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PIP award and new claims

Shelley0512
Shelley0512 Community member Posts: 11 Listener
edited November 2018 in PIP, DLA, and AA
My PIP award is due to end on the 9th November, it was awarded by a Trbunal for a 2 year period and was backdated. I received a letter advising that my claim was due to end and stating I would need to contact them to make a new claim, I returned my form and it was received on the 20th September but I have heard nothing since. Will I still need to have a face to face assessment or is it possible that they may award for a further period without the assessment? As with everyone these assessments and tribunals are horrendous so I am really hoping they will not ask me to attend a face to face. Thank you for your input.

Comments

  • Ami2301
    Ami2301 Community member Posts: 7,942 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Shelley0512 welcome to the community! I am unsure however I’m sure some of our incredible members would be happy to answer your questions :)

    @poppy123456, @Yadnad, @wilko could you help please? :)
    Disability Gamechanger - 2019
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,368 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi,

    Most people have face to face assessments, it's rare to have a paper based one. Did you send evidence to support your claim? They rarely contact anyone for evidence, the onus is on you to make sure it's sent.

    There's no time scales to how long the process will take. Some wait weeks, while other wait months for an assessment date. I'd advise you to expect another face to face assessment. Unfortunately because your award has an end date then your PIP will stop on the dates stated on your award. If the decision goes in your favour then your money will be backdated to the date it stopped. Good luck.
    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.
  • Shelley0512
    Shelley0512 Community member Posts: 11 Listener
    Thank you for the advice. I won the award by going to a Tribunal, it was only awarded in March as it originally went to appeal and was denied and I went to the Upper Tribunal who saw in my favour and I went back to Appeal and won. I sent evidence, but only from my GP as I have no Consultant and my GP has refused to refer me saying I have my diagnosis and that she can offer the same service as the Consultant. Should I chase the DWP or do I just have to wait? I received a date for a face to face assessment after 34 days on the original claim.
  • steve51
    steve51 Community member Posts: 7,153 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Shelley0512

    Good Evening it’s great to meet you today!!!!!

    I’m one of the “Community Champions” here on our site.

    Yes you should phone ? to see what has happened with your claim.
     
    Please please let me know if I can help/support you further??? 

    Can I please ask about your dr who won’t refer you onto extra services that you require????

    Sorry for that question I just want to help you!!!!!

  • Shelley0512
    Shelley0512 Community member Posts: 11 Listener
    Hi Steve51, thank you for your advice. It is a bit complex, I was diagnosed with CFS in 2008 and was told I had had it for 19 years. I saw different Consultants over the years and then my Consultant retired and I was told that the unit closed. I had not Consultant for a few years and then I found out the the service had remained open as a skeleton service with a different Consultant. I saw the new Consultant once and discharged myself there and then. Sorry unable to go into detail but had no choice but to do this. My GP retired in July 2017, another GP took over the surgery and has refused everything that I have requested (I recently had help from a Charity who gave me some advice and completed my PIP form for me). My GP said that they can refer me to the same services as the Consultant, for example pain management and CBT etc. I have other conditions too.  As my only real evidence was from my GP I am a bit nervous to change GP's at this stage. I have my ESA claim coming back at me at any time so the PIP was an extra support service for me. I was also refused a request to the CCG to be referred to a Consultant out of area.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,368 Disability Gamechanger
    The form that you returned has most likely been sent to the assessment providers, if you haven't heard anything it's most likely still with them. If so then DWP wouldn't be able to give you any information at this time because it's out of their hands until the report has been returned back to them.

    Most people have a face to face assessment, so i'd expect a letter for one of those at some point. I always say, if you expect it then it doesn't come as too much of a shock when it arrives.

    Unfortunately there's no timescales and it all depends on backlog in your area. I know it's not much of a help but there's really nothing more you can do at this stage. Hopefully it won't be much longer.
    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.
  • Shelley0512
    Shelley0512 Community member Posts: 11 Listener
    Thank you Poppy123456. I have telephoned the DWP to chase and they have said I will need a Face to Face appointment. I have just booked the appointment for the 3rd December, unfortunately they will not do a home visit like before but it is too much hassle to get further evidence for a home visit. I have an appointment booked with my GP to request a referral back to my Consultant, but I am not optimistic about this as she has already said no. It looks as though I will have to change surgeries as I need evidence to support my condition and someone to monitor my condition as it is getting worse.
    Thanks again for your advice. I have already learnt a lot from this site.
  • Shelley0512
    Shelley0512 Community member Posts: 11 Listener
    steve51 said:
    Hi @Shelley0512

    Good Evening it’s great to meet you today!!!!!

    I’m one of the “Community Champions” here on our site.

    Yes you should phone ? to see what has happened with your claim.
     
    Please please let me know if I can help/support you further??? 

    Can I please ask about your dr who won’t refer you onto extra services that you require????

    Sorry for that question I just want to help you!!!!!

    steve51 said:
    Hi @Shelley0512

    Good Evening it’s great to meet you today!!!!!

    I’m one of the “Community Champions” here on our site.

    Yes you should phone ? to see what has happened with your claim.
     
    Please please let me know if I can help/support you further??? 

    Can I please ask about your dr who won’t refer you onto extra services that you require????

    Sorry for that question I just want to help you!!!!!

    Hi Steve51, I wonder if you could assist further? I failed the medical that I attended, I was awarded 6 points on daily living and 4 points on mobility. I asked for a mandatory reconsideration at the start of February and despite receiving a text acknowledgement, I have not heard anything further. It will be 8 weeks since the text on Monday, should I chase now? In the meantime I have been awarded a blue badge and I have advised DWP of this in my mandatory reconsideration. My GP said she could offer the same service as a Consultant, hence the reason she refused to refer me. She gave me a card for "Talking Therapies", but I would need to arrange everything myself, they are not specialised for my condition and I would need to get there which would be exhausting for me. I have had Hydrotherapy sessions previously where I had exercise in a neck high hot pool, this helped. Unfortunately this is not available under my GP, I can go to a paid session in a council pool, but this is waist high at best in a luke warm pool, which does not have the same benefits. I could also ask to be referred to pain management, but my previous GP advised this stating it would just be injections in my back. I have considered changing surgeries but the alternatives all have poor reviews.
  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    You can ring to see if a decision has been made but only around 18% of MR's are successful. The next stage is to prepare to go to tribunal
    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • Shelley0512
    Shelley0512 Community member Posts: 11 Listener
    Thank you for your response. I believe that I have now attended 3 tribunals, 1 for ESA and 2 for PIP, all were horrendous. Whilst I would take it to tribunal, I do not think I could cope with attending and I would go for the other option despite having less chance to win, I could not take the stress.
  • Shelley0512
    Shelley0512 Community member Posts: 11 Listener
    Do the DWP actually take the mandatory reconsideration seriously and read your new evidence? I asked my GP if she had received anything from the DWP as in a request for a report or a form for her to complete and she said no.

  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi Shelley

    If you do need to take your claim to tribunal, please get help from an advice centre near you. This is even more important if you do opt for a paper based appeal which has about an 8% chance of success
    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • Shelley0512
    Shelley0512 Community member Posts: 11 Listener
    So you think it is unlikely that they will award a further 2 points? Thankfully my Mum and I are registered with a carers charity and despite the adviser not knowing much about PIP (she advised to ask for a mandatory reconsideration without sending any further evidence) she will refer me to a Welfare adviser at the Council who will prepare my appeal. I will chase the DWP tomorrow. Thank you for your advice.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,368 Disability Gamechanger
    With only 18% of MR decisions changing, it's rare. They very rarely contact anyone for any evidence, the onus is on you to make sure it's sent to support your claim. If you do have to take it to Tribunal then appearing in person is your best chance of having a decision in your favour. The Tribunal will always prefer you to appear in person.
    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.
  • Shelley0512
    Shelley0512 Community member Posts: 11 Listener
    Hi Poppy123456, thank you for your advice.
  • Shelley0512
    Shelley0512 Community member Posts: 11 Listener
    Hi Poppy123456, I received the decision from the DWP this morning and the mandatory reconsideration has failed. I had telephoned the DWP on Friday 8th March and was told that the decision maker had not made a decision yet and had referred for further advice on the 1st March, I was told to ring back the following Friday (15th March) or Friday after that. Ironically the date of the decision is the 7th March, a day before I telephoned! I don't believe they bothered to consider this Mandatory Reconsideration at all. I will take this to appeal but the stress and worry just exacerbates my condition.I now have 24 days to lodge the appeal. 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,368 Disability Gamechanger
    Only 18% of MR decisions change so i'm not surprised you have to take it to Tribunal. Appearing in person will give you the best chance of a decision in your favour. It can be a very long process unfortunately.
    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.
  • Shelley0512
    Shelley0512 Community member Posts: 11 Listener
    Thank you Poppy123456 for your reply.

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