Pip assessor lied! — Scope | Disability forum
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Pip assessor lied!

tamzinr
tamzinr Community member Posts: 1 Listener
Hi all I suffer from severe fibromyalgia, thrombophilia, hyperthyroidism, ibs, anxiety, depression and carpal tunnel syndrome and was advised to apply for pip but was denied it so requested a copy of the notes made at my pip assessment and after reading through I am so upset. The assessor has made out i have lied about everything and has written several times I am perfectly capable to do everything in the assessment with no help. This couldn't be further from the truth I was in tears by the end of the physical assessment due to the pain!! My gp has signed me off work permanently due to my conditions and yet a medically unqualified lady has seen me for no longer than 20 mins and has said im perfectly fine and in no pain or discomfort. I have no clue what to do now.... ??

Comments

  • susielockett
    susielockett Community member Posts: 53 Courageous
    Hi tamzinr

    I have been through exactly the same thing and am due to go to my appeal next week. I have waited 12 months for this. You do need to put in a complaint to either Capita or Asos whoever did the assessment. Its the only way we can get these assessors away from the lies they are telling. I complained and even though it didnt get me anywhere they will provide you with the contact details of an independent complaints association. You have to do this within 6 months of your first complaint. In the meantime you need to do a mandatory reconsideration which then will probably mean you would have to appeal. I dont think many of the mandatory reconsiderations go in your favor but you have to do this before you can appeal. Good luck
    susielockett
  • Yadnad
    Yadnad Posts: 2,856 Disability Gamechanger
    tamzinr said:
    Hi all I suffer from severe fibromyalgia, thrombophilia, hyperthyroidism, ibs, anxiety, depression and carpal tunnel syndrome and was advised to apply for pip but was denied it so requested a copy of the notes made at my pip assessment and after reading through I am so upset. The assessor has made out i have lied about everything and has written several times I am perfectly capable to do everything in the assessment with no help. This couldn't be further from the truth I was in tears by the end of the physical assessment due to the pain!! My gp has signed me off work permanently due to my conditions and yet a medically unqualified lady has seen me for no longer than 20 mins and has said im perfectly fine and in no pain or discomfort. I have no clue what to do now.... ??
    The assessor is not saying that there is nothing wrong with you. You have been assessed against the descriptors that make up PIP and not against your health conditions. There are many seriously ill and disabled people who cannot claim PIP simply because they do not fit enough of the descriptors to gain at least 8 points which gives the standard award.

    Wrong I know and agree, but PIP is all about the descriptors and points and not about what is wrong with you or even how some of your issues impact on your life

  • Peasmold_01
    Peasmold_01 Community member Posts: 144 Pioneering
    Go back to your GP and ask for a copy of your medical report for at least 2 years. Make a copy, send to DWP when you apply for an MR, if they ignore it, go to the Tribunal. If you live somewhere that has a Community Law Centre  approach them for help. Good luck  
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    Also CAB or similar might be able to help, or local authority welfare rights.
  • Waylay
    Waylay Community member, Scope Member Posts: 973 Pioneering
    Also, I know the rules backwards and forwards, and I was awarded 0 points last year. Tribunal date finally coming up next month (eek). Sometimes they just do that. The conspiracy theorist in me wants to think that it's because the DWP asks them to. That might be true, but it could also be incompetence, them being in a rush, them not caring and just wanting to get through their day's work, etc. It doesn't necessarily mean that you don't qualify. Look at the descriptors and look up the definitions of all the words they use (e.g. "simple meal"), because they're often different than what you'd expect. Then take one of the online tests which tell you what you "should" get (they're not exact, obviously)! It is possible that you just don't meet the descriptors, even if you're disabled, which sucks. It's more likely that you haven't filled out the paperwork/told the assessor the details of your life in the way they want to hear. Remember, they don't really care what your health conditions are (they want to know your diagnoses, and the meds/treatments you get), but what they really want to know is how your conditions affect how you function. If you can't get dressed, tell them why. "I can't get dressed because of my arthritis" won't get you points. "My arthritis makes me so stiff that I can't put on my own pants, trousers, socks and shoes until at after my medications have kicked in and I've stretched, which is several hours after I've woken up" probably will. I'm not saying that you should lie or exaggerate - just learn what they're looking for and describe your problems in that way. Look around on here, on other forums, on Citizen's Advice, pipinfo, etc., to see what other people have done. If you can get help in person, go for it! Make sure you read what they've written before they send it though. Most of them are great, but some aren't.

    IAS (Atos), Capita and the DWP assume that we're all lying, so you have to tell them exactly which descriptors you think you should get for each activity, tell them why your health conditions make you meet those descriptors, and link those to your medical evidence/other evidence. Medical evidence is useful, but if you have a carer, family member, boss, friend, consultant, etc. who knows a lot about how you cope with daily life, get them to write a (short) letter describing what they've seen. Also, write down anecdotes about times you've tried to do things and not been able to. 

    You can request a Mandatory Reconsideration within a month of the date on the decision letter. You might win, although 80% don't. Don't let that discourage you. They seem to have a target. Go on to a tribunal appeal, and 65-71% win! 

    Good luck!

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