PIP assessor here

[Fsj88]

Good evening

I’ve been encouraged to sign up to Mumsnet by a friend who has suggested that some people might find it useful to be able to ask a PIP assessor questions.

If there’s anything you think I can help you with, please ask away

Without knowing the ins and outs of her situation I’m afraid I can’t. What I can say however is that if she does decide to appeal or reapply it may be worth pointing her in the direction of Citizen’s Advice for support if she’ll engage with them

Surely someone has to actually be a PIP assessor, or at least someone with an awful lot of insider knowledge of how PIP assessment works from the assessor side of things to be able to do an AMA on the subject though? I can imagine they'd get found out pretty bloody quickly on an AMA if not.

I was completely burnt out in clinical practise so for me, being away from that (though I do miss aspects of it)
I enjoy able to support claimants who are very nervous through the assessment as kindly as possible
Working from home
Not working evenings/ weekends/ bank holidays/ Christmas so always being able to be with with my young children and wider family on special occasions
A relatively good salary
Option to buy additional annual leave (though I have a feeling this may be curtailed next year because the number of new applicants vs available assessors is so high)

Was spreading nutella the only ground on which they denied her points in that activity? There should be additional justification to just that

@Ted27 I second this^ . I used Citizen advice’s guidance myself and it was extremely helpful. You need to focus on very specific aspects and use specific language.

Gosh this is infuriating. I have the misfortune of knowing a woman with COPD and she openly talks about using her PIP to pay for cigarettes. She puts more effort into maintaining the image of being frail than she ever has working.

I’m so sorry about your neighbour, that seems very unfair.

@Fsj88
@pizzaHeart
@SquashPenguin

She had the mandatory reconsideration, maximum points.
Something wrong with a system when you can go from 0 points to maximum points.

Thank you for your reply. I have one more question:

If my next review is due after I reach state pension age, will my PIP award automatically stop at that point? If so, I’ll need to start learning about attendance allowance!

There wasn't.

Same for all of the criteria.

That's why people believe that there are quotas.

This was the second requested assessor because the first was so clear in their agenda that they didn't actually let me answer questions.

Onto mandatory reconsideration and tribunal, if needed.

Things have changed in the last 4 years as I didn't have to deal with incompetent/biased assessors for my son's assessment. He was awarded higher rate care and mobility and arguably his needs are slightly less (but different) from those of his sister.

Part of the problem is that they can’t retain assessors so they’re always recruiting and training new ones. There isn’t a huge wealth of experience. I started in a group of 15 and am the only one remaining

Thank you for your response.
I’m concerned about your assertion that conflicting accounts render the information unreliable and mean that an appointee is required.The distinction I am making is between a discrepancy that needs to be explored and a discrepancy that supposedly makes an assessment impossible to continue.
The DWP’s PIP Assessment Guide, particularly paragraphs 1.6.55–1.6.56, recognises that claimants with mental, cognitive or intellectual impairments may lack insight into their own difficulties or have unrealistic expectations of their abilities. It also recognises the importance of obtaining an accurate account from a companion in such circumstances.
This is precisely why companions are permitted to contribute. A claimant’s insistence that they are “fine” does not establish that they can perform an activity reliably, independently or without prompting. Equally, a companion’s account should be explored and evaluated rather than automatically accepted without question.
Your example of a claimant insisting they dress every day while their companion reports that they remain in their pyjamas until midday illustrates a discrepancy, but it does not explain why the assessment could not continue. The assessor could explore the claimant’s understanding of the question, their awareness of their difficulties, the prompting or assistance they receive, and the frequency and circumstances of the reported difficulties. If necessary, further evidence could be sought.
I am also unclear why you consider an appointee necessary in these circumstances. The ability to manage benefit affairs and the ability to recognise or accurately describe one’s functional limitations are not the same thing. A person may have very limited insight into their support needs without necessarily lacking the capacity to manage their benefit claim.
Could you therefore identify the specific paragraph in the published DWP guidance that states that conflicting accounts, in themselves, make an assessment impossible to continue, require an appointee, or mean that the appointee’s evidence must carry greater weight?
I am not suggesting that every discrepancy can be resolved during an assessment, or that an assessor must accept everything a companion says. I am asking where the guidance establishes the blanket rule you appear to be describing.
My understanding is that the purpose of the assessment is to establish the claimant’s actual functional limitations, taking account of all relevant evidence. Where a claimant’s account is affected by their condition, dismissing the discrepancy rather than investigating it risks undermining that very purpose.

I would welcome the specific guidance reference so that I can understand the basis for your position.

Hence the hide function or the ability to scroll on by.

I haven’t said that submitting supporting evidence is a requirement. I’ve explicitly acknowledged that you can start a PIP claim without it and that you shouldn’t delay claiming to obtain evidence.
My point is that not being a requirement is not the same as not being important.
PIP decisions are based on how a person’s condition affects their ability to carry out the relevant daily living and mobility activities, taking account of the information available. Supporting evidence can help substantiate those difficulties and may be particularly useful where further clarification is needed.
So yes, submitting evidence isn’t compulsory, and the absence of supporting documents doesn’t automatically mean someone won’t qualify. However, telling people that evidence isn’t required without explaining its potential value risks giving them a misleading impression. That is the distinction I was making.

what percentage of cases do you estimate (I know you don’t have official figures that’s why I am saying estimate) based on your experience, to not need pip and to be taking advantage of the system?

Thankyou for doing this, l have found it really useful.

Following on from your point about evidence...

My DS is 23yrs. ASD, processing disorder, dyspraxia etc

Due to his age l have no up to date reports or assessments as he doesn't receive any input from anywhere since leaving school. His EHCP has now ceased.

His needs have not changed at all from when he first went on PIP at 16yrs but l was able to refer to reports to back up what was being asked eg... "Can he plan a journey?" "DS is unable to plan a journey due to his dyspraxia causing XYZ difficulties - as evidenced in his OT report page 3 highlighted in green"

When will this evidence be considered to old to use? And what do l do then to back up what lam writing?

Can I get pip for type 1 diabetes?

This has been so useful to some - another million added to the 4.1 million pwahaha!

I thought EHCPs went to age 25? Is that not the case?

HI OP.

I’ve had MS for 18 years. I was walking 10-15000 steps a day up to April where I went into a huge relapse that I’ve not completely recovered from. I can’t walk more than 20 metres and my husband basically has to do everything cooking wise, help me in and out of the bath etc even though occupational health via the council came out and fitted grab rails in the bathroom.

I do work, a phone based job for 18 hours a week in the evenings as I can’t cope with getting up and looking presentable in the morning. I was off work for 3.5 months and went back when I’d got rid of the worst symptoms, they were constantly dizziness even when sitting or lying down and facial numbness causing me to slur my words a lot, not good in a phone job,

I sent in copies of letters from 2 different neurologists confirming the limitations on my walking and also proof that the nhs prescribed me a manual wheelchair. (I bit the bullet though and got a power chair for work, my office is very disabled friendly)

Despite sending in copies of all the above with my application form, they have requested I go to a F 2 F appointment next week in a city 17 miles away. My husband will take me, come in with me and I will use my power chair. Will attending and the fact I work (have done since I was 16) be held against me too much? The appointment is at 10:30 in the morning so I’ll probably be really tired too.

thanks for reading

My Son has an interview for PIP on Monday as we currently get DLA for him and he is 16. If he doesnt get awarded PIP will they stop DLA before his 17th birthday do you know? He was awarded DLA up to 17.

I am his nominated person so hoping I can be with him on the phone call because he wouldn't have the first clue how to answer any questions!

If refused PIP then his DLA will continue for 28days from the decision letter and then will stop.

When you say nominated person, do you mean appointee?

Yes but his has ceased as the LA couldn't find suitable provision for him.

Yes appointee!

would a Dr letter saying "struggles with mobility, walking and using hands due to arthritis" and an adult social care letter to say "movement is slow and painful and adaptions are to be made to bath, stairs and walking sticks provided" qualify for a higher rate of mobility and standard living?

Yes, you can answer on his behalf when he is unable to, and/or clarify things when needed.
Make sure that, at the very start of the call, you make the assessor aware that you are his appointee, that your son has difficulties understanding his needs and the questions being asked, and that you will need to help explain how he manages in everyday life so that they can get an accurate picture of his needs.
The assessor can still ask your son questions, but don’t be afraid to step in when needed.