I’m a PIP assessor, happy to advise if I can

[Impr90]

Hello all,

If you’ve got any questions you think I might be able to help with, please let me know

All the best for the New Year

PIP is a different benefit to DLA with different criteria, often stricter criteria. lots of people who qualified for DLA may not qualify for PIP. I'm amazed there are still so many people on DLA who have not yet been switched but I guess that goes to show what a mess the system is in. An ESA assessment has no bearing on a PIP assessment, they are different benefits assessing for different things. However there has been some talk of the work capability assessment changing and being in receipt of PIP becoming a factor for getting extra money on UC.

Well spotted. I never noticed that! 😆

My friends son with GDD, ASD and dyspraxia.
Asked if he's ever sad
As we all are at some point in life.
He said yes.
He was then asked if he had suicidal thoughts which had to be explained gently by his mum that it meant to want to kill yourself.
No other way of explaining to him to get him to understand the question.
He went into complete meltdown understandably and has honestly never recovered from this.
He's now refuses to attend his supported volunteer position at a charity shop that he was so proud of.
He goes absolutely nowhere now as he's frightened that his mum thinks he will kill himself.
He's a shell of his former self.
The system makes me so fucking angry.

Hi OP, I was awarded low rate care and appealed as it's mobility I struggle with.
This was rejected BUT I have found out that my GP has only got 5 years of my notes and none of my asthma etc (there is a lot plus ADHD ) are on there as it was with my previous practice in England, I live in Wales now.
I have physio every week and mobility support but also have no choice but to work full time due to costs of my limited mobility.
Can I speak to someone again about this with my updated medical evidence 5 months after losing the appeal?

If you are successful in a PIP claim you can use it to fund whatever you want but not everybody with a disability and or mental health condition will be eligible

Does everyone's application get refused on the first try? Every single person I know on it was refused and had to appeal, even tho they had major illnesses/ chronic diseases

I had similar difficulty applying for my child. The person from menCap wrote it all out for me the first time. I don't think they provide this service now - but ask them - maybe they can sign post you to someone who does it.

I typed up all my responses and photocopied what I sent in. Now for every renewal I just look at what was said last time, update based on current situation and send it off. I still procrastinate - but it's much faster.

And I stick with the similar language and phrasing used originally as I think it helps. Each renewal has been approved at the first go itself.

I’m not the OP (obviously) but as someone who does the job too, I cannot emphasise enough that every claimant needs to record the call. Tell the assessor you’re doing it, they’ll read a few sentences of script to you (basically that you can record but cannot alter/edit the recording AI style), and you go on as normal.

All this stuff about needing to tell the DWP in writing, giving advanced notice etc is all nonsense. You can do it with no warning. I prefer when people record as it means there’s no he said/she said issue.

Could his mum not have been an appointee for him and spoken for him rather than put him through this distress?

Would you expect an indefinite DLA award to be re-reviewed to PIP -given your workload - and new awards and awards with an end date needing to be reviewed first - have you had a case of an old DLA case (20 years since indefinate award given as an 8 year old child to a 28 year old autistic man)

Why do people with lifelong conditions (I have epilepsy) have to reapply every few years. Nothing’s going to change 🤷‍♀️

Also, when I get my renewal, is it ok to just basically write ‘same as previous form’ ‘nothing’s changed’ or will that go against me?

Same experience, I provide supporting statements for DLA as a health professional and as part of this I see what parents have written, and it can vary widely in its accuracy.
Most inaccuracies were as you say, a parent putting a positive take on their child's needs, as they are so used to holding on to some positivity to make it through their often very challenging days.

But I have also seen a few vast exaggerations of children's needs by parents. In these cases I have declined to provide a supporting statement as what I write would be vastly different to what the parent has written which would be unhelpful for them.

However, I have had parents put me as a reference without asking me first, which is very challenging when DWP then calls me for information.

PIP and DLA are two different benefits, with very different assessment criteria. There are no new claims for DLA except for children, so at some point there will be a reassessment for PIP, regardless of what level of DLA or the length of award. And ESA isn’t linked to DLA - ESA assessments are to determine capability for work, which is very different from PIP which looks at impact of the disability on daily living and mobility.

I’m autistic and I’ve never been able to leave the house alone. I have needed another person to help me as I’m prone to panic attacks, meltdowns and shut downs. After leaving home to be independent I developed agoraphobia because I went long periods of time without help from another person to get me out. I have now had agoraphobia for years but I have the same difficulties and cant leave the house without another person.
I was determined severely mentally impaired by a doctor because of my autism and don’t need to pay council tax.
As advised I mentioned all of my issues and conditions on the application. I regret that now because they have focused on my agoraphobia and have only given me 10 points, because I can’t leave the house without significant distress. A reconsideration came back with the same results.
But my agoraphobia is caused by my autism.
Does it sound right that I haven’t been awarded full mobility points.

I am the appointee for my son and answered the questions for him - he only had to be there at the end of the telephone interview to say if he agreed with what I had said - saved his mental health from spiralling

@Miley1967
She did and was
But because he has speech the " assessor" insisted on addressing him

Hi! I’m in Scotland so we have changed to adult disability benefit.
I started my application in October after being unwell. I was awarded enhanced rate for mobility and standard daily living allowance. I was so thrilled. Dancing about the living room.

But I’m a bit confused. As I never had a phone interview and put a few phone numbers down when applying. I thought I would have had a phone interview at least. Not that I’m complaining lol
So would the accessors have went to my doctors and spoke to them?
I was awarded for two years then assessed after this.

Are the telephone assessments recorded? My PIP assessor scored me ZERO and I was told they were unable to listen to the call or tell me how the hell they managed to score me zero. It impacted my mental health quite severely and there is no support there for anyone.

yes I know - we have had assessments for the ESA with a medical professional - but never the indefinite award for DLA - wondered if they would use the assessment for the ESA to save an assessment for the DLA - if you see my point to avoid duplication

Reasons for review should be person specific not solely condition specific.

Yes absolutely ok to write something like you’ve suggested - ‘as before’ / ‘no change’ are all fine

Is the length of the phone assessment and indicator of a successful assessment? Do shorter ones normally mean more successful?

Not automatically but you can request this. I’m sorry to hear of the impact it had on you

No indication in my experience

I know it says pip but my sons now been transferred to child disability payment (Scotland) there no time limits on current change of circumstances and reviews due to the back logs, I have been advised 7-8 months before his change of circumstances even gets looked at they have just finished February’s. Do u think this is due to staff levels and is it the same with DLA I was told it was a smoother process with CDP than it would be with DLA now I start to think it’s not,

I also think it would help if the public would all understand that PIP assessments are functional assessments. Your diagnosis itself doesn’t matter as such; it’s how it affects you.

People with conditions that sound like they should qualify (cancer, MS, arthritis etc) aren’t necessarily going to qualify if the person is functioning reasonably well (working, caring for family, getting out and about).

Please also bear in mind that someone with a condition is expected to function to a reasonable standard most days each week. Not the standard of someone with no health issues. The bar isn’t that high. If you’re muddling through, you probably won’t qualify for the benefit.