Pip telephone assessment question

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Emilyb81
Emilyb81 Online Community Member Posts: 530 Empowering
Hi I just wanted to find out if anyone else has been in a similar situation as me and how they dealt with it please?
Il explain as quickly as possible as I do tend to rant or ramble on sorry in advance if I do!
I had been getting dla then pip for over 10 years and this award ended at beginning of the year so had to have a telephone assessment which I had in February. I got decision back in 12 days saying I'd been awarded nowt no points for either daily living or mobility which in itself is so wrong to me because I'm much much worse affected now than I was 10 years ago by my lungs etc so it makes zero sense that I'd get less or no pip today! But anyway my issue is the decision maker explains how she made her decision based on report from the assessment and she goes through all the questions and answers I gave but the problem is I answered the questions VERY differently from what is written on the letter? Literally everything I spent nearly 3 hours on phone explaining to the assessment lady is not included in the report apparently?! I have tortured myself for months now have relapsed several times with my self harm I feel so ashamed of myself but it's almost like I'm being called a liar? Or they are trying to make me crazier than I already am! I just don't understand how or why she has done this? One example il give is I told her I struggle to breathe just walking from my front door to the taxi they have to help me to the car it's about 3 metres? She said I can walk up to 200 metres unaided??? And that's the kind of thing that's happened all the way through the decision letter :-( I told her specifically about things I can't begin to do and she's said I have no problems doing any of them! Anyway sorry I have had all this building up in my head for so long and nobody to talk to about it all! I really just need to know if those assessments are recorded? If I can essentially prove they haven't been honest? I mean it's very simple either the assessment lady lied and left out 90% of the information? Or the decision makers at dwp ignored all of it? There's no other excuse I can see? I mean I've done the MR as I basically have no choice I literally have missed 3 important hospital appointments in the last month alone because I can't afford to go there and back :-( I just worry this will keep happening to others too I mean I've been in some very dark places since that decision! And it scares me! My mental health is worse than ever most days just sit in my bed unable to stop obsessing over this situation and arguing with them in my head like a loon!! Even out loud? I'm literally arguing to myself out loud it's so pathetic! But if anyone has actually made it through this long message and has had a similar experience and knows about what copies of records calls etc I can request so I can see if the report is wrong or the decision maker? Or how I can take this further so it stops happening? That would be amazing! Sorry again for the rant it's just so much information and so much has happened I don't want to miss things out as it won't make sense? Take care peeps and stay safe xx

Comments

  • Emilyb81
    Emilyb81 Online Community Member Posts: 530 Empowering
    Wow looks even longer now so sorry guys :-( I should maybe just keep looking online for advice etc given to other people but I can't seem to find anyone in the same situation similar loads but nobody says about getting phone assessment records etc :-( xx
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Online Community Member Posts: 21,922 Championing
    Hi there 

    They do not record the assessments 

    You will never prove they have lied as they don't actually quote what you have said in the report all they are doing is making a judgement and forming an opinion based on what you said . That may be incorrect and differ from your opinion but that's what it is 

    Hopefully your appeal will be more successful thi success rate for MR is low but tribunal has higher success rate 
  • Emilyb81
    Emilyb81 Online Community Member Posts: 530 Empowering
    Hi thankyou for your replies!
    I haven't asked for a copy of the report yet I just heard other people have but you are right I have been obsessing over the decision makers letter I don't know why I can't stop it's all day and through the night I always catch myself arguing or repeating what was said in the call! :-( this does happen to me I can't let things go easily but I will try harder because it's driving me scatty! Or scattier lol
     Here's the thing I was told in December by a man at the dwp (pip) that I had to have a telephone assessment as my award officially ended in December and it will take longer due to covid so they extended my award until after the assessment? He asked on the phone.... have you filled in a how your disability affects you form?... I said.... no because I haven't had one (is it a comma you put after they speak and then I do? Or something else?) he said just wait for the letter saying when you will get a phone call and go from there? So that's what I did :-( so when she says on the decision they based it on the information and evidence provided they mean nothing? :-(
    I did wonder how they came to their conclusion when my gp hasn't been contacted and neither have my mental health support people I did say about them in the assessment but again it says I don't have any specialist care so I need to somehow get one of the forms maybe? You would think he would of sent me one out in December since he could see there hadn't been one? But maybe I'm expecting too much?! I do that and it always leaves me with resentment! I did write a letter obviously with my MR explaining point by point why I disagree with each answer and I provided 5 support letters from support workers and family members who help me day to day when able the only one's I hadn't been able to get yet were from my doctor and chest specialist I haven't actually met yet because I moved in November to other side of the country so have had to start over care and treatment wise and due to covid I've been isolated mostly due to vulnerability so haven't been able to start it all I finally got my first specialist appointment last month on phone and I'm seeing chest specialist face to face in 2 weeks time (if I can get there) but the gp and specialist don't really see me enough to say how things affect my life? So maybe the support letters I sent are better for this anyway I mean the doctors can provide proof of diagnosis if needed but other than that they only know what I tell them and how many infections I get etc? 
     I will maybe phone them and ask if I need to do a form now? I've probably done what I would of with that already with the stuff I sent 2 months ago but no harm asking I guess... Anyhoo thankyou all for replies! Have a good day xx
  • Emilyb81
    Emilyb81 Online Community Member Posts: 530 Empowering
    Just wanted to say thank you @Username_removed you helped me a lot to understand how it works and you were or are right I've been too focused on them being useless in the assessment /report stage rather than providing the correct information and showing them I am entitled to the help! Was wrapped up in anger and how very dare they etc!
    So I've rewritten my letter I originally sent them for the MR and have explained due to my mental state at the time I hadn't explained things clearly so hopefully they will understand better? Also explained I was never asked to fill in a how your disability affects you form so I've answered those questions in the new letter?
    I haven't sent it yet but just wondered if you believe they would even take the new letter on board? Or do you think it might just make things worse? I should just see what happens and explain better if I have to go tribunal? Sorry putting this all on you but you seem to know what's what! Well a lot more than me anyway lol  thanks in advance! ?
  • Emilyb81
    Emilyb81 Online Community Member Posts: 530 Empowering
    Thank you also @janer1967
     Its taken me days to get my head around it all because I was stuck in a hole! I'm not fully out yet lol but getting there! Need to be more proactive as nobody is going to do it for me that's for sure! ?? So thankyou for advice and showing me I'm not alone in my hole at least ☺️ xx
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    edited May 2021
    Emilyb81 said: I haven't sent it yet but just wondered if you believe they would even take the new letter on board? 
    They will take into account all the information available to them. Clarifying and/or expanding what was said previously to explain the difficulties you experience will help the new Decision Maker understand your situation when reviewing the decision.
  • Emilyb81
    Emilyb81 Online Community Member Posts: 530 Empowering
    Okey dokey then I will send it ?? thankyou everyone! Can't wait til this is all dealt with and I can stop worrying!
    I will let you know if I hear anything ?
  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,611 Championing
    Emilyb81 said:
    Okey dokey then I will send it ?? thankyou everyone! Can't wait til this is all dealt with and I can stop worrying!
    I will let you know if I hear anything ?
    Wishing you the very best :)