Have I just been tricked by PIP?!

livsta
livsta Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener
in PIP, DLA, ADP and AA

Hi all, sorry I'll try not to ramble and bullet point but I'm just coming out of a meltdown so bare with me.

I've been on PIP almost four years, due a review last Jan but got it extended.

I got a text informing me about my telephone interview scheduled for Tuesday 5th Aug (next tuesday)

Yesterday I phoned the service to ask permission for my carer who was going to sit with me to record it which they agreed to.

For the last week I've been slowly bullet pointing all the main points I want to make during interview I'm not finished yet as its taking alot of mental and physical energy. Me and my carer were going to read through it to calm me and prepare me as best as possible.

Today I had a random unexpected phone call (I hate these due to autism) and it was someone from the PIP service. He said that due to it being over a year since I filled in the form and my upcoming appointment he just wanted to ask a few questions and check it was up to date. It should take 10 minutes. I can't stand up for myself so I said yes and was then in a 35 minute convo about the different sections of PIP. He was going really fast and as I thought it was a 10 minute update I was giving short answers. He then said it was all the info he needed and my tuesday assessment would now be cancelled.

I was confused and upset and just said OK and thanked him.

What just happened? Knowing I wanted my carer to support me and it recorded I'm not sure if this is allowed but I agreed to it to appease him. He made it sound like my care plan was all the info they needed and he was polite and kind but I'm not sure if ive been tricked into answering badly by rushing my answers.

MMy Partner has just got home and is furious and wants to ring them up and demand my tuesday appointment but if my care plan was enough I don't want to put myself through the stress of a real assessment. What do I do

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Comments

  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Online Community Member Posts: 4,870 Championing

    Hi,

    The Tuesday appointment has probably gone to someone else by now, so there might not be the option of getting that back.

    Personally I would wait for the decision letter to come through now. Then if your PIP has been downgraded call the assessment services straight away and tell them you're not happy with the way the assessment has been done, and that you didn't realise that phonecall was being used for the assessment.

    They are allowed to do this, and you did agree to it. (Even if just to avoid confrontation - I do this myself so do understand). But there are some understanding people at the assessment centres, so have to hope you get one of those if you have to contact them again.

  • luvpink
    luvpink Online Community Member Posts: 2,567 Championing

    It sounds had all the information they needed for a paper based assessment.

  • palmer
    palmer Online Community Member Posts: 13 Connected

    sounds like paper based wait for letter

  • Trevor_PIP
    Trevor_PIP Online Community Member Posts: 393 Empowering

    @livsta it looks like you sent in enough information and evidence originally for a paper based assessment, but the PIP caller just wanted an update on the information you have sent in due to the length of time that had passed. You have given the caller that information and now you do not need an assessment. It looks to be a paper based assessment. The original text sent to you will have said something like "we will contact you if we need further information" and that is what they have done. Try not to worry. Your decision letter should be next.

  • Amaya_Ringo
    Amaya_Ringo Online Community Member Posts: 398 Championing

    I remember this happening during my review. I don't speak to the DWP myself but there was someone who called and asked my advocate a few clarifying questions. Next thing we knew they sent a letter confirming the award being extended and that was that :/

    So please try not to worry about it.

    Though if you don't get awarded anything on this review, make sure you put to them in any appeal that you had requested your carer to be present/included and for it to be recorded and that they superseded those requests. Even if you agreed over the phone, the fact you already mentioned the carer being included should have been indication enough that you required support to answer the questions effectively and they did not honour that.

    So even if they are able to do stuff like this, it doesn't mean that it's okay and can't be challenged if need be down the line.

    Hopefully it's not like that, though, and they've decided you don't need an assessment as your evidence is comprehensive.

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