to have had a really good experience with my recent PIP assessment (Thanks in no small part to the post from the lovely ex PIP assessor and her/his post)

[barefoofdoctor]

Not really an AIBU but.. Was utterly terrified before my recent PIP assessment (particularly having read the post by the ex-PIP assessor!), as in not eating, feeling suicidal, utterly hopeless as I have an 'invisible' illness caused by a very serious life threatening illness and massively botched treatment/repeated mis-diagnosis/shite treatment by the NHS (and also amazing treatment by the NHS - I am here! I am alive albeit a fucked up version. I swore I wouldn't claim PIP as couldn't deal with the stress (wouldn't sue the NHS as I don't think that's on) unless I was ever harassed over my ESA claim by the DWP, which happened after I was maliciously reported for benefit fraud amongst other things, by some vile ex-neighbours. As such, I put my claim in and was duly assessed. My assessor was absolutely lovely, not scripted at all, completely put me at my ease, so much so that I was slightly worried it was 'a trick!', I wasn't asked to perform anything I couldn't physically achieve and assessor was actually really insightful about my condition and future prognosis, telling me things I was previously unaware of and leaving me feeling genuinely more positive than I have since I fell ill.

I still doubted whether my claim would be successful having read the horror stories but found out last week that I have been awarded PIP which will make my life basically worth living and more than just existing, in constant pain and in a lesser form as the days and weeks and years progress. That is all really Not all assessors are horrendous and it isn't all doom and gloom though my assessor said that there are too many reports of mistreatment/lies and a broken system for them not to be true and confirmed what we know; that the system is extremely unfair and screwed, rotten to the core. But there is hope and who knows perhaps the reforms this system so desperately needs will take place one day soon.

Apologies if this is a bit garbled, I just needed to thank the Ex assessor and show that there are positive PIP application experiences out there, however few and far between.

[kali110]

Bice to hear they aren't all liars! (My experience) it is nice yo hear there are genuine nice ones out there.
Glad to hear it's gone through for you!

[Lostpangolin]

Good to hear barefoof. My wife is dreading her reassessment later this year, so hope she'll have a positive experience too.

[FannyWisdom]

Glad it's gone smooth. It must be a weight off.

[HopelesslydevotedtoGu]

Glad to hear it went well

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2764894--to-give-people-assistance-with-claiming-PIP

[Rixera]

That's so good to hear!
My assessor was similarly good, he had actually had to leave his prior position due to the same MH disability as me so was very empathetic, even gave me some advice! I also came out feeling more positive about my own illness after the assessment, it was such a relief to know I've got a few years to get myself into shape ready to rejoin the workforce. And seeing him achieve it having been in the same place was just so encouraging.

I know this sounds like an advertisement for PIP assessments but he really was that lovely!

[Sunnysky2016]

I'm so pleased for you.

My assessment was good too- nothing like the horror stories I read online. I was awarded higher rate daily living and standard mobility. I explained on the day I was having a good day, so expected nothing.

My assessor was so knowledgeable about fibromyalgia, hyper mobility, arthritis, back pain and bipolar.

I wish all people going through the process had such good assessors.

[unweavedrainbow]

I'm a welfare advisor and also disabled. Don't get me wrong, the system has some huge issues BUT statistically a good half of claimants are successful without any issues. Once you take appeals into consideration 3 in 4 claimants who take it all the way are awarded. It really really is worth applying.

[RyanStartedTheFire]

My assessment was great too. All the horror stories put me off reapplying

[LouisevilleLlama]

Glad to hear yours went well, my mum who can't really walk and now often uses a wheelchair is losing her mobility car so she's essentially house bound now.

[unweavedrainbow]

Louiseville has she appealed? The mobility descriptors are much stricter but tribunals are often sympathetic.

[LouisevilleLlama]

She is appealing, thing is she has to give the car back before the reassessment is likely to be complete so whilst we can't afford to buy the car we have a very short amount of time to sort something out so she can get out as public transport isn't an option for her

[LouisevilleLlama]

Which also means that if she is hopefully awarded it again she'll still have to wait until a new car is ready

[unweavedrainbow]

I presume that she's been through MR and been rejected?

[LouisevilleLlama]

MR? She was DLA and moved over to PIP had the assessment , got the results back and is now appealing it

[unweavedrainbow]

Mandatory Reconsideration-the first stage of appeal. Someone looks at the award to spot obvious mistakes. After the PIP result comes through DLA is kept in payment for another month to avoid overpayment and the motability car doesn't need to be returned till three weeks after that date-so 7 weeks in total. MRs tend to come back much faster than that. If she has to go to tribunal she will have to return the care, yes. Is she getting any help? Fightback are very good

[LouisevilleLlama]

Oh have to say I'm not the person most in the knowledge about it, but I know she got the result of her assessment she said that she's appealing and had someone ring her to talk about it and it's now being reassessed with no names on it she has got a date at the end of the month to give the car back so AFAIK she's notified them of an appeal they've spoken to her on the phone it's being reassessed but she got a letter saying when to give the car back whether or not the reassessment has been finished.

[backaftera2yearbreak]

That's correct unfortunately. Car goes back before it gets to appeal. It's awful.

[MuffinMad]

I had to return my motability car after losing the enhanced rate to standard rate. Motability start the process of the cars return almost immediately and I was given a date for the return.

I had about 7 weeks grace.

In the meantime, I put in a MR and received the transition bonus which helped towards the cost of a new (to me) car.

I couldn't believe it, the car was returned and exactly one week later I got my enhanced award given to me through MR.

I could return to motability in a while, but don't think I will bother now.

What a fiasco.

[JoffreyBaratheon]

I think they let a few through just for this kind of PR. ;o)

My husband - various problems, including being deaf which apparently no longer disables anybody - failed to get it. And at the tribunal, we waited in the local courts with prisoners in hand-cuffs literally being walked past, inches away.

Made us feel like criminals and like shit.

That is the reality, I'm afraid. Sat in a room with people in cuffs. Disabled people. Criminals now. Let's shout that from the rooftops not the rare, happy clappy stuff.

He's re-applying. We couldn't face it for months but thought sod it.

[JoffreyBaratheon]

And all this needless bureaucracy in an attempt to rob people who had DLA awards already. I don't even see how this degrading, inhumane shite is saving them any money at all? Surely it's costing more.

Many hearing impaired people had DLA no problem but they are the precise ones being knocked off by PIP as amateurs wrote the criteria. TBH, if he has to face some half arsed physiotherapist or other irrelevant health 'professional' in a face to face, this time, I think he'll lose the plot.

The thought of a young disabled person with, say autism, being forced to go t a tribunal in a court building makes my blood run cold. Had it been my son he'd have been terrified.

Do people out there know this is happening to disabled people?

We had a thread before about the tories being in all out war against the disabled. I would hate to think people are kidding themselves anything has improved under Theresa May.

[HelenaDove]

Joffrey its older ppl now too My DH is 67 in a matter of days. He recieved his DLA to PIP letter back at the end of Jan.

So eventually ppl in their 70s and 80s will keep being reassesed.

All this was announced back in 2013.

The cynic in me can guess why it wasnt announced till then, It wouldnt have been announced the year before because it just wouldnt have done to have newspaper headlines about cuts to DLA etc while we were hosting the Paralympics!

[Jaytee38]

My PIP assessment went well too much better than ESA although I was approved for both on first attempt and this was for mental health problems.

[kali110]

JoffreyBaratheon same here! I suffer a lot of Health problems including mental ( though you wouldn't know to look at me).
I had a lovely lady come over and do my pip. I was factual and truthful.
I had shitloads of evidence.
Thought everything was fine.
Denied.
Her report was a complete pile of bollocks
Things she'd never asked me about, things i'd never said and she hadn't included major things ( that were important to why i needed pip).
Mandatory appeal refused.
Went to tribunal i felt like a criminal too!
Barely in there, but it didn't take them long to see who was telling the truth
I'm dreading reapplying
I'm in a few online support groups and i'm shocked by how many people have said the same thing