Wife awarded PIP, but had bad experience with assessment. Terrified of having another one.

barrylee · May 2018

Hi guys only just joined never been on a forum before, but I'll give it ago , my wife has just received her pip review form and it's destroying her, she has severe anxiety, she's been through counselling , and just had 20weeks cbt , that's not helped , she has other physical issues but her anxiety consumes her. When she initially applied for pip I went with her, it was a day we had to build up to for weeks, in the room she cried till she was shaking, she was scared to death , she broke down to the point the the lady interviewing her handed her tissues and helped me to calm her down. She had an anxiety attack right there infront of her , to the point she felt the need to assist me in calming my wife. My wife was awarded pip but on the letters with the award, the lady had written NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF ANXIETY. we never really argued or questioned it because she was awarded the pip. Whilst her physical ailments may be enough to win the award , she is now terrified of another face to face. Whilst I can help her with her physical needs , I don't know how to help her with this ! I was there that day and read the award, the lady basically lied and the results are enormous. Any help or ideas would be much appreciated

JennysDad · May 2018

Hello Barry (?) @barrylee and a warm welcome to the community. I am very glad you've found us, but profoundly saddened to read of what you and your good lady are being put through.
If it helps at all, you're certainly not the only ones, and you will find plenty of sympathetic ears here, together with a strong knowledge base among our specialists.
Have you any idea of what we might be able to do to help in this situation? Please don't hesitate to say.
In the meanwhile, you might like to have a look at our 'Talk about PIP/DLA' thread and investigate some of the conversations there. It will help to put you in touch with others who know what you are going through. As it is, I am sure other members will be in touch in due course.
It is a truly awful situation. The number of accounts we receive of what is at best incompetent and at worst malicious assessment reports is deeply disturbing. Some members, I know, have taken their stories to their MPs to look for some sort of redress and others have made complaints within the system.
You can at least tell your wife that you and she matter here, that we're in your corner and will do anything we are able to do.
Don't hesitate to tell us anything or ask us anything that might help us to be of help to you, and please, please, stay in touch.
Warmest best wishes to you both,
Richard
@JennysDad

thespiceman · May 2018

Hello @barrylee Pleased to meet you . Please can I say how sorry I am. Reading your story I would now consider if this was me.

Which has happened numerous times over the last twenty years is to seek help and support from a mental health charity.

Obviously the treatment you wife has received has not worked and in my opinion. Having been their so many times. This CBT is for some does not.

You also should have challenged the diagnosis of your wife's condition.. Thing is you need to sort this out and get some support. If you do not mind me saying.

Understand the story been their and have done with my mental condition and my addiction history. Just because I am absent from drinking does not mean I will or I could but I might.

One final thought am disabled as well so when they ever interview me. Comments on my disability and then on my alcoholism. Focused on that all the time.

By the way always have some one independent. Like health worker, or support worker. Looking my self possible advocate. Usually ready to fight your corner,
plus have a look at the stories on here. We as a community to be made out liars. So please acknowledge to the assessor and get the record straight. Yes you have won. So did I . Now continuing off and on both PIP and ESA again for the duration of my life. I am 53. So the battle is ongoing.

All I want and so do you is a benefit and a helping hand from the Government to support you or I. Unfortunately it is not the case.

Could fill an exercise book with my stories and so could others.

Look at options available you can self refer to mental health charity or go to GP. Believe me I have and will continue to do so. Unfortunately once you are well in their eyes. The mental health charity. They have to let you go.

Sorry to say that but it is true. Been involved on and off. Now alone trying to find support. Remember these charities are overburden and unfunded but they have advantages.

Give you opportunities to deal with your problems. Courses well being and other aspects of health care. There for to assist with benefits and advice. Sign post to other support. Usually after an assessment.

Wish you the best.

Take care

@thespiceman

Pippa_Alumni · May 2018

Hi @barrylee, welcome to the community!

Thank you for sharing this with us. I'm so sorry to hear about your wife's experience with the assessment and the impact it's had on your family. As has been mentioned, I would definitely recommend speaking to a GP or a mental health professional about the best way forward here- does this sound like something you can do? Take care, and please do keep us updated.

Yadnad · May 2018

. Unfortunately once you are well in their eyes. The mental health charity. They have to let you go.......Sorry to say that but it is true. Been involved on and off. Now alone trying to find support. Remember these charities are overburden and unfunded but they have advantages.

It's not just the charities that let you go.
Over the years and due to a traumatic situation, I ended up needing help from the NHS. I believe I have tried every drug possible, all of the counselling, EMDR and even several times being locked up under section.
I was told that care in the community will look after me - rubbish!
Once your time is up you are sent packing and told to get on with life as there are 100's of others in the queue who also need help.

I receive Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit at the 40% purely for mental health issues and difficulties and have done for years after having assessments being carried out by doctors
I received ESA in part for mental health issues
I was awarded High Care DLA primarily because of the mental health difficulties.

Come my transfer to PIP the report that was compiled by the assessor said that in her opinion that I do not have any difficulties due to Mental health problems and that the mental health assessment she did had me down as not having any diagnosis of it.
After that I refused to put mental health problems on subsequent PIP claim forms as no one was going to believe me.

So yes you just get moved along on the basis that you are now fully recovered.

Wife awarded PIP, but had bad experience with assessment. Terrified of having another one.

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