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Help needed to appeal against decision

fenty61
fenty61 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
edited July 2019 in PIP, DLA, and AA
can anyone help or advise,I’ve just had my decision letter today and i can’t believe the lies the assessor has put down in the report she made,it’s contradictive to everything regarding my medical evidence that i sent in and it’s left me feeling as ive lied about everything i wrote down on the re-assessment form i had to fill in and send back to them in January 2019 they did a home assessment at my home in April as I’m not well enough to travel,the lady who did it was rude and impolite and if i had any questions she cut me off every time and she made me feel uncomfortable in my own home,I actually rang the pip number eventually getting through after numerous attempts to do so to make a complaint about her rude behaviour and was told that i could make a formal complaint only after the report from her had been received and the decision made on my pip re-assessment,she’s lied and said the opposite of everything i said and told her,this has left me fuming,why is it that someone who is not medically qualified,can sit with you for around 45 minutes at the most make so called medical assessments about you in this ludicrous amount of short time when they know absolutely nothing about your medical history,only on paper then make out a medical report on you to be sent in to then determine if you still qualify for pip when we’ve suffered for years with various illnesses and medical conditions that’s taken weeks and months by qualified consultants to reach a diagnosis,how on earth do they get away with being able to do this and then expect us being turned down and it not have any effects on our health or mental state whatsoever,it seems to me that far too many people are being turned down for the most ridiculous reasons,have they no idea how this process affects people or how stressful it is having to go through this petty means testing process,does anyone have any help or advice as to the way forward as I’m at a loss as what to do now or who to approach to help me with this,is this becoming the norm now for people trying to claim disability benefits,being lied to and about and left feeling like a criminal in claiming disability benefits in the first place and are they turning down people now more than they ever have done in the hope that most people won’t appeal if being turned down for disability benefits,I look forward to any help,advice anyone may be able to share with me.

Comments

  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 10,836 Scope online community team
    Hi @fenty61,
    Sorry I'm only just responding. This post must've slipped under the radar. How are you doing at the moment?

    When did you receive the decision for your PIP award? I'm sorry you feel the report was so inaccurate. Your next step would be a mandatory reconsideration and we have some information about these here

    Hopefully some of our members will be able to offer some additional advice.
    Community Manager
    Scope
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    Hi @fenty61 There are two issues here for you: 1) the fact you have been refused PIP and 2) the issues you have with the assessor and quality of their report.  To deal with 1) first, as stated above, you should ask PIP for a mandatory reconsideration. You can do this either by telephoning PIP or by letter, or by completing a form which you can download and print off from here and post to PIP.  You should first review the list of activities which is used to assess PIP.  You should tell PIP which of these apply to you and why when you have for the mandatory reconsideration.  If you can get some supportive medical evidence that would help even more - such as a letter from your GP or another health professional, or even a print out of your patient summary from your medical records.  Always check any new evidence you will send is supporting what you have already told PIP about your health conditions.  You must then wait for the next decision which will be sent to you in a letter.  If it is still refused you can appeal and the letter will tell you how to do this.

    To deal with 2) I would suggest you contact the assessment provider - likely Capita? Make a formal complaint directly to them.  Explain all the issues and they will have to investigate and respond to you.  I wish you all the best with both matters.  Sarah

    The Benefits Training Co:

  • crazyjan
    crazyjan Community member Posts: 56 Pioneering
    I'm so sorry you've gone through this. I, too, had a dishonest report from an assessor. My husband even rang DWP to check it was about me!! I've hardly slept or eaten since. The advice from the people on this site will be good. You have a month to submit your request for a Mandatory Consideration. I hope you'll feel strong enough to go forward and do this. I couldn't at first, but eventually did it with advice from CAB and another GP letter added to all the evidence they already had. I was , and still am, upset and shocked that a so called nurse could put together such a fraudulent report and I intend to complain formally to Capita. Another thing that continues to keep me going is this site. It helps to know I'm not the only one in this position. Hang on in there. Please don't give up. Even if you, and I, have to appeal then most appeals are successful.  I wish you all the best.
  • fenty61
    fenty61 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    Hi all,sorry for replying late,I’m at the moment waiting for the dwp/pip to reconsider their decision,i have until 13/07/19 to get in any further evidence to pip,I’m awaiting my gp suporting letter,i have a supporting letter from both my mental health people and my warden/supervisor at our housing complex,I’ve got someone from Auriga benefits help now helping both myself and my wife(also my carer) with this appeal process,which to be honest is one of the most trying and frustrating things I’ve ever had to do,so at the moment I’ve just got to be patient and let things take their course,any advice or help would be immensely appreciated as i really don’t have any experience how this works.
  • karenw
    karenw Community member Posts: 1 Listener
    I’m waiting for our appeal to tribunal for my daughter . She has cerebral palsy and was given standard rate on pip for mobility, although she had a lifetime award on DLA at the higher rate . The PIP assessment was a disgrace, the assessor has lied all the way through the statement. I’m ready to fight this and take them on ! Get as much evidence together that you can , write a daily diary how your disability affects you and most of all , stay strong!
  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 10,836 Scope online community team
    Hello @karenw and welcome to the community. 
    I'm sorry to read that your daughter's PIP report wasn't accurate. How long have you been waiting for the tribunal?
    Community Manager
    Scope

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