her prev claims 

Try and call and ask to speak to her case manager or request a call back from them 

But I agree with above sounds like a paper based decision 

blue32

That would be good as the previous assessment caused a bit damage for many months after due to psychology trauma.

I was thinking although the time bar for appeals us only 12 months, and we  didn't appeal it.

Is it possible the claimants champion as asked that they look at the original decision? Due to being over 65 at the time? 

I've tried asking a few things like are you going by paper assessment etc and they won't tell me. 

woodbine

I'm a little confused as I can't find any reference to "claimants champion"? and have never heard of them.
The time limit for appeal is usually 1 month after an unsuccesful MR, there are exceptions when it can be 13 months.
If you are speaking to atos they won't be able to tell you the outcome as it's not their decision, but the decision of the DWP DM (decision maker)

blue32

It was the DWP we rang after receiving today's text.

Apparently atos have a claimants champion I have no idea how this charity got to no this but apparently they work for atos but are for the claimant. They claimant champion contacted them Friday but that's all we no at this stage.

Then today this text came from PIP

Girl_No1

@woodbine I think they're known as Vulnerable Claimants' Champions.  When I worked in social services we would very, very occasionally receive a referral from the DWP VCCs.  

blue32

Thank you girl No1 for that information

blue32

This makes sense in so many ways, perhaps it is indeed paper based review then