Partners PIP assessment on Wednesday, what's it actually like? — Scope | Disability forum
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Partners PIP assessment on Wednesday, what's it actually like?

AhhBisto
AhhBisto Community member Posts: 48 Courageous
Hello,

So my partner has Huntingtons, she's has had symptoms for last 3 years. We've finally got an appointment that is 2 hours away (we chose this to speed up the process as they'd already cancelled one that was only an hour away.)

I'm not someone to think the worst, she's already been awarded LWRCA without an appointment and we have plenty of evidence to support, that has been sent in.

She is very nervous and anxious about it, and when she's stressed she can become angry, especially being asked questions she can't understand. We have to bring our infant daughter with us as well, so really what I'm asking is are they often friendly and understanding if she "shuts down" or becomes angry?

I will be there the entire time, and I'm hoping our daughter will sweeten them up a bit :P.

Comments

  • wildlife
    wildlife Community member Posts: 1,293 Pioneering
    @AhhBisto Are you her appointee for her benefits or is she able to deal with everything else herself, paperwork, phone calls etc. Appointees can answer for the claimant at the face to face apart from any questions relating to mental cognative ability. This might be of help to you both from what you said. Have you checked whether your baby can go in with you? 
        
  • AhhBisto
    AhhBisto Community member Posts: 48 Courageous
    wildlife said:
    @AhhBisto Are you her appointee for her benefits or is she able to deal with everything else herself, paperwork, phone calls etc. Appointees can answer for the claimant at the face to face apart from any questions relating to mental cognative ability. This might be of help to you both from what you said. Have you checked whether your baby can go in with you? 
        
    I am, she wasn't really able to deal with much unfortunately. She can do a lot of things herself but struggles with a lot of questions unless they're explained clearly sometimes with examples or demonstrations.

    I did call Capita and they did say it was fine to bring our daughter. 
  • wilko
    wilko Community member Posts: 2,458 Disability Gamechanger

    @AhhBisto, this is just a copy and paste of general information I wrote for any body needing details of a PIP acessment. Hope it is helpful and good luck for Wednesday.

    Hello and welcome, Firstly filling in the application form giving as much detail how the applicants illnesses, disability affect their daily lives in relation to the PIP descriptors. Suppling up to date medical and supportive evidence that will comfirm you abilities to or not meet the PIP descriptors. Keep copies of any information documents reports evidence you send to DWP as sometimes they get lost or mislaid. On or at your acessment if you need or use aids use them don’t just give yes or no answers let the acessor re ask the questions to allow you to answer describing why you can or cannot do the descriptors being decused, in reference to the physical examination do not do any movements that cause you pain discomfort or aggregate your condition. Be aware of the memory games they play being able to remember things from your past will indicate to the acessor your mental state even though your just talking about things which have nothing to do with the current part of the acessment. Be aware there are CCVTs outside and in and around the the acessment center, the acessor know the distances from the nearest car parks, bus stop waiting rooms to their acessment office so if yo can walk from the bus stop or car park or easily from the waiting room to the office these distances will be noted and recorded. And lastly having had your Face to a Face acessment about a week afterwards ring DWP and request a copy of your acessment report which takes about 14 days to arrive once requested. On receiving it you can and should be able to work out what your award may, should be as the decision makers at DWP usually go with the acessment report, but you still have to wait for the official award letter notification. If it’s not what you expect then having the report early will given you time to prepare statements ready for submission for an MR which has to be made with 30 days of receding the award letter can be done by phone but best followed up by a postal request.

  • AhhBisto
    AhhBisto Community member Posts: 48 Courageous
    Makes sense, the minority that falsely claim disability need to be weeded out but the questions they ask probably disqualify even the most disabled candidates.

    My partner very rarely answers a question without signalling to me to explain it, and when she does try it normally isn't anything to do with the question.

    I guess I just have to keep chit chat to a minimum and only ask her to try and answer the specific question being asked.

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