How long is PIP MR taking?

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mames01
mames01 Online Community Member Posts: 14 Listener
in PIP, DLA, ADP and AA

hi everyone

I’m new to this whole thing so forgive me if there are any mistakes. I applied for PIP in July 2023 and had my assessment in December. Unfortunately for me this was right after I’d just had 2 major emergency surgeries and a pip assessment was not at the front of my mind. I struggled with the assessment and got the report in January stating 0 points across the board. Like many others on here, there was a lot of inaccuracies from the assessor and what I would also call ignorance.
I felt really disheartened by this outcome and the opinions of the assessor. I found the assessment stressful and didn’t want to put myself through that again so I was just going to leave the whole thing. I’m going for another surgery and I was speaking to my GP in march 2024 who said she thought I should be entitled and to put in a MR so I thought why not. She printed me off new evidence and I sent it off. It’s now the end of June and I still haven’t heard anything from them. The text I got said I would hear within 8 weeks and this is now week 14. I phoned up to see if a decision had been made and they said not yet and that it could still be a while as they had requested and received more information from my GP on the 24th of may. Is it common for them to contact your gp and what would they be contacting for?
im not really sure what to think about it all but the not knowing and the waiting is stressful.

Thanks

Comments

  • Albus_Scope
    Albus_Scope Posts: 9,957 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Hey there @mames01 and welcome to the community. 😊

    I'm sorry to hear the DWP only scored you 0 points, I understand first hand how frustrating and upsetting that can be. Sometimes they will contact your GP, just to ask for medical records, but it's nothing to worry about. :)
    Wait times can be quite long at the moment as so many people are asking for MRs. I'll be doing the same shortly! I hope they don't keep you waiting too much longer, it really doesn't help with the stress levels.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing

    Waiting times for MR decisions have recently increased to up to 15 weeks. It’s rare for them to contact anyone but it does happen sometimes. Once a decision a made you will be contacted.

  • mames01
    mames01 Online Community Member Posts: 14 Listener

    thank you both for getting back to me. I will update with my progress in case anyone else is also waiting and wondering. I’ve had 3 letters in the past month saying that they have all the information they need to make a decision so hopefully it isn’t much longer. I got a date for my next laparotomy which is 23rd of July so I’m hoping I’ll have some sort of clarity by then as it will be a weight off my mind.
    @albus_scope I’m sorry to hear you are also in the position of needing to request MR. It’s definitely a stressful process. Best of luck with yours and hopefully you get the outcome you deserve.

  • mames01
    mames01 Online Community Member Posts: 14 Listener

    I phoned yesterday to see if there were any updates. They said they were working through the cases in date order so hopefully it isn’t much longer. They said that my claim is with a case manager to review findings.

    Does the case manager deal with the MR from start to finish? Or does someone go over it and make their decision and then the case manager finalises it with their decision?

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing

    A case manager is the same as a decision maker.

  • mames01
    mames01 Online Community Member Posts: 14 Listener

    Do they handle the MR from the start or do they get it at the end when someone else has reviewed it?

    As in, would my MR have been with a case manager from the start?

    Sorry hope this makes sense

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing

    Another decision maker looks at the whole claim again and comes to another decision. It will be the same person from start to finish of the MR. Only a case manager/decision maker can make decisions.

  • mames01
    mames01 Online Community Member Posts: 14 Listener

    I phoned again today and was told a decision was made on Tuesday. They decided to stand by the original decision. Very disheartening outcome and frankly surprising considering the amount of evidence I sent in and with them contacting my GP. I’m going for major surgery again on the 23rd of July so I don’t think I’ll be able to put myself through this again. It’s mentally draining and really makes you feel invalidated.
    thanks for all your help

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing

    It’s not unusual for the MR decision not to change because only about 23% of them do.
    You do have 13 months to request it so if you change your mind you can do it at a later date. If you’re outside of the 1 month timescale you must give a reason why you didn’t request it within that time.

    There’s always more chance at Tribunal stage so please do think about it. What they wouldn’t be able to do is take into consideration any worsening of condition since the assessment took place.

  • mames01
    mames01 Online Community Member Posts: 14 Listener

    Hi Poppy

    I got my MR notification and I ended up having 6 points. I’ve thought over it and spoke to my GP and decided I’ve nothing to lose by appealing it. I saw her today and she is happy to write me a letter. The trouble is my deadline is next week and I’m going for major surgery on Tuesday. My GP is looking a list of what to write in the letter as she says she wants to make sure it’s done right. She says others have had lists from citizens advice on what they need put in the letter. I honestly don’t know what points to give her as I don’t know what I need to say or how to word things to meet the descriptors. I’ve contacted someone from citizens advice but I’m unsure if they’ll be of any help at this stage with my deadline being so close and having to go for surgery. My GP said she will be doing the letter for me on Monday regardless and then if anything else comes up she can add it or do another one to send off

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing

    You have 13 months to request the Tribunal. If you're outside of the 1 month then you will need to give a reason why you didn't request it within that time. It's highly unlikely that HMCTS will refuse a late appeal.

    It's very nice of your GP to do that for you, however, letters from a GP are never the best evidence to send. This is because they don't spend anytime with you to know how you manage the activities for the PIP descriptors. They don't see you wash, dress, undress, preparing food etc etc. If they know then it's because you told them and then it becomes hearsay.

    For the Tribunal, you do not need to send then anything when you request it. You just need to give a brief reason why you disagree with the decision. Anything you've already sent will be sent to them from DWP. You can send anything extra you have at a later date.

  • mames01
    mames01 Online Community Member Posts: 14 Listener

    I appreciate the reply Poppy. I have wrote out my reasons but most reasons are the same as I wrote in my MR. I see my GP quite regularly so she is fairly up to date with my conditions and how I’m affected.
    I am wondering if you know once I submit the appeal does anyone from DWP look at it again or is all my evidence just sent to the people doing the tribunal straight away?

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