PIP good news for once. — Scope | Disability forum
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PIP good news for once.

A1ikou
A1ikou Community member Posts: 4 Connected
Hi all. 
   I just joined because I wanted, in the midst of all the horrors people go through, to post about hope.
    I had my f2f in June. I had read loads of information before hand and decided to record my interview. I applied by phone before hand for permission. I then bought two dictaphones & new tapes. I don't know why exactly but I'm convinced this helped. 
    I have type 2 diabetes, fibromyalgia, arthritis & a frozen shoulder.
    My brother drove to the assessment. I used a walker to get inside & then a porter took me to assessment area. My knees were really painful so in the walk to office I stopped & was breathless from the effort. Once inside I relaxed. I knew I was being watched but was determined to be "just me". The form signed, recorders on & we began.
  The assessor was young, male, a nurse & really friendly. I was friendly back but did not for one second forget I was being assessed.
Anyway, it lasted about an hr & I didn't do any physical examination because he "could see I was in pain".
I had to stop on way out too but this was not for show (he was still watching).
    I got notification that my report was in so after a few days I asked for my report. It was sent really quickly. 
On daily living the report was totally fair. He had written what I said & his points on descriptors was spot on. He had said he thought 8points was my score. On the mobility part he only gave me 4pts. However, this didn't make any sense with what he wrote... basically that in 25m walk I stopped & was breathless but he thought I could do 50m but no more than 200m?????? 
   So I waited. I got ready for my mandatory reconsideration. 6 weeks passed.
 Then, last Friday money appeared in my bank. Typical DWP, I'd had no letter. It arrived Monday. Not only had the decision maker agreed 8pts for daily living, they had also disagreed with his judgement on mobility & gave me 10pts. I was GOBSMACKED. 
   I actually got the points that were fair AND until December 2021. 
Was I just lucky with both assessor & decision maker? Did recording meeting make a difference as I had evidence of what was asked & answered e.g. He did I write that I refused physical exam. Tape clearly shows that he said I didn't need to do one.
   There is hope. There are fair assessors. If you know have all your evidence, practise saying it out loud & be aware every move is watched then it can go well. 
   Worth investing in dictaphones though! (I think they make it hard to record...only use cassettes & have 2 copies...so it's not encouraged.)

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