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PIP tribunal - further evidence

Matilda
Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
I wrote to the courts service and asked for a change of tribunal venue as the allocated venue's hearing rooms are on the 4th floor and I could not evacuate the building if necessary because I cannot walk further than 20 metres.

The courts service have taken my request as further evidence and allocated my letter a page number.  

Will my asking for a change of venue because of inability to walk more than 20 metres count in my favour at the hearing?


Comments

  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering

    Hi Matilda,

    Yes, I would expect that it would be taken into account. It would all be part of the evidence considered. I would want to think some more about the venue - were there lifts? If so, was the concern about not being able to evacuate to do with it being more than 20 metres walk from the hearing room to the lift?

    I hope the change of venue doesn't alter your hearing date too much.

    Will
    The Benefits Training Co:

  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    Thanks Will
     
    The venue's website states that hearings are held on the 4th floor and that if an attendee would have difficulty evacuating the 4th floor in the event of an emergency then they should ask for a change of venue.  The building has lifts but I assume that those could not be used in the event of an emergency evacuation.

    My concern was that, in the event of an emergency evacuation, I would only be able to walk down four floors very slowly, having to stop frequently to rest (as well as needing to stop and rest on the way if the hearing room was more than 20 metres from the staircase).  Hence, I asked for a transfer to a venue where hearings are held on the ground floor.

    The Court have said in their reply that in fact (though the website doesn't state this) the original venue also has a hearings room on the ground floor where most PIP hearings take place.  So,no need for a change of venue.

    It sounds as though the Court has received many similar requests for a change of venue so they have opened a hearing room at this venue on the ground floor for PIP hearings.





  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    Thanks Matilda,

    Yes, that all makes sense. Considering what they do, it's surprising the tribunals service don't ask you to indicate whether you need a ground floor room at an earlier stage of the administration.

    Anyway, to answer your question, the difficulties you mention with going down the stairs and with reaching the staircase (potentially) would be taken into account. Your request is evidence of your mobility difficulties, although I would point out that the 'moving around' activity doesn't look at your ability to manage flights of stairs.

    Nevertheless, taking a long time to go down the stairs is evidence which supports, even if it does not demonstrate, a statement that a person has difficulty moving around outdoors in general, and would be slower than the general population.

    Good luck - we will all be very keen to know what happens.

    Will
    The Benefits Training Co:

  • wildlife
    wildlife Community member Posts: 1,293 Pioneering
    edited August 2017
    Good Luck @Matilda for your Tribunal..x
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    Thank you, Will and @wildlife. Haven't got a hearing date yet, expecting one in June.

    Must say, it was a surprise when the tribunal service decided without my even asking to regard my request for a change of venue as further evidence of limited mobility.

    Strange that the DWP disregard ability to manage steps.

    I'll certainly give feedback about my tribunal hearing.

Brightness

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