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?

By all accounts, knowing of more than one person who does this job, things have improved significantly in terms of pressure and standards for how claimants are treated. There are people who stay and enjoy the work, they treat people fairly, those who need the benefit and can back that up often get an award, lots of training for different health conditions, happy with pay and benefits. Unfortunately we only hear the horror stories.

Exactly. the person I knew who was doing it was a Nurse and a lone parent to a toddler and it was a stop gap for a year or two whilst her child was young and it worked as it was 9-5 hours. There is a huge turnover of staff. it would be much better for GP's to do the assessments but not sure how they could feasibly do so with such pressures on the NHS.

I agree about the idea of more GP involvement. Medical evidence is crucial, and can be difficult to collate. It would be easier if the DWP went straight to the GPs for confirmation of health conditions etc.

They actually do - they request factual reports. Sometimes the GPs will comply, sometimes not.

Do they? Even if people have already sent in medical letters etc. I was not aware of that. It would have helped if it was just standard if they did this. Would have helped me from having to struggle to the Library to have to photocopy everything I sent them too. 😒

@LadyKenya ive no idea if it is standard or not, I’ve heard they definitely do it with no other evidence provided. If the GP does respond they have a tendency to say not very much apparently

This

They very rarely contact the GP or other medical professionals. They can do, but it’s unusual. They mainly rely on the evidence you send in.

They do contact them. It says on the application form that they do.

I'm an HCP and I've been regularly contacted by telephone if my details have been put on the form as someone who knows the applicant

They can, but usually don’t

I’m a lawyer working on pip appeals. The number of cases I’ve had where the HCP has been contacted directly are in single figures. That’s not to say it never happens.

That’s for appeals. It could be it’s one of the reasons it ends up at appeal - those who weren’t dealt with properly. It doesn’t mean this is the norm. I know HCPs who do the job and most GPs are contacted. There responses tend not to be very helpful- if they fill out the report at all.

No, not for appeals. It’s unusual for them to be contacted at form stage. And when they do, it’s a standard form that as you say, doesn’t usually elicit helpful responses.

I see all the paperwork held by DWP from initial application, and I promise it’s rare that HCP’s are contacted.

Fair enough. It is definitely recommended for applicants submit supporting documentation from their doctors etc. it’s hard to argue against that, it’s hard to give points without evidence- the basic fact is, anyone could call up claiming a disability. If evidence support what they say, no problem IF it’s within the scope/seriousness that the DWP has set

My GP had a form sent from ESA, and after that he told me to send in a copy of my medical summary which they would print out for me (up to date copy) for free. I noticed it recommends sending this is on the review as well.

For PIP or ESA I mean

He must do an appeal. Zero points,for everything means he's 100% always able to do absolutely everything with no problems or need for assistance. Which seems very unlikely!
Definitely get them to reassess him.

Thats what I thought, it doesn't make any sense? Especially with my statement saying I have to prompt him to wash etc?

If he is clearly saying he can't wash, he only washes when prompted by mother. If she wasn't there he never would. He only washes once every x weeks etc. then they should be giving loads of points for that part? There's clearly something awry. Were you with him when he did the actual interview?

He said I prompt him to shower every day, otherwise he'd forget and yes I was there

@Whatnownownow ok, the fact he is actually capable of showering daily, even with prompting will reduce the points for that then. Showering daily, even with reminding could render him with zero for that particular category. If he needed physical help in the shower, or was too depressed or whatever to actually do it regularly then it would be deemed higher need.

It doesn’t mean that at all. It means the threshold of severity hasn’t been reached.

You need to read the entire report so that you can see why they didn’t award the points. That will tell you everything you need to know, because if you claim one thing but they don’t award points they have to explain why.

If he has a mental health condition (for example) that requires prompting for everything then they will look for other evidence indicating motivation/lack of motivation. If on most days he cannot work, he’s given up hobbies, he has regular mental health input, is on medications, there should not be an issue.

It’s not necessarily the case that an assessor is being ‘fake nice’. They might feel for him and want to give him points but they won’t be able to unless everything is consistent as above. The DWP set the criteria and the rules for this. The health people are constrained by those rules. As I said before, unfortunately the bar is high.

Without more info it’s hard for anyone to advise more. So read the report, find out why, if their reasoning is inaccurate you can send that evidence in and get another assessment (reconsideration- doesn’t have to go to appeal).