pIP assessment scared

[Ineedhelpplease1234]

Hello,

Have my pip assessment Thursday and I'm freaked out tbh. Have been turned down for a blue badge as only scored 6 points.

I was diagnosed in feb with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, I have severe mean health issues, resulting in self harming, this has lead back to relationship issues, I also believe the current relationship I am trying to leave (we live seperate) is quite a narcasstic relationship: I work in a kitchen and have now had two sick notes back to back and been off work for 12 weeks.
Mentally I am struggling; work wise I struggle and pay for it if I work, my youngest is on the ASD spectrum and that's constant in itself, I applied for LCWRA after my pip form and feel I left alot out: as I wrote a whole Piece on my mental health.

Any good tips or anything please?

Its a telephone assessment:
I have a car and have to drive because I can't deal with public transport; and have to get kids to school.
I had to give the dog away because I can't walk her anymore:
I do housework and spend days in bed.
I order more takeaways in a week/family cook for the kids than I can cook:
I have family come round and fill in my pill pots etc so I remember to take them; and they message me reminding me; they remind me to shower; to do my hair. I have to pay for a cleaner as I physically cannot do it:

I agree with a pp don't. Mention cooking for your family it's all about yourself.

They will probably ask you about driving as they can infer a lot from that, also about working in a kitchen...

After reading about the assessment I am amazed anyone is granted pip. Anybody who meets that criteria wouldn’t be able to live on their own or look after themselves at all, yet some do work and receive this benefit. It appears to be a tremendous ordeal where the applicant is severely judged. If someone needs coaching to get through it or has to fear going alone in case they are deemed to be fit, it seems a draconian experience. Perhaps it’s time the assessment process is overhauled?

@Sprinkles211 I am signed off and have been since April; before then I wasn't able to do my job properly and was risking having to leave anyway. The doctor granted me sick notes and has said finally for LCWRA and pip to make sure that I am
Financially stable. As that is a massive trigger for me.

I completly get about the cooking for others, however er as a single parent I would have thought that would be kinda an important question really as If I can't do it then they would starve? Social services then would be involved:

I drive because I have to; I can't walk them to school, I can't stand tooont waitint for the bus and public transport quite frankly causes me a breakdown: I do not do public transport for my own sanity. I now only drive where I know, I don't do long distance anymore: I have just changed to an automatic car so I am changing gear less. ..

It's not just about whether you can do an activity. If the PIP criteria are applied properly they should be looking at not just whether you can cook a simple meal but whether you can do it safely, reliably, within a reasonable timeframe etc without risking injury to yourself. The same criteria should be applied to all the activities/ descriptors. Hope your assessment goes well.

I help with a lot of PIP forms and it baffles me how some people who clearly qualify get turned down and others who I think are very borderline get awarded enhanced rates !

Have a look at the ME/CFS charities websites and see if someone can offer advice or support you during your call.

You have to answer as though it's your worst day you're having.

So re omelette = no.
You couldn't bend down to get the pan out of the cupboard,
it's heavy so it'd hurt you to lift it, opening the fridge for the eggs would involve walking across the kitchen so that's out as you need to hold into things to get there and it's on the other side of the kitchen, etc etc.

"On a bad day I can't get out of bed let along get to the kitchen".

Good luck OP.

I know someone who works as a PIP assessor and the face to face interview apparently starts the minute the client enters the centre and not just the interview itself. Looking at how they sit, what they do with their phone, jacket, handbag etc to prove how they can use their hands and have organisational skills etc

I'm not sure about the phone assessment - record the call, have it on loud speaker and have someone with you for moral support.

@Babyroobs thanks, I can't use my cooker anymore because when my em gal helarh is really bad I forget to turn the rings of as it's an electric cooker and I then cause fires :( so I try to use a microwave or the air fryer on a day I can lift the bloody thing 😂

I was applying for the mobility part of pip I forgot to say.

I feel now after speaking to you all I missed our so much so I hope that it means the assessment will go well xx

The focus has to be on what help you need. So spend most of the assessment interview stating and restating this. Say why you need help, how often and who provides it. Also what would happen if you did not receive the support. Go through each question where you think you should get points and look at the indicators and then think how you get/need support for each of those things. Good luck.

"the face to face interview apparently starts the minute the client enters the centre". Yes, and continues after the interview i.e. the client is watched leaving the assessment centre. I think this is deemed the 'informal assessment', hence the comment that my son was smart and well-groomed. Obviously, the perception is that if you can't walk then you must be a slob. Given that he was accompanied by both parents it was pretty obvious that he doesn't have to cope alone.

My eldest son who is 9 helps me alot,

He puts the washing on, he helps me with my socks and trousers in my bad days as I can't bend, he makes the breakfast for me and my other son if needed, he will run me a bath and check the water and help me to get out after, he reminds me of many daily activities, gets my drinks to take medication if I can't get out of bed, I honestly hope to his they will see all this xx

"I feel now after speaking to you all I missed our so much so I hope that it means the assessment will go well xx"

All is not lost. Work on the basis that you will be refused. If you are (likely), apply for Mandatory Reconsideration. Sign up to the Benefits and Work forum - it costs about £20. Look at the grounds on which you were refused. Refer to the B&W 'How to apply for PIP' and refute every denial, giving as much detail as possible.. Include everything you think you missed out in your initial claim. If you are refused again at MR (again, likely). Then appeal. Go the Tribunal and state your case. 70% of clients who go to the Tribunal win. You have nothing to lose but plenty to gain.

Did you make this clear in your initial claim? What a good boy you have. That's a big responsibility for a 9 year old.

Do you have medical evidence to support your claim? GP records, consultant letters, referrals for therapy, input from secondary mental health services etc?

Oh god they also said I was well presented l or something like that I had smart trousers on and brushed hair !

Exactly, there seems to be unfairness, and it depends on your assessor on the day. The way it’s worded, surely most wouldn’t be capable of living alone and carry out activities of daily living. I assume some are better than others about describing their difficult, but a successful result shouldn’t depend on how articulate they are. The fact that some are observed so minutely before, during and after the assessment, must mean an applicant feels they are compelled to “ act it out” and frightened to move! They could be turned down for being able to do practically anything!

Yes I have doctors stuff from the system stating diagnoses, self harming, counselling referral, pain rehab referral, all my meds.

I put that my 9 year old checks the oven is off, my partner comes cover and and sorts my pill pot,

Stated my child brushes my hair and that he helps put my socks on etc.

So all the extra bits I presume they add will state he helps with where he does and it should
Look credible.
Surely they can't expect every detail to be remembered for the forms 😂🤦🏻‍♀️

I am in a Iva and have proof as managing money I can't do when I feel as low as I do etc xx

Check the guidance for recording it. I've not looked it up in a while but it used to be quite descriptive

You are probably too late to request it to be officially recorded if your assessment is on Thursday but I would suggest that you have a reliable person with you to note down what is said. I think it is frowned upon (maybe worse) if you make your own recording and it will certainly be inadmissible as evidence but having a witness to the conversation will enable you to refute any 'misperceptions' that are used as reasons to refuse you.

We always have a phone on record in a bag or pocket at a face to face assessment, just in case the DWP recording fails. Hmm, fails. Am I suspicious, or what?

No they don’t 😂😂😂
my friend did it for a while….she’s a registered nurse….got 35k ….shit money for a shit job

I was told as long as you tell them that you are recording it before the actual phone assessment starts it is fine. They can state that they will record it for you & you say fine but I will do my own recording as well thank you. You may then get a pre-scripted spiel but they cannot stop you recording the assessment.