Pip want to do another assessment

Sarahjane1010

Hi everyone
My partner applied for pip in 2020 it took from. January 2021 to May 2021 for his assessment the assessment was a joke they refused him any points at all even though he has mental health issues depression anxiety panic attacks and schizophrenia I had to do a mandatory reconsideration for him and he was finally awarded only standard mobility he missed on on daily living by 1 point after it got re looked at he then didn't receive anything until September 2021 in November 2021 his mental health got worse so I had to contact pip to let them no I had to do a change of circumstances as his condition had gotten worse we was told it was just a change of circumstances so I sent the extra paperwork for it to be re looked at we have been waiting since November 2021 I had enough and rang this week to be told he now has to have another assessment face to face I said you are joking me he suffers with crippling anxiety and panic attacks he can't even leave the house or go on public transport which they already no because of doctors and physcologic reports there trying to force my partner to go to 1 of these assessments face to face when his last was done over the phone... These people who do the assessments are nasty pieces of work.. The pip person on the phone told me his own son has schizophrenia and he got refused pip and he even had to do a mandatory reconsideration he said they do not understand depression schizophrenia or anyone with mental health problems.... We have been told he will not get an assessment until at least August September this year!! I'm so stressed with having to deal with this jobs worths again it's about time they scrapped the pip... Is there anything I can do to make them do my partners assessment over the phone?? 

poppy123456

The majority of people have asssessments, whether it's first time claim, a review or a change of circumstances. Before the pandemic they were done as face to face. Telephone assessments replaced them because of the pandemic but face to face assessments are now coming back, though some are still by telephone. Whether the telephone assessments will still be here by the time he's due the assessment is anyone's guess.

Waiting times for assessments are huge because of the size of the backlogs. It's normal for the whole process to take about 10 months. New claims are taking priority over reviews and change of circumstances.

If they are still doing telephone assessments by the time he's due to be assessed then he can certainly ask if it can be done this way. If they're not then it will need to be face to face if there's not enough evidence to do the paper based assessment.

Sarahjane1010

But with his mental health they are fully aware of his anxiety it even said on the paperwork after the mandatory reconsideration that going out and public transport causes physcological distress I just don't understand why he would need another assessment he was awarded standard mobility until 2024??

So he would have to go through all this stress again to deal with some jobs worth last time he dealt with these assessments they said because he had a  motorbike which was sat in our back garden un used for 3 years that he had no mental health problems and there is nothing wrong with him even though medical evidence and hospital reports and physcological reports say different
I just get so stressed with how they treat people with mental health illnesses 

poppy123456

You put in a change of circumstances, so this is a new claim, regardless of what his previous decision said and what his current award is. The majority of people have assessments, paper based assessments are possible but they are rare.

When you filled out the most recent forms did you concentrate on recent real world examples, with detailed information such as where he was, what exactly happened, did anyone see it and what the consequences were?

Did you also check that more points could be scored before reporting changes? A worsening of condition doesn't automatically entitle you to more points for a higher award.

Sarahjane1010

Yes he should of been getting standard daily living as well I went through citizens advice for help we had to do the change of circumstances because he was put on more medication and the mental health team he started having to have weekly appointments with them as well also counselling 

Sarahjane1010

But he was originally awarded no points because the asessor lied he only got awarded the points after I had to do a mandatory reconsideration nd he missed out on daily living by 1 point I questioned this and pips response was well take us to a tribunal if you not happy and they put the phone down on us 

poppy123456

Home assessments aren't even taking place at the moment. DWP were correct, you could have appealed that decision. As this is a change of circumstances then the assessment is standard procedure.

What you should do is forget about the previous assessment and concentrate on this claim. If you didn't include the anecdotal evidence in this claim, it's not too late to do that and sent it off as part of the evidence.

janer1967

A change in medication and appts will not score more points and didn't need reporting 

Only changes that affect ability to carry out the descriptors need reporting as a change and then only if likely to get a higher award 

Unfortunately all you can do now is send more detailed info as advised above and try and get a phone assessment 

Sarahjane1010

Pip were the ones who told me that if he had a change in his mental health more medication more appointments with mental health counselling we had to report it that's what I was told I was told if we didn't report the changes of circumstances he could end up being took to court

poppy123456

Were you told that when you rang them? If you did then it's a call centre you rang and they have very little knowledge in any benefits, they are not there to give benefits advice.

If everyone rang to report the changes for a change of medication or treatment/appointments then my goodness the backlogs would be even longer than they already are.

Sarahjane1010

Yes it was the pip helpline that told me to do it that's why I did it

calcotti

Sarahjane1010 said:

Pip were the ones who told me that if he had a change in his mental health more medication more appointments with mental health counselling we had to report it that's what I was told I was told if we didn't report the changes of circumstances he could end up being took to court

Unfortunately that is indeed what official advice says but it's misleading because many changes do not affect entitlement. Logically, because claimants shouldn't be required to know all the rules, reporting everything is sensible and DWP should take a considered view about whether entitlement needs to be reviewed. Unfortunately their only response is to reassess leading to many unnecessary assessments causing stress for claimants and increasing pressure on the assessment services.

Sarahjane1010

Just wanted to give a update after going round in circles with pip since last September my partner never had to have another assessment they did the review on all the information they had in front of them off doctors... He finally has been awarded standard daily living pip along side his standard mobility it just proves that they really try and take the pee with people with mental health he received a backdated payment today of 3800 thanks everyone 

Ross_Alumni

Thanks for the update @Sarahjane1010, very good news for you both