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PIP Assessment

Norman22
Norman22 Community member Posts: 8 Listener
Hello everyone! I’m new on this board but have read a few discussions and thought I’d join in! 
I have had my first PIP assessment today and it was relatively short. 30 mins and the HA didn’t ask me too many questions... i am wondering if this has happened to anyone else?
I suffer from Psoriatic Athritis, Psoriasis and diabetes...
any comments would be hugely appreciated ?
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Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,333 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi,

    The assessment is mostly to verify what you've written in the PIP2 form plus any other information they need and will be based on how your conditions affect you.

    The times for assessments vary from person to person. My shortest assessment was 15 minutes and my longest was 1hour and 10 minutes. You can't really predict anything by the length of time you were in there.

    Best thing you can do is request a copy of the assessment report in about a week from now. This will give you some idea what the decision is likely to be because they mostly go with the report.


    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.
  • Norman22
    Norman22 Community member Posts: 8 Listener
    Thank you Poppy. She was very pleasant and kind and courteous. I was just surprised that she didn’t go through every question but I guess it makes sense if they only ask when they need more information. Will keep you all posted when I hear from them! Xx
  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 10,821 Scope online community team
    A warm welcome to the community @Norman22! Best of luck and I hope you hear from them soon.
    Community Manager
    Scope
  • Norman22
    Norman22 Community member Posts: 8 Listener
    Thank you Adrian. I will update once I have heard from them. I have to say I was surprised that the assessment was not as daunting as I thought it would be. I hope I’m not misreading anything! 
    Thus forum is great, really helps when one is looking for info or advice. Thank you all! X
  • atlas46
    atlas46 Community member Posts: 826 Pioneering
    Hi @Norman22

    A warm welcome.

    You have not misread the assessment.

    My assessment was exactly like yours, the assessor was kind and decent.

    She kept saying, “is there anything else you would like to add” and asked my wife a few questions.

    I got a copy of the report and agreed with every section.

    I got enhanced for both components.

    Hope this helps.

    Hopefully, you should get an award letter in six weeks, or so.
  • KG100
    KG100 Community member Posts: 179 Pioneering
    My PIP assessment went smoothly as well, nothing like as bad as I thought it'd be.
    I suppose we read of so many bad assessments that we prepare ourselves for the worse, I know I did. 

  • Norman22
    Norman22 Community member Posts: 8 Listener
    Thank you all such kind words! Yes I did prepare for the worst. I guess we hear so many horror stories and not as many good ones. I received the text message today saying they have received my report. The assessor was a young lady in her late 20s. She too asked me if I wanted to add anything and wasn’t too probing with the questions. I however went to an assessment with my mum a few years ago and the assessor was completely different. She was very pushy with her questions and asked so many questions and wanted elaborating on nearly everything. I guess I thought my assessment would be similar to that but I was pleasantly surprised.
  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 10,821 Scope online community team
    Don't forget you can call them up and request a copy of the assessor's report @Norman22. It will give you some indication as to the award recommendation. 
    Community Manager
    Scope
  • Norman22
    Norman22 Community member Posts: 8 Listener
    Yes I will do thank you 
  • kev1
    kev1 Community member Posts: 613 Pioneering
    Hi I am also new to this site. I had my pip assessment last week, after many sleepless nights worrying about this it all went quite smoothly, just one embarrassing question on cleaning my bottom! I have requested a copy of assessment and I just pray it went favourably and I was not lulled in to a false sense of security by the very pleasant nurse that carried out assessment.
  • Norman22
    Norman22 Community member Posts: 8 Listener
    Hi Kev1 welcome and it’s great that you had a good assessment too. I do hope that they read our forms with as much thought as they are supposed to do. We spend so much time and effort on them! Do keep us posted as soon as you get any news. I have to say after I came home from the assessment I was shattered but this was Mainly due to the feeling of building yourself up and the relief of pressure. I was so sleepy! Just glad it’s all done with. Can’t think how it must feel to go through this every few years! 
  • Louise2001
    Louise2001 Posts: 24 Connected
    Don't hope for miracles. My first ever DLA assessment report said I had spastic diplegia CP which was not true. After seven days, call to request a copy of the report for peace of mind too. 
  • kev1
    kev1 Community member Posts: 613 Pioneering
    I think I was lulled into a false sense of security during pip assessment. I requested a copy which arrived today. So many omissions and mistakes ie I was asked how many times a drove my car I said 3-4 times locally to meet with friends and family, it has been written that I drive 4-5 times DAY! to the supermarket. I need assistance to dress above and below waist only written below. My hands are always swollen and clammy, it says the were not. I cannot prepare a meal, says I can with aids. I cannot plan journey says I can. Sorry could go on more there are many more discrepancies. I am not expecting the DWP to change anything so I am now worrying about appealing.
  • Norman22
    Norman22 Community member Posts: 8 Listener
    Sorry to hear that Kev1. I’m sure they don’t listen properly, how else could they get it so wrong!! I too have requested my report today. I would be really surprised if there are things recorded there that were not even discussed! This is why I was so surprised that she only asked me a handful of questions ?
  • kev1
    kev1 Community member Posts: 613 Pioneering
    Hope yours is more truthful than mine. Good luck
  • Norman22
    Norman22 Community member Posts: 8 Listener
    Thank you. Yes it’s an awful battle fighting our symptoms as it is then having to worry about appealing etc just isn’t right. Hopefully u will get a better outcome than the assessment report shows. Keep us updated and good luck 
  • KG100
    KG100 Community member Posts: 179 Pioneering
    Kev1, you might be able to work out how many points the assessor thinks you should get.
    I added the dots up on the descriptors on the assessment form. 
    Then compared them to the self test form. 
  • Chloe_Scope
    Chloe_Scope Posts: 10,586 Disability Gamechanger
    Welcome to the community @kev1 and @Norman22!

    I'm glad your assessment went okay @Norman22, and I'll keep my fingers crossed for the report. :)

    @kev1, I understand how frustrating this must be. If you would like to appeal the decision then you have a month to do so. Here is more information about the mandatory reconsideration process. I hope this helps, and if you need anything else then please don't hesitate to ask.  
    Scope

  • kev1
    kev1 Community member Posts: 613 Pioneering
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,333 Disability Gamechanger
    kev1 said:
    I think I was lulled into a false sense of security during pip assessment. I requested a copy which arrived today. So many omissions and mistakes ie I was asked how many times a drove my car I said 3-4 times locally to meet with friends and family, it has been written that I drive 4-5 times DAY! to the supermarket. I need assistance to dress above and below waist only written below. My hands are always swollen and clammy, it says the were not. I cannot prepare a meal, says I can with aids. I cannot plan journey says I can. Sorry could go on more there are many more discrepancies. I am not expecting the DWP to change anything so I am now worrying about appealing.
    If you're unable to prepare a meal you need to tell them why you can't do this.  Where a claimant chooses not to use an aid or appliance which he or she could reasonably be expected to use and which would enable them to carry out the activity without prompting, supervision or assistance, descriptor B will be appropriate, they should not be awarded a higher descriptor if using an aid or appliance would remove the need for prompting, supervision or assistance. This means if they think an aid will help then this is where you would score those points.

    You will of course have to wait for the decision but if you're not awarded then you have 1 month from that date to request the MR.

    You should put this in writing stating where you think you should have scored those points and your reasons why. Adding a couple of real life examples of what happened the last time you attempted that activity for each descriptor that applies to you.

    DWP or the Tribunal won't be interested in any lies or contradictions that may have been told in the report. They will only be interested in which descriptors that apply to you.

    If you're not happy with the report then you need to make a complaint to the health assessment providers.
    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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