PIP home visit — Scope | Disability forum
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PIP home visit

barry01
barry01 Community member Posts: 13 Listener
(sorry if this is in wrong place). received notice of Personal independence payment home visit - 6 days notice. i didnt request home visit and i do go out to attend medical appointments by myself - advanced arthritis in both hands + mental health. New PIP claim + currently on ESA [after tribunal] 

Why the home visit (sorry suspicious)? ; should i , can i decline it + request appointment in a clinical centre - is this allowed. i am mobile

I did complain at ESA tribunal of multiple misrepresentations in medical report, makes me more concerned about a home visit. The PIP booklet they sent me mentions allowing audio recording - only if i do it + present 2 copies on CD; there is no offer for them to do it 

thanks in advance

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    As they're giving you a home assessment it means they've got enough of evidence to agree to one. It's doesn't mean anything other than your assessment is at home and not at one of their centres. Why would you not agree to a home assessment? Of course you can cancel and re-book to go to one of their centres but i don't know why you would. If you do decide to cancel it then you can only cancel an appointment once.

    You can record your assessment but you'll need permission before doing so. They won't record PIP assessments for you. You'll need to use appropriate recording devices and must produce 2 identical copies and hand 1 copy in at the end of your assessment.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • barry01
    barry01 Community member Posts: 13 Listener
    thanks for reply poppy i guess i was concerned as there was nothing in my PIP form to indicate that i am unable to go out when needed to attend medical appointments as they already know from the form-.
     i guess i was also concerned that it was a 'dwelling inspection' and nit-picking, not just questioning me  meaning  are looking to find ways to fault my application if that makes sense
    - do same people who do ESA assessments do the PIP ones?. 
  • GizmoTiddles
    GizmoTiddles Community member Posts: 159 Pioneering
    Hi @barry01
    Welcome
    A home visit ,imo is much better for you than having to go to a A/C I had one at home non intrusive talk re my needs ect.
    Remember it's not what you have ,but how it effects you well worth doing the self assessment 
    http://www.mybenefitsandwork.co.uk/pip/indexxx.php
    If you have not done one already.
    You can see how you may score on pip .
    If you have a smart phone ,you may inadvertently leave it on record ( by mistake) ? 
    As a record for yourself only.
    Just saying ? 
    He did make a comment on all the tech gadgets I had in my front room,my hobby 
    Plus I had a friend with me who took notes .
    I kept it brief and to the point 
    and gained enhanced on both elements. For quite a long time .
    So try not to stress and good luck
    Cheers
    Gizmo
  • barry01
    barry01 Community member Posts: 13 Listener
    yeah i was thinking of keeping a record just cos my memory is so poor. thanks gizmo. did they walk around your flat  looking in each room, inside cupboards etc - see this is all new to me so sorry if i sound paranoid [i;m not]
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    I wouldn't advise recording any assessment without first asking for permission. If they catch you recording the assessment without permission then it's highly possible the assessment will be stopped, your file returned to DWP and you could be refused that benefit. My advice, get permission and record properly that way you have nothing to worry about.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • Saracen
    Saracen Community member Posts: 66 Pioneering
    Hi barry 
    Referring to your earlier question about a home visit I live in south wales and didnt.request one but when I phoned to enquire why I was told it was.to deal with some of the backlog.
  • barry01
    barry01 Community member Posts: 13 Listener
    i read that somewhere else - seems odd way + more time consuming to get rid of backlog thou - thanks saracen. looks like i stick to their  home visit + just get it over with
  • Yadnad
    Yadnad Posts: 2,856 Disability Gamechanger
    edited September 2018
    I wouldn't advise recording any assessment without first asking for permission. If they catch you recording the assessment without permission then it's highly possible the assessment will be stopped, your file returned to DWP and you could be refused that benefit. My advice, get permission and record properly that way you have nothing to worry about.
    Either way there is no real purpose (unless it is for your own records)  in recording it. You can't use the recording against the DWP or even at a Tribunal that is unless you pay for the whole thing to be transcribed professionally.
  • dignifieddoll
    dignifieddoll Community member Posts: 52 Connected
    I would say home visits are the best because you are more at ease in your own surroundings .less stressful and just answer the question keep your answer brief and to the point as gismo said .i must tell you this my sister when she had hers at home told the assessor 'right ive answered the first question please dont try asking me same question in different way as i have done what dwp say i  should answer each question. So next question please.'and she got her desision saying she been awarded enchanced for both .i found it amusing when she told me just wish i could done same good luck barry01
  • barry01
    barry01 Community member Posts: 13 Listener
    dignifieddoll - i complained about that very same thing when i went before tribunal - police style questioning at the medical
  • Yadnad
    Yadnad Posts: 2,856 Disability Gamechanger
    barry01 said:
    dignifieddoll - i complained about that very same thing when i went before tribunal - police style questioning at the medical
    They only do that to try to see if you are consistent with your answers - there is no harm done or intended - it's to weed out the chancers.
  • dignifieddoll
    dignifieddoll Community member Posts: 52 Connected
    Yes my sister said she decided to try this way as before when she had assessement she felt that assessor  tied her up in knots i think she turned tables on them slightly this time though 
  • dignifieddoll
    dignifieddoll Community member Posts: 52 Connected
    You sound as if you have experience of it yanad  i dont think it nessary  if you nothing to hide  
  • GizmoTiddles
    GizmoTiddles Community member Posts: 159 Pioneering
    barry01 said:
    yeah i was thinking of keeping a record just cos my memory is so poor. thanks gizmo. did they walk around your flat  looking in each room, inside cupboards etc - see this is all new to me so sorry if i sound paranoid [i;m not]

    Any record would be for your ears/eyes only and would as you say help your poor memory ?
    I have interior and exterior cctv that can be accessed remotely,and signs up to warn of such.
    No mention of it by the assessor.
    Assessor was met at the door by my friend ,shown into the lounge and stayed there for the whole time . A short physical was done whilst I was seated,and it was noted of my conditions in my favour.
    In all I had a fairly good assessment .
    Not all are like that ,be yourself and listen to what is asked ,don't rush your reply but be precise in your answer.
    Cheers 
    Gizmo
  • dignifieddoll
    dignifieddoll Community member Posts: 52 Connected
    My sister said assessor  when arrived was shown into lounge and stayed there she never asked to see anything just asked the questions did some physical tasks then you should have nothing to worry about just be honest in answering and dont rush  try to stay calm even when you dont feel calm and you be fine
  • barry01
    barry01 Community member Posts: 13 Listener
    having an audio recording also affords u some protection against untrue allegations - its not beyond the realm of possibility - it might sound far-fetched but you only have to get on the wrong side of an assessor or get them on bad day - at my ESA medical year before last he had added lots of bits to the report on physical exam that he didnt actually do and - for eg reporting things like my knees [which arent good] 'showed no contusion' - but i didnt remove jeans for this to be seen - i went through all this with the judge also mentioning the police-style questioning + and i offered to do the medical again if they could afford me the protection of a recording. wasnt neccessary in the end. i think the assessors are being put under pressure to try to fail where possible and that influences how they do the assessment and write it up. when i get the visit i am going to restrict them to one room to do assessment [its not a dwelling inspection]  and cover myself with a hidden recording     
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,359 Disability Gamechanger
    edited September 2018
    If you record your assessment without having permission to do so then you risk having your assessment stopped. Anyone who advises you any different is wrong.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • Yadnad
    Yadnad Posts: 2,856 Disability Gamechanger
    edited September 2018
    You sound as if you have experience of it yanad  i dont think it nessary  if you nothing to hide  
    But they don't know that and certainly they will not take what you say or write at face value.
    Yes I have had three such PIP assessments and treated each one as I would in any other type of formal interview  - yes or no answers - they couldn't try their stupid little tricks to those answers. 


    There was a saying in the North West going back generations - least said, best mended.

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