Pip assessment report

[Natkjdcjw]

Hey, wondering if someone could help with any information possible.

I had my sons pip assessment 2 weeks ago, I thought it went really well. The assessor was absolutely lovely, thought she had listened to me. they have sent me a copy of the report today, on there she has stated that my son who has ADHD and terrible memory issues can literally do everything!!

And on every section it says that he attends mainstream college and passed his GCSE’s (only just because we found the right medication just in time!)
When the decision maker looks at this will she take in to consideration what I have said or just the assessor? As if they go by what she said we will definitely be refused.

Thank you

Dispute it, as far as you can. Many cases end up in tribunal and a huge percentage of decisions are overturned at this stage. The assessors are renowned for misinterpretation and downright lies on their reports, have a quick Google and you'll see.

Also have a look at see if you can borrow some recording equipment from a support group locally - the assessors insist on a specific piece of equipment that allows for 2 simultaneous copies to be made and won't accept a recording made on a mobile device or similar.

I recently read about a case where the parent (I think) had surreptitiously made a recording and proved most of the report to be fabrication and lies

They did similar to my mum. She was visibly shaking in the interview due to a tremor and even spilt her drink because of it - assessor said there was no sign of a tremor. Loads of other stuff too. Put in for a mandatory reconsideration when it comes.

I'm sorry you've had a bad experience; about 30% of decisions are changed at mandatory reconsideration and 75% that go to appeal are overturned.

Wow that’s a really good idea! Thank you I will ask our local support service.

I couldn’t believe what I was reading! It is only the report I have atm. They haven’t sent me a decision but can’t see it being good.
She has literally used the fact he attends mainstream college and that he has a girlfriend against him. Every section states that he attends a college and passed his GCSE’s I wish she knew the work we all put in with him for him to get to where he is.

Thank you for your help I will spend this evening going through google

Beware the smiling assassin

One assessor wrote
So and so..managed the stairs well
She had a home visit, lived in a bungalow and never left the sofa throughout the assessment

You have to fight I’m afraid

We only had an over the phone assessment with covid obviously. My son would have been a nervous wreck had he been in an appointment. They’re discriminating him as he wants a future! He’s 16, can’t be left to cook something as would burn my house down! And they have said he could do it no problems! What she wrote is beyond ridiculous. I wish he could do all that and not rely on us so much he takes more looking after than my 6 year old. And to them he’s a normal boy!

@Dowser

One assessor wrote So and so..managed the stairs well She had a home visit, lived in a bungalow and never left the sofa throughout the assessment

You have to fight I’m afraid

Wow that is ridiculous.

Thing that makes me angry is I know people that claimed this benefit so easily and there is absolutely nothing wrong with them! Just been taught to fiddle the system and people like you described are left in the gutter

We had a similar issue. The assessor decided that as DS was working FT in a call centre that meant he was perfectly ok. She didn't note that it was a temporary job and that he'd been sacked from his permanent one. She also described him as casually dressed, in a suit and tie.

I fought it, and found the DWP on the phone very helpful and sympathetic. He went from zero points back to medium rate care.

Write a letter explaining what wasn't true and send it in for your Mandatory Reconsideration. Get any letters from professionals that you can, especially stating any difficulties rather than just diagnoses. Send them in with your MR request.

Can I ask a question related to pip assessment? I filled the forms in, spoke to assessor and then had the judgement through saying I wasnt entitled to any help (this was months ago).
I was so upset and took it very personally (after years of being fobbed off by the medical profession) so I had a cry and filed it away.
Since then I've heard how most applications are rejected and you need to fight. I've missed the stated deadline to appeal, is it worth calling and seeing if I can have a review or should I start the process again?

I think it is deliberate.

Mine said I could walk 50m.

In my appeal I said I wouldn't pay £1500 to have my car adapted to hand controls if I had no mobility issues.

They used that to say that as I could drive I must have strength in my legs. I complained that the least an appeal assessor should do is READ.

A couple of days before tribunal (which I was actually looking forward to) they awarded me PIP for mobility.

Stick to the facts. Repeat them.

I also had an ESA assessment at about the same time, that helped because I was put in the 'support' group and the ESA assessor was incredulous that they had not awarded PIP.

Don't do anything till you get the decision. When I got my report it was lots of lies and assessor contradicted herself. My report said I'd set fire to the kitchen (not true) but said I could walk further than I can. I calculated what I thought I should get, the points I got seemed really random and not accurate however overall I got enough points to get into the brackets I thought I should get. So wait for the final paper work then look at mandatory reconciliation if you don't get what you think you should get.
I'm just in the process with ds who's 16 and transferring him from dla to pip. He has asd and medical health issues which he needs support for but dreading the assessment as he also goes to college they'll assume he's OK where as college is OK at the moment because he doesn't have to physically go in and I have to prompt all assignments and proof read before handing in.
As always with a disabled dc it's a case of fighting their corner good luck and stay strong.

Oh no. I had exactly same letter with reasons like going to college and passing gcse meaning he is absolutely fine. Have gone from hrc and lrm to nothing. Just disgusting and a failure to our young people. Hope you can fight it.

There's a very good Facebook group something like ESA, DLa and Pip advice and support.
Very helpful.

I think with PIP unfortunately going to tribunal needs to be seen as part of the process. It's so common.

Don't fall into the trap of thinking there are loads of people scamming it easily though. There really isn't. Even the DWP's on figures said that fraud on disability benefits was less than 0.5%. Generally if you know someone who gets it for no apparent reason it's far more likely to mean there is something that you don't know about them than that they are scamming it.

Good luck! I'd start preparing for a mandatory reconsideration if you don't get the right award as the assessor's report can often be taken more seriously than all other evidence.

@LifeBeginsNow

Can I ask a question related to pip assessment? I filled the forms in, spoke to assessor and then had the judgement through saying I wasnt entitled to any help (this was months ago). I was so upset and took it very personally (after years of being fobbed off by the medical profession) so I had a cry and filed it away. Since then I've heard how most applications are rejected and you need to fight. I've missed the stated deadline to appeal, is it worth calling and seeing if I can have a review or should I start the process again?

If you've missed the deadline to ask for a MR and then appeal you'll have to start again.

The benefitsandwork website is really good for a guide on how to fill in forms and how to deal with MR and appeals.

I've just phoned up to start a PIP application for Ds who is 16 and autistic. We are now waiting for the forms. Is the phone assessment compulsory? Due to communication issues and anxiety, Ds can't speak on the phone, so it would be a be a very quiet phonecall.

Camhs have said they would be happy to write and say that Ds can't talk on the phone. Although I do already have quite a few medical/educational reports to confirm the things he finds difficult.

He got some GCSES this year though, I guess that means he may not be entitled to anything.

My daughter ended up with zero points and they were upheld on mandatory consideration. We went to tribunal and she was awarded enhanced rate. Definitely worth going through with the tribunal.

I haven't got much to add but sympathy, my ASD DS had his phone assessment for DLA to PIP about 10 days ago and although it seemed to go well I am dreading getting the report. The assessor was keen on finding out about his GCSEs (he passed them). Did you request a copy of the report or did they send it automatically?

Punx - you can apply to act as appointee for your DS, I did this, they still have to attend the assessment but you can largely speak for them. We used speakerphone and I did 95% of the talking. I found the benefits and work website very helpful.

My fil ended up at tribunal and won due to the assessors obvious lies.
He had emphysema, copd,heart valve issues and crippling auto arthritis. Was on oxygen and in a wheelchair but the assessor said he could walk and run and was perfectly able to look after a house by himself and hold down a full time job.
He died 6 months after his successful tribunal.
The system is a joke

Thanks Easily. We have been putting off applying as Ds has been saying he is too anxious to do an assessment. I guess if he can't do it we will have to not continue with the application. It was Camhs that said we really should be pursuing it. He's unable to leave the house alone or basically do pretty much anything independently but it sounds like having GCSES means that they think all is okay.

I'm not sure if we have the energy to fight for it at the moment, I'm finding the statutory assessment with the LA stressful enough.

Thank you lyra. I'll get on and do that and be a bit tougher this time! I had a friend point out that some of things I do are because I've adapted and really I should make them much more aware of my limitations.

Hi OP

I have experienced this within my work role. Go through the assessment and do your own report based on the discrepancies in the assessment. You may then want to wait for the PIP decision and if your son has been refused then dispute the decision first via a mandatory reconsideration (MR( request, and then if the decision still unchanged, appeal it. Submit your report counteracting the assessment at the MR stage.

Have you submitted any additional evidence with the claim? This can often be helpful if say your son has an EHCP in place and it's clearly stated what he needs support with.

And as a PP earlier said, the assessors can be smiling assassins.

@Natkjdcjw
You couldn’t make it up

I think this benefit was a lot easier I. The olden days when you only had to see your doctor but since the pip assessments came out it’s got very harsh

A paraplegic for over 40 years was not awards all her entitlement.

The letter turning that part of her claim down arrived when in hospital with a broken leg
She went to the appeal with her leg stuck out in front on a board on her wheelchair and burst into tears
The judge awarded her her full money, threw it out of court and said she not have been there.
Just awful

@EasilyDepleted

I haven't got much to add but sympathy, my ASD DS had his phone assessment for DLA to PIP about 10 days ago and although it seemed to go well I am dreading getting the report. The assessor was keen on finding out about his GCSEs (he passed them). Did you request a copy of the report or did they send it automatically?

Punx - you can apply to act as appointee for your DS, I did this, they still have to attend the assessment but you can largely speak for them. We used speakerphone and I did 95% of the talking. I found the benefits and work website very helpful.

Hi, I rang last week and they offered to send me the report. You can ring and ask for it. Just to warn you I spoke to them today and was on the phone in a que for exactly an hour!!

My DS has struggled and with his memory I literally have to tell him everything, he never remembers his meds but on the forms the assessor said he could do this without assistance! I would have a breakdown of my poor lad wasn’t on his meds and if I don’t make sure he has them then he just wouldn’t take them early enough for them to last the right amount of time.

DLA was so easy to apply for, didn’t have a problem. I was dreading applying for PIP for this reason! Like we don’t have anything else to worry about we now have to deal with all of this.