PIP Assistance Please?

robert2407

Hi,

I was run over 2 years ago by a drunk driver and have been unable to work since due to both physical injuries and mental health following the incident.
I applied for PIP Jan 2020 and it was rejected, due to mental health I did not feel able to challenge at the time so left it.

I applied again in Jan 2021 and had a lot more medical evidence including a 30 page surgeons report and a 30 page psychiatrist report.

I was really clear in my form and the assesment about my mental conditions and also that I was unable to walk over 20 metres along with providing them all of the reports.

I have just had my outcome and it appears that they just make it up as they go along?.

Stating that they have decided I can walk upto 200 metres and I have no mental health issues?.

I have sent back the mandatory reconsideration along with again the reports which clearly state that I have severe depression and PTSD and surgeons reports stating that I have spinal injuries requiring major surgery and also a full hip replacement, all of which is long term and has already been ongoing for 2 years now.

I just feel totally let down and more distraught than I did at the start of this process but really can't believe that everything I have said has either been ignored or what they have stated has been totally false.

I would really appreciate any assistance .
Many thanks

chiarieds

Hi @robert2407 - I'm sorry for your bad accident & how it has left you, & also for your PIP difficulty. It seems you had medical evidence in abundance, but what perhaps was missing was your own anecdotal evidence. PIP is about the functional difficulties you have with certain activities/descriptors of daily living, & in your case also mobility.

What is needed is a couple of real life examples for each applicable activity, e.g. when did it happen, what exactly happened, why, who witnessed it, was there any consequence to attempting/doing an activity (at the time of your assessment). Please see these descriptors here: https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/asset-library/Personal-Independence-Payment-Descriptors-and-Scores-April-2021.pdf       If you read the notes at the end of this , you will see you also need to be able to do an activity 'reliably,' i.e. safely, as often as it would be reasonable for you to need to do, to an acceptable standard, & in a reasonable period of time.

You might also find the following link helpful about completing a PIP form for those with mental health issues. See: https://www.mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org/en/welfare-benefits/pip-mental-health-guide/help-with-your-pip-claim/how-to-fill-in-the-pip-form/

Now if you then have a look at what you actually put on your PIP form, you may see where you failed to give detailed examples of your functional difficulty. If you have just recently sent your Mandatory Reconsideration off, perhaps you could now better describe the problems you have; put this in writing & send it off. Don't concentrate on the opinion the assessor has formed, but look to where you could make a better case to get awarded PIP. Please do ask any questions once you've gone through the above links.

Tori_Scope

Hi @robert2407 I'm sorry that you've been feeling so distressed about the PIP process. You're not the only one who experiences these feelings after not being awarded what you feel you're entitled to. 

I hope that you can look through the information that chiarieds has posted above, and see how you feel after reading it. 

Are you currently receiving any support for your PTSD and depression? I can imagine that this experience has taken a further toll on your mental health.

robert2407

Hi, thanks for your reply. 
I have now started some medication to help with the depression and have also started some EMDR sessions so hopefully that will help.

I've sent my mandatory reconsideration notice but I'm not expecting any joy with that so guess I will have to go through the appeal process which sounds a little daunting.

It's just so frustrating as the decision seems to be based on information that I did not even say in the assessment!!!! And I was really specific in the forms and the assessment giving clear examples of of how I am affected.

It just doesn't seem like they do whatever they can not to make an award?.

Thanks Rob

Emilyb81

Hi @robert2407 I just wanted to say it's happening to lots of people the same way in my decision letter basically anything I had said I'm unable to do for whatever reason the decision maker said "but I decided" and basically just said the opposite? So for example I said I can't walk the 2 meters from door to car without having help and having to use medication? She said but I've decided you can safely walk 200 metres unaided?? Very frustrating she did that same thing on 6 questions just disagreed with what I'd said and went her own way very strange? I mean since coming on here I have learned and now understand that the assessment isn't to repeat everything we say word for word it's for them to listen to what we tell them and base an opinion about that and send that to dwp? So I get that things I told her may not be on the report? However I don't understand how she can just say she disagrees with what I've said when she hasn't even laid eyes on me? I thought their opinions were based on what we tell them in the call but obviously not! Anyway I just wanted to say your not alone and hopefully our MRs are more positive! Just wanted to have a moan I guess as I've been trying to be positive for ages and I feel like my head is going to pop clean off soon lol! Good luck hun! 

robert2407

Thanks, yes definitely in the same boat but it does feel like that and I agree with what you say.
I said repeatedly I could not walk more than 20 metres and gave lots of specific examples and also had loads of medical evidence as well. Then the outcome she had decided I could walk for 200 metres and 10 minutes at a time??.
However they are allowed to make this stuff up I really don't know!!!!.

In fact it's an absolute joke?.

Emilyb81

It is frustrating because it's hard enough to get the courage to share how bad it gets and it seems like you are speaking to a wall and getting all worked up for no reason I don't mean to be all negative and get all riled up etc but it happens so many times it can't just keep happening and nothing to stop it surely? I do know however that us bringing it up at MR or appeal stage won't help in fact will probably hinder our case!
I just don't get how so many thousands of people have the same negative experience yet nothing gets done about stopping it happening in the future? I know this is why the MR and appeal process are here but it must be better for people to get listened to properly in the first place rather than putting already poorly people through more stress than they have been through already?! I just feel the whole thing needs looking into because it really shouldn't be causing vulnerable people to become worse that's not right!
Anyway I hope all goes well for you hun! For all of us