I no longer get PIP and ESA has been dropped below half, any advise please? — Scope | Disability forum
Please read our updated community house rules and community guidelines.

I no longer get PIP and ESA has been dropped below half, any advise please?

fibrofognightmare71
fibrofognightmare71 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
edited January 2019 in PIP, DLA, and AA
Hello everybody! Please forgive this late request but as you’ll know if you have fibro, insomnia is the norm! I’ve read so many posts on here over the years but just needed to join as I just read a post about a man asking if losing your PIP lead to also losing your ESA. And the reply was that No it shouldn’t do so. But actually mine just had? I’ve lost all my PIP award due to lies told by the Atos assessor and therefore the DWP Decision Maker also. And my ESA has dropped to below half what it was. I’m now on less than Jobseeker’s Allowance. Why?? This whole nightmare has seen my mental health go into constant suicide watch. My GP is gobsmacked as is my mental health team. I’ve contacted my MP for support and followed advice on sites and started suing the Assessor and Decision Maker. It’s possibly the only thing keeping me going, but obviously causing me great physical and mental Hell too. Can anyone advise please?

Comments

  • AnkyieSpon
    AnkyieSpon Community member Posts: 138 Pioneering
    Hi @fibrofognightmare71 welcome to the community. I also have fibro and it definatly is a nightmare. I'm sorry to hear about your situation. It's obviously a very stressful time. May I suggest posting your question here https://community.scope.org.uk/categories/talk-about-pip-dla 
    I hope you get the advice you need but more importantly you get the result you want from your appeal. Please keep us informed. Good luck. 
    Tina 
    (Ankyie Spon)
    I'm a Pain Warrior
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,345 Disability Gamechanger
    edited January 2019
    Hi,

    Losing a PIP award can affect your ESA if you were claiming the Severe disability premium in with it. This is paid if you live alone, or classed as living alone and no one claims carers allowance for looking after you. You must also have a PIP daily living award.

    Which group are you in for ESA or are you on assessment rate? Do you live alone, or classed as living alone? Any other household income? Were you recently re-assessed for ESA?

    Did you request the Mandatory Reconsideration for the PIP? then Tribunal if that failed? This is the only way to challenge the decision. There's not much a local MP can do regarding a disability benefit.
    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.
  • telscope
    telscope Community member Posts: 37 Connected
    When I started losing my DLA & my PIP was under review, then getting all the zeros, I Took my case to a Mandatory Reconsideration, before taking my case onto a Tribunal, where I won my case for my PIP. Between the time of losing my DLA & claiming my PIP I went to my Advice Centre, Doctor & MP to get the necessary advice, medical report & backing for my PIP. After winning my Tribunal for my PIP the advice centre told me about claiming SDP, due to living alone.
  • fibrofognightmare71
    fibrofognightmare71 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
    Hi everyone! Thankyou so much for your replies! Yes I was getting the Severe Disability Premium so that must be what’s been removed from my ESA. It’s gone down a heck of a lot ! I’ve got my CPN to do the Mandatory Recon so we’re awaiting that. And my MP said he’ll help if I send him all the info and proof of lies. I’m definitely going to Sue them though as their classed as professional people and are therefore bound by the law to be honest or their in breech of their professional standards aren’t they? And I will try and post my question to other thread you’ve given me! Thanks again everyone x
  • Yadnad
    Yadnad Posts: 2,856 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi everyone! Thankyou so much for your replies! Yes I was getting the Severe Disability Premium so that must be what’s been removed from my ESA. It’s gone down a heck of a lot ! I’ve got my CPN to do the Mandatory Recon so we’re awaiting that. And my MP said he’ll help if I send him all the info and proof of lies. I’m definitely going to Sue them though as their classed as professional people and are therefore bound by the law to be honest or their in breech of their professional standards aren’t they? And I will try and post my question to other thread you’ve given me! Thanks again everyone x
    On what basis will you sue them?
    All reports from the assessor to the DWP are not intended to be factual statements. They are nothing more than an opinion. That opinion may well be wrong or right - that isn't a problem.
    I could have an opinion as could my window cleaner.
  • Topkitten
    Topkitten Community member Posts: 1,285 Pioneering
    I can't say I am surprised. I had to change from DLA to PIP I only just made the required points despite the fact that I am not only housebound but pretty much chairbound too. Plus they changed my indefinite award to 4 years..... just before I retire. I am guessing they will try to take it away and then I will be retired and won't be able to re-apply.

    Despite this though they are also doing a very good job at taking away the small ESA award I qualify for.

    I'm sorry I can't help, just thought you might feel a little better if you realised how they are awful to everyone in desperate need of help.

    TK
    "I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell" - from Wrong side of heaven by Five Finger Death Punch.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,345 Disability Gamechanger
    The SDP is £64.30 per week.
    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.
  • fibrofognightmare71
    fibrofognightmare71 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
    On the basis that they told blatant lies about me which led them to then stop my PIP completely. As an example :- “pain has improved”, when in fact pain is much worse and now requires morphine. I obviously never said my pain had improved, I told him it was much worse and was now on morphine which the prescription sheet attested to. This lie is them read by the DM and believed and then contributes to a removal of benefit. This act is fraud is it not ?
  • fibrofognightmare71
    fibrofognightmare71 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
    Thankyou everyone for taking the time to reply/respond. I’m sorry TopKitten, it sounds like you’ve been treated terribly too. It’s so stressful isn’t it. I guess the only options are to fight back ! If you have the strength!
  • fibrofognightmare71
    fibrofognightmare71 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
    Hi, can anyone tell me the Atos e-mail address please? The one that is :-pipwebsitefeedback@atos.netdoesn’t work !
  • fibrofognightmare71
    fibrofognightmare71 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
    Neither does pip-customerservice@atos.net. 
    They are very secretive!
  • Pippa_Alumni
    Pippa_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,793 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @fibrofognightmare71, I'm not sure if this is specifically what you're looking for but you can find the DWP complaints procedure here.
  • fibrofognightmare71
    fibrofognightmare71 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
    Thanks Pippa. Yes I’ve already got that info, it was just that I’m not good on the phone, I get jumbled up and I didn’t want to write, just email so I had a record. But it looks like it’ll have to be a letter. Thanks for your help, appreciated x

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.