Nervous about tribunal, please advise! — Scope | Disability forum
Please read our updated community house rules and community guidelines.

Nervous about tribunal, please advise!

janno
janno Community member Posts: 1 Listener
edited June 2018 in PIP, DLA, and AA
I am waiting to be given a date for my tribunal for a review of my PIP payments.I was awarded enhanced rate for the daily living section and standard rate for mobility in 2016.Following a review in Feb this year my payments were stopped without any notification to myself and following a mandatory consideration did not change their decision my mobility payments were stopped and my daily living component was reduced to standard rate. When returning my assessment review forms I mostly filled in "no change" apart from my having to use a walking stick.I was quite satisfied with my initial payment and resllr didn't see what else they could offer me..In fact my condition was considerably worse which explained at my assessment..I have received my bundle from DWP who incidentally offered to reinstate my original mobility rate but not my daily living.I am eorrwor about when to present my Submission got the tribunal should it be before my hearing or on the day.My condition is Non Hodgkin's lymphoma and although treatable remains incurable.I am so dosor for the length of this post but I am very nervous and worried that I won't submit my submission either at the wrong time or too late.I would very much value your advice.Thank hou

Comments

  • markyboy
    markyboy Community member Posts: 367 Pioneering
    You can submit any evidence up to 7 days before your tribunal date but all evidence should be sent to the courts and tribunal service who will forward a copy to the DWP
    you will normally get a date for a tribunal around 2 weeks before it is due but you can expect to wait up to 9 months for a tribunal date
  • alibobs
    alibobs Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    Hi Janno. I'm new on here so not sure of the etiquette on replies. I have read what you have written. I think there has been some confusion at the review stage. So many people do not fully detail (yet again) all the difficulties faced on a day to day basis and it is then for DWP?Medical advisor to reassess.  They have obviously realised they were wrong on the mobility side and are I presume going to reinstate that. As far as day to day care applies you need( preferably with help) to go through each question detailing the pain/fatigue/ exhaustion that,e.g, preparing a meal from scratch, getting in and out of the bath etc can cause. Supporting evidence from a GP, carer, or partner will help too. The sooner you send it off to tribunal the better as they do need to copy it to DWP. However, if for some reason you are very close to the date you can take it with you on the day.(This willl annoy them as they have to copy it and discuss it whilst you are there).
    PS. I am ex DWP Tribnal presentation officer, who following medical retirement now volunteers with a couple of charities and assist as volunteer advocate. I have on one occasion received medical evidence on the day of the tribunal and had to take it with me. Hope this helps.and best of luck. 
  • teddiepie
    teddiepie Community member Posts: 3 Listener
    Very helpful information this . THANK you . 
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering

    Hi Janno,

    If you want to make a submission to the Tribunal and/or submit any additional evidence then (as stated above) this normally needs to be with the Tribunal at least 2 weeks before the hearing, which gives you loads of time.

    Tips:-

    If you're making a submission it doesn't want to be too long, normally about one side of A4, but any longer than two sides is excessive.

    the Tribunal will only be interested in whether the DWP made the correct decision on the day they did, so any deteriorations in health since then are not relevant (and in fact can sometimes be damaging in appeals).

    try not to worry about the hearing itself - I would very strongly advise that you attend in person, which I am aware is intimidating and not a very pleasant experience on the whole, but purpose of the hearing is mainly just so that the Tribunal can ask you questions and you can answer them - there's no need to go off piste in answering the Tribunals questions, as if you have anything additional to add you will have the opportunity to do this at the end.

    I'm sure you'll be fine - only thing I would add is, take the PIP self-test https://benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip/pip-self-test just to make sure it's worth fighting for the enhanced mobility, as if DWP are offering standard DL and enhanced mob, that's actually a very good offer than could save you some time if it's right!

    Best of luck with it!

    Mary

    The Benefits Training Co:

  • debbiedo49
    debbiedo49 Community member Posts: 2,904 Disability Gamechanger
    I’ve just been to my tribunal for pip and I submitted a g p letter on the day. 
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    It is acceptable to submit not more than two sides of A4 additional evidence on the day.  I was told this by one of BenefitsTrainingCo advisers.
  • ataloss2018
    ataloss2018 Community member Posts: 48 Courageous
    Hand any evidence on the day to the Tribunal Clerk and ask if they can hand it to the tribunal, if possible print off three copies for each member.  
  • Yadnad
    Yadnad Posts: 2,856 Disability Gamechanger
    janno said:
    I am waiting to be given a date for my tribunal for a review of my PIP payments.I was awarded enhanced rate for the daily living section and standard rate for mobility in 2016.Following a review in Feb this year my payments were stopped 
    Nothing new about that scenario. Up to 2013 I was in receipt of DLA High Mobility & Care. Since 2013 I have had two PIP assessments and both resulted in no points. On MR for both I was awarded Enhanced Mobility & Care. For the 3rd assessment once again no points and the subsequent MR kept it at that. I gave up.

    It was like being on a roller coaster going from maximum DLA to 0 PIP then up to maximum PIP then to 0 then back up to maximum PIP and back to 0 again.

Brightness

Do you need advice on your energy costs?


Scope’s Disability Energy Support service is open to any disabled household in England or Wales in which one or more disabled people live. You can get free advice from an expert adviser on managing energy debt, switching tariffs, contacting your supplier and more. Find out more information by visiting our
Disability Energy Support webpage.