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!

Anger at a process or system is absolutely no excuse to be vile to this individual OP.

With a diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis, and on highest level of immunosuppressives (Biologics), but currently working. Would an award be likely?

I can’t speak for others but I always probe. I want to know the transmission, if they’ve changed their car recently and why, how they get in and out of it, any adaptions inside or outside, what type of car it is (height matters), how often they drive it, how they feel afterwards.

I completely agree though, assumptions are made all the time and it’s wrong. The system is highly flawed (as per many of the posts on this thread).

F

Why do assessors lie?

Ours said my adult child managed the phone assessment independently. She didn't, I was there and spoke on her behalf several times when she was struggling.

They also said she could reliably make herself food when both us and the OT report stated she cannot prepare a proper meal which goes against your own guidelines.

I am sure OP realised she/he would need to don their hard hat. This is such an emotive issue and so many people have suffered horribly under the system.

It’s so disheartening to read things like this.

It sounds like you got someone who was very prescriptive in their choices. You didn’t have MH meds so therefore you’re ok. That’s absolutely not the case and it should be in your report that you can’t take MH meds due to other reasons and that you’re on waiting lists for therapy.

Can you apply again and have someone there with you for support and to get your points across?

Record it (just tell the person you’re doing that). Always, always record it.

They absolutely do. I was present at one of the assessments and the disabled person was simply unable to speak and was choking because of enormous stress. The assessor wrote in the report that they could communicate and answer questions clearly.

That's shocking really.

OP is the attitude towards disabled people and awarding benefits changing in the system now under Labour vs Tory?

do you have an opinion on why such a high proportion of rejected cases are won on appeal?

Pretty much the same thing these days, ambulance drivers drive ambulances and give life saving support like they always have done, my uncle was one in the 80's just didn't have to go to Uni to be called a paramedic.

how Many people have you turned down and how many have you accepted

I know you can't comment in individual conditions etc but I just wondered about rare disorders like mine (a medication induced neurological involuntary movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia that was caused by an off labelantipsychoticprescribedforsevereinsomniaandanxietyafteraheadinjuryandpostconcussionsyndrome), which I tried claiming for but was rejected. A friend who has the same condition was recently awarded PIP but had to appeal.

I'm pretty sure the nurse who assessed me in person 5 years ago must have thought I was making it up. I appeared pretty normal and totally mobile (which I am), but what she didn't see in her assessment was just how my brain really still doesn't work after nearly a decade of living with post concussion syndrome symptoms and my TD. I think she probably just thought I was exaggerating the symptoms in my application. I do get flare ups when I have hormonal fluctuations (which are worsening now with perimenopause), and I anticipate these will probably be worse when I've been through menopause.

I have considered applying again but don't have much hope. 😪 The impact that such a life changing movement disorder has had on my life psychologically isn't to be underestimated, but I truly don't think they'd consider that even if I tried to apply again. It's so hard not to feel angry and frustrated at things.

I doubt OP keeps a tally.

I have a question. Applicants are required to put their doctors’ details including GP on the form. Does anyone ever actually contact the GPs for confirmation of diagnoses etc? Either you/assessor or the DWP?

Sorry for the typos above and the very long joined up words 😅

Honestly, I don’t know why people do this.

I can truly with my hand on heart say that I have never lied or downplayed someone’s issue.

There are no bonuses or financial rewards for cutting someone off benefit or rejecting a claim.

Record your assessments, every single time. And tell them you’re doing it.

OP has already stated she has targets to stay within so she would know roughly what her ratio’s are

Haha, I don’t keep record, no.

I think overall, I give more than I don’t. It depends though, some days are all one way, some are the other.

Nothing has changed for us. You wouldn’t even know there had been a change in government, it’s all just as it was before.

I assumed they had targets from the gov to reject as many claimants as possible. You also mentioned earlier you had some guidelines to balance numbers? (maybe I got it wrong)

Anyway, that's very real even if there are no financial incentives.

Thanks for the advice to record!

Thanks, I appreciate that.

Myself and my colleagues would agree that the system is beyond shit and lets people down regularly. We do our best (the people I know and work with) but are under no illusion that this job is infiltrated with plenty of people who lie and make the claimant feel attacked/humiliated.

Are you in Manchester?. If so you might be assessing my former employee😀

Yeah that’s correct. Over a six month period things are tracked and if you fall outside of parameters, they’ll tell you to loosen up a bit or tighten it up.

I’m not sure if that would lead to someone writing complete lies on their report. I bloody hope not but I’m not naive. I find that the best way to work is to act like the claimant is secretly recording me every time, that I would need to be answerable to anything I write down.

I don’t envy anyone going through the claim process, it must be terrible.

No. Although if someone has a dog they’re taking on hikes daily, that may impact things like the mobility section.