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Original poster

£600 gone

205 replies

user874326686 · 08/09/2021 11:13

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

OP posts:
NeverDropYourMoonCup · 08/09/2021 19:03

[quote Innocenta]@user874326686

I'm not denying whatever is going on with your conditions.

For goodness sake. You haven't submitted adequate evidence, or you've otherwise not made a compelling claim. And thus were denied. Which descriptors do you meet?[/quote]
You clearly haven't had experience of this. The evidence submitted is routinely ignored and some of the reports are so inaccurate, they appear to refer to a completely different person (things like 'walked down the stairs easily' for people using a wheelchair in a ground floor flat, 'had no signs of liver disease' when the person was luminous yellow, bloated with ascites and their submitted blood results show they're in end stage disease are ones I've personally seen when helping friends - plus the 'drives a car and has no trouble finding his way round in unfamiliar places' one was a bit alarming when my mate brought his fucking guide dog to the assessment).

me4real · 08/09/2021 19:32

I think a lot does go on the medical evidence and how people fill in the form TBH, or what they say in the interview. For instace I slightly said the wrong thing in my first move from DLA, and didn't get as high an award as I did whe it was reviewed a few years later (withot my even having to see them.) Medical evidence is the main thing and they will stress this if you speak to them over the phone etc.

But you do hear of dodgy experiences and glitches.

me4real · 08/09/2021 19:34

My mate got 'has bookcases full of books so his concentration is clearly good,' when most of the books were twenty years old. Most people wouldn't chuck books they've had for years just because they can't read as much any more. Some of them are rare now.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Benefits
mumwon · 08/09/2021 19:41

@Hardchoices here's a thought
You do understand that either someone might not have been so disabled in the past or they have become disabled, or they previously lived with a partner who helped but no longer does help (you know, an ex???) Or you had family ect etc etc
& disabled people in this FREE country are allowed to have babies - I think it might be called "human rights"
I am still seething

Mammma91 · 08/09/2021 19:44

I’m sorry OP. I don’t have any advice but I really struggled helping a family member with the application.
I really hope you get this sorted ASAP.

Tinkerbellfluffyboots79 · 08/09/2021 20:49

You must be so worried op, sorry to read the horrible posts that must be quite distressing. I have had help from the carers centre for filling in DlA forms, would they assist with your pip forms? Awful people have to go through this, although given some of the posts on here I’m not surprised it’s just sad that people in need like yourself have to fight so hard for something that should be much more straightforward.

@Hardchoices aren’t you a little ray of sunshine. Did no one ever tell you if you’ve nothing nice to say don’t say anything at all. Op has clearly had a tough time being disabled from a teenager and no doubt fighting for most things, of course she can have a child!! And I bet that child is more empathetic towards others than you ever will be.

Worrysaboutalot · 08/09/2021 22:05

@IveGotASongThatllGetOnYNerves

Re lifetime awards - they do. On my letter it said something like 'ongoing period' or similar and basically they'll check in every ten years see if I'm dead yet.
Oh, that is interesting. My letter said ongoing and they would he in touch in 10 years to see if my situation had changed, which it won't.

Does that mean I don't have to fill in the form and/or go through the assessment again?

whatsthestory123 · 08/09/2021 22:05

so many deleted post's it's hard to read anyway who helps you look after your toddler op?do you get help with nursery?

NigellasCookalong · 08/09/2021 22:38

@Hardchoices what a vile person you are.

BackAwayFatty · 08/09/2021 22:54

CAB helped me with my application for LCWRA & PIP tribunal. Worth getting in touch. Fingers crossed for you.

Ps ignore the folk that came to comment purely on why did you have kids/why don't you get a job. They have no idea!

Bagelsandbrie · 08/09/2021 23:04

Get a copy of the assessors report and ask for a mandatory reconsideration - I’m guessing this is a renewal that hasn’t come back the way you expected? When you write your mandatory reconsideration letter address every single thing you think that is wrong with the assessors report and refer to medical evidence to back it up wherever possible. If they still won’t change the decision then you can go to appeal.

I am on the highest rates of PIP indefinitely/ ongoing and the decision for my award was based on the form (which I wrote myself) and my rheumatologists report. (They contacted him for one). They didn’t give me any sort of assessment - it was purely based on those two things. I do however have a lot of things “wrong” with me - lupus, Addison’s, pituitary tumour, asthma, hypothyroidism, anaemia, and many others. I provided a copy of my prescription list with my 23 daily medications on it and I think this also helped. Not sure if any of this will help you but trying to show what I think might have helped in my case…!

Ignore the negative comments here. People who haven’t walked in your shoes (or mine) will have no understanding of any of it at all.

I can’t work either. I am mid 40s now and haven’t been able to work since I was 32 - I used to be a senior marketing manager for well known luxury beauty brands. If I could work, I would.

IveGotASongThatllGetOnYNerves · 08/09/2021 23:15

@Worrysaboutalot I'm not sure, sorry. My 10 years aren't up yet.

DistantVworp · 08/09/2021 23:53

Sorry to hear this OP - I hope one of the groups signposted by previous posters will be able to help.

On assessors - a PP pointed out that they will often try to catch you out (eg getting you to walk to a far room). My SIL had this - went through her whole assessment, and the assessor ended it, saying 'Right that's everything'. My SIL had to ask 'Are we not going to talk about the fact that I'm blind?'

She was told that the assessment was over...had to wait for the claim to be rejected and then appeal. Such a waste of time and money, and caused so much stress.

Wegobshite · 09/09/2021 05:38

@DistantVworp
It was me that pointed out the little tricks they do to catch people out like walking to a far room .
Another trick they do is if you have hearing problems they will come to the door and call your name quietly to see if you can hear them .
Another one was asking a friend if she visited family and where family lived
Because the drive to see family was about 45 mins in the car .even though my friend was a passenger and would sit in the back seats of a large SUV so she was more comfortable they used this to say that as she could sit comfortably in car for over half an hour she could obviously sit in a chair so could sit in a office and work

It’s little things like if you say your tablets make you very tired and forgetful but then you say you can watch tv or read a book they will say but you can’t be tired if you can read or concentrate on a book

ChrissyPlummer · 09/09/2021 08:12

You can find your MP here: www.theyworkforyou.com/

There used to be a link on there called writetothem.com to help you contacting them.

Innocenta · 09/09/2021 08:12

@NeverDropYourMoonCup

I literally have an indefinite award that was granted without an assessment. Based on my application + medical evidence.

So yes, I have experience. Wink

Booknooks · 09/09/2021 09:31

[quote Innocenta]@NeverDropYourMoonCup

I literally have an indefinite award that was granted without an assessment. Based on my application + medical evidence.

So yes, I have experience. Wink[/quote]
They're still reviewed every 10 years, an actual indefinite award of PIP does not exist, which I'm sure you know.

dancingthroughthedark · 09/09/2021 10:38

The Decision makers don't seem to take much notice of the assessor's reports and are mainly copy and pasted and mine bore little resemblance to what the assessor had said. For example the report said I was with my son, the decision maker's report said I had coped alone, the report said I was very anxious during the assessment and had cried several times, the dm report said I showed no signs of anxiety despite several examples in the assessment. It also said I was severely agoraphobic and on the rare occasions I went out I was never alone, this was backed up by a pile of medical evidence the dm wrote she was confident I could go out on my own for at least an hour daily. and catch a bus or train by myself. I had to go to tribunal but the DWP changed their minds just 3 days before the court date which was over 14 months since the start of my application. Getting PIP is not the easy ride some people seem to think. I have recently had to complete a change of circumstances following an accident that has left me disabled and in need of 24/7 care. I am dreading the decision letter arriving as I have no confidence at all in what it will say

BlankTimes · 09/09/2021 10:49

They're still reviewed every 10 years, an actual indefinite award of PIP does not exist, which I'm sure you know

My DD's award at Tribunal, enhanced for both components, was phrased by the Judge as "It is inappropriate to set a term"

As far as I can determine, that means in the Tribunal's opinion, that person's condition is unlikely to change and at each 10 year review, which is the maximum allowed, her claim will have a "light touch" review, which will not involve having to fill in all of the forms again.

However, that will be 7 years in the future and who knows what changes may be made to the PIP system or to the qualifying criteria by that time.

Innocenta · 09/09/2021 11:34

@Booknooks Yes, but they're designated for light touch review - it's the lowest level of review they can possibly assign.

If anyone has questions about the evidence we included, let me know, as I'm happy to share details. Fwiw, I completely agree the DWP are crap and make many, many wrong decisions. Anyone thinking I'm somehow pro-DWP is definitely misreading me.

callmeadoctor · 09/09/2021 12:56

There is a PIP support group on Facebook, will really help.

overworkedrobot · 09/09/2021 12:58

Those interested in light touch reviews may be intrigued by this FOI response. No wonder no one really knows what a light touch review entails.

BlankTimes · 09/09/2021 15:42

Many thanks for that info overworkedrobot it doesn't surprise me in the slightest.

Booknooks · 09/09/2021 16:13

[quote Innocenta]@Booknooks Yes, but they're designated for light touch review - it's the lowest level of review they can possibly assign.

If anyone has questions about the evidence we included, let me know, as I'm happy to share details. Fwiw, I completely agree the DWP are crap and make many, many wrong decisions. Anyone thinking I'm somehow pro-DWP is definitely misreading me. [/quote]
You just come across as quite judgemental towards people and have a similar tone of disbelief that many of the assessors do towards people who can confidently state they cannot work as they know their own limitations, rather than pro DWP. You seem to be suggesting people have applied wrongly, or that the decisions were correct, I hope your 'light touch' review goes well, but I wouldn't assume you won't experience the same shite as those you seem to be critical of have.

Innocenta · 09/09/2021 18:58

@Booknooks I have no idea how you could possibly take from what I've actually said, that I believe the decisions are correct. That's not what I've said at any point. Like any very unwell person, I'm extensively familiar with how incompetent they are.

Its mind boggling to me that you think I'm saying the DWP is right, frankly. What I'm actually saying is that it's advisable to be as informed as possible about how it works, and try to play by those rules (and no, of course that doesn't always work... because they're awful, which I've never disputed!).

The system simply doesn't work the way a lot of people assume it does. That's not me being judgmental, it's a fact. I would also like it to be different; I think it's terrible, like almost all disabled people do. But as someone who has compiled a very successful application, I feel like I should share what I've done with others - although honestly, I don't know if I will do this anymore following the hostility and bullying in this thread. I've shared this information with many others before and never been so unpleasantly treated in response. It feels like nobody wants to know what might actually help.