I carry out PIP assessments - AMA

[PIPnamechanged]

The disclaimer:

I changed my name for this.

I can’t tell you why your claim was declined, or if you’ll be accepted with a particular condition.

I can’t comment on individual claims or look you up on the system on Monday.

I won’t bother with any “how do you sleep at night?” comments as they’re just inflammatory.

I’ve done the job for around 8 years, so covered the job in pre and post-pandemic times. Work full time, 9-5 and I’m a nurse by profession.

My part of the job is the actual consultation.

Ask away!

OP says there's no change in the system.

Not yet. Give them a chance, they have only just got in.

GOSH reports are very long and detailed but they're ignored anyway.

I do realise exactly how reluctant they are to provide them. They’re know as GP factual reports and when one is available, it’s great, but they’re usually not there.

No GP (or specialist) has time to do these things. They’re very often completed by the practice nurse or even just an unknown person who’ll leave their name but no other info.

We get no information on an individual over and above what they’re willing/able to provide. No level of medical record access, nothing. Even if the person wants me to look at their record, it’s not an option.

As you say, a joined up approach is needed.

Not yet. I honestly think that there will be changes afoot. They have just got into power, so it may take a while.

Probably harder to get PIP for Asd, mental health etc…. Probably easier for physical health as the questions are more geared to it….with my nephew my SIL just sent his EHCP and a copy of his social services assessment of need …..so only a handful of papers …..but she ensured the PiP document was comprehensively completed ….. hope you have better luck next time you apply ( not that it should be down to luck)

Thank you for answering all my questions, that's very helpful. I have one more, but I appreciate I've already asked a few so no worries if you don't get to it!

Do you think the criteria for certain things will/ needs to change to keep up with technology? For example, I needed help with working out the best time to take certain medication, and then support with remembering to take it, that we were able to put as a phone alarm once I got used to it. I was told it only counted as an "aid" for reminders if it was an alarm necklace or similar, and that having an alarm set on my phone didn't count as needing a reminder. Which would be fine if I was in my 80s and had never used a smartphone, but I'm young and grew up with computers and phones, I always have my phone in my pocket or within arms reach, and I really couldn't see the difference between an alarm set on my phone and an alarm set on a device that only worked as an alarm. I suspect this also comes into play with other things that are not considered disability aids but can be used as such.

And the number of people who seem to think PIP is awarded on a diagnosis is quite shocking. Do they even look at the descriptors before applying or realize it's based on how they function?

I don’t agree.
PIP is based on what the person is saying they can or can’t do. On that basis, there shouldn’t be any difference between autism and back pain for example.
Both submit evidence from consultant and it’s very unlikely that either of them will have comments on what the person can and can’t do.

So it all hinges on what the assessor THINKS the person can actually do. My report has comments like ‘Mito says she can’t cook a meal but i think she can do the basics so I’m awarding 2 points’.

PIP is a paper exercise on showing your workings the right way. Say things the right way, it works quite well. Get middle, forget one word, get lost in wondering if you can’t do something 70% of the time or 55% and is it really not being able to do it, and then you loose.
The problem is when people who are ND or struggle with mental clarity (whatever the reason) can’t jump through those hoops.
Bit show your workings tye right way and it works much more easily.

My personal experience of having worked in the same building that PIP assessors is the longer they’ve been doing the job, the more cynical they are and the less likely they are to not ‘believe’ what they’re told.

That hasn't been my experience. Both my older children with ASD got moved to High Rate Care/Mobility for PIP from High Rate Care/Low Mobility & Middle Rate Care/Low Mobility DLA respectively. Their awards were paper based - no need for telephone/in person assessment, because we had recent reports that corroborated their level of need.

My experience with pip was good too. Ds was on middle rate care dla only.

With pip he got the highest award plus mobility too and paper based award.

His diagnosis is autism with a borderline learning difficulty. Claim was put in very early 2020 (award made pre lockdown)

with eating…how much you eat from a meal are not something we look at.

Case law says otherwise in some circumstances. For example, SO v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (PIP): [2023] UKUT 56 (AAC) and TK v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (PIP): [2020] UKUT 22 (AAC). The former about overeating and the latter looking at someone with CF needing prompting to eat a sufficient quantity.

What is the job like? I'm qualified to do it but need to know more xx

I don't think that's stupid

My 17 year old ds was awarded PIP last year. He filled in all he paperwork but then scrunched it up in frustration and said he didn't want to go through with a face to face and to leave it.
I rang up and asked to be his appointee and then a woman came out to our home with paperwork for me to fill in and to ask my son if he gave permission, which he did.

I hadn't sent any proof with the assessment my son had filled in as I believed dla would have sent it on to pip, but I grabbed all his school senco bits and diagnosis report from when he was seven and also his secondary school 'passport'where the senco had explained his difficulties and the extra time in exams. And the woman took a photo of it all. I'm so glad I got all the paperwork out ,now that I understand it is completely seperate to dla ( after reading on here).

Why would an occupational therapist have no experience with these conditions?

I’ve read you’re allowed to record on anything now.

If you could change the system, what changes would you implement, and why?

What is the point in asking things like, how many steps from your car to your front door, how long does this take. How long does it take you to get from your living room to your kitchen. How long does it take you to get round the the supermarket.
all really difficult questions without any parameters given. I have had this line of question and found it to be really stressful because I just don’t know the answers and it’s always a guess.

Well this one didn’t because all the questions he asked were based around a physical disability. He even tried to assess my son’s grip, who because of his autism and OCD shrunk away in fear because a strange man who might have dirty hands wanted to hold his hand. I did a subject access request and after reading his notes it was clear he had no understanding of my sons condition despite the notes to application I submitted with his claim form

You can record on anything. @mumda is wrong.

Yeah those are all standard.

It’s because the DWP demand “real life” examples. Writing that someone said they can walk for 3 minutes slowly before stopping isn’t good enough and they’ll reject the report. You (the claimant) need to provide day to day examples - shopping, walking the dog, going to the doctor etc. From the house to the car, the car to the destination, how long are you in the shop/surgery for etc. It has to be very specific or you’re getting a callback to ask you all over again.

I’d have every assessment recorded as standard to take the “the assessor lied” debate out. It would be there for all to see if they had done that.

I’d allocate cases to people who have experience in that area of work. There are people who have multiple issues, of course, but there’s usually a main issue and I’d filter them to someone with experience rather than it being a random draw.

I’d ensure the assessors had protected training time. It’s very common that we have to fit training in around our daily schedule and this can be really difficult, so either things have to be sped up or training isn’t attended.

I asked for mine to be recorded and was sent the recording with no issues. I don't know why they aren't recorded as standard with a right to opt out rather than having to opt in.

It took me 4 years to pluck up the courage and stamina to claim because of all the stories I've heard,i got minimum standard which i believed was very low but was just so grateful to get if at all,been reassessed 7 months earlier than they saidthen had to wait the 7 months for result,passed for another 2 years but the stress and anxiety around it all is awful.