I’m a PIP assessor - is there anything I can help you with?

[Candledrip]

Please let me know if I can help

I worked as a Macmillan benefits advisor for many years so did a lot of PIP forms for people living with cancer. Filling out the form is just a matter of explaining how someone's illness affects them and explaining why they can't so an activity safely, reliably, repeatedly etc. the most important thing is that medical evidence is sent with the form. I think a lot of people make the mistake of thinking the PIP assessor will speak to the health care professionals but it's best to send the medical evidence. When doing the forms for people undergoing cancer treatment I would explain side effects, risk of immunosuppression, fatigue etc. As other posters have said you literally need to spell out everything you are going through.
Our team used to deal with a lot of mandatory reconsiderations and appeals for people with cancer, so yes a lot were being turned down. Sadly Macmillan have made a lot of staff redundant, although their helpline is still going and there are places like maggies thankfully.

I had a question but has op come back?

lol no.

Which has been said how many times on these threads? There is a serious problem with the way some of these assessments are being conducted, and the decisions that the assessor/ decision makers are rubber stamping. The appeals, and back payments being paid to the claimants, must be huge. Something is going very wrong within the system. The process can be such a harsh, mentally, and physically draining ordeal, for some people.

🤔

So much misinformation on here, but the OP isn’t coming back and I can’t be arsed to get into it. Not sure why she started this thread just to disappear but it’s so clear that the public often have no idea how the system works internally.

It does not look like it. Hopefully someone else will come along, who knows the process, and will be able to actually provide some useful answers to peoples questions.

I want to know why people with long term, degenerative conditions have to reapply regularly, when it is clear they will not recover. My MIL who had progressive MS and could not walk, talk, eat (was fed by tube), move arms, had to regularly reapply. It is crazy, she was never going to get better, and put FIL through a lot of unnecessary stress (She has since died).

@Miley1967 thank you, why doesn’t DWP tell you this!

If someone has a prognosis of less than 12 months then they need to ask their health care professional to issue an SR1 ( special rules) form. the top rates of the appropriate benefit would then automatically be awarded within a few weeks with no telephone appointment needed.

Claims under the special rules only automatically receive the enhanced rate of the daily living component. They can be assessed for the mobility component and may be entitled to enhanced or standard rate mobility, but it isn’t automatic because of the special rules claim.

Nobody knows if this is actually a PIP advisor tbh. So be careful before giving private family details.

I think that you may be referring to reviews. I have also wondered about reviewing people regularly when they have long term, life limiting conditions, that will not improve, if they are already on the highest rates.

It could be a journalist who started the thread, surely?

Where are you then Op????

True, to rile up a bit of controversy. I think that’s happened before on here.

This is for fraud prevention. Basically, if someone on benefits passes away, obviously the correct thing is to notify the DWP.

However, with maximum benefits coming in every month, there would be people who’d “forget” to do so, maybe until 10 years down the line when someone discovers it. All the while they’ve been paid benefits for a dead person.

Reviews for these people are to ensure this doesn’t happen, and that any fraud is clear cut for prosecution. Nobody can stand in court and claim to have forgotten to notify the DWP if they’ve also forged a form etc.

Thanks for explaining@PIPnamechanged. I would not have even thought of some people doing that.

@PIPnamechanged im pretty sure the DWP knows when someone’s died though simply because about 80% of people use the ‘Tell us Once’ system after the death of the person.

Besides, some people do get lifetime award with only light touch checks. I know a couple of people like this, in the situation @LadyKenya describes - severely disabled people who have no chance of getting better.

But ofc DWP doesn’t like those. Because the assumption is that people are fraudsters and can’t be trusted.

Most people do, yeah. But not everyone. There was a case a few years back where someone killed the person they were looking after, then claimed their benefits for upwards of 15 years.

I’m sure there are also less newsworthy cases of simple benefit fraud. It’s harder to convict someone who says they forgot in the throes of grief, as opposed to someone who has forged signatures on paperwork.

People with conditions with no chance of improvement aren’t brought to assessment; it’s a shorter version of the form only.

You are exactly the reason some people don’t get PiP. Your ‘friends ‘ who get fulll whack for mental health are a) unlikely to be getting higher rate mobility; unless they’re left have some very serious problems, and they’re not spending it all down the pub.

@PIPnamechanged Well… yes people who are disabled and housebound are probably more at risk and vulnerable to things like murder.

But please don’t assume they do that once in 10 years check for the wellbeing of people. To check of people are alive, they just need to see the person. Not do a full assessment.

People with conditions with no chance of improvement aren’t brought to assessment; it’s a shorter version of the form only.
And yes that’s the light touch assessment I mentioned.
Only about 8% of people have that (it used to be much higher up, around 25% when it was DLA). And that’s despite the fact many of the 92% of people won’t get better.
And those light touch assessments are still extremely stressful for people.

All elements of the tasks are dependent on the claimant being able to do them safely, reliably, and repeatedly.

That means that they can only 'do' a task if they can do it safely, to an acceptable standard, within a reasonable time frame (normally at least half as fast as that of non disabled person), and as often as is necessary.

My psychiatrist advised me to apply for PIP. I have ADHD and anxiety, controlled by medication (venlafaxine and dexamfetamine) and can just about manage, and work full time (from home) but I still struggle with keeping my brain in line and keeping on top of my household (single parent). She said I should write the application based on my worst day, unmedicated, (which would be horrendous, ie paralysed with fear and anxiety and unable to do anything let alone parent or work). Ive put off doing the application because I feel like I would be made to feel like I was being unreasonable asking for help. I would spend the money on a cleaner to help me keep to a routine and whatnot. What do you think I should do?

Definitely apply and include the evidence from your psychiatric reports.
I was surprised that I got PIP for my MH issues but I did include a large number of review letters from my psychiatrist and the report from the MH crisis team so I think that must have helped. I didn’t even have a proper assessment for it, they just rang me for a brief chat.
Good luck

I have previously applied for PIP and been rejected. I did not appeal this at the time. Is it worth reapplying?

I am getting more support now for my mobility issues so I will be able to supply more evidence. I also have mental health conditions but I don’t think I will be able to score any points for them as I work.