Anyone else dealing with PIP/DWP?

[octoberstorms]

Failed assessment back in April (claimed for 2 years successfully for mental health- I'm 20). Assessor lied on feedback and the assessment questions are not related/geared towards people with MH problems at all.

It was the only money I had each month (can't work due to issues). Have been relying on my parents and boyfriend since which I feel awful about and hate.

Put in mandatory recon, which of course was declined (after they 'lost' my first MR despite me doing recorded delivery).

Now waiting for tribunal date. Says it could take 12-18months minimum.

WTF? NHS has been awful, can't get appointments to see a psychiatrist or mental health nurse or do certain therapies as 'I don't qualify for them/meet criteria' or they simply have none available for months on end.

I have literally no support, no money and am severely depressed and anxious. I suffer from ocd & an eating disorder as well so that's gotten so much worse too.

I don't know what the fuck to do, as it gets closer to Christmas I hit get angrier and angrier as I have no money and no life anymore. The £430pm I was claiming gave me so much independence back. I used it for private therapy costs, food costs and part rent to my boyfriend as well as having a little left over for clothes when needed/rare day out.

@Soontobe60, FYI PIP isn't means-tested, it's an in-work benefit as well as an out-of-work benefit. Lots of people with various disabilities who are working can qualify for PIP; some disabled people, for one reason or another, can't work, or can't work full-time, or have to give up work for certain periods because their conditions fluctuate. Please don't assume that because the OP isn't well enough to work at the moment that she shouldn't be "supported by the state".

It's a very well-documented fact that in the last 10 years the agenda behind the benefits system (carried out on behalf of the DWP by various very well-paid contractors) has changed beyond recognition. Health and disabilty assessments are inherently weighted towards penalising clients for needing financial support. They don't just put the burden of proof on often chronically or terminally ill clients as a matter of course, they often deliberately sabotage their claims and force them to appeal to tribunals despite the medical evidence and reports they submit to support their claims. I'm not sure why you feel it necessary to dispute that on this thread, or anywhere else for that matter, but your attempt to paint the DWP and their henchmen in a rosier, fairer light won't wash with the thousands of families whose loved ones have lost their lives as a result of the harsh and punitive approach recent governments have taken to sickness and disability benefits, not to mention unemployment benefit (now ominously renamed Universal Credit). Certain MPs from all parties have raised questions in the House of Commons numerous times in the last 10 years to try to expose the dangerous failings of the benefits system in its reinvented form, and select commitees have tried to rein in the worst excesses and scandalous misrepresentations issuing from the DWP's (and associated cabinet members) discredited practices, but have frequently been cynically stymied in their work. In the last 5 years the UN have conducted at least two investigations into the government regarding their abuse and neglect of sick and disabled claimants, and their reports have been derided and sneered at by the Tories. But those impacted by the underhand tactics the DWP now employs as a matter of course, in order to deprive people of their financial support, know the truth.

Get your facts straight and don't defend the indefensible.

Following as I need help filling my form in too

Mental health is a disability fact DWP need to respect that all disabilities are not visual DWP go to website think mental health and you any of you at DWP and your Mickey mouse assessors do not know what is going on in people's minds so do the right thing

I think the system is just totally overwhelmed. There are so many people battling mental health issues and even though it is getting a higher profile generally, early intervention is woefully lacking so people just don't get the help they need before it reaches crisis point. I had a bit of a breakdown earlier this year brought about mainly by workplace stress/ bullying ( ironically in an organisation which appeared to have robust mental health policies/ anti bullying policies in place). my GP was quick to prescribe anti depressants and counselling but the wait for counselling is hugely long.

Honestly OP if you are submitting a new claim you really need to consider what evidence you are submitting with it. PIP assessors don't get bonuses or targets for failing claims, they don't even make the final decision, DWP do that but they make recommendations based on evidence.

From your posts in this thread (and I'm not saying this is a reflection of your actual situation).
You are claiming for a MH condition, you are prescribed a common antidepressant which a huge number of people in this country are on and mention you have been taking it for a long time. In severe MH you'd often expect them to be trying different or additional meds if the ones you were on aren't working.
You aren't being given psychiatric/ psychology or CMHT input from the NHS which again doesn't support severe MH issues. To someone outside it suggests you aren't unwell enough to need that level of input.
The scoring in PIP is often about motivation and you mention a desire to study showing motivation. You are motivated to fight for a tribunal, you have hobbies (writing) you mention meeting with CAB which would involve talking to strangers (suggesting managing anxiety).

Your reality might be totally different to this. Every day might be a struggle. The problem with the system is some people lie and they ruin it. So even though it feels unfair you have to evidence what you say, get your private therapist to write a letter, get your GP to write explaining you are on waiting lists or stating clearly what the issues are.
Take support to the assessment with you and be honest about what you need help with. Don't dress up for it!

The assessment has to go on the balance of evidence so get the balance to weigh on your side.

I want to say how saddened I am to hear how hard things are for you, then to have this on top too! Why aren't you claiming ESA? Or UC? Keep applying for the PIP. As soon as the claim us made, get someone like Fightback4justice to help you with the tribunal. They could even save you some time by writing a letter to DWP about getting your tribunal claim sorted earlier, if you can get a new claim awarded. Either way, get fb4j involved.

I have moved over from DLA to PIP my assessor came to my home i got my mobilty but half of care .When they send me my forms back i was really so angry the assessor did not write what i told her 7 things she totally ignored what i told her .I appealed put got refused so next is the court appeal but i have CFS and totally exhausted and depressed why do they do this just can not cope anymore

Sanus - Op cannot claim UC or ESA because she hasn't worked so can't claim contributions based ESA and her partner earns a significant amount so can't claim UC.

I am a welfare rights officer, I represent people at tribunal. I was told by a person at the DWP that they are told to take more notice of people who have involved their MP. Any letter I send to DWP is copied in to the claimant's MP (with their permission). Also make a complaint to their Complaints Resolution Dept in Cardiff, and also complain to Atos/Capita and copy your MP into all of them. I am now getting phone calls from DWP asking if I will withdraw my clients appeal if they award them more points.

@JEMMAF96 Thanks for the advice, I have just emailed my local MP to make an appointment, they didn't get back to me last time but hopefully they will.

I am also visiting a local young persons drop in centre tomorrow to talk about my MH at the moment and see what other help is out there as they can hopefully refer me on to someone?

Trying to stay positive. Tomorrow's goal is to get up when my alarm goes off in the morning and stay out of bed all day! I haven't been out during the day for over a week now so some sunlight will do me good.

I went through the reassessment process from October last year to March this year. My face to face assessment was awful, the assessor lied through her teeth & my allowance was dropped from enhanced to standard. My assessment was on 30 October last year, I didn't get a decision until 17 January, ironically the same day my dad passed away. My welfare benefits advocate from my ME support group put in a very strong mandatory reconsideration which was still turned down, even with the support of my MP. On the advice of my advocate I sent off an online application to appeal & in the meantime my car was taken away, my MP fought the decision all the way, raising complaints with the assessment company & the DWP, she took my case to the parliamentary group for disability benefits. A week after my car had been taken away, I got a phone call from the DWP to say that my enhanced award was being reinstated & given an ongoing award for a minimum of 10 years. She told me that it had been given on the strength of an assessment award from my ESA claim that I had included in my original claim papers, I asked why this hadn't been done when they first got my claim. I was told that they don't look at the claim properly until an application to appeal has been submitted, in other words they like to prolong the agony for as long as possible. I was without a car for just over a month, which left me housebound, as I can't walk any distance. It cost me £20 in taxi fares if I had a doctor's appointment, £16 every time I needed to go shopping, £10 to just go to the nearest chemist for a prescription. I wasn't sleeping or eating, my depression got worse, my pain levels increased. Since January 2017, I have been through 3 DWP assessments, each one worse than the last, my physical & mental health has deteriorated, I feel like I am constantly living on my nerves & am terrified every time the postman comes. Anyone who thinks anyone on benefits has an easy life wants to try it for a couple of years, I'm sure they would soon change their attitude.

Hi, so sorry to hear you are going through this. I'm not sure about the pip side of things, but I have recently had to go through a similar thing re tribunal route. Uc sanctioned me a) because I missed a work review that I shouldnt have had (I was heavily pregnant), because I had just had major surgery (emergency c section), and then said I missed a phone call appointment that I never actually received! I put in an mandatory reconsideration for the sanction which took ages! It was of course rejected. I then wrote to the tribunal service, and they actually got back to me pretty quickly, dwp then had to re look at my MR, and overturned the Sanction. I think they have to be quite quick after tribunal get involved, as this bit has only taken about 4 weeks. There have been some issues for me in regards to what is owed back to me, so if this isn't sorted, I can then go to a hearing, but hopefully won't have to. I haven't heard anything about tribunal services taking that long to arrange a hearing though, so hopefully it should get sorted for you fairly quickly now they are involved. Just make sure you keep a record of everything! I have actually put a recording app on my phone, so I can record all conversations with them. Screen shot every call you make, and any calls they make to you. So that if you have to go to a hearing, you have it all there. Point of my story, is that the tribunal service for me has been quite quick, and because they didn't wanting it going to a hearing, they have overturned the decision. Also make sure that you know how much is due to you. This will be a backdated amount, from when you first claimed, minus anything you have already been paid. Keep pushing for appointments re your MH, and sign up for any cancellation appointments. Keep going back to your doctor and tell them you feel you are getting worse, and it is putting a huge strain you you emotionally. Only way to get things done sometimes is to badger them!

I hope this helps alleviate any worries you have over time scales, and I really hope you get this sorted soon. Try not to worry about leaning on your family, they obviously love you very much and know this is not your fault xx

Hi I have both physical disabilities and cptsd apparently because I was confident in my own home during the assessment and have a care team to help me with day to day things and getting out to appointments ect I am apparently not eligible for pip leaving us in a position where We are really struggling to survive. I appealed it but Because I am intelligent with lots of qualifications apparently I am fit for work. Please don't be too disheartened. Seek advise from welfare rights and seek advise from your mental health team they can help you with the whole process. Good luck here's my number if you need to chat x

Try the site benefits and work. There's an annual fee, but it's less than £20 and they give loads of helpful information.

I'm on IB/ESA due to stress and they helped me get it reinstated when it was stopped and I couldn't go to a tribunal.

hi the answer to pip is get a letter off your GP get your local MP involved and let citizens advice fill any forms in I've had mine stopped twice I have numerous disability a and severe health issues if your like myself people can't see alot if them but doesn't mean there not there that we don't suffer I did all this and mine was sorted asap so don't let dwp drag you down well the assessment robots who haven't had any experience of anything I wish you all the best it will be sorted just get people onboard love

How long have you been with ypur boyfriend? Mine didn't financially support me either so I has to get a council flat. I'm still broke but at least i have my rent paid for and my own place.

Hi there, I am new here and was horrified again to see the DWP failing again, my daughter who is 22 has gone through the same thing, I applied for PIP for her as she suffers with the extreme end of OCD and anxiety, this was conveyed by her GP's letter. It took a long time, I think it was because it was a new application for PIP for my daughter. The DWP manditory reconsideration is my view just a carbon copy worded a little different. I took it to tribunal and represented my daughter who was unable to attend because of the psychological distress it caused her, and won. I must say the DWP does not recognise mental health issues, and we too had a home visit with Capita, we later found in the report that assessor wad a practice nurse, and not qualified in any aspect of OCD or anxiety, the lies she spewed unbelievable, and my daughter's case began with requesting copies of the Capita assesor's report, we cross referenced this from memory of the home visit, it took hours of recall and carefully wording our report which we recalled a lot differently to the Capita report. The tribunal are more sympathetic, they take what you say to be true otherwise you wouldn't be there. The decision was made within 20 mins while I waited in the waiting room. Don't be put off by the DWP decision, if you can download the SSCS1form fill it in and send recorded, and also if you have not already, ask the DWP in writing sent recorded, for a copy of the assessors report, then you will be able to see what has been reported. Hope this Helps...

Hi, I've just had 18 months of dealing with pip. I was getting enhanced since 2005 until face to face assessment June 2018. The assessor lied about everything and even placed a fan behind my chair. I've had transverse myelitis since 2001 and he'd to take I'll health retirement as a RGN of 33 years. I've also got hydromyelia C1-T1, bilateral hip bursitis, osteoarthritis, social phobia and some deafness in left ear. The assessor downgraded me to standard rate so I went through the mandatory reconsideration. The dwp ignored extra evidence sent and some of it was as if they were talking about another person. I asked them to take a look at it again but the the dwp arecas bad as the assessors. I had help from citizens advice which did help me with the process. I applied to take it to tribunal 10/18. I went through the assessment reports and the 2 reconsiderations and wrote what was wrong and conflicting as they did contradict each other. I went to tribunal 23/8/19, I went in with my bundle they send you. The judge introduced a dr and a benefits advisor. He said we are giving you back your enhanced rate for both for 5 years so I won't be assessed until 2023. I burst into tears and said am I dreaming to everyone.I thought I was in 5 minutes but the clerk said it was 3 minutes. So I'll be 70 when assessed again so hope there is some changes to this cruelty inflicted on disabled people. Good luck everyone and don't give up.

It's important we don't let things go with the DWP. They literally try to wear you down so you just give up. My medical with the CHDA was a disgrace. I ended up taking the doctor/CHDA to court for falsifying a medical report, withholding vital evidence from a medical report, and failure of duty of care. Unfortunately, the judge ruled against me as I hadn't stated a matter of law, e.g. negligence. A total joke, but I also put a complaint into the GMC about the doctor and they confirmed it would be brought up with the doctor's responsible officer. Another incident was that I changed benefits end of last year and was due a little back money. I was LIED to and told it had been put to debt, which after checking, I found out it hadn't been. I then had two letters ignored. It wasn't until I sent a 3rd letter threatening a police complaint for theft that I received some action and the money in my account a few days later. This was 9 months later! I was then offered a further£25 bribe not to take my complaint further. No chance!! I recently received a £75 compensatory payment but still intend to further my complaint to the highest level. The DWP are disgusting. Don't let them away with ANYTHING!!

I have recently been appealing my ESA for the past 16 months. The tribunal was in June 2019, and I won.
A month later in July, they stopped my PIP..
I requested a MR.. They refused it.
And now appealing my PIP, & only 5 weeks in... 🙄

I had been awarded PIP for 2 years and then my assessment was due to re evaluate my mental health and entitlement to PIP, in January of this year. I had originally been awarded it for depression and anxiety.

Long story short they were rude, completely inconsiderate, not aware of how to deal with a depressed/anxious person, and quite frankly lied in their letter that was sent to me informing me my PIP was being stopped. I think they even said something like 'she is able to properly clean herself when washing without assistance'.

They seem to relate physical disablement to mental health which is wrong. Of course people with physical disabilities are in need of help, but so are people with 'mental disabilities'. I hate to phrase it like that but depression and anxiety are both exactly that really, especially in extreme cases. I chose not to request a reconsideration just as it would have caused me more anguish.

Losing the money was really hard (I got £340 per month) but knowing I never had to be belittled or demeaned by this system actually improved my overall outlook.

Just caught all this as my DLA is ending and Atos have been responsible for my ESA being stopped so I look for all info I xcan find.
I have been told that the DWP ran seminars for Cab staff and some have been informed that this is a fancy cost-cutting exercise. The CAB helped with my Mand Recon to no avail so I now claim Income Support. Less money but no prescription charges etc.
the govt have an obligation to ensure you have the minimum required to live - for me about £70 per week because of disability.
First port of call is always the Jobcentre who know all the benefits a person may be entitled to. Next step is CAB or any of the charities that have people trained in DWP procedures. Then it's back to sympathetic doctors etc.
Hope this helps. Also hope it works for me

I also got my MP involved to complain about my PIP. But ATOS & DWP still wouldn't reverse their decision.

So I'll just keep fighting them.
They won't beat me!

First port of call is always the Jobcentre who know all the benefits a person may be entitled to.

No, the Jobcentre is not the first port of call, they administer benefits they do not advise on them. They're the ones that put people in this mess in the first place.

The first port of call should be CAB, welfare rights (if they still exist in your area) or a disability charity.

The best support I got was from the disability welfare rights workers from my local ME group. They knew exactly how to phrase the answers on the forms, came to all assessments, handled the assessors when they became aggressive, helped me through the upset when my award was reduced & assured me that together we would get it sorted out, they also liased with my MP, gave her all the information for her to take up my case. They are worth their weight in gold.