PIP assessment, surely they have to offer me an appointment i can actually get to?

[AlmostAJillSandwich]

So i'm in the process of changing over from DLA to PIP. I am completely reliant on the money, it is currently £307 a month and half my income.

I've just received a letter for a face to face assessment, and it is in Liverpool. I live on the west side of Manchester, google maps is saying 50 minute drive via motorway, as the absolute fastest route, but that is subject to traffic, appointment scheduled for 2pm.

The illness i have means that i am almost completely housebound. When i am able to leave the house it can't be at a planned time because it depends completely on when i actually need the toilet (severe OCD, i havent been able to use a toilet other than in my own home for 10 years, it takes an hour and a half, and i have to shower immediately afterwards which takes another half hour, my bladder has to be full for me to not get UTI symptoms immediately following using the loo which is why i cant go when i don't need it) and i have an unstable bladder. This means i get the sudden urge that im desperate for a wee even when my bladder is virtually empty, i get only a few minutes to get to a toilet, or lie down which makes the urgency go away until i actually need the loo, so i spent 99% of my life lay on my sofa. if i am stood up and the urge comes on, i absolutely cannot hold it. Because of this i cannot go anywhere more than a 15 minute car journey from my house, as getting sat down will reduce the urgency but not make it go away, but gives me just enough time to get home. When i am able to go out of the house i cant stay out much more than half an hour before the urgency inevitably kicks in, so an hour to get there, and an hour to get back, plus the length of the appointment and any possible waiting time, i'd be out for 3 hours, i will 100% get the urgency to go to the loo during that time, probably whilst still on the way travelling to get there.

I don't understand why i wasn't allocated for an assessment in manchester, all my ESA assessments were in manchester, but those were a few years ago since my last one, i don;t know if they still have an assessment centre there. Even if they did i would struggle to go there, but i should just about be able to manage it. They've refused me home assessments in the past so i am not hopeful of them agreeing this time, although my condition has worsened since last time.

I didn't find the letter til an hour ago, i can't phone them til 9am tomorrow, but im having an almighty panic attack right now, that i'm screwed and i'm going to lose money i rely on to live. If i lose the money i'll lose my home and won't be able to afford the bills.

All of this information was given in my actual form i filled out that i would struggle massively to get to an assessment (and that was assuming it was in manchester) and would likely need one at my own home, so why the hell have they allocated me to somewhere effectively an hour away?! I'm scared given their reputation they won't offer me anything else, and that they're trying to force me off the benefit to save themself money. I am completely understanding right now why people commit suicide over these assessments, it's an absolute joke and they're seeing me as a statistic not an actual person.

Surely they must see sense and offer me an appointment somewhere closer that im actually capable of attending?

I'm sure it's true that they make things difficult in the hope of catching people out. The Hastings assessment centre is in a pedestrianised area and the nearest you can get to it in a car is about 200 metres away. Unless you're in a wheelchair, you won't get mobility because you've managed to walk 200 metres. To get to the assessment centre in Brighton, you have to walk across a big car park if you don't go by car.

They do. That's exactly what I pointed out on another thread. Someone said they merrily get off the bus and then start limping once they get in the centre .

Our assessment centre is bang in the middle of the city centre which has a one way traffic system. There is no car park even close to the centre and you cant stop on the road the building is ON without getting fined heavily.

The only practical way to get there is by bus with someone as its the only thing that's even remotely closest to the centre.

Public transport used. Tick. Managing more than 50metres over a double dual carriageway road because you have no choice. Tick.

Another trick ie cancelling last minute. Most people will say they will wait whilst they sort another one out. Dont. They have then watched you stood outside half an hour. Refuse to and tell them to call you back with a more convenient time.

I hope you manage to get a home appointment OP. I have managed to get it for myself so it is possible.

Also, are you getting all the benefits you're entitled to? If you get ESA it should be more than £307 a month if you get DLA or PIP, because of the disability premiums. I get about £502 in ESA every 4 weeks (I was moved from IB as well), and I get £307 in PIP like you. Your dad should also be getting much more than £200 a month as a carer. My sister lives with me as my carer and she gets £62 carers allowance and £45 income support every week.

Does anyone know whether the OP would have any luck contacting the DWP direct? I didn't have to, so I wouldn't know whether this would bw an option. I mention it because, throughout my process, I found the people at thr DWP a lot more approachable. (I bugged them called weekly for an update)

Does anyone know whether the OP would have any luck contacting the DWP direct?

Probably not unfortunately. ESA cancelled my appointment four times and whenever I rang up they said I had to contact the assessment centre myself. I'm guessing same will apply here for PIP.

Bunch of tosspots!

I'm helping two of my frienda with appeals atm, and the blatant lies they put on the report of one of them! And not becauae they mistranslated either- I've known my friend for 10+ years, was actually wirh her when they assessed her for DLA years ago, and there's no way she would ever say half of the bullshit they wrote down!

Really sorry I've not time to RTFT, just wanted to say I managed to get my PIP assessment moved to closer by calling-no GP/consultant letter (still had to take my mum for support as it was a 30 min taxi ride away). Once I was on the interview they were lovely and my PIP was granted straight away. Hope it goes well for you.

I think this is the PIP advice thread mentioned above:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2764894--to-give-people-assistance-with-claiming-PIP

1. Call and ask for a closer assessment, you are allowed one change of date/ venue. Mention a home assessment is even better for X,y and z reasons.

1. Get your GP, or any GP from the practice to write a letter explaining everything and keep it. In future include everything in your application. They are sneaky bastards in saying not to get letter because they will ask for any information they need. Like hell they will...they don't want to hear that you are genuine. So in future include it in your application even if it costs money to get the letter. It doesn't need to be a new letter each time.

Good luck. If you are struggling then CAB can advocate for you. They helped me massively with my appeal.

Almost Sorry, I've not read the full thread, but you are allowed to change your appointment once, I live in an area not far from where you are and I went to the Lilac Centre at North Manchester General Hospital.

I'd ring and explain and ask to go there.

OP, you obviously have severe mental health difficulties so they should accommodate you if your GP gets involved. Good luck and fingers crossed they sort it for you.

I called, specifically asked for a home appointment explaining i'm almost completely housebound but got told she would re book me in at a centre in Manchester. The request for a home visit was turned down flat so i'm now booked in on the 13th for Manchester (not lilac, the other one Trinity way).
It is going to be a very bad week, I have to go to mandatory Physio on the 11th (car crash, in order to get personal injury claim to pay out on my injuries physio isn't optional) then the 12th getting blood test results at my doctors, now got to go to this on the 13th. I've never had even 2 appointments consecutive never mind three, it's going to suck, but that was my one allowed reschedule for the assessment so i'll have to make it work.
Bit more calm now, but still not great that they completely dismissed home app as an option. Here's hoping the assessor actually listens, doesn't write down a pack of lies like the last assessor did for my ESA. I couldn't understand his very thick overseas accent and fast talking, not sure if it was a tactic but after asking him to repeat everything 3 times i had to keep guessing what he'd said, felt i couldn't ask for someone else or be branded racist, and when he would ask a question (e.g, can you cook) he told me i had to answer yes or no, and even if i could only do it occasionally i had to say yes if i could, and i could explain my answers/condition after the questions. Ofc after he asked his list, he shooed me out the door. He marked me down as no depression just because i nervously smiled at him when i walked in the room, stated i had no obsessional thoughts when i have severe obsessive compulsive disorder, no sleep problems when i have sleep phobia and constant nightmares, and a bunch of other stuff. It took him 16 minutes to conduct my assessment and write his report that cut off my benefit. 2 appeals failed, turns out all appeals for ESA was doing was counting up the points scored to make sure it was added up correctly, nobody with authority to add more points was looking at it. Had to get it completely re assessed by a senior assessor who reinstated my benefit.

To whoever asked i get £436 a month in ESA topped up by the £307 DLA. I SHOULD get an extra £60 a month BUT because i was moved over from incapacity which awarded national insurance credits, i was put on contribution based not income related, being in the support group they let the claim roll over instead of doing a new one 365 days after the original claim for income related switch. They won't pay the £15 something a week disability premium to contribution based cases, so i also don't get free prescriptions, eye tests, glasses vouchers, dental treatment or anything else income related ESA would award. I do now have an HC2 certificate for that though, and if my results wednesday show i do have an underactive thyroid, i'll qualify for free prescriptions as its one of the illnesses on the exemption list as it's lifelong, like diabetes.

At least my referral to psychology services is on the way, maybe one day i wont be restricted to only 1 toilet and will have a bit more freedom.

Oh, and i meant to say thankyou very much to all responders for their advice and best wishes, and for the hand holds last night.

OP, I'll use your example...

"Can you cook?"

Meaning

Can you cook regularly, repeatedly, and to an acceptable standard?

I would have answered "no".

Here to handhold

❤

Sorry to hear you couldn't get a home visit, I think you could still push for one if needed but at least the Manchester venue could be accessible.

You should be able to get the income related top up to ESA on top of contributions based ESA. I got transferred from IB and my ESA award is made up of part contributions based and part income based. It makes a big difference as it covers my prescriptions and dental treatment, plus it makes claiming HB and council tax much simpler.

The ESA assessors are awful, I've been able to get paper based claims now so I don't have to deal with them thankfully.

Some advice:

1. They don't read the forms you send them.

2. The person who assesses you will not have anything you have sent in.

Once you have been set a date for a F2F assesment, you can call, and request a home visit, pointing out the details you sent means you require a home visit. This should start a chain of events whereby they rearrange to try and get you a home visit.

Be prepared, they may cancel the visit at very short notice (first time for us it was an hour after it should have started).

Also be prepared for them to lie. I actually have 2 recordings taken simultaneously of one Capita employee insisting they had sent a text cancelling, whilst another employee confirmed they hadn't and apologised.

Record all calls, and make sure they do not count the request for a home visit as a cancellation (as you only get 2). Also, if they don't show, get on the phone and get them to confirm the no show, so they don't claim you weren't in when they called.

Have a copy of everything you sent them to hand when they do call, and if possible, ensure you have a carer/friend available to make notes as the assessment proceeds.

All the best, with a final note that the whole system is inhuman, degrading, and would shame an undeveloped country, much less the 5th richest in the world

Wrt cooking,if you can open a microwave you can cook. My assessor told me I was pleased I have a teen son who can help

DameDiazepam No, only being able to prepare a ready meal in a microwave does not count as cooking, but you need to point out that you would be cooking proper meat and two veg (or similar) but you cant chop because of your disabikity1, cant reliably stand over the hob because of disability2, ready meals are usually not nutritiously balanced, ready-chopped ingredients are expensive and don't keep but if you had PIP then you could buy them and a freezer...

PIP is all about how your disability affects you, which means you need to say it does and why 'obvious' solutions dont work, eg I dont use a mini chopper as if I could clean the buggers I could chop, and they break all the time anyway.

You have to tell them all the things you cant do and why - if you havent written a couple hundred words to back up each question that applies to you, you aren't going to get a good response. Sucks, but thats the system.

Yeah, I had someone from the CAB who specialises in PIP forms,my form was amazing ,they even asked me who had helped me fill it in. Still didn't get anywhere. The system is utterly wicked. I already have a blue badge and have had one for 10 years- yet apparently there's nothing wrong with my mobility
I know someone who is a paramedic, lots of his colleagues are leaving to become assessors,they've been told to 'catch people out.' Urghhhh

Sorry,total derailment and not helping the OP. I'm so bitter about it.

I'll tell you my experience - degenerative physical condition. Was on DLA since she 8, now 32, as an indefinite award. I had my letter and filled my forms in and was allocated an appointment 20 miles from home on a main road in one of the UK's main cities. No parking allocated to the building and more specifically no disabled parking. There was a car park 2 mins walk away - but they're two mins could be my 10. Ended up cancelling my appointment the day before as I'd had a fall in the middle of the night. Told I was allowed to cancel once and I have sent a GP letter in requesting a home visit. They are purposely trying to catch people out. My friend supports people through these appointments and says that someone is watching you nigh on the minute you step out of the car. I placed a complaint and received a standard 'our process' letter. I will not be 'caught out' by these awful people. Refuse your appointment. Tell them you will be going to the GP for a home assessment request letter. If the y remove my DLA they will ruin my life and my children's.

Yes it's a tactic. My ESA assessor asked if I cook meals daily for me and the children (I'm an SP & the youngest is ASD), my DD is 11. I told him no, that the children have free school meals at school and they odfen just do themselves a sandwich when they get back and me one too. On mt report he put "she does three school meals for the children a day". 😂 best thing about it is when the DM of the mandatory reconsideration said she believed his report to be accurate. Clearly skipped over that bit then!

The talking fast is a trick too, I'm partially deaf, usually wear a hearing aid and cant separate when there's lots of background noise. If people talk to me too fast I can't hear. So I try and lip read. If you try and lip read what an assessor is saying. You've got to look them in the face = bingo. Eye contact and fine with strangers.

I know its a bit late in the day now, but contact your local mp ask if they can help. Tell them its still not possible and try and get medical evidence from your gp to back up why you're going to find it extremely hard to get there. Also get everything in writing and copied.

I've known my friend for 10+ years, was actually wirh her when they assessed her for DLA years ago, and there's no way she would ever say half of the bullshit they wrote down!

Agreed. I cried twice in my PIP assessment. One time she even stopped to offer me a tissue from the box on her desk. In the report she wrote"Pixies was laughing and joking through the assessment".

Main advice I was given by someone who really knows their shit around DWP & benefit law was one simple sentence. If taken to appeal. If you go on about what was said in report you're wasting your time in the courts and not using that time to price your case. "Don't go in there (tribunal) highlighting inaccuracies , (throw them off the bat) just keep repeating what YOU said.".

So instead of he said / she said. It's I said I said I said.

Ah yes,I had the 'Dame engaged well and was laughing' thing too - nothing about me shaking like a leaf and crying though

OP YABU.
You forget they're a bunch of arseholes so of course they won't consider what you have to go through to reach the assessment.

for you - been there, done the assessment

I hate them so much they are fucking paid to fail people so they do their damn hardest to fail you (as i mean they get a bonus for target fail rate).

Its not an "offical" target and not writen down somewhere that they need to fail 80% of applicates but ffs when in the contract they get a bonus for assements deemed fit to work rings alarm bells for you right?

Oh and assesors that passed to many people (aka doing their job properly) are manged out for the critens that toe the line, I for one dont know how some of them sleep at night.

I was there at my Dads assement when he was in the final stages of terminal cancer and the assesment was that he was in recession and so was fit for work..... completely ingoring the fact that he was bedbound with a bloody hospice nurse assiting him.

The look of horror on the womens face when i said that not only did i record the assisement that i was also a solicitor and would be enqurying with my company on a lawsuit, the 100% u-turn they do when the encounter people who a educated is shocking as they assume most claiments are ether too ill to challange them or too stupid to.....