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FACE TO FACE ASSESSMENTS

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Comments

  • Marie123
    Marie123 Community member Posts: 18 Connected
    edited January 2019
    Called DWP today and they  say they may need to discuss medical reasons why I can't work at the first interview. I am reluctant to discuss medical issues with a DWP administration worker with know medical knowledge . Not to mention someone who has not signed up to nhs confidentiality regulations . Am I within my rights to refuse to give any medical info at the initial interview which is supposedly only to confirm my identity ? Feel like this is Nazis Germany . NOT giving any medical info to a person with admin skills and no medical training or knowledge. ?  
  • Dotty123
    Dotty123 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    True it’s like there calling our doctors liars and sending you to see anyone they haven’t clue and fail you it’s so degrading all this so a dr you’ve seen for yes says you can’t work yet some one you’ve Neva met in your life not till assessment and they no you better than dr 
  • Marie123
    Marie123 Community member Posts: 18 Connected
    I'm ok just now and can survive ,for a while but  , I'm going to take this the whole way . No admin clerk with  zero medical training or qualification.will  ever get any of my confidential ,human rights protected information from me.just because they work for the DWP. No  Medical qualifications no info Simples ?
  • Dotty123
    Dotty123 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    Don’t blame you it’s bad they have everyone I’ll stressed upset penniless homeless on there say so it shouldn’t be like this for anyone good luck ?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    It's most likely because when you claim UC you ave to sign a claimant commitment. Sounds l you'll be meeting your work coach at this appointment as well as confirming your identity.

    Your work coach will be drawing up your job search requirements and this will be used for the claimant commitment. There's no need to tell them everything. Just tell them a little about the reasons why you can't work.

    In order to receive UC it is necessary to meet conditionality requirements, which will be determined by an individual’s capability and circumstances and this is why they need to know just a little about you. You absolutely don't have to go into full details at all and if asked to do so then kindly tell then you'd rather not talk about it in full. The last thing you want to happen is to be placed into the all work requirements group. Once this is done you'll be asked to sign and then this will be your claimant commitment, until you're assessed.

    Once you have your work capability assessment a decision will be made, if you're given limited capability for work, you'll be placed into the work preparation group to prepare for work sometime in the future ( exactly like WRAG for ESA)

    If you're given limited capability for work related activity then you'll be placed into the no work requirements group and you won't have to do anything, they leave you alone in this group (just like Support Group on ESA)

    If you're found fit for work then you'll be placed into the all work requirements group.

    Hope this helps explain it a little more.
    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.
  • Marie123
    Marie123 Community member Posts: 18 Connected
    Really embarrassing to say this but because of treatment I've had my life revolves around never being less than a few metres away from the toilette facilities  on most days.Do the DWP offices have toilette facilities ? Can I request for my interview to be very close to the toiletes?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    It will be your local job centre that the appointment will be at so you'll need to check with them what facilities are available.
    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.
  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    I disagree with poppy's first reply.

    I have found if I take evidence with me on the day, it means they have not been able to prepare for it in advance and it sort of knocks them back for six.  e.g. if they checked your form and file before you turn up and are expecting to give 0 points, bringing paperwork with you sort of upsets that for them.

    I dont suggest bringing huge bundles of documents with you tho, perhaps that is what poppy meant, what I usually do is bring a sheet or two of a written statement from my self describing the descriptors I hit and why, whilst they reading I then audibly say the key points so its on the audio recording as well.  I may bring one or two letters as well if I have any from HCP's.
  • Dotty123
    Dotty123 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    They asked my dr for report he sent it I got one didn’t tell them during f2f I said my dr sent report you asked him for she said oh it’ll be in diff room so I said here I got one do you want foto copy it so you can keep it she wasn’t happy do what you feel it’s your assessment I’ve been ill with mine good luck 
  • teejays1617
    teejays1617 Community member Posts: 92 Courageous
    Dotty ,
              Great what you did. Armed with extra paperwork and medical professional doctors letters handed in at FTF  reinforces our own health problems and in my last FTF I was thanked a lot for the extra letters by the assessor.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    worried33 said:
    I disagree with poppy's first reply.

    I have found if I take evidence with me on the day, it means they have not been able to prepare for it in advance and it sort of knocks them back for six.  e.g. if they checked your form and file before you turn up and are expecting to give 0 points, bringing paperwork with you sort of upsets that for them.

    I dont suggest bringing huge bundles of documents with you tho, perhaps that is what poppy meant, what I usually do is bring a sheet or two of a written statement from my self describing the descriptors I hit and why, whilst they reading I then audibly say the key points so its on the audio recording as well.  I may bring one or two letters as well if I have any from HCP's.
    I think you may have read my first reply incorrectly.

    I said...
    "I disagree about taking evidence to the assessment with you. They very often refuse to accept evidence on the day of the assessment, it's happened to me twice.

    The whole purpose of the ESA50 form, like PIP, is that you put down on the form exactly how your conditions affect you and send all your relevant evidence when returning the form"

    Which means, taking evidence with you on the day isn't the greatest idea.
    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.
  • worried33
    worried33 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    edited February 2019
    Well I would still take it, I have had claims on f2f, that they have never seen evidence that I supply with forms, and any evidence I send with forms seems to be ignored, because if it wasnt ignored the f2f wouldnt be needed in the first place.

    On my last 2 WCA they have received enough evidence with the form to give me SG on a paper assessment but failed to do so.

    On my last WCA in addition they tried to claim I never even asked for a recording, then brought in my ESA50 form and then had to apologise after reading the request was on the form, which made me think did you even read the ESA50 form.

    Evidence I have brought with me has never been refused.  If it was refused you would instantly have grounds for a successful appeal as well, that would be a self inflicting move if they refuse supporting evidence.

    What happens e.g. if you only obtain evidence a week before the f2f?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    All i'm saying is that it has been known plenty of times for a HCP to refuse to accept the evidence from you on the day of the assessment. Which is why you should never rely on them accepting it on the day.

    It's happened to me twice and to my daughter last year during her assessment for PIP. I've never been refused PIP or ESA and all the HCPs i've had have been lovely, honest and truthful but they've still refused to accept the extra evidence. Thankfully, each time i've sent in evidence with my form and what i took was just extra that i had received after returning the form.


    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.
  • charlie79
    charlie79 Community member Posts: 258 Pioneering
    If you receive evidence a week before like I did send it by email to address I advised in previous post. You will receive an acknowledgement email they have received it. Call the number on the back of your appointment letter as it will be the direct number to the assessment centre and not the call centre for appointments they can advise you that they have received it. Make sure you say to them its important they review. I did this myself and just passed, every case is different and take copies with you of all the evidence and not originals, to the appointment.  If they do accept the copies at assessment then you are prepared.
  • charlie79
    charlie79 Community member Posts: 258 Pioneering
    Call them a day or 2 days after email sent so it can show up on there system evidence recieved
  • teejays1617
    teejays1617 Community member Posts: 92 Courageous
    Charlie,
                 I will always take extra evidence letters with me to Face to Face Assessments. They have even asked for extra evidence from doctors and medication lists at the time of the assessment.I cannot agree with POPPY at all on this issue. I have never been refused the extra letters from the doctors to the assessor.As I say again they ask me for more supporting paperwork at the
    Face to Face.
    Poppy I like a lot of your comments but I have to say that supportive paperwork
    helps your case in front of the assessor.
  • charlie79
    charlie79 Community member Posts: 258 Pioneering
    Poppy I think was referring to her own experiences and experiences of other people on scope. I have personally read some posts where they haven't accepted evidence as well  ones that have. That's why I advised her to send via email from my own personal experience, and take copies to assessment.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    Yes, i was referring to my own experiences but a claimant shouldn't rely on the HCP accepting the evidence on the day of the assessment.

    Sometimes it's good to agree to disagree :)
    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.
  • sandy69
    sandy69 Community member Posts: 11 Connected
    I was on pip sent loads of letter drs letter they reduced me from enhanced to standard rate I can't go out I'm worse off now I have received another letter to fill in for ESA I'm 65 this year got no pension I don't no what to do I have had enough
  • Dotty123
    Dotty123 Community member Posts: 492 Pioneering
    There making us beggars it’s out of hand and they need sort it our benefit offices are a joke and a disgrace 

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