Pip claim help

[Whatnownownow]

My adult son has just heard back to see if he will be awarded pip and they've awarded him 0 points for everything which seems crazy. I was there for the assessment on the phone and the report even says that he has difficulties with certain things.... No mention of him saying that I have to support him with lots of the criteria... Then still awards 0 anyway?! Is this common?

It’s very common, give them a ring and tell them you want a mandatory reconsideration. Do not do it over the ‘phone, tell them you want a paper MR at this stage.
Start by saying you believe a mistake has been made and that you would like them to look again at numbers 1- wherever, and then point by point dispute what they’ve said. Send as much evidence as you possibly can.
If you don’t feel up to this, contact Citizens Advice or there’s a great facebook group called Fightback who will help.
Finally good luck, they’re lying bastards!

Thank you. He was horrified as he thought the woman was so nice and thorough on the phone. I don't understand how they can write they believe he has difficulties but award 0? Or he passed his gcses (he's 33 now) so he can't be that bad, wtf?

Is there a time limit?

My Dd passed 9 GCSE’s 8 months before getting full pip.

GCSE doesn’t really have anything to do with it.

That's what I mean, it seemed an utterly bizarre thing to write to justify her decision? Passing an exam isn't anything to do with not able to eat without me etc

I had my award stripped down to zero points and in the interim I’d had a small stroke , at tribunal instantly reinstated - it’s disgusting what they do especially when people are struggling with mental health and the appeal process is so stressful

I just don't understand. I think he is quite hurt as he said the woman was so nice during the assessment. He cried during it and felt like he could trust her.... And then we get this

We have a recording of it where I know he mentions me so where she said he has no carers, that's a proven lie there?

Why do they do this?

Abs that's awful, I'm really sorry

Do you live with your son OP?

Yes that’s part of the upset , you have a conversation which is then misrepresented and feel you have a rapport and understanding with the assessor , mine kept trying to catch me out too - awful , I had over a year between the initial renewal call and the tribunal - yes the money is backdated but not everyone can afford to bridge the gap

Yes

Yes, I don't understand why or how you can say that his mother has to prompt him eat and supervise use of cooking equipment which is literally a 2 point if nothing else.... And that's not taken into account at all?

A relative just took his to tribunal after getting zero points twice at initial application and then subsequent appeal. At the tribunal he was awarded PIP for both elements. It is normal to get zero points but get it turned around later.

Get a charity to help you make the application, submit all relevant evidence etc.

Evidence is key, I provided all his medical records backdated, emails from myself to him and relevant healthcare providers, text messages from him saying how ill he was and more - anything I could find to back up his claim. I think it helped a lot.

It is common, they are hoping he will vanish and not question it. You/he will need to ask for reconsideration, in the meantime I would gather as much evidence as you can to back up his claim. They did this too my dd and after reconsideration she suddenly scored enough points for advanced rate 🤔.

Gcse,s are irelevant however it really does deoendxon how the disability/ condition affects him aa PIP is mainly about how independent he is in his daily life.

That's what I mean, it seems a ridiculous thing to write as justification for not giving him it. It's not anything to do with intelligence /ability to pass an exam

And do you work at all, full time/part time?

I only ask because for PIP applications there is a sort of threshold for who will count as a “carer”, so e.g. if you have a full time job out of the house 40 hours per week, you’re going to have a hard job arguing that you are his carer. If all he did was mention that you help him with a few things e.g. if he said you help him do his washing or you help him make dinner then she’s right to say that he hasn’t got a “carer” because in their sense of the word he hasn’t got a carer. Having someone who helps you with some tasks isn’t the same as having a carer for them.

Sorry I wasn't clear... I meant she just erased him needing me to eat etc or prompt to wash etc completely even though he said it. I didn't mean an official carer, just that he needs my support to function

Ring your local Citizens Advice and tell them your son needs help with a mandatory reconsideration for a rejected PIP claim. Make it clear it's an MR and not the first application. Strictly, you have a month to request an MR from the date of the decision letter, but if CA can't get you an appointment before then (sadly possible, they are overworked and understaffed) ring the DWP, tell them you have an appointment with CA and ask them to extend the deadline, which they will.

If there is a charity for the condition your son has, they will likely know all the ins and outs and be able to know what to say in order to relay your son's issues accurately.

You may have to pay a few quid for their professional services but it will be worth it to get your pip.

What supporting evidence did you have? They look at everything as a whole, not just what is said at assessment. Was it for mental health only and do you have a copy of the report?

We used Fightback for justice to help us with my husbands claim. They are brilliant and I really couldn't have done it without them.

Smiley assassins is the nickname for the assessors. It's just one big deception.

I've see a report that stated claimant was witnessed walking from the car park. Said claimant was picked up and dropped off at the main entrance to the assessment building.

In another paragraph same claimant doesn't need help walking etc as they can ask friend/mother for lifts. It's supposed to be about independence and ironically the mother no longer drives and they are no longer in contact with friend , who was a full time carer for her child.

Contact Fightback, there may be a fee but they know more about it that places like citizen advice.

Maybe I am just a cynical boot, but my time of dealing with people, has taught me to be polite, factual, and that is all. I do not expect these people who I come into contact with to be particularly empathetic towards me. That has just been my experience. So I am not surprised when these things happen to me, (assessment reports full of lies) inaccuracies.

Ironically it's part of his disability being too trusting. So it seems especially awful it's used against him

Have a look at fightback4justice a non profit organisation which helps with claiming disability benefits. They have a fb page as well as a web site. They are great and can help with his mandatory reconsideration and appeal if it got that far.