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Mental health

janejr
janejr Community member Posts: 149 Pioneering
in PIP, DLA, and AA
Hi can anyone help me help a friend in distress. He has mental health and is applied for PIP. He is having help from mental health people and is currently having therapy. Part of he condition is severe anxiety and he struggle getting out of his home even to shop for food is a problem. When he is in an anxious situation he sometimes explodes and lashes out and is unable to calm down. His therapist has phoned DWP and explained he needs a home visit as he can't go to an assessment and they said tuff. The therapist was very angry with the DWP and has told my friend to contact his support worker. He tried this and he is away on leave. Now my friend is falling to pieces thinking he will loose everything. Please has anyone got any advice for him this has got to be wrong
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Comments

  • cristobal
    cristobal Community member Posts: 984 Disability Gamechanger
    @janejr - if your friend can become violent I believe he won't be able to have a home assessment for safety reasons.

    Sorry - I'm struggling to think of anything else. Maybe you could go with him?
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  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,910 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi,

    If the evidence he sent or his therapist told them that he's aggressive then they will definitely not do a home assessment becuase of this reason.

    Does he have someone that can attend the assessment centre with him?
    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.
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  • cristobal
    cristobal Community member Posts: 984 Disability Gamechanger
    edited June 2019
    @poppy123456 - did you copy my post? !!

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  • janejr
    janejr Community member Posts: 149 Pioneering
    His therapist hasn't said he can become violent she said to the DWP "listen I'm his therapist and I'm telling you he physically can not attend this meeting". She then gave her name and her qualifications. She was angry they said tuff.
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  • janejr
    janejr Community member Posts: 149 Pioneering
    Also DWP said he has cancelled three times and he hasn't. They tried to send him to Walsall and he lives in Birmingham. His therapist phoned them and said no he needs a home visit. Then a week later he gets an appointment for an assessment in an assessment centre in Birmingham. So that was just one cancellation. 
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  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,910 Disability Gamechanger
    cristobal said:
    @poppy123456 - did you copy my post? !!

    When i replied there was no other comments, so no i didn't!!
    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.
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  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 10,935 Scope online community team
    Hello @janejr, he might have more luck if his therapist can put it in writing for him rather than by telephone, do you think they would be willing?
    Community Manager
    Scope
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  • janejr
    janejr Community member Posts: 149 Pioneering
    She has already wrote him a very good report detailing his conditions including his anxiety and details on how it effects him saying he is to unwell to work. He struggles to care for him self and has a past history of self harm and attempted suicides
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  • janejr
    janejr Community member Posts: 149 Pioneering
    Will tell him to ask therapist for another letter stating he could not attend. Feel so sorry for him
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  • cristobal
    cristobal Community member Posts: 984 Disability Gamechanger
    @janejr _ i feel sorry for your friend as well.

    I can't actually see a way forward - if he can become violent then he's not likely to get a home visit, but he's unable to go to the assessment centre. Could you seek advice from the CAB or something - I can't believe that this hasn't happened before...
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  • cristobal
    cristobal Community member Posts: 984 Disability Gamechanger
    @janejr - just a further thought....could your friend asked for the assessment to be done on paper rather than F2F??
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  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    For a home assessment, a GP's letter is required stating very specifically that the claimant cannot attend and why. I am not certain whether a therapist carries the same weight as a GP. in the eyes of the assessment provider
    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
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  • drewdundee
    drewdundee Community member Posts: 49 Courageous
    Tough situation, if i was an assessor knowing what you said I wouldn't go. Plus if he does lash out then I would not expect anyone to expect to put an assessor in danger like that. I guess someone will have to attend the centre with him or paper based assessment. Good luck either way
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  • janejr
    janejr Community member Posts: 149 Pioneering
    Thank you everyone for your advice. His out bursts are bought on by servere anxiety caused by his PTSD. He has never actually hit anyone it's more verbal and shouting he then usually gets himself away from what's making him anxious to try to calm down. Mental health sucks as there is not enough help. I'm trying to get him a support worker or social worker
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