PIP

[newaccountwhodis]

Hi. New to the forum and PIP and am hoping some of the forum members can help me understand the claim process a little better, I applied for PIP in early December 2022. DWP told me that Capita had received my forms on December 9th. But i have not had a phone assessment scheduled yet. So i called Capita just to make sure everything was fine with my claim. They told me this morning that my claim "is in initial review" and that they "are requesting info from my medical contacts so they can do a Paper assessment". Is this a good/bad sign that my claim will be successful?

I also work part time from home and nothing negative was said about that during my interview.

My experience was very straightforward but I had a lot of medical evidence. Medical evidence is key for a straightforward assessment I think and so it should be to be honest. It also means the assessor knows applicants are not trying to 'blag it'. I had medical letters from neurologists, recent updates etc. Because of that I felt like the assessor knew I was legit and was on my side.

And don't be worried about working. If anything working (albeit part-time from home) showed that I wasn't lying down under my condition.

I also sent loads and loads of medical evidence

This is what I'm worried about. Working what I do probably doesn't help my condition but I can't afford not to work and I have dropped to part time hours

@IWannaShout i'm in the same boat. Lone parent so i have to work but it got to the point that i just couldn't cope with full time anywhere and luckily found a job share role.

So I have just got my report. 4 for care 12 for mobility however the person has said I used to be a nurse and went to university …. which never happened.
said because I work from home I can understand information
and my mum cooks for me and brings it but she said I can cook for myself although wrote that I couldn’t. All very bizarre I hope the decision maker sees what she wrote and makes their own decision? Also it said to review in 3 years so unsure if that’s award length?

also she put 0 for medicine as apparently I take no medication but then she said I do and specified what I take! And said I do no need support but then said I do need prompts

Hi, just wondering if anyone has applied for sciatica? It would be a mobility only claim?

What kind of evidence did you send

@oneforyou22 repeat prescriptions, gp appointment screenshots, hospital appointments letters, results, referrals, recommendations, details of medications id tried in the past that hadn't worked, physio appointment details, invoices for private treatments i'd had, copies of emails between me and doctors/consultants, details of devices/gadgets id bought to try and help as well as for any equipment i'd bought to try and help.

@JimnJoyce thank you that's really helpful. I've sent hospital letters but I've not been
Able to send prescription list as on my nhs app it doesn't show my medications. Will they contact my GP

My gp did a telephone call with them recently as well. I have been awarded the enhanced rate as mine was a review. I was on the daily rate before . I have had a back pay and it has been awarded for four years.

@oneforyou22 honestly I've no idea if they contact GP's

In my experience they contact your GP if they need more evidence. But that’s my experience only .

My mums came back 0 points she had spinal surgery but managed to tell the assesor that she walks for 7 hours a day lol unaided. She uses sticks to walk to my car which we have a disabled bay in place for. It also says you are identified as not having and mental health problrm, then 2 lines down says you have reported mental health problems. ????
which is it?? She doesn’t have mental health struggles. She simply can’t walk unaided and needs assistance to wash and dress. But 0 points. Come in.

mine im still waiting on a decision!!!30th june I was told there was enough evidence to send report over to Dwp to make a decision and that I will hear shortly. That was 5 weeks ago.
iv been getting no post atall so am having to ring to ask if there’s been progress. Anyone else post just stopped turning up lol??

iv done a MC for my mums as she can’t go out alone she cant bathe or dress alone or cook unattended as so wobbly. So how she got 0 points im absolutely furious. They wont give me the assesors name. Or id share it. The misinformation written out was actually so scary.

Luckyyyy mine was 30th June!! Im still waiting on a decision. - im very happy for you that you got the right outcome x

Isnt it!!! I had mine in 30th june and not heard a decision. I phoned today they advised me they will send my report to me and hope that I hear a decision soon! After 49 min on hold x

I also gave an update that my work occupational health determined i cant commute once a month as i wouldnt be able to stand on a train and getting a seat is impossible with a hidden disability (chronic pain in abdomen as continuously creates scar tissue which sticks everything together). The lady said that’s very important info and she will pass it on for me that occ health have deemed me not capable of standing for 20 min journey into london.
i didn’t initially ask for my report but the lady prompted me to request it. She said “if i send it out to u so u can see what was written then you may be able to work your rate out yourself” which im trying not to over think the wording of. Got to say she was a lovely lady who was just as frustrated as us, and apologetic. I imagine there’s staff working there who genuinely are there to support people who need this allowance, and are there to help us. It seems capita have a huge investigation being taken place due to the high volume of people who report them for giving misinformation on the report.
my mum (65) walks for 7 hours a day unaided, 2 wks after sciatica surgery, she only takes Paracetemol twice a year for the pain. Twice A YEAR. And she had mentioned when asked that she was having mental health issues which can affect her communication, but she reports to have no mental health condition in the same report that she claimed she did. I was actually sat with her when she did hers … and she said no to mental health. And it wasn’t mentioned agsin. I witnessed her assessment so I know the report is that of fiction.
takes Paracetemol twice a year for pain????
can shower and dress in a timely manor … she told them she uses grab rails to shower and an extendable sponge to reach below waist, and must be supervised due to several shower fallls previously. I wait outside unlocked door. And she uses equipment to put shoes and socks on, and grab rails to dress rest of herself. How could she get 0 points for anything? Blue badge holder with a disabled bay issued in her name outsude her house to prevent her having to walk a few doors down to get in my car. Because she can’t.

im so so angry. Can we do anything about this? I want to contact the company and say something. Paid in all her life, just wants a standard rate PIP for a couple years to let her go down to 2 days a week at work SHES 65! Iv seen many other similar stories. I did MR for her and the Dwp lady doing it over phone was stunned at the difference in answers. I hope they contact her GP.
i hope she gets awarded.

its a new claim does anyone know how long a MR takes on a new claim..?

xx

@Klymr sorry to hear you didn't have a great experience either 😞I scored 4 points on daily living only so did my MR 2 weeks ago and yet to hear anything back yet I'm not expecting anything to change as they normally don't (although some people have 🤞) so fully expecting to go to tribunal I'm already waiting for a tribunal date for esa appeal it's very stressful and draining certainly no good for the mental health 😞x

They scored me 4 for daily living and 12 for mobility

the daily living they said I was a nurse and I am university educated (which was a complete lie I’ve never been to uni or been a nurse!)… they then said I can cook for myself but wrote underneath mum cooks all food as I can’t. I’m hoping the mobility side doesn’t get knocked down by the decision maker

i rang to advise them of the inaccuracies very politely and the person on the phone couldn’t understand why they would write these things! 1.5 weeks post assessment I hope I hear something soon!

How did you find out you had an assessment? Did they write to let you know or call? I'm still waiting to hear not had assessment yet but it's been 7 weeks

@cronicpain i got a text message a week before my interview , no letter tho

I received a letter a few weeks after applying and had an assessment 2 weeks later

Hi does anyone know how a pip review works?? Do I send evidence or isit just a form

Thanks @JimnJoyce How long did before you had the text, I'm on my 7th week and not heard anything still.

@Lodol that's really quick,
I wonder if it depends on area