PIP assessment

[1805]

DD is 16 in May, and I am already worrying about the PIP assessment. Can anyone talk me through what happens please?

Start now getting as much medical evidence as you can to support your DD's claim, PIP does not take any notice of DLA, so be prepared to have to start from scratch with copies of reports, medical letters, consultants findings, assessments and anything else to show her specific needs.

Start now trying to keep a diary of how she is affected by her conditions every day and how much support she needs. It's good practise as you are asked to do so on the forms, this way you have more notice and can spot things you may have missed if you leave it until the last minute.

Apply to be her appointee.

Join Benefits and Work so you have their guides to fill in the forms and see the CAB website. www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/help-with-your-claim/fill-in-form/
People have posted about FB groups being very helpful.
Look through previous MN posts on PIP here and the main boards.

Be aware that some private advocacy groups ask for payment. Avoid.

Using guides and advice, complete and submit the forms.

See whether it's a face to face or home visit or telephone appointment for the ATOS or CAPITA assessment.

Make sure you request a copy of their assessor's report.

If necessary request Mandatory reconsideration

If necessary, go to Tribunal.

Always keep copies of everything you send to DWP and their responses.

Always send correspondence to DWP using the Post Office Tracked system, it's about £7 each time, but it stops them being able to say you missed a deadline or never sent anything, because the Post Office show a date and timestamp of it being received by DWP and give the signature of the person there who accepted it.

Oh, and Good Luck!

@BlankTimes do you know when they tell you what kind of assessment it will be?

It's taken months to get Ds to agree to us making an application for him as he's so anxious about the assessment. I've got the forms sat here waiting to be filled in!

Camhs have said they can provide evidence and have said they will help. Just concerned about putting Ds through the anxiety of an assessment if they are likely to refuse.

Great advice from BlankTimes above.

I’ve just done it this year for DD. It was relatively straightforward but then I’ve had years of practice with DLA forms...! They aren’t interested in general info about any conditions or diagnoses so keep it specific to your child. Reports, letters, assessments, EHCP, etc. The Cerebra guides are useful. cerebra.org.uk/latest-news/personal-independence-payments-pip-signposting/

I copied everything before I sent it back Recorded and Tracked.

I was stunned to receive her award with no face to face assessment or even a telephone appointment. Maybe Covid has its advantages!

Good luck.

We had DS's assessment last month by telephone with IAS (was ATOS) with about two weeks notice (I sent the forms in in March but it all stopped during lockdown and he stayed on DLA. I act as his appointee so I was able to do virtually all the talking, but DS had to be present and answer a few questiobs as best he could. I subscribed to the Benefits and Work guide and used their guides both when filling in the form and preparing for the assessment. I prepared a script for the assessment with a section for each question. It was Ok, not a barrel of laughs, but reasonable. I've had the report back but not the final decision, the report was fair and accurate with scoring that I'm happy with.

Thanks all.

Dd gets DLA (autism) at the moment. Do we get sent the PIP forms automatically?
the thing is, she's doing really really well at the moment as we paid to get her in a specialist independent boarding school. This means she has actually accessed education for the last 3 years. However, she will have to leave for 6th form as thanks to bloody Covid, we've lost a years worth of earnings, and had to live off our savings.

The chances of her attending another school is probably nill.

So at the moment, she is doing well and I'm scared we'll loose the money. The DLA pays for her beloved theatre school and towards her school fees.

Do I collect evidence based on how she was before we discovered the current school?

@Punxsutawney

No idea what type of assessment it will be due to Covid. Do ring and ask DWP

Make sure you are his appointee.

Just concerned about putting Ds through the anxiety of an assessment if they are likely to refuse

Many many cases are refused after the CAPITA or ATOS assessment. Expect to be refused really, not many people are awarded PIP in the first instance. It can be something you really have to fight hard for.
Then use the guides for MR and then Tribunal if you need to.

My DD had indefinite DLA and a Blue Badge but was refused the mobility part of PIP despite really good evidence.
Refused again at MR, so we went to Tribunal.
Sometimes you HAVE to FIGHT I did.
They want you to give up and go away. Stand your ground.

If you won't fight for him, he won't get what he needs.

Some people have a great assessor and they have a fair award after the assessment, but they are not the majority. Be prepared for it not to happen and have all you need to enable you to fight their decision.
Expect the worst.

@1805 Pre-Covid, you'd get a letter saying the changeover from DLA to PIP will happen and they give you a time limit to apply for the forms. It's not automatic.
If in doubt, ring DWP and ask for their current procedures.

There is a section at the start of the form about history, diagnoses etc. The bulk of it is how you manage every day life activities. Cooking, shopping for food, dressing, toiletting, bathing, interacting with others, communicating, walking, travelling etc. You get a score for each question, the total determines what if any award you qualify for. You get points if you need another adult present to prompt you, more points if you need someone to physically assist you. So if for example you can cook a basic meal but only with an adult there to help you understand the recipe or tell you what order to do things in you get points. If you need someone to open tins for you or do the chopping up you get more points.

Just sent DD1s pip claim form, it is being brought forward as was meant to run until next year but stopped after her 16th birthday. They should write to you/dc about being an appointee soon if DC not able to represent herself.

For PIP, CAB guides are really good but you've got to get your evidence together and ask for that letter or report

They essentially ignore everything you write, ask questions like 'I buy something for 70p pay a pound how much change do I get?' And that shows you are good with money. We went to mandatory reconsideration where they returned a load of bollocks about incontinence (we hadn't claimed under toileting - he has never had a problem). Got it after applying for tribunal. When filling in the forms you need to be very specific and say because of anxiety, x couldn't eat in the school canteen and therefore y happened. This has had a long term and significant impact because ....

We got DS's award letter at the weekend, he got both elements. We would never have done it without helpful info others have posted on MN in the past.

And yes to answering very specifically.

Can you dress yourself? "Yes except for my shoelaces" will go down as yes, no points. "No because I need someone to help with shoelaces" will go down as no and score some points. Hopefully.

I'm about ready to send Ds's off now. Just need to photocopy a couple more things. I'm not sure whether to include the draft EHCP we have.

myfatigue It's a shame that they ignore everything that's written. Ds got a grade 9 for maths so would have no problems working out the change if they asked him that question. Unfortunately he's far to anxious to leave the house independently and enter a shop to use cash and would probably struggle even if we were with him. So if they are judging him on his maths skills alone, they won't see all the other issues.

My DS is more than capable of working that out too Punx but when she asked him at the interview he completely froze up and struggled, which she did take note of.

And yes, do include the draft EHCP, assuming it supports his case.

Glad your Ds got both elements Expensively.

I think the draft would support some of the issues as it talks about his difficulties with independent living skills, although it obviously lists strengths in some areas too. I just need to find the right one as it's been changed 3 times already and that was before it went to panel.

Will they judge Ds as capable if he could answer the money question? He's very bright but that's not much use if his anxiety means he's struggling to leave his bedroom.

I've got him through the EHCNA, but I know he's worried about this.

I think it might unfortunately. They asked DS and then asked him to take 7 from 100 repeatedly (93,86,79 etc) and he struggled. He has GCSE grade 5 maths. However he is capable of going to shops with a fiver and getting change and has been for some time. I stressed that he cannot use a cashpoint (too anxious), can only use his card contactless (too nervous to use PIN and only started contactless this year because of Covid), can't manage even a simple bank account (too anxious). I'd have to check what he scored for it, can't remember off the top of my head.

You need to make sure all the anxiety about leaving room / house is detailed in the mobility section, if he needs an adult with him that counts for a lot.

I finally got round to posting the form yesterday. They had given us a extension as they had been delayed in sending it out.

The Camhs nurse did a home visit and filled one of the pages of Q15 with additional info and has asked them to contact him, if they need anymore information. I've also enclosed as much paper evidence as possible. I have evidence from at least 3 professionals that says he can't leave the house independently.

So I've done all I can for now.

Ah that's good. Put it away and forget about it over the holidays

Thanks Expensively. Was good to put the PIP stuff away for now. I now have about 10 days left to respond to the draft EHCP, so much paperwork!

It never really goes away does it. Our EHCP is still a mess after last year's annual review and I've just had the date through for this year's.

You are right Expensively it's very difficult to feel relaxed as there is always something. Sorry that you are still dealing with the mess of last year's annual review.

I have to say I've found the EHCNA process very overwhelming, they certainly don't make it easy for parents.

No, it's awful. It's a long time since we did it now (started when DS was in y5) but I still remember how stressful it was. MN helped me a great deal.