PIP mandatory reconsideration

[jajhgyt]

I'm not sure how to go about this. Should I break down each criteria and rip them apart or just ask they look again? Do I point out that you don't need a diagnosis for PIP and so the 'suspected' condition should not be dismissed? Should I tell them ignoring the diagnosed condition because they don't have enough knowledge in the subject is unacceptable?

Gah, I'm actually fuming.

Anyway I don't know if I'm supposed to go through it and use criteria and explain why I think the decision is wrong or if I'm just supposed to ask them to reconsider.

Any help would be fab, not giving it to welfare rights or cab as I'm able to articulate what I need I just don't know if that's what they are asking

Is this after a face to face or telephone meeting?

I am sorry you're going through this.

I really don't have much know how in the ins and outs of reconsideration (I have had a phone consultation today though)

if you can tell us what the conditions are and why you were rejected that would be helpful OP
I have done a MR and succeeded high rate for both

You should go through the assessors report, say why you disagree and reference the evidence that backs you up.

theres not much chance of sucess for mandatory reconsideration …..far more chance with tribunal …so don’t give up

So ask for report of your assessment .

you need to dispute why for example you should receive points for toileting if relevant .

I am appointee for my Ds . The gp had explained he could manage all activities of daily living - which physically he can .

However I acknowledged he physically could but explained why he couldn’t .

Are you in the process of diagnosis? It is harder without a diagnosis

In my experience (work in related field) your best approach is to go through it point by point and contest each score they've given you and state why you think it is incorrect. You need to show exactly how you meet the point threshold for whichever score you think you should get.

And whilst you don't technically need a diagnosis you do need to evidence how the symptoms affect your daily living/mobility and what additional support you require because of this.

Letters from specialists will strengthen your case.

Supporting letter from someone who can attest to how your symptoms affect you (not a GP as they do not see you at home and cannot say with certainty how your functioning is impacted). Letter should be from carer, family member etc.

Contact https://www.fightback4justice.co.uk/ They help people with benefit appeals and there may be some useful info on their website

Use CAB welfare rights officer, they know the system and will help and advise. They are fantastic x

Should I break down each criteria and rip them apart or just ask they look again? Do I point out that you don't need a diagnosis for PIP and so the 'suspected' condition should not be dismissed? Should I tell them ignoring the diagnosed condition because they don't have enough knowledge in the subject is unacceptable?

PIP is not about diagnoses. You condition, suspected or not, is irrelevant. PIP is about impacts. If you have been dependent on your condition as a trigger for PIP, then that will not qualify. You need to explain what the impact of your condition is.

It doesn't matter what your conditions are. They don't diagnose illnesses and say 'he has this so this many points'.
You only get points for not being able to do things. The actual illnesses you suffer from won't get you more or less points. Only the level of ability you have to do each task.
If you can do most things sometimes or always then you'll get less than if you can never do them.
So just think about what can you genuinely do. If you can't do it, explain in detail why and then you can reference your symptoms.
I hope you get the outcome you were hoping for x

@EmmaMaria

PIP is not about diagnoses. You condition, suspected or not, is irrelevant

It's relevant because they have stated I have no diagnosed condition to indicate difficulties is that area. It's relevant because they are wrong. I have provided evidence which they have ignored due to no diagnosis. So I'm asking if I challenge that

Thanks, it matters as they have stated I do not have a diagnosed condition so no reason to suspect struggles in that area.

Thank you. That's what I'm asking. I will go through it by criteria. I just wasn't sure if that's what I was meant to do as they just say about asking them to look again.

Thanks but I don't think it helps my question.

Ok OP with all respect you sound like you know everything so maybe not worth posting for advice :) best of luck!

Ok OP with all respect you sound like you know everything so maybe not worth posting for advice :) best of luck!

I don't know everything I just don't want to share medical information with the internet when my question is an admin based one.

Its really up to you. You can request a MR by simply putting that you disagree with the decision as full account wasn't taken of your health condition. Only 20% of decisions get changed at this stage so odds on you'll have to go to appeal anyway.
However, if you want to you can throw the kitchen sink at it at this stage in the hopes of being one of the 20% which, if you're not on a tight deadline, I'd probably do.
Use the decision letter and the points you have been allocated under each activity, have a different paragraph for each activity, and state what points you think you should have scored and why. If you can't cook and prepare food at all for example (8 points), explain exactly why, lack the strength to lift a pan, hands too painful to chop veg, too fatigued to complete the task etc.
You can of course offer a gentle reminder that lack of diagnosis doesn't equate to lack of difficulty, but try to keep it calm unemotional and professional in tone. A decision maker is a person with some degree of subjectivity and it makes no sense to wind them up by sounding too stroppy!

Thanks, I don't want to sound stroppy but I am very pissed off that they took the line I have no diagnosed condition to indicate difficulties. I have written a gentle reminder in my response that a diagnosis isn't needed for PIP and highlighted the evidence I provided for that criteria. They have also shown a complete lack of understanding to my diagnosed condition and decided that it should not prevent me being able to do things, when actually it's crippling and has seen me signed off work for the majority of this year.

Have you had a conversation with anyone yet? Face to face or via phone?

I have worked in this area as part of my role and my advice would be go through it carefully, any you disagree with, pull them out and detail exactly why you disagree. You need to be really specific, take the emotion out of it and work based off facts, examples and medical evidence wherever possible. For example although you don’t currently have a diagnosis presumably if you are on the path to one then there will be medical evidence you can provide which supports what you are describing.

They have started this 'no diagnosis' business of late. Usually worded as 'a lack of diagnosis and treatment suggests this is manageable' or words to that effect. It's incredibly annoying because a lot of people have no diagnosis because of delays in getting seen and its correct it shouldn't be about diagnosis.

There are certain conditions that are being self-diagnosed a lot at the moment. Someone I’m close to was diagnosed with 2 of these conditions about 5 years ago, and even with an NHS diagnosis, letters from two specialists and being prescribed the relevant medication, PIP has still been refused. They’ve just gone through their second attempt to get it with the help of CAB, who have been brilliant, but unfortunately to no avail. It’s notoriously hard to get for certain conditions.

As you need evidence which even then they claim has been made up just how would you get pip with no evidence? If you're self diagnosed you won't have evidence

You can have evidence without an official NHS diagnosis, you have your own account, your partner/carer can write an account in support of you as evidence, even a friend can, you can use medical records as evidence even if they have not reached diagnosis stage if you have evidence of appointment notes, referrals, anything that supports what you are saying really is “evidence”.

@TigerRag, did you mean to quote me? The point of my post is that the person I know had solid evidence from multiple professionals and was still refused. PIP are bastards.