To ask for some advice on DH's PIP meeting tomorrow?

[Loopylou6]

He was granted indefinite DLA, but now it's moving to PIP.
He has been sent for a meeting with a physio tomorrow, what do we expect?

When you go for the meeting, they watch you from when you approach the building, things like how you are walking, can you manage steps, open heavy doors, they know how far it is from the waiting room to the room the assessment takes place in to measure how far you can walk. Tell your husband to not dress up, if he wears tracksuit bottoms & sweatshirt normally then go to the meeting in them. At the meeting they go through the PIP form your husband filled in, they give you 3 words to remember, a simple money sum to work out & ask you to spell a simple word backwards. If they ask your husband to do any movements like bending, putting his arms above his head & behind his back, he is entitled to refuse if it will cause him pain. They test your grip, asking you to squeeze their hands. They are watching you all the time, my report even had that I could push my glasses back up as they were slipping down my nose, if they ask if you can do anything don't answer "Yes, but" they only put down the yes bit, reply "no, but....) Anything they ask how often you can do it, if you can't do it over 50% of the time then you can't do it at all. The key thing is you may be able to do something once, but can you do it reliably, repeatedly & safely? You are able to go in the assessment with your husband, it helps if you take notes of everything that is said & done, that way when you get the report you can pick up any discrepancies. About 5 days after the assessment you can ring the DWP to get a copy of the report, this will give you an indication of what award he is likely to get. When you get a decision letter, if you think the award isn't high enough, write a letter for a mandatory reconsideration asking them to look at the award again, use your notes to take apart the report & why you think it is wrong, you have a month from the date on the decision letter. Good luck.

You are entitled to record it. Have a look on gov.uk for the guidelines on this. Most people minimize their pain/disability. Don't.

If you're in Lancashire an organisation called i cann provide trained advocates for benefit assessments. If not, the advice I always give is that most people are rejected first off. Don't feel completely knocked back if this is the case, as even Citizens Advice say a huge proportion of people who go to appeal are then awarded what they are entitled to.

Don't assume that the assessor will have copies of letters etc that you have already provided. Generally they are not handed over, so it's best to take another copy.

If you're unhappy with any aspect of the assessment then do make a complaint.

I hope it goes ok.

@Nat6999 thank you for your in depth reply, that is very helpful.
We're so nervous, do they try and trip you up etc ( obv not literally lol )

@Misty9 noted, thank you.

@Curbsideprophit do you think there's a big change he'll get turned down then? Even if his DLA was indefinite?
If anyone needs any more info to be able to help me further, I'm happy to divulge in PM

If they do stop his DLA, then you must appeal. Most of their decisions are overturned on appeal. Good luck

Absolutely record it. This is useful if they write a less than accurate report.

LoopyLou6 unfortunately a lot of people do get rejected, even when they have previously had DLA. It's a horrible system. I always advise people to see this as the first stage, if that makes sense.

Citizens Advice have a PIP assessment help sheet on their website and they recommend taking a copy of your PIP form with you (if you have one).

I've just had a look on the Capita website. If you want to record the assessment you need to tell them in advance and use something like a dicta phone, then give them a copy. It does say that if you attempt to record the assessment without agreeing to their guidelines then your assessment can be stopped. It looks like Atos have the same rules.

2 / 3 days after the assement ring the DWP / PIp and ask for a copy of the medical assement
This is basically the pip assessment report on the assement
From that you can work out if you need to tdo a MR. As you can see the points awarded on it
Do this straight away as if you need to appeal you won’t have much time so getting this form ASAP is important

Things they will pretty much always ask are
Do you work .
if you do work. They will pretty much assume that you are mobile have no problems communicating no problems in reading complex procedures . Able to plan and follow journeys to work

Do you have any pets
. If you say yes they will assume that you can walk the dog , s no mobility problems
Hold and control the dog lead - so no dexterity problems
Be able to follow and plan a route when walking the dog

If your claim is for mobility they watch you from the moment you enter the building it’s all on cctv
Often those with mobility problems are taken to the room the furthest away so that you can walk more than 20 meters so you then fail the mobility part of pip

If you wear a shirt with buttons they will assume no problems with your hand movement same for shoelaces
Try to wear loose fitting clothing with no belts buckles and buttons

It's not so much that they try to trip you up as they just write absolute bollocks. Record it so you can demonstrate that. A personal recording eg on a phone doesn't count as evidence, but you can get it officially recorded somehow. There are Facebook groups that can advise you very well on your rights.

Foldy, even if the assessor writes the truth, they are often overruled by someone more senior, according to a former ATOS assessor on another forum I used to be on.

All their reports are checked, and they are told to go away and change stuff - by someone who wasn't present, so has no idea whatsoever what was actually said.

I helped someone with an appeal recently. They were awarded zero points for both elements. At the tribunal, they were awarded 11 points for daily living (one short of the maximum) and 9 for mobility.

Someone else I did an appeal for is at the tribunal next week, so I'm looking forward to hearing the outcome of that. This is a 2nd hearing, at the first one the panel adjourned it, and are insisting that the DWP send a rep to this one. I'm hoping the panel are going to ask the DWP how come their decision is so at odds with all the evidence!

A personal recording has recently been accepted by an appeal tribunal as evidence. If you want to do it properly you will have to request to record it, provide 2 tape recorders with brand new tapes that are still sealed & probably rebook the appointment.

Our experience took us through to tribunal where the only thing the assessor did was apologise to us. Don't give in! You'll want to. You'll want to find the report writer and give them a slap. Don't ever give in, you will win eventually.

If you can, as pp has said record it. Make sure you/he explain how his disabilities affect him rather than about the condition itself.

Even if it's recorded the interview with the assessor starts when they collect you from reception watching how you get up, navigate the door and walk to the assessment room. They check if you were reading/interacting with others or playing with your phone whilst waiting/ carrying bags/ have someone to help you or they make you wait to see how you cope after sitting waiting for a while. I got asked if I had a pet/ been to the cinema lately. Sounds like they are being friendly - they aren't . Both these questions are set questions / - I have a spinal injury so if I have a pet apparently it means I can bend down. Going to the cinema shows you can plan / go out. There's are fb advice groups advising claimants how to answer in ways that are truthful but cannot be twisted. I lost points because I cannot be depressed as I looked directly the assessor. I have to look directly at people as I have a fused neck and it is locked into looking forwards- the physio assessor who was a supposed spinal expert failed to mention that important fact. Good luck

I think it is only fair to say you should be honest. A lot of these posts seem to suggest that you should not be, even to the extent of exaggerating your real mobility/ dexterity which I find somewhat disturbing. Legally, you must ask permission to record any interview.

A lot of these posts seem to suggest that you should not be

Which posts have said don't be honest?

Legally, you must ask permission to record any interview.

Yes, which as long as you request before hand and use two identical recorders with tapes, they can't refuse to allow you (although it maybe rescheduled)

Nobody is saying don't be honest, it's more a case of being very honest & telling them every bit about how you struggle to manage even if parts of it make you embarrassed or upset. I had to tell the assessor about how I often wet myself 3 or 4 times a day & have to wear adult nappies, I hated having to tell them that, it's something I don't like talking about, but it's part of my condition. I had a home visit for my assessment, the flat was a mess but I couldn't do anything about it, I wasn't well enough to clean up, I hadn't the energy to get dressed & was in my pyjamas & a hoody, I had to explain how I can't get bathed or showered & often don't have the energy to even clean my teeth. I spent half the assessment telling the assessor how much this illness has ruined my life, sat there with tears streaming down my face. The assessment upset me so much I spent 6 months after not going out at all, I didn't want to see anyone, I felt ashamed & dirty. None of it is about lying but you have to give the assessor the whole picture because they only see a snapshot of what your life is like & what difficulties you face.

Nobody is saying be dishonest or exaggerate - but the default position of people with physical or mental health issues is often to minimise or normalise these and we are emphasising that you mustn't do this in assessment. Be brutally honest.

Nat6999 it's a horrible dehumanizing process

Thank you for further replies, they're very helpful.
Nat, I'm sorry you had to go through that
My dh has mobility issues, and has also had spinal surgery for an issue unrelated to his actual condition.

If you go to support him you can take along a written statement to be included in the write up, detailing what support you give him, I only know because I found a note to that effect within the guidance when I went to support my dh for his assessment,;( moved from life time award for DLA over to PiP) , Good Luck,OP hope all goes well, (and as others have said do appeal if refused, I supported Dsis thru mandatory re consideration and appeal tribunal and it was not fun, but she was sucessful in the end).

@signandsingcarols was your dh successful first time round?

It's an awful degrading thing to have to go through. Anyone who thinks it's an easy excuse to get money ought to have to go through the whole process. The whole thing left me so down on myself, I felt dirty & degraded, I wouldn't talk to & see anyone, go out, I was horrifically depressed, couldn't stop crying, wasn't eating or looking after myself. I've got to go through the whole thing again next week, I'm dreading it, I've been really ill this last month, I'm on my third course of antibiotics & feel absolutely crap.

My dsis has a life limiting progressive neurological condition.

The PIP report says she can walk 20metres, bathe unaided, has no problems communicating.

That’s why she uses a wheelchair, has SALT sessions, OT and district nurses then. That’s why she uses a wheelchair, has an electric rise and fall chair and an electric bed.

Honestly, I would like to report the PIP assessor to his regulatory body.

My sister is appealing at the moment.