Not sure where to put this, so placing it in familliar stomping ground for traffic...DLA to PIP.

[OrangeIsTheNewPop]

So...The Dreaded Letter came through.

I was awarded indefinite DLA about 1000 years ago. Now it's our postcode's turn for The Big Swap.

That 40 page form is horrendous! Also feeling crappy because I'm so independent, and it was headfucking to document- especially in front of DH (he filled it out for me) exactly how much help I need... we usually take the piss out of it (Oh, Orange could get lost in an alleyway, etc). Mentally draining.

Anyway, that's the "woe is me" shite over. Is anyone else in limbo atm? Can anyone give me positive stories about the process? And a ballpark timeline, please? I have all documentation to send off today- how long before the ball starts rolling? (Need to know so I don't trip up over it 😂😂).

What happens now?

Ps, I'm an absolute SWINE for unintentionally drip-feeding, so feel free to flame. Happy to give details etc.

Well it wasn't so bad at all!

Will do a proper weite-up later when I've had a well deserved brandy brew.

That's great so glad you survived :)

Okaaaay... here goes. Please just grit your teeth at the typos...you know what I'm like! 😂

The assessment lady called about an hour beforehand to tell me she was running late. Fine- DH had taken the day off to be with me anyway.

I was sitting down when she came, and didn't need to move throughout. She started by listing my "conditions", including my asthma and hayfever for some reason! I was questioned about how they affected me, and how often. I hadn't even put hayfever on the claim- wtaf?

A few things I didn't disclose upthread, because I'm claiming fot my sight issues, not MH...but I'm also bulimic and have a history of SH. (Three month streak atm- yay me!). These were only mentioned today as- as with the asthma/hayfever, shw asked me to list ALL medical conditions.

She asked me in depth questions about my MH. Again, not sure why, as I've cited my sight issues as reason for claiming PIP. And here's another weird thing...when I'd answered all the "sight" questions, and had a vision test (failed that, can you believe it? 😂😂😂) she told me that ehat I'd said about my MH had been enough, and I wouldn't have to have "those tests"!

Getting back to the vision test...a card not unlike the opticians card, and a booklet which apparantly had words in it- I saw gray blobs.

She asked about what aids I had to help me complete everyday tasks. At first I only mentioned the bumpons on the cooker, and the LLI. When I later mentioned elastic bands (I put one around my conditioner bottle so that I can tell the difference between that ans the shampoo, my toothbrush etc) she said that these counted as an aid too- as does my speed peeler! I thought that, if I hadn't bought them directly from RNIB, they wouldn't count!

So...pretty thorough, but it's done now. It would have taken a few minutes less, but she wouldn't leave my cats alone! 😂

Oh forgot to add...DH made notes all the way through too. Also, she was reading aloud what she was typing- and sneaky me can "tell" what people are typing on a keyboard by the sound of the clicks. Not what words obviously- but the difference between a letter key and the spacebar key etc. So unless she deletes all she typed, she's been accurate and honest.

I want to say (now I've "come out" about the MH issues it may be more obvious why I was so nervous!) that knowing I had people on here to come back to afterwards calmed me down enough to actually speak! Thank you! 💜

That sounds promising, mine also asked about MH I had small problem that wasn't in claim form because it's not the disability and if I had points from it or not would make no difference to claim. But if anything it gives a picture that my life picture overal isn't wonderful.

Knowing me it will come back as we assessed your mental health... it's fine and ignore why was actually claiming!

5 weeks tomorrow and waiting for results, the whole medical is just really odd isn't it. They already asked you to do a form then ask exactly the same questions. And if you like your main problem is sight surely you would have had evidence to show more reliable than looking sometimes a chart. Which hate to point out dead easy to fake! Isn't that the whole point.

Akire I wouldn't know how to fake a card test thingy but I guess it could be done!

Five weeks tomorrow- try not to woeey about this (says she who spent her second sleepless night watching reruns of Rainbow- don't ask!). The assessor told me that, while the usual waiting time is 6-8 weeks, there is a backlog atm, so expect it to be longer.

Do you claim DLA atm? I don't recall, so sorry.

Radley Im pleased the assesment went ok

I mean if you have hospital notes saying vision effected what's point trying read off card! If you had no records but just saying it not like take he fact you said any random letters as prove!

Yes get DLA about 10years high mobility mid care. Will my care go up or down?!

IIRC, MRC is different than the figure for both Standard and Enhanced. I don't get the system at all! I get MRC and LRM at present: according to the online calculator I dis before, I should get the enhanced mobility! Why the big jump?

BTW, my last post may have cone across as sarky/defensive- not at all! I was being flippant- laughing at the system, not you. I forget sometimes that just because it sounds one way in my head, doesn't mean it'll look that way on paper IYSWIM.

Personally, I don't know how you've been so patient! I intend to call them up every fortnight to check on my application. Can't annoy hem more than I annoy you folks with my typos and emoji overloads, huh? 😂😂

Oh, and I asked if you get DLA because I do too, and I'm seeing the backlog as a positive- yes, thr waiting is worse than Jedward on a loop- but it means we get at LEAST two more DLA payments while they piss about evaluate.

You were fine roads! The whole system stinks.

Yes I should theory get enhanced care. It if get low not fighting it because i have pay towards my care and council only let me "keep" low rate care towards disablity expenses and take the rest. So if I do get higher rate I will not get to keep a penny, have fill in loads forms and get big bill!

The lady said up to 8 weeks bit more like 4. Not worrying yet still get my DLA

I'll still be up at midnight tonight to make sure it goes into my bank- sad, I know!

Don't worry if it doesn't go in exactly at midnight-sometimes DLA doesn't go in till 2 or 3 am. Also, I do welfare advice and the response times for PIP are all over the place-my fastest claim (my DH's!) was only 6 days whereas my slowest have been months and months. It has no bearing on the outcome. Good luck everyone-hopefully you'll all be fine

Thank you Unweave. Six DAYS? Fuck a moose!

Mine goes in just after midnight on the Tuesday, without fail. TC go in at midnight, and DH wages at 3.15 am. Can you tell we've been on our asses a few times before? 😂

Oh yes, 6 days. Barely had time to breathe from the medical. I kinda thought that the f2f was pointless anyway and part of me suspects that they'd already made the decision before hand and were just seeing him to confirm. He did end up with 22 points.
I'm still on DLA and no sign of any brown envelopes yet. I do know-and this for anyone who's still in the same position as me-that's it currently taking on average 6 months to transfer from DLA to PIP: a month to phone up, a month to fill the form in, 6 weeks to get a f2f appointment and have the actual f2f, 6 weeks for a decision and then another month at the end. There's such a backlog in the system at the moment.

Yes true I got letter first week january hoping hear end may/june

Mine has been just over a month since the letter came through my door.

After DH recieved his appointment for his "assessment" at a centre (we received the letter for this last Friday 12th May) I phoned them up at 3.30pm and told them that he is unable to attend an assessment centre and requested a home visit. They took the details of our surgery and DHs GP.

Today we received a letter from Atos denying him a home "assessment" This letter was printed two days ago (Sunday 14th May) there is no way they have even bothered to contact our surgery.

So our experience has been much like others on here. There is NO way he can go to an assessment centre. He hasnt been out of the town we live in for years.

Thank you Unweave. Six DAYS? Fuck a moose!

When I was denied ESA it took 6 days for them to tell me that.

A cynical side of me thinks if you are going to be denied they would tell you sooner where if it is increased or continued payments then it takes longer...

Which makes me a bit hopeful for my recent assessment which was 3 weeks ago now and I have heard nothing yet...

I got home visit after GP report so
Hopefully yours will do the same. Ring up and point out their error given 2 days isn't enough time for
Doctors to write back and for
Them to Give it their considered response.
I didn't have to fight for mine I was
Really suprised.

There's a list floating about somewhere ehich details conditions which would be offered a home visit. VI was one of them- but so were things likr anxiety, dementia, ED, (off the top of my head). I'll try to find a link.

Also floating around is a pdf with guidelines for assessors. Amazon Bastard Kindle won't read it out to me for some reason, so I don't know how good it is- but I could pass the pdf on if someone can tell me how to do it?

For those of you who are In Limbo now, like me- I'm trying to deal with it by thinking that there's nothing I can do now. I've mentally "handed it over" and for the last two nights I've slept better than I have since the beginning of April.

I will bug call the DWP every Monday. I don't care how snotty they get with me.

Is anyone in the middle of filling out their forms? I'm far from an expert- but I eill help in any way I can. I've had to do a shitload of research, and, although a big part of that has been about PIP fot VI people, a lot of other stuff has been soaked up too. And you'll be keeping me distracted 😂

Wanking, they're so inefficient they drag their heels whether it's a yea or a nay. In fact, IIRC, my husband being turned down flat took even longer than my son getting Enhanced, at the relevant stages.

About turn today and we have been granted a home assessment.

Just have to wait for a letter to confirm.

In other news i came home to the stench of the neighbours weed.

I hope they wont be thinking its us. We dont even drink, We are both teetotal Ive never been drunk and DH had his last drink in the 1970s.
Drugs have never interested us. We are willing to undergo hair tests if necessary.

It was bloody overpowering I could smell it as soon as i got back from doing the grocery shop.

Even with all the rain.

It stank in our stairwell too. Try not to worry- ours didn't even react!