Pip assessor - Page 4 — Scope | Disability forum
Please read our updated community house rules and community guidelines.

Pip assessor

124

Comments

  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    sundontshine - you might want to re-post in the 'Ask a benefits advisor' category where there are benefits experts.
  • sundontshine123
    sundontshine123 Community member Posts: 92 Courageous
    matilda i have but no reply x
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    They'll be around during the week, sundontshine.
  • sundontshine123
    sundontshine123 Community member Posts: 92 Courageous
    I have sent Capita a letter of complaint about assessor, so surprised i recieved a letter and said they are going to investigate.
    I wrote to dwp and said they did not follow there so called guide lines in f2f and evidence was never submitted by assessor.
    I also said that my report is not fit for purpose showslack and care of attention when writing report and shows that assessor and dwp did not read report.
    As if they did would of noticed the award on te back to review in 5 years time even though i only had 6 points.
    The more people complain they are going to have to listen.
    Now im waiting M R phoned DWP up today said phone back next week as nothing been updated yet.
    Feel like im in limbo im over the worst and now in fight mode to take these buggars on.


  • johnny100
    johnny100 Community member Posts: 125 Pioneering
    well done to you.My final decision is to be made 4th april 2017.My main areas of concern are the supervision assistance help,no mention in award other than brushing over these three vital words that are important to me,They keep sayint to me that these are taken into account when scoring point,what a load of rubbish.The PIP  states,supervision,assistance,help.Also the dangers of many potential accidents,again they say this is taken ibto  avvount.
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    edited March 2017
    The DWP maybe don't have to follow their guidelines - but they should adhere to legislation.  This part of the PIP legislation refers to the reliability criteria (safely; to an acceptable standard; repeatedly, and within a reasonable time period):

    "The Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) (Amendment) Regulations 2013

    2013 No. 455 Regulation 2"

    http/://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013//455/regulation/2/made

    The only legislation I can find that refers to walking just lists the points that apply to each walking distance category.




  • helsbells50
    helsbells50 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    kenny said:
    I was recently assessed at home by Capita, I am a 32year old man, who has cerebral palsy which has left me confined to a wheelchair all of my life.I Have mild to moderate learning disability which means I am unable to read or write. The assessor noted I have some power in my arms so it was decided that with the aids and appliances I could dress myself, prepare meals, take myself to toilet I don't know what these aids and appliances are but these are things I have never been able to do so if there is something out there that can fasten buttons open tins fill kettles etc I would like to know. The assessor was told of my illiteracy but the decision was made that I could read complex subject matter this was because I did a college course, yes I did with a note taker and reader to assist me, also because I was on facebook and used a tablet, yes but someone else is typing this for me and it has to be read to me! I was also told I could manage complex bank accounts, plan and carry out journeys on my own, communicate well although with new people I have a severe stammer! The who!e decision was lies and misrepresentation!

  • davet
    davet Community member Posts: 77 Courageous
    disgusting how these people can get away with this, I was on dla and had a mobility payment but after having to apply for pip I lost my mobility, I asked for a MR by recorded delivery which was recieved on the same day that their letter was dated which said they stood by their decision, in other words the reconsidered it in a matter of hours, the assessor said on my assessment form that he was a nursebut he left the section for his qualifications empty, he stated I walk with a normal gait and speed, I had a stroke a while ago and since then my left foot is at a constant 35 degree angle and I drag my leg, I attempted to tell him about my lack of balance, left hand neglect and poor spacial awareness but he simply said we will come to that later, but never did, he decided that as I could stand from a chair without assistance( despite leaning heavily on my walking stick) that I was able to walk more than 20 metres. I found in the guideline for assessors, that there are a number of things they are advised to look out for, one being can the claimant bend over and pick a bag up from the floor, and surprise surprise in my report he said I bent and picked my bag up from the floor, what he didnt say was that I was sat in a chair when I did it, also one of the things he asked me to do was cross my legs, I was ok with my right leg but when crossing my left I lost my balance and toppled over onto the desk which if that had not been there I would have been on the floor, but this was not in my report
    there are 4 descriptors which the assessor must take into account  which state you must be able to carry them out, safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable time period ie no more than twice as long as someone without your condition but none of these factors have been taken into account
    I have applied for a tribunal hearing, and think the assessor should be made to attend too, but sadly that doesnt happen, despite english law providing a right to face our accuser
    but lets be honest you never win with the establishment, I found that out when I was disabled by NHS negligence
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    Evidently, Atos are trained to use certain words or phrases" 'kempt' is one, another is 'normal gait'.  My assessor put in her report that I walked with a normal gait.  I creep along.  Anyone non-disabled person who overtakes me is virtually over the horizon before I've taken a few steps.

    Another favourite is bending down to put your bag on the floor and then bending down again to pick it up later.  My assessor claimed I did this: I did not, never took my bag that was slung across my body off!

    Even if these descriptions don't apply, the assessors just include them anyway!
  • johnny100
    johnny100 Community member Posts: 125 Pioneering
    i will have to remember the word NORMAL GAIT,I too had this in my decision letter.Looking at the way letters are composed it appears to me that its already in a template and just fill in the spaces.The whole letter has so many verb,,abjectives,,nouns and the punctuation is a complete mess.I also  notice how they repeat themselves.They need to go on a course on how to structure a report.A report has a beginning a middle and an end. 
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    My decision letter rambled.  Said that I could chop and peel veg on 'good' days. Totally irrelevant, I was only claiming on the basis of the 'bad' days, the majority, when I can't chop/peel.  The decision make also got confused about the two bags I had with me:  at first they thought I had two bags, then they thought I had only one bag.
  • trike
    trike Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    I got told at my appeal, I had a normal gait and pace. I replied do I!!!.  The lady that helps me with my pony was with me, perhaps it was her good manners walking at my pace with me they mistook for normal. ?  
  • johnny100
    johnny100 Community member Posts: 125 Pioneering
    anything in a decision letter you have to refute,cannot say the word liar.You need to be stern with them and say that you dispute there observations and want the remark removing from the decision,and ask where this information came from,you could also ask like I did if you were being filmed at any stage..
    The whole of the ATOS/Capita set up needs probing at the lack lustre approach of both these companies.They do it to banks etc so why nor these companies.Why are the government not taking action an probing the amount of unhappy disabled people in society.,and to make ATOS/Capita more transparent
  • davet
    davet Community member Posts: 77 Courageous
    disgusting how these people can get away with this, I was on dla and had a mobility payment but after having to apply for pip I lost my mobility, I asked for a MR by recorded delivery which was recieved on the same day that their letter was dated which said they stood by their decision, in other words the reconsidered it in a matter of hours, the assessor said on my assessment form that he was a nursebut he left the section for his qualifications empty, he stated I walk with a normal gait and speed, I had a stroke a while ago and since then my left foot is at a constant 35 degree angle and I drag my leg, I attempted to tell him about my lack of balance, left hand neglect and poor spacial awareness but he simply said we will come to that later, but never did, he decided that as I could stand from a chair without assistance( despite leaning heavily on my walking stick) that I was able to walk more than 20 metres. I found in the guideline for assessors, that there are a number of things they are advised to look out for, one being can the claimant bend over and pick a bag up from the floor, and surprise surprise in my report he said I bent and picked my bag up from the floor, what he didnt say was that I was sat in a chair when I did it, also one of the things he asked me to do was cross my legs, I was ok with my right leg but when crossing my left I lost my balance and toppled over onto the desk which if that had not been there I would have been on the floor, but this was not in my report
    there are 4 descriptors which the assessor must take into account  which state you must be able to carry them out, safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable time period ie no more than twice as long as someone without your condition but none of these factors have been taken into account
    I have applied for a tribunal hearing, and think the assessor should be made to attend too, but sadly that doesnt happen, despite english law providing a right to face our accuser
    but lets be honest you never win with the establishment, I found that out when I was disabled by NHS negligence
  • davet
    davet Community member Posts: 77 Courageous
    it gets worse my previous post outlines how I lost my mobility component and I have requested a tribunal hearing, I have dissected my assessment report highlighting the outright lies the dubious assumptions and other rubbish and felt quite confident in presenting my case when the time comes, however , I had an appointment with my GP today and decided to ask him if he had said anything detrimental to the dwp when they asked him about me, to my horror and disgust he told me that he had not been contacted by them, when completing my form initially I included the details of my stroke specialist along with the specialist who operated on my hand in a failed attempt to get it working, and on my return from my GP, I rang these specialists only to find that they had not been contacted either the only medical aspect of my assessment came from the assessor, who states he is a nurse, but lists no medical qualifications whatsoever on leaving my GP assured me he will provide a letter in support of my claim and outlining his disgust that he was not consulted in the first place by the dwp, I also intend to bring this matter to the attention of my MP, who is already aware of my situation and Pennt Mordaunt the minister for disabled people 
  • steve_noble1
    steve_noble1 Community member Posts: 4 Connected
    this is shocking i have cp and i'm scared of whats gonna happen to me when i get the letter telling me i have to go for assessment to transfer to pips I'm scared i'm going to loose my dla altogether I'm temped to record the whole thing  when i go for assessment so i have proof of any lies the write on report
       
  • davet
    davet Community member Posts: 77 Courageous
    steve noble-, with hindsight, I wish I had recorded my assessment, for two reasons, at the beginning of mine, I began to tell my assessor about the problems I still have with what is called left hand neglect, along with lack of spatial awareness often causing dizziness, but he stopped me mid sentence and said we would get back to that, which we never did, there was also a part of the assessment when I was asked to cross my legs, which resulted in my almost falling off the chair, at which point he said "careful, we dont want you hurting yourself", despite putting these incidents in my appeal and tribunal evidence, it would simply be his word against mine, and of course he does not have to attend the tribunal, and therefore cannot be asked about these things face to face, and dont forget you are able to have someone in the room with you at the time, I am now of the opinion that these people exaggerate your actual abilities, so much in order to be able to reduce your payments, and I think it is only fair that you exaggerate your disabilities in order to retain your payments and make sure they consult your medical references
  • johnny100
    johnny100 Community member Posts: 125 Pioneering
    I have come to the conclusion that the numbers are 9/10 this is the maximum Daily Living 9 and 10 points Mobility.Share the points in the Daily Living how you want 2 here 3 there stc,this is what they want you to do,it keeps them in a job with all these appeals   going on.They are grossly overpaid for what they do. If you work out this disability money over a 39 hr working week  approx 142 a week divide this by an average 39 hr week thats £3.42p an hour,if my maths are not that good I apologise,If we got paid min wage we would be on £292 plus a weekLets hope,reaolly we are on peanuts,disabled should get pro rata to yhe min wage,I dont think so?
  • davet
    davet Community member Posts: 77 Courageous
    edited April 2017


    Matilda said:


    I feel the same, kenny, about helping others to fight back against assessors' lies.  I always urge everyone concerned to appeal. Tribunals must be well aware by now of assessors' lies which is in part why so many appeals are successful.  At present, all we can do is appeal and point out the assessors' lies.  Some people have made formal complaints to assessment companies as well.  I haven't complained to Atos myself as asking for mandatory reconsideration and then making an appeal was stressful enough.

    My assessor didn't lie as much as many assessors have been reported to have done.  But she did tell one blatant lie which would be laughable if it were not serious.  She stated in her report that she watched me take my bag, which was slung across my body, off and put it down on the floor from where I picked it up when ready to leave.  At no time during the interview, not even during the exercises, did I take my bag off!  DWP repeated this lie in their award decision letter which I refuted in my reconsideration request.  Significantly, DWP did not again repeat this lie in their reconsideration letter.


    the old bag of the floor trick, this is actually in the assessors handbook, my assessor did the same and said I bent over and picked my bag up off the floor, what he failed to say was that I was actually sat in a chair at the time, and the bag was on the floor at the side of the chair

  • Floki
    Floki Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    Why O why are they being allowed to tell these lies on official documents surely it's fraudulent. I guess the government won't do anything about it because the dissabled are easy prey. 

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.