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!

I wonder why my friend who has R.A. and is on the highest award for everything, is having to apply for a renewal then? She got the form 6 months ago to fill in, as it runs out around April 2025. If they make people do it anyway 'just in case it's got worse' then why is someone having to apply who is already on the highest award?

It's just putting people through stress that they could do without.

When she was on DLA they gave her a lifetime award (around 2011-2012,) as she had a chronic condition. Then in 2014-ish they took it off her and made her apply every 3 years, and go through degrading and humiliating assessments.

The whole PIP system is vile. That's a hill I will die on.

Ok, so can you give me an example of this? Believe me, I don’t have time to ask a question 6 different ways.

If she is on highest rates then surely on the much shortened renewal form she can just wrote no change ?

I had to send my review back in January and any way it's took to this week to get an answer and they made a decision on paper so didn't need another telephone assessment like I had to begin with. I got the same award enhanced on everything so I am lucky and longer time period of 5 years now not three . Anyways I wanted to know why do some just go on paper assessment and others need another telephone one . I had similar with my lcwra on universal they just did it based on my records from the doc so no actual assessment needed

I'm claiming PIP for degenerative Osteoarthritis, I've already had one hip replacement, will probably need the other one done too, I'm also having a knee replacement soon and the other one will need doing not long after. I also have Osteoarthritis in my neck, spine, back, pelvis. I need a mobility scooter just to get out and about with. So if I have such a degenerative condition and struggle day to day, the joint replacements aren't going to cure the pain I have in other areas, why do I need an assessment every 3 years? It's never improving.

Would someone with ME qualify?

yeah, the lifetime DLA awards are pointless now. When PIP was introduced, it effectively quashed all of those lifetime awards.

I would never indicate a review period for someone on maximum award with RA or a similar condition.

The system is vile. OP is not the system.
Does my head in, every time we get a thread like this where someone working in the system is being genuinely helpful, some people use it to attack the OP for systemic failures they don't control. Then the OP withdraws because the anger is too much and we don't get any more helpful answers.
I'm not saying you can't be angry with the system. The system sucks balls. But OP is not responsible for the entire system - and would you prefer there were no assessors and the backlog was even longer?

Would anyone with only severe hearing loss/deafness successfully claim for PIP? If so, what kind of circumstances and situation would they be in?

You’re so bloody rude. The OP doesn’t owe you anything. She’s spending her evening politely and helpfully answering as many questions as she can. If you have this attitude during your claim, you only have yourself to blame if you get turned down. Your sense of entitlement is STAGGERING.

OP do you ever question the system? Are there any cases that stick in your mind as ‘unfair’ and did you do anything about it?

I had both assessments with a nurse. Most of what I had said was accurately recorded. I had heard such horror stories so this was a welcome relief.

And yes, assessors DO ask the same questions a number of times in several different ways.

They absolutely do, in the hope of catching people oout. And then there are the sly questions about whether people have pets. Because if you have pets you cannot possibly be disabled.

I was going to ask this. I have rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis as well as fibromyalgia,and RSI and tendinitis in one shoulder. I have been reviewed every 3 years despite the fact that the rheumatoid arthritis,osteoarthritis and tendinitis have all got progressively worse. You state that the reason we get reassessed regularly is because if our condition worsens,we would be eligible for a higher award. So why is it that despite my conditions being worse now than 10 years ago,I have not been given a higher award?

You've mentioned a few common conditions resulting in enough disablement that people need to apply for PIP. Given what you see come up time & time again, what additional effort should there be from healthcare services to prevent & support, to reduce the need for PIP?

For example, we all know mental health services barely function, but if arthritis is such a big problem, should there be more funding/research/treatment?

Etc...

Jesus. What an entitled and unpleasant attitude.

No, we go with open ended questions - rather than “are you in pain when you do (xxx)?”, it should be “when you do (xxx), how does that make you feel?”.

Calling afterwards isn’t that unusual. It’s generally when a detail has been left out or not explored enough that it’ll warrant a callback. Definitely nothing to worry about, it’s quite common.

The medical letters are worth a lot of weight because the person writing them has no reason to lie or exaggerate - which is something that a claimant unfortunately can do. So getting the same info from an unbiased source is so helpful. I can’t overstate the importance of sending this info in.

In the case of your group, if I had been your assessor I’d have taken the info down about it being an integrated group/accessible for all. That’s important and gives a clear indication that although you’re in this group, it’s adapted for you. It’s actually good evidence that there is restriction!

Why are nurses or ambulance drivers allowed to question or overrule the diagnosis of doctors or in a case I know of a consultant heart surgeon ? Would you be allowed to that in a hospital ? Of course not, you're a nurse and not medically qualified to asses life threating conditions and give an opinion which can prove devastating to that person.
People have died being denied the benefits they are entitled to because unqualified people are assessing them.
The system is totally wrong and one day many assessors may be held to account.
You said not to be asked how you slept at night so sleep well with your extra money.

Band 6.

Ambulance drivers do not become PIP assessors. Are you thinking of Paramedics who do years of medical training?

It’s the switch to PIP. When they reformed the system, your long term or lifetime award was essentially voided.

With the switch to PIP, they make everyone start again as new.

Realistically that’s not a letter any of those services could ever write. They can only confirm diagnoses not how long it takes a mother to dress a child. How would they know? When would they ever witness it?

Two questions.

1.Do you think that the age for the transition from DLA to PIP should be increased to 18?

I'm of the opinion that it should. My DS wouldn't have been able to complete his application at 16 (was diagnosed with aspergers age 6), despite being high functioning.

2.Do you hear of appointees revoking this position?

(FWIW- I have previously worked for a welfare benefits charity in a administrative role and have photocopied more applications than I care to mention. )

Have you ever had to make a claim for PIP? I made a claim for my DH. He was awarded everything with no problem, but the actual process is really horrendous. I spent weeks filling in the claim form. The interview was so clearly designed to try and catch people out. I feel anxious just thinking about it. It is no wonder some people on here may feel angry.

Is it really true that if if someone you are assessing reveals that they have a pet,you deem them as not being disabled?