£600 gone

[user874326686]

Opened a letter last night that says they've decided I'm not entitled to any PIP.

I've been receiving the enhanced rates for daily and mobility for years.

I've never been able to work.

I've stayed up all night to write a letter and collect evidence only to be told it's taking them longer than the 10 week time line to reconsider despite it taking them 5 days to decide to remove all of my award.

I asked how I'm supposed to manage with £600+ removed.
I was told I can get a job as it isn't means-tested.

Unfuckingbelievable

I'm so sorry this is happening.

Benefits & Work is a very useful site, but can't actually speed things up, unfortunately.

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip

@Innocenta You're talking rubbish. So many people have had pip refused for no good reason. You can submit all the evidence you like and they'll still refuse the claim. My daughter went from DLA (refused twice on separate applications, then awarded middle rate care and low mobility on mr both times) to PIP, where she scored zero points for communication issues, despite the fact that I had to do the phone consultation for her, and we had professional reports from school, an ot and a psychologist, stating that she cannot hold a conversation at all and is totally is mute in public. Absolutely no points. How the hell did they work that one out?! They deliberately make it difficult for people who need the help the most. It's disgusting.

Claiming PIP is a nightmare, they often refuse it and accuse you of lying. I have recently gone through this with dd and they marked here as scoring 2 points, when I argued it they went through everything with me again and suddenly she scored 20 points and was entitled to high rate (on both). Dd has several conditions but they tried to make out there was nothing wrong with her because she was able to talk on the phone 🤔.

PIP has nothing to do with wether you can work or not so I’m not sure why they are saying “get a job”, you should be claiming other benefits if you are unable to work?

Dp appeal the decision, if they then decide you are entitled to it they can back date it.

Not quite on topic, but seconding the advice to record assessments; I picked up two identical tape recorders and a pack of c90 cassettes on ebay just for this (I ended up being assessed purely on the forms without a f2f or phone call, so didn't need them in the end). Check with the DWP in advance that they will accept your recording equipment.
I remember reading that they were going to change things round so the DWP would be responsible for providing recording equipment for PIP in the future, but I'm not sure if that's in place yet.

Good luck with the MR, OP. I have everything crossed for you x

Or the assessor has lied on the forms when they filled them out which is what happened to my yd

They definitely lie, @longtompot. I had a client who was found fit for work. Among other big fat lies was that the assessor had seen that she could climb 2 steps and back down again.

She had been assessed at her home, which was a bungalow with completely level access from the pavement and no steps at all, inside or out. I sent in photographs of the house with the mandatory reconsideration paperwork, and a statement from the support worker, who was present throughout, confirming that far from showing no signs of distress, the client had cried virtually the whole way through.

She was placed in the support group at the appeal. The tribunal took less than 15 minutes to make their decision. What a huge waste of time and money that must have cost, and a huge emotional cost to the client.

@Hardchoices what a vile post.

@Hardchoices

I’m sorry for your situation but really I’m not sure why you are annoyed. You have said yourself you have multiple conditions since you were a teen and have progressively gotten worse. So you knew you were unable to work to support yourself. Why have you had a child? How did you plan to support the child if you knew you would deteriorate and never be able to work? I feel incredibly sorry for your child.

Because poor people can have children too.

@user874326686
I saw you posted that the assessor said “ you can read a book to your 3 year old
So from just that one question they will assume that you can sit in a seated position for around 30 mins - so no problems with sitting in a chair - means you can sit in a chair in an office - see how it works how they catch you out .

That you are able to pick up a book .
This means no problem with turning pages so no problems with your hands or dexterity:

You can Follow a storyline - even if it’s Pig might fly 😂
So that means you can concentrate on the story - so no problems with concentration so any tablets you might take don’t affect your concentration.

That you can essentially multi task - reading to your child and looking after him at the same time .
It’s Bingo no points or very little

Other stuff to watch out for in my experience
If you have mobility problems they will make you walk to the room that is the furthest away from the reception
If you walk this even if your in pain holding on to someone - you have already pretty much failed the mobility part of PIP. If you walk to the room you have lost already you just don’t know it .

If you get up on the medical bed in the assessment room without assistance from another person you have failed. the part of the form that asks you about moving from one position to another .

If they ask you if you have a dog and you say yes
You will again most likely fail the mobility part of the form
Because saying Yes you have a dog they will assume that you can do the following .
Walk the dog so you can control and hold the lead of the dog
You can Bend down pick up Pooh & put it in a bag - all of this means that you have no problem with your mobility or dexterity in your hands
It also means your capable of going out on your own and planning a route
If you arrive by public transport they will assume that you can also follow & plan a route

If you have painted toe nails or finger nails they will assume that you can concentrate on small details - bend down paint your nails
Hold a small nail polish bottle with no problem
If you have clothes with zips and buttons and shoes with laces they will assume that you can dress yourself and have no problems with doing up buttons and laces

If they ask do you watch tv and you say yes they will assume that you can sit comfortably in a chair for at least 30 mins as most tv programmes are at least 30 mins
That you can concentrate on what you are watching
So no problems with concentration
So just by saying yes I watch Corrie they will assume you can sit in a chair in work place and concentrate

If you bend down to get something from your handbag like the prescription they ask for .
They will say you can bend over and touch the floor and then straighten up with no problem
That you have no problem in picking up your handbag and opening - so no problems with your hands .

Hope this helps

Thank you for all your advice and posts. Just making my way through them whilst writing up a new letter.

I wanted to get Fight4Justice to do it but it's £96! Does anyone know of any cheaper advocacy?

Has your council got a Welfare Rights department? They may be able to help..

@Hardchoices

I’m sorry for your situation but really I’m not sure why you are annoyed. You have said yourself you have multiple conditions since you were a teen and have progressively gotten worse. So you knew you were unable to work to support yourself. Why have you had a child? How did you plan to support the child if you knew you would deteriorate and never be able to work? I feel incredibly sorry for your child.

And what help is that comment? What exactly are you trying to achieve with what you’re saying?

How about offer support or shut the fuck up.

@Hardchoices

I’m sorry for your situation but really I’m not sure why you are annoyed. You have said yourself you have multiple conditions since you were a teen and have progressively gotten worse. So you knew you were unable to work to support yourself. Why have you had a child? How did you plan to support the child if you knew you would deteriorate and never be able to work? I feel incredibly sorry for your child.

So disabled people are not allowed to have children? Or poor people? Or anyone that may have to rely on benefits?

Appeal of course OP. And include lots of medical evidence, consultant's letters etc. That makes a lot of difference, as otherwise the person could say any old thing and there's no evidence for it.

A large proportion of refusals are overturned on appeal. Best wishes. xxx

Join www.a1benefitsupport.com

You need to join via Facebook but they are so helpful and all their guides are free

if you are within the spectrum go to NAS site & see if there is a local Autistic group & if they have someone who can help or link you to someone who can support you (you can ring NAS too)
Some of the local hospital have disabled support group
Check library they often have info there
CAB of course & they may have links to other organisations
& some councils have links (buried) in their websites

From my memory
You need to ask for the medical report a few days after the assessment. You need this to dispute anything .
Once you have that you can get an idea if you will need to appeal so you can get your stuff together so your ready

If when you get the letter you lose your award you then do a mandatory reconsideration - which is basically an in house appeal where someone else looks at the form - most people don’t get anywhere with this .
But you can’t go to tribunal if you haven’t done this
And there is a time limit to do this within so that why I say get the medical report as soon as you have had the assessment.
Then you ask to appeal and go to tribunal

But the most important thing is to look at your illness
And how it affects your ability to do stuff
So if you say the tablets yon take make you unable to concentrate and tired
It sort of contradicts that your able to read and concentrate on a book as far as the DWP are concerned

If you say your illness means you struggle to get dressed in the morning and you need help to do this .
But you arrive at the assessment centre on your own at 8am and your dressed appropriately- they will assume you can do this every day

If you say your illness means you can’t pick up stuff but you have a tiny baby your breastfeeding they will say that you have no problems in picking up stuff

• yes I did see that in a report once 😂

I found just mentioning your using fight4justice helps 😉. I signed up to them but just used advice from the forums. I know several people who have paid the £96 and have got a good outcome so £96 seems like very little when they have ended up with higher rate for both.

@Hardchoices People with disabilities can be just as good if not better a parent as anyone else, especially if they're given the help they're need.

They have as much right to have children as anyone else. Eugenics is not ok.

@Hardchoices
Jesus - you are a real empath - I can't help but wonder what else you believe in
NIce -not

@me4real
yep that's how she comes across

It’s disgusting that the most vulnerable in society have to put up the biggest battle just to get by

As others have said you need to link everything back to the PIP descriptors. So on what basis did you score enough points for enhanced mobility on for your last award - if you cannot safely, reliably, repeatedly walk 50m then you need medical evidence to prove that, physio reports etc showing you are at risk of falls or whatever.
If you cannot plan a journey alone, then explain why - do you get lost, have a panic attack, need someone else with you ? You need to explain all these things. Others who help you can write a supporting statement.

@user874326686

Thank you for all your advice and posts. Just making my way through them whilst writing up a new letter.

I wanted to get Fight4Justice to do it but it's £96! Does anyone know of any cheaper advocacy?

CAB will help you do the MR / Appeal for free (although always open to donations!). You have 30 days from the date of your decision letter to ask for MR so call tomorrow and get an appointment - in the meantime you can get a head start by making notes in obvious discrepancies in the decision, gather together your latest medical reports/letters to support your claim and get a list of prescribed meds from your GP

@Hardchoices Maybe you have some disability, in which case you shouldn't have kids?

@user874326686 The booklet which comes with the form is actually really good for making it clear how best to fill it in.. Ask for another copy if youu don't get sent one.