PIP Assessment - have you gone through this experience too? - Page 2 — Scope | Disability forum
Please read our updated community house rules and community guidelines.

PIP Assessment - have you gone through this experience too?

2»

Comments

  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    Sorry to hear that, Jose.  Hope shingles get better soon.
  • jose2
    jose2 Community member Posts: 127 Pioneering
    Have just looked at her assessment again, and she did not have me walking outside ,to observe breathlessness and how slow I walk without tripping up ,she states I could crouch and bend, I did neither,she didn't even ask me to!, I sat on a chair,in letter states I didnt show signs of breathlessness (I was sat in a chair )and did some very basic movements,she states also that I could bend down and crouch ,again I did neither (she didn't even ask me to crouch or bend down)and If I had have crouched down I wouldn't have been able to stand up again!,she asked me to spread my hips apart and again I refused as due to osteoporosis that movement feels as though hips would break,she said  I can use pots and pans,I told her I have had meals on wheels for years,that delivery driver brings it up into my flat,also I have my shopping delivered and the chap from Asda carries my shopping up to my flat,also states I can travel on buses, (never, they bang my back around as have fracture in spine and I cant lift my left knee up that high onto bus step) I am incredulous with this letter.
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    Assessors are notorious for telling lies in their reports to make people seem less disabled than they really are!  My assessor claimed that she watched me take my bag off over my head and put it down on the floor from where I picked it up at the end of the assessment.  At no time, not even during the exercises, did I take my bag off!  Many people on here have reported multiple, serious, blatant lies in their assessors' reports.

    Tribunals well know by now what pathological liars assessors are.  This is no doubt one reason why so many appeals are successful.
  • jose2
    jose2 Community member Posts: 127 Pioneering

    This is terrible Matilda,that they can and seem as though they are allowed to get away with it, Don't know how after all these years my illnesses have suddenly improved when infact I have more things wrong with me now and getting worse.

    Also the way I'm feeling with this shingles, earache and headaches really bad, I'm getting to the stage should I really bothered about contesting it!!!!! ,finding it very hard to think and take in at the moment !    I'm filling in the form you sent ,thank you for that,,It wont let me type in all my illnesses,do I just put down my main chronic ones?

  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    I suggest that you list the rest of your illnesses on a separate piece of paper - with appropriate heading and with name and NI No.
  • jose2
    jose2 Community member Posts: 127 Pioneering
    Okay Matilda,thank you
  • jose2
    jose2 Community member Posts: 127 Pioneering

    Hello again Matilda,

    I rang DLA first thing this morn abt my scores with PIP and they have suggested that I speak to the Decision Maker on my scoring rates and the reasons as to why this decision was made! said it would be abt 3 hrs to 24 hrs before someone rang me back ,so will update when I get the call,I also sent the letter stating ,as you suggested about asking for a Mandatary Reconsideration ,and put more detail in the letter about what all illnesses stop me from doing,sent that off yesterday( though have rang them  as the man at the DLA  told me they may not get it for about 3/4 days as it will have to go through all of their systems,so best to ring them anyway) .

    The other things I would like your help with is on the PIP booklet as to how the mobility assessment is carried out,:- is  the assessor  supposed to take you outside and see how you walk on pavements ,on hills or inclines,or just sat in a chair as I was? ,and also she states I showed no signs of breathlessness , of course I didn't, I got to the assessment centre 1/2 before my 11am  appointment,sat down in waiting room and then after the 11am apt time,informed by someone that the assessor had to read my notes etc! so by the time I went into see her it was roughly 11-45am,in all that time I had regained my breathing, I wasn't doing anything that would have exerted me as I was sat all the time,and when I was also in the room with  her, I was then sat on a chair and then for the so-called exercises I was sat on a chair! Got out of there at 12-45pm,I walked through the door and just stood looking to my left and right for abt 3 mins to see which would be the best way to walk either up or down the hill, and ring for a taxi,(I chose the latter)The Assesment Centre is the most wonderful place for disabled people to go to, as it is built, smack bang on the middle of a steep hill !!!!!!!

    Hoping you can clarify about where exercises should be done.

    All thanks

  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    Sorry, @jose2, I don't know what exercises are supposed to be used.  From what I've read it seems that each assessor chooses the exercises they want from a range available.  Maybe a benefits advisor could tell you more ('Ask a benefits advisor' category).

    Although the DWP's own PIP Handbook states that walking tests should be undertaken outdoors, most assessors don't do this.  My assessor put in her report that she informally observed me walk the 16 metres from waiting area to assessment room without difficulty.  From this, using her undoubted expert opinion as a paramedic, she deduced that I could walk between 20 and 50 metres outdoors, a preposterous assumption.  That I could walk 16 metres indoors on a level, carpeted surface does not indicate how well I could walk outdoors.  My appeal on the mobility element is based on the fact that the assessor did not assess my walking outdoors as the Handbook said she should have.

    And breathlessness isn't the only reason why people cannot walk far outdoors: there's also pain, stiffness and fatigue.

    Many PIP assessment centres, and tribunal appeal courts, are in buildings not very accessible to disabled people!  It's a barking mad system, as is PIP full stop.

    Good luck with the MR.


  • kidzaware
    kidzaware Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    I have been to many PIP tribunals due to the lack of education of the decision makers many disabled people are loosing their PIP appeals and are having to wait months to get a hearing as a voluntary organisation based in Wakefield we are always challenging the tribunal team and when we do attend the appeals people are finally getting their PIP reinstated but this does not compensate for the amount of months they are left without PIP and in most situations the effects the waiting as had  on their health not addressed
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    Is their PIP backdated and to when?
  • WheelyRachel
    WheelyRachel Community member Posts: 64 Courageous
    edited March 2017
    Matilda said:
    Is their PIP backdated and to when?
    Yes it will be back dated, to when you first posted your claim.
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
  • WheelyRachel
    WheelyRachel Community member Posts: 64 Courageous
    Matilda said:
    Thank you
    Your welcome, I've been there.
  • jose2
    jose2 Community member Posts: 127 Pioneering

    Thank you all for your input,much appreciated,I have now spoken to the Decision Maker on my scores at the assesment ,I stated about various points on the letter ,about me sat for abt 2 hrs and that I was never taken outside to see how my walking c/o extreme pain in legs feet and  and breathlessness affect me,and I told him again about sitting and doing nothing in there which exerted me ,and that from her desk I walked abt 2 steps to sit in another chair to do these ludicrous exercises,and that this is not a true reflection of my disabilities.I told him,that she had also  statedalso in the letter,  that I had said I cannot walk and talk at the same time ,this she gathered that I could as while I was walking out of the assessment room (more to myself,rather than her) I saw a clock on the wall outside her room and "I said gosh is that the time", she answered "yes ,seems so",she showed me the door to get out(which she didn't open for me it was a heavy door too),so coming out  from the assessment room I had roughly walked 10/12 walked steps if that!,and on looking back at when I was called in by the assessor when I was taken by her into her room,I walked further, around a corner and down a hallway but on  coming out was a shorter distance of 10/12steps(was I dreaming all this) Anyway the chap I have just spoken to, has taken note of my disagreements about the point scoring, said he will send a letter to me about my grievences and concerns I have made,says "you may lose all your benefits!!!! ",do you wish to still carry out this dispute",(made me aware I could loss my benefits)Told him I do!.

    The other thing I found out this morn is that the assessor gives her findings on  c/o disabilities,then it  is not up to her to award whatever for daily care component or mobilitiy,she gives or sends her report to the Decision Maker who then decides what rate you should be awarded.

    Thank s again to all

  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    Most decision makers tend to base their award decisions solely on the assessor's report - mine did.

    The threat that you could lose all your benefits at MR stage is emotional blackmail to get you to withdraw your MR!  It is in fact rare for this to happen - though I suppose not impossible.  In practice, most MRs don't change the original award either way.
  • jose2
    jose2 Community member Posts: 127 Pioneering

    I Agree Matilda, it is a you said in post ,  though was told by someone at Scope ,that they too will make you aware that by them helping me at such a time as I may need their help,appealing PIP decision that it may also not go in my  favour,she said it was one of the criteria that they do have to warn people appealing.Lost argument on that point with her.Ummmmmmmmmmmmm!.and she did say as you! ,that in practice most MRs don't change either way.Told too that this private government department  "Atos " ,this government  target is to get at least 33% of people off all benefits or lower them  from the original numbers DLA gave to people years ago.

    I have been sat most of today mulling this all over , on how they have awarded me Standard(from lower carers "which is very nice and all that")  for Disabiliy needs just by me telling this girl of what happens in my daily life ,I didn't show her! ,she has'nt seen or been to my house to see how I carry out these tasks! and then on the other hand only awarded me the Standard rate( from Enhanced,)for  Mobility, as I was still in the same  room!!! explaining needs about  walking and excrutiating pain ,fatigue,breathing problems on exersion,not just once a week or periodically ,its is 24-7 days a week excrutiation pains ,she never tested my walking ability anywhere other than to say that in her observation of my walking capabilities  "that I did walk very slowly to her room", that was the only time I walked ,she didn't give me anything heavy to carry or ask me to try some exhausting excersises ,like walking outside on an incline,or even just walking ,anywhere ,I sat on a chair for at least 2 hrs,and  in all that time I stood once in the waiting room because of pain in my legs,buttocks  and my feet were killing me ,then once more with her in this room ,I was totally wiped out when I got home. 

    "I must have gone to sleep somewhere in that room at sometime or other" or was my word only good enough for her concerning my every-day needs to be raised in scores to Standard rate ,but then my word and explanation about walking ,breathing ,constant pain and fatigue scored the Standard rate not Enhanced as I have had for years,  "must have suddenly developed or given a get quick fix pill on that part at sometime or other in that room with-out my knowledge".

    Sorry to drivel on,getting it off my chest.

    bye for now and again all thanks. 






  • ozzy19721968
    ozzy19721968 Community member Posts: 29 Connected
    I have been diagnosed with cervical spine stenosis and arthritis in neck shoulder lower back and my knees  cant operate on the cervical spine due to it been at the most narrow point in my neck and I have arthritis spores the size of icicles. Also cant walk straight due to the arthritis and my knees give way .applyed for pip got told my appointment was to be at my home address as I said meeting would have to be on lower floor and I have server weakness in my right arm and lots of muscle wastage in my right arm due to the arthritis got told my appointment was on the 16 of August at 10 am received a phone call at 9.15 on the 16th to say the assessor phoned in sick and they had no one to come out and would arrange a new appointment the next available appointment was on the 10th of September my neck is locked looking straight forward cant look up or down or side to side been sent to pain management clinc again got an appointment this time my wife had to drive me 52 miles each way and they didnt turn up no apology when we phoned up got told I had to waite 4 more weeks been on tramadol for 6 months now been put on morphine patches along with antidepressants as I am in constant pain cant sleep laying down have to get as much as I can sleeping sitting up in bed  
  • sue66
    sue66 Community member Posts: 124 Pioneering
    my wife had to drive me 52 miles each way and they didnt turn up no apology when we phoned up got told I had to waite 4 more weeks been on tramadol for 6 months now been put on morphine patches along with antidepressants as I am in constant pain cant sleep laying down have to get as much as I can sleeping sitting up in bed  

    OMG this is so bad poor you, All that driving for your wife and you having to sit there feeling like you do only to find they never even turned up!   Can you imagine if we did this, probably get our benefits stopped..  Also you get a call at 9.15 telling you your  10.00 appointment for the 16th had been cancelled, well good job you hadn't already left then!  I was originally asked to be at another town at 8.30 in the morning, I rang straight away and said no way can I be there by 8.30 in the morning the way I feel in the mornings. Id already looked it all up and found a place a 10 minute drive away from me so asked why cant I go there. Anyways they agreed to cancel it and sent me another appointment  to be seen locally which was yesterday. My son told me that was part of the assessment to see if I actually did manage to arrive by 8.30 in the morning, if I had id already failed!  

  • ozzy19721968
    ozzy19721968 Community member Posts: 29 Connected
    I complained about them cancelling both appointments got a letter today saying the are looking into my complaint and they will get back to me in 20days time with there findings said if that was me that cancelled them I would be refferred back to fill in new forms and start again I can understand staff going sick on the day but to make new appointments and then cancel a second time is not on .I bet I get turned down as I am a new claim but I have read up on the hand book that they go bye so have done some home work 
  • pollyanna1052
    pollyanna1052 Community member Posts: 2,032 Disability Gamechanger
    it`s all so distressing, dibiitating and downright soul destroying

Brightness

Do you need advice on your energy costs?


Scope’s Disability Energy Support service is open to any disabled household in England or Wales in which one or more disabled people live. You can get free advice from an expert adviser on managing energy debt, switching tariffs, contacting your supplier and more. Find out more information by visiting our
Disability Energy Support webpage.