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Autistic and Terrified of taking a PIP telephone Consultation

3PARKWAY3

Hi Everyone

I applied for PIP and they want me to take the assesment in a week. I have severe anxiety and I cannot go through this assesment. I have already made the decision in my head that this will bring on my panic attacks and I also mishear questions and answer incorrectly. I am already desperately trying to find help online. Should I contact my workcoach (universal credit) to withdraw my claim? The problems with me are communincation and misreading situation completely and panic attacks, unable to understand questions.

If I put this to the DWP, would they really be able to help me? Even with a person or member of my family present, I would still have to answer for myself, which I recognise, would go totally wrong.

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poppy123456

Hi,

Your work coach has nothing to do with a PIP claim because this isn't part of UC. They are 2 completely different benefits.

When claiming PIP most people have assessments and before the pandemic these were done face to face, telephone assessments have replaced them and most people continue to have them. A paper based assessment is rare. Unfortunately, it's part of the PIP process and if they don't have enough of information to write the report based on the evidence you sent then an assessment is needed.

During the assessment are you able to put your phone onto loud speaker so that a member of your family can be there with you. I've heard that a HCP will allow someone to help you during the assessment when it's telephone based. Is this a possibility for you?

3PARKWAY3

Thank you. However, my autism stops me from attending this telephone consultation....its the one thing I would not be able to do even with a family member present.

Surely there wouild be some leeway for me? It seems I must withdraw even though I beleive I am socially disabled and unable to leave the house.

poppy123456

You can ring the health assessment providers to ask if the report can be written without the need for an assessment but if there's not enough of evidence to do this then it may not be possble, Unfortunately, the assessment is part of the PIP claim process for the majority of claimants.

3PARKWAY3

Many thanks for that, that is a very good idea, and I will try to explain my position to them.

For someone like me the telephone assessment process would be totally wrong in my case. Also, I would have been treated unfairly as to not be able to claim what I am entitled to.....

poppy123456

If you are mentally incapable of managing your own benefits claim then you can have an appointee to do this for you. It would then be their responsibility to fill out forms, receive your benefits payments into their bank, make phone calls regarding your claim and also attend assessments and answer all the questions on your behalf. You'll just need to be there, you just won't need to answer the questions, with the exception of a couple at the end which only you can answer. Details in link. https://www.gov.uk/become-appointee-for-someone-claiming-benefits

3PARKWAY3

Thank you very much for your very useful comments !

3PARKWAY3

I managed to speak to the assesment providers and they said it was not possible for me to provide a report instead of tel. assessment.

Also, due to building renovations, I tried to defer the assessment until after Xmas. After all, I had waited for them for over 14 weeks to get back to me. They said this was also not possible..

I ended up withdrawing my claim. They said I would have to go through the whole process again and re-apply throuh the DWP.

3PARKWAY3

On the one hand, I am releived I dont have to go through the process, but have lost out on any potential payments I may be entitled to .

poppy123456

When I previously advised about enough of evidence being sent to write the report without the need for an assessment. I meant the report would be written by the health assessment providers and not by you.

With regards to holding the assessment process until after Xmas, I don’t understand why the need for this. Most assessments are done over the phone. Although some are being done face to face at an assessment centre.

When you’re claiming benefits like this then unfortunately you have to go through the process the same as everyone else.

OverlyAnxious

Out of interest, did you speak to the assessment providers yourself or did someone else call on your behalf?

If you managed the call yourself, I do wonder whether you may have managed the assessment yourself. Even if it didn't go brilliantly, you have got this far so it seems a shame to give up now.

I'm not trying to be awkward btw, I can't use phones either so I know how frustrating it is when the world is based around verbal communications. I haven't been able to make a phonecall for over 2 years though, I definitely wouldn't be able to call the assessment providers myself.