A friends pip assessment

Doglover2

Something has given me a sleepless night,apart from my own assessment yesterday,which was grueling,I didn't know my friend had hers two week's back,also for pip,as I don't see her anymore, but my mum was speaking to her sister who said she told the assessor she had to go to the  optician's for an eye test,now she'd put this off for almost a year because she never leaves the house,and only for essential apts docs or hos,will not go alone and needs constantly reassessed all along the way etc.
Will going to the optician's go against her? Will they say indeed you can leave your home? Does anyone know if going for this kind of thing makes a difference to getting or not getting an award.She was being honest on her assessment as most of us are.But her mum now thinks she will lose her pip.Also she has no home phone or mobile but uses her mums for the purposes of assessments, woman asked her about it and she repeatedly said I don't own a mobile, but she replied you use your mum's for asthma assessments dont you? And you are using it now! Something else that has stirred her up thinking it went against her, she can't really engage f2f. But I think that was more about socialising. 
Any advice we can forward to them would be greatly appreciated. 
Thanks in advance. 

calcotti

PIP is about what can be done on the majority of days.

Doglover2

@calcotti yes that's true, but for the fact she can't engage f2f without distress and was questioned on the going to optician's as she needed the eye test got her riled up,if it was so insignificant why did assessor even ask in the first place,was asked if she'd Been to dentist,optician's etc lately.? Think that's the worry,why is it asked if not significant. 

Doglover2

@Deppi,Thanks for that,far as I know she isn't new to pip and has previously like myself had indefinite dla. I know pip criteria is different from dla. But she's a bit of an idea what to expect, seems the eye test question threw her a curve ball.She was shaking from head to toe doing the eye test,and the optician was very patient, She explained  thst to the assessor,She also told assessor she wasn't in there very long but couldn't get away fast enough.
I've just spoken to her mum after a search for her number and she's told me that bit more.
She previously has had two tribunals and won both so will be doing an MR when time comes. Thank you for explaining  all that,it's most helpful. 👍

needhelp120

Deppi said:

Hello, I am in a similar situation, where I go out for emergencies only. I do so with someone with me, and as it sounds, similarly to your friend, i stay home in the majority of the days. Going to the optician is a necessity, not a pleasure, and should be regular as in the case of visiting the dentist. However, what matters is what your friend's experience is when this takes place. 

Will that affect her case, yes and no, and let me explain why and how but keep in mind details that I dont know and your friend may have said, can make a huge difference, so i take only what i have from your post.
First, not being able to go out in the majority of the days, automatically start locking your case on Mobility, Planing Journeys Descriptor E. can not take any journey. This is Standard rate, so keep that in mind. Because if that is the case, it doesnt matter if you have s someone or not with you to get the 12 point from descriptor F. So going out for the majority of the days is a good thing, and there is more reasons for that apart form that activity.

If you go out on the majority of the days, you inevitably mix with people, if not, it will be hard to claim overwhelming psychological distress mixing with them, and that will cost her Daily Engaging with others, descriptor d. cannot engage with other people due to overwhelming psychological distress. So saying, i do go out, or try and come back, because i become a wreck due to overwhelming psychological distress is better than saying i have not had a f2f for 2 years.

Again these are thoughts, second guessing here, and i dont know nothing about your friend's case specifics.

PIP is a huge catch 22 to my understanding. you have to balance activities. Its not a fair game, they will twist things you said, use words from one thing you said with words form another and make up things.

What is important is to not rely on one or two descriptors, understand well where your case could score points and aim as much as possible as a back up. You friend for example could have issues with complex communication with people f2f or even emails or letters, due to overwhelming psychological distress that experience while out or when things change (energy direct debt went to the sky, her landlord want to sell the property and has to go, her doctor left the surgery, and all or one of that affects her to the point she is unable to cope), and therefore need support for that or prompting, so thats 4 point on top of engaging.

About the mobile, i would refrain make assumptions as it could be related to something on her application that this question could make sense. Literally having or not the device itself it can not support one thing or the other unless it somehow puts you at risk by your behaviour or something similar. But i know many people nowadays, including myself that have a mobile and nobody to call.

PIP is hard benefit to get, not only for the money you get, but also the rest of entitlements you can access with it. So they have made it unfairly hard, particularly if you end up with a bored nurse during your assessment. However, there are many cases that go smoothly and we never hear about it, because  we take it to a forum when we are angry and we want to share our misery and belong to a group that will motivate us to stand up for our rights and get an MR or an appeal.

Finally, to lose your case and PIP, the assessment alone is not enough. You have MR, you have appeal, and before the appeal they do reconsider everything in a way of a second MR if you will. Your friend must gather their points as this goes forward to adjust her case, make more clear, more lucid and challenge them up to the tribunal. Keep in mind, tribunal can be over the phone or video, you dont have to attend, and if you dont want the tribunal because you cannot take this experience, just file for it (its all online) wait to see if they make an offer, and if they dont, just cancel the tribunal the day before the hearing.

My biggest advice: This forum will give you a lot of advice and support. Stick around and share your journey.

Good luck to both your friend and yourself with your application. x

Hi there, was just reading through the forum. I struggle with complex communication face to face and it can take me weeks to reply to emails/letters because I become to anxious to make a response and often need someone to do it for me. Which place would I write this on my form, I'm a little lost because its not face to face engagement?

poppy123456

needhelp120 said:

Hi there, was just reading through the forum. I struggle with complex communication face to face and it can take me weeks to reply to emails/letters because I become to anxious to make a response and often need someone to do it for me. Which place would I write this on my form, I'm a little lost because its not face to face engagement?

You can put it in the extra information at the back of the form. You are correct that this doesn't apply to engaging face to face.