Worried - Waiting for PIP decision

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mike99
mike99 Online Community Member Posts: 12 Listener
edited October 2016 in PIP, DLA, ADP and AA
Hi I'' Mike.. I am waiting for my pips decision.. I am so worried I am going out of my mind. I also have history of severe depression and attempt of suicide. I cant sleep due to worry of loosing my benefits and motorbility vehicle. I have violent headaches worrying about it.. I have been on foodbank now for a few years.  My house is going to be taken from me and it is adding to my concerns.. What do I have to do if I loose pips..?


Comments

  • Chris_Alumni
    Chris_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 684 Empowering
    Hi @mike99, you might like to call our free helpline for advice on 0808 800 3333 (9am-5pm, mon-fri) - they'll be able to offer you some advice on your benefits and housing situations. @DebbieVoakes may also be able to offer you some advice on here.

    Please also remember that even if your PIP is rejected at first, you can appeal against the decision (known as a 'mandatory reconsideration'). With regards your worries, you might like to try an app from the NHS called 'Don't Panic', which includes an audio self-help guide on 'dealing with worry'. All the best.
  • Debbie_Alumni
    Debbie_Alumni Online Community Member Posts: 932 Empowering
    Hi @mike99,

    I can see why you feel the way you do. All of the worry you're experiencing becomes overwhelming and it's easy for your thoughts to spiral out of control while all the time feeling powerless and at the mercy of the system.
    So much depends on the decision you're awaiting so it's natural that you're worried but with your already fragile mental health and history of severe depression and suicide attempts this is concerning and I want to make sure you're getting the right support from your GP or mental health professionals.

    If you want to talk about the PIP and the worries you have about losing your house, please get in touch with me at the helpline. We can arrange a telephone appointment to look at the issues and work out some options whilst making sure that you're getting the right help. I know it can be difficult to talk about personal things on a public platform like this so if you would like some privacy send me an email helpline@scope.org.uk and we can arrange that telephone appointment.

    This community is wonderfully supportive and there are plenty of people willing to listen and support you.

    Best wishes
    Debbie
  • mike99
    mike99 Online Community Member Posts: 12 Listener
    Thank you.. i need to work up to talking.. took me sometime to do this.. im concerned about loosing what little benefits i get already if i loose pips.. both my son and i are disabled persons.. my son had multi-organ transplant and his immune system has to be kept low so is able to catch any bug.. without my vehicle i would be housebound but i have a bariatric operation coming and need to attend the panal.. loosing my car and unable to attend the panal etc would put my health at risk.. im just so jumbled up in making decisions and feel sick everytime the postman drops mail on the mat..  i caught pips when they had me under surveillance recently... i was angry then panicked... have i done something wrong.. ?
  • mike99
    mike99 Online Community Member Posts: 12 Listener
    Got decision today.. awarded standard rate but lost car.. woman who did medical lied.  She said i was lucid throughout..yet i was out of my head gibbering on morphine..  then said i had eye contact throughout medical.. yet i fell asleep momentarily  a few times.. and she shouted at me to lift my head and " look her in the eyes" many times. She said i had full use of both hands yet i can barely  use my ledt hand.. have arthritis in both hands too... there are other lies.. luckily my son and daughter were there as witnesses  and my daughter recorded it all on her ohone.. loosing my car now puts my health at risk as i need my bariatric surgery to arrest my diabetes and blood preasure..  Also i have to drive 400 mile round trip to Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge once a month to monitor his new organs and other problems...  my daughter rang them and the offered to do the appeal over the phone over next couple of days...  when my car goes back i will be stuck at home unable to get out to hospital appointments.. clinics etc i am now confused my head is bursting im finding it difficult to think straight or function correctly... my whole world is crumbling 
  • Matilda
    Matilda Online Community Member Posts: 2,592 Championing
    Don't despair, Mike, it seems to be very common indeed for PIP assessors to lie on their report forms - mine did, too!  Mention all the lies during your appeal.  The appeal they are doing over the phone sounds like the mandatory reconsideration, the first appeal.  If you are not given enhanced mobility after this, there is the formal appeal to a tribunal.  A lot of hassle but worth going through it as 68% of negative decisions are overturned on appeal, at least in part because of the lies told by assessors, I think.  Atos, in particular, are well-known to be a basket case.

    You can get advice about appeals on this website and on the Disability Rights and CAB websites.
  • mike99
    mike99 Online Community Member Posts: 12 Listener
    Thank you very much for all your advice guys.. I really appreciate everything..every piece of information.. I have also found someone who will type my appeal letters etc..  I am so very glad I found this site.. My nerves were about to snap  and I could not face people or go out unless I really had to.. I will stay on this site and keep you updated.... You giys are wonderful thankyou.
  • Debbie_Alumni
    Debbie_Alumni Online Community Member Posts: 932 Empowering
    Hi @mike99,

    So sorry to hear about your PIP decision. You've been quick to get the ball rolling for a challenge on the decision and that's good. As Matilda has said above, the success rate at appeal is really high so do pursue an appeal if the Mandatory Reconsideration is upheld. 

    Would you like me to see if there are any local advice agencies in your area who can support you through this if you go to tribunal?
  • mike99
    mike99 Online Community Member Posts: 12 Listener
    Thank you Debbie.. my food bank hub put me in touch with a lady who writes out the letter etc for the mandatory reconsideration... She has been really great.. my daughter came with me as I was completely out of my head on morphine at the medical but Jennifer was there.. my son too.. and they remembered clearly what happened.. she even recorded it on her phone when she saw how I was being treated by the "examiner".. From how the medical was conducted and the blatant lies the examiner made this should be placed in court but we all know it would never get that far...ATOS is an extremely disreputable company and we should all get together to sue them collectively in the courts together with their employers.. the government and on behalf of all who have been wronged.. the 4000+ people who died whilst undergoing appeal and the 1500+ people who took their own lives after being refused P.I.P.s.  This uncivilised demeaning procedure must stop..  I'm glad to have found this site when I did and the advice and help you offer is wonderful..  My mind was torn apart... still feel fragile but it's a comfort knowing there are lovely people here to listen to and help with kind words... My case is yet to be resolved and may take a while yet... so you may have to put with me a little longer....   thank you.
  • Debbie_Alumni
    Debbie_Alumni Online Community Member Posts: 932 Empowering
    @mike99 i'm pleased to hear that you have support with the mandatory reconsideration letter. It sounds as though you have plenty to challenge.

    I just wanted to pick up on the issue of your daughter recording the assessment on her phone. With PIP assessments, you can arrange to have them recorded but there are guidelines you have to follow including providing the right type of equipment. You need to ask the healthcare provider in advance and at the end you have to immediately give a copy of the recording to the assessor. I'm afraid you won't be able to use the recording your daughter made as evidence to support an appeal. This evidence would not be admissible in court. Had they discovered you were recording the assessment it's likely that they would have stopped the assessment. Of course I understand your reasons for wanting to record what happened at the assessment but I wouldn't want to encourage others to start covertly recording assessments as there is the risk that the assessment will stop and the case be sent back to the case manager who may disallow the claim for not participating in the assessment. It's just not worth the risk.

    I'm really pleased to hear how helpful you've found this community. Let us know how things progress with the mandatory reconsideration. There's lots of support here and we're all supporting you.

    Best wishes
    Debbie


  • mike99
    mike99 Online Community Member Posts: 12 Listener
    Guy from DWP rang this morning from Blackpool branch for permission to speak to my daughter who handles these things for me... later.. my daughter rang and said she told him about recording and told him she only started to record after she witnessed medical assessor shout at me and got me upset and in tears then shouted at my son and daughter for answering her questions for me... he said that was fine.. was concerned about assessors manner and could he have a copy please....
  • Debbie_Alumni
    Debbie_Alumni Online Community Member Posts: 932 Empowering
    Hi @mike99

    It's really terrible the way that you were treated during the assessment. I'm glad that it's being taken seriously and will be investigated. Nobody should be made to feel the way you did during your assessment. Please let us know how you get on with this and whether they take any action. If you ever want to talk, let me know.

    All the best
    Debbie

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