Pip Paper Assessment - odd experience.

cass1 · February 2019

Hello,

I've been waiting many months now after initially requesting a home based assessment but was becoming so unwell at thought, my GP requested a paper one for which I was overwhelmingly grateful (even though I knew I wouldn't necessarily get a fair representation or award).

I have been without a phone many months and now have one, so am grateful to be able to post as I've been highly anxious throughout the whole process.

I have physical and mental health conditions and am rarely able to venture out.

I have a hostile neighbour who spends most days outside my door and I just overheard her outside answering questions about me -

1. Do you see her go outside - "yes she goes to the shops",
2. Have you ever seen her work? "NO".
3. Can she walk?

I'm feeling very violated and vulnerable, I'd finally found a therapist (no PTSD specialist help in my area) but my therapist felt unable to treat me properly whilst I was unable to meet basic needs (being without food etc because of no £), and since my therapist urged me to apply for Pip I've been in such a state over it I can longer get to the therapy.

Has anyone heard of assessors snooping outside people's homes and doing such?

I have been so desperate and feel.so violated I don't believe I can take any more.

Sorry if my post is lengthy and rambling.
I'm terrified.

Thanks for reading.

steve51 · February 2019

Hi @cass1

Welcome to our online family/family ??

Please please don’t worry about the length of your post.

I am part of a team of Community Champion’s.

We always all here to help & is any new members✅✅

We have got some info & advice for you with regards to “pip”

Please last me know if this will be helpful??

@steve51

cass1 · February 2019

Hi there (and thank you).
Yes it would be helpful - I'm in bits that I was being discussed outside my door - I cannot express how distressing this is for me.
Sorry.

steve51 · February 2019

Hi @cass1

Please please don’t worry about what is being said outside!!!!

Here’s some info on pip for you:

https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/personal-independence-payment

Please please let me know if there’s anything else that I can help you with?????

@steve51

poppy123456 · February 2019

Hi,

I doubt very much that a HCP would be "snooping" outside your house. There would be no reason to do this. Sounds like it was probably a neighbour being nasty and poking their nose in where it's not wanted.

For your PIP claim, most people have face to face assessments, it's rare to have a paper based one. There's no time scales for the waiting times, backlogs is just part of the reason it can often take several months.

Hopefully it won't be too long.

cass1 · February 2019

Hi again,
Thank you.

I can't find any information that supports them snooping around and discussing my health with any Tom, Dick or Harry on the street!

Surely this cannot be right?

I'm never going outside again. I'm without means (to get milk delivered etc) and this has just pushed me to the end of my will.

I know I sound dramatic, but the Pip application process has actually been instrumentally detrimental to my health - I just need to know if they are allowed to do this.

Surely we are entitled to a semblance of dignity?

If anyone can advise I'd be grateful.

Thank you again @steve51 I do appreciate your time and response.

cass1 · February 2019

Hi @poppy123456 yes my neighbour is nasty - I wish i could unhear the amount I heard.

I cannot imagine anyone other than an assessor having cause to ask such - and even if the neighbour did instigate the conversation with the (supposed) assessor, they continued the conversation with questions about me.

When I first moved into my home this neighbour would approach anyone coming to my door and ask who they were!

Government_needs_reform · February 2019

cass1 said:

Hi @poppy123456 yes my neighbour is nasty - I wish i could unhear the amount I heard.

I cannot imagine anyone other than an assessor having cause to ask such - and even if the neighbour did instigate the conversation with the (supposed) assessor, they continued the conversation with questions about me.

When I first moved into my home this neighbour would approach anyone coming to my door and ask who they were!

@cass1 I'm truly sorry you've got such a nasty neighbour, I know if it was me I would have to leave the property as that is no way to live, I would also doubt it would have been the assesser they were talking to. I suffer with paranoia etc and it's easy to always fear the worst.

I had a neighbour once that was nasty and I made a decision to walk away from living there as I really could not cope anymore it was eating me up, so I lived with friends for a while until my housing found me a new property to live in, I don't trust no one either and do not share any of my life with anyone as I have many, many trust issues with people face to face.

I really do feel for you because as I know what your going through. God bless ....

cass1 · February 2019

Thank you @Government_needs_reform

I want it to be paranoia! I'm trying to tell myself that but.. I heard what I heard.

Thank you so much for taking the time to write your kind words with such compassion.

steve51 · February 2019

Hi @cass1

I am so sorry to hear about your neighbour.

Please please believe me it won’t be an “assessor” outside your property.

It sounds more like your neighbour or some local people.

Please please put the idea of it being an assessor our off your mind.

no 1. They are far to busy to do that at present.

no 2. The only place that they can do it is from the car park into the centre.

no 3. They aren’t that clever in the first place.

@steve51

Government_needs_reform · February 2019

cass1 said:

Thank you @Government_needs_reform

I want it to be paranoia! I'm trying to tell myself that but.. I heard what I heard.

Thank you so much for taking the time to write your kind words with such compassion.

@cass1 Your most welcome glad it may help you I do believe what your saying that you've heard gossiping going on. I'm in the same boat as yourself with physical and mental disability's, I'm under the mental health teams and they visit me 3 times a week.

Prior to my disability's I had a great life and never asked anyone for anything, then I got struck down and now have to rely on the state to keep me going, I feel such a burden on life and society now, and I've tried many times in trying to Finnish myself off, I won't go into detail as I don't want to offend anyone.

I find when we or you are in a disabled state people seem to take advantage of you more.

As the DWP know my circumstances fully justified with my evidence I send backs everything up I only have had Paper Based assessments as they know full well and I've explained on all my forms do want you want as I won't be going to any face to face or having you in my home as it's my safe place.

My PIP was Paper Based ongoing as all my mental and physical disability's will now never improve.

I've got now in my time of life I say it as it is as I really am now passed caring.

Yadnad · February 2019

steve51 said:

Hi @cass1

I am so sorry to hear about your neighbour.

Please please believe me it won’t be an “assessor” outside your property.

It sounds more like your neighbour or some local people.

Please please put the idea of it being an assessor our off your mind.

no 1. They are far to busy to do that at present.

no 2. The only place that they can do it is from the car park into the centre.

no 3. They aren’t that clever in the first place.

@steve51

Sorry Steve, but you are wrong in part. I agree that no assessor is going to make a special journey to discuss anything with a neighbour. However if an appointment had been made for a home visit and there was no answer at the claimant's door and a neighbour approached the assessor asking if she could help, the assessor may take note of what the neighbour says.
Do what from the car park to the centre? Do you mean watch and observe the claimant? Surely an assessor who may have accidentally witnessed the claimant the week before when they went to the same event is probably going to remember how the claimant acted at that time if the assessor recognises them at the assessment.
As for not being clever you are completely wrong. They would not be doing the job if they had not qualified in their previous chosen career. To become a nurse you have to have a good university degree.

Pip Paper Assessment - odd experience.

Comments

Categories