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pip review assessment

pip
pip Community member Posts: 72 Courageous
edited November 2016 in PIP, DLA, and AA
ive an appointment for a pip review at a local assessment centre, a welfare adviser is taking me and sitting in with me, any advice please to get a fair assessment, I'm quite worried, not sure what to expect or to say.thankyou.
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Comments

  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering

    Hello

    Firstly, it is great that you have an adviser to go with you to the assessment.

    In regards to the assessment, it is likely that you will be observed walking to the assessment room from the waiting room, so do not put on a brave face, if you need to stop due to pain, or breathlessness then stop.  Secondly, if you have letters from hospital specialists or discharge notes about your conditions it is worth taking these to the medical assessment and giving them to the assessor at the start of your appointment.

    You will be asked about your diagnosed conditions, your recent operation, the effects of your ill health and what medication you take. You may be asked how you got to the assessment e.g. bus/taxi, and how you manage routine activities e.g. shopping, dressing, washing. When answering questions you need to think about how you are most of the time.  If people help, tell the assessor, people can help physically e.g. by helping you in a bath, and they could also remind you e.g. to take medication. And say what would happen if you did not get this help e.g. forget to take medication or take too much. 

    If you have any aids or you believe that you would benefit from aids e.g. perching stool, rails on your walls tell the assessor.  You may even use things around your home as aids without realising e.g. a sink to hold onto whilst getting up from a toilet.

    When you are giving this information to the assessor, you could ask that they read back what they have written down, to make sure it is accurate.

    You will be invited to take part in a physical examination e.g. reaching up with your arms, and also you may be asked memory questions, or asked to count backwards in 7’s from 100.

    As PIP is a points based system the assessor will then complete a report for the DWP stating how many points they have assessed you as having for daily living and mobility.  You need at least 8 points for daily living and/or at least 8 points for mobility to be awarded benefit.

    I wish you luck.

    Maria

    The Benefits Training Co:

  • pip
    pip Community member Posts: 72 Courageous
    edited November 2016
    thankyou Maria, I'm quite worried about it (I suffer mental illness) and doubt I could get to the assessment by myself, so yes it's good the welfare adviser is taking me. 
  • pip
    pip Community member Posts: 72 Courageous
    edited November 2016
    maria I thought of taking past consultant reports with me. 
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 210 Listener
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    Hi pip

    I would advise you to take the latest and most up to date consultant reports with you to show to the assessor. There is always the temptation to take everything you have but it's the latest reports they will concentrate on because they will perhaps be the most relevant to how your condition affects you at the present time. Also it's a good idea to show what reports you have to your welfare adviser before you attend the assessment so they can help you to decide what is the most relevant.

    Good luck

    Paul
    The Benefits Training Co:

  • pip
    pip Community member Posts: 72 Courageous
    thankyou, I collected a few and will show to the welfare adviser person first.
  • pip
    pip Community member Posts: 72 Courageous
    another letter from pip people about change of location of assessment, I will take letter to welfare advice person on Monday.
  • pip
    pip Community member Posts: 72 Courageous
    edited November 2016
    welfare adviser who is so helpful contacted our local mp as pip assessors offer an assessment in my local town then keep changing it to somewhere else. 
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 210 Listener
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • pip
    pip Community member Posts: 72 Courageous
    They agreed an appointment in my local town, twice changed it. the welfare adviser has contacted the mp.
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    Hi pip, 

    I'm sure your mp and welfare adviser will be on to this but you could consider complaining to the company who do PIP assessments in your area. You can write to ATOS here:

    Atos Healthcare PIP Customer Relations

    PO Box 1006

    Stockton-on-Tees

    TS19 1UL

    PIP-customerservice@atos.net

    Or if it is Capita, it's here:


    Capita PIP
    PO Box 307
    Darlington
    DL98 1AB

    Email: complaints@capita-pip.co.uk

    Changing your appointment must be causing you a lot of stress and you should point this out, particularly if you've started planning how to attend one location only for them to change it to another!

    Best of luck with it all, 

    Will

    The Benefits Training Co:

  • pip
    pip Community member Posts: 72 Courageous
    thankyou. meanwhile is it sensible to ask my GP to write something to support my pip review? we sent off a completed form without one.
  • nanof6
    nanof6 Community member Posts: 200 Pioneering
    PIP, you can claim any costs of travel back.hope this helps, good luck.
  • Matilda
    Matilda Community member Posts: 2,593 Disability Gamechanger
    If you want to claim taxis fares, Atos have to agree to this before your assessment.  Phone their customer service centre.
  • pip
    pip Community member Posts: 72 Courageous
    I do use taxis locally, doubt i could travel to an assessment in another town by taxi though, I couldn't expect the welfare advice person to accompany me out of town, thankyou for letting me know about the fares. 
  • don4u2001
    don4u2001 Community member Posts: 17 Listener
    Hi I want to know how to write to the appeal court for my apparently hearing and challenged the decision
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering

    Hi pip,

    A letter of support from your GP is always useful to have but as my colleague Paul said, it may be best to show it to your welfare adviser first. It's also best to make sure that a copy of anything handed in at the assessment is also sent directly to the DWP just to make sure that they have all the additional evidence when they make their decision.

    Best wishes

    Michael

    The Benefits Training Co:

  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering

    Hi don4u2001,

    I need to know a little more about what benefit it is you are challenging. Perhaps you could have a look first at Scope's benefit information on how to challenge DWP decisions at www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/money/benefits-advice or ring the helpline on 0808 800 3333.

    If you have any other questions after that though please do post back and I'll try and answer them

    Best wishes,

    Michael

    The Benefits Training Co:

  • pip
    pip Community member Posts: 72 Courageous
    edited November 2016
    thankyou, I'm to have a PIP review, the problem we have is trying to get an assessment at my home or home town, they keep changing it and my welfare advice person is contacting the local mp.
  • pip
    pip Community member Posts: 72 Courageous
    I'm to have a home visit for PIP review, letter came today.

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