Atos assessments

Twirlygirl

Hi,

I finally have an Atos assessment this week (applied for PIP last September).

My question, for those with more knowledge than me, is do the assessments for PIP differ in any way from the assessments for ESA? And, if so, in what way? I was trying to do a little research and have managed to get myself rather confused on what to expect at the assessment.

Thanks in advance

Mr_F_Dorsetty

I found this for you, it is the government site about the PIP assessment

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pip-assessment-criteria

What I have learnt 'right off the bat' seeing it, is that there is a different criteria for England and Wales it appears.

Hope that helps, good luck.

Myself I answer everything as if it was 'my worst day' and I always avoid terms such as 'sometimes' or 'maybe' or 'occasionally' or 'I might be able to....' I personally stick rigidly to Yes or No.

That imo counts for anything benefits related. People it seems to me are wise to not create ambiguities or 'grey areas' where none should exist. But everyone must do as they think right for themselves, obviously.

Twirlygirl

That's so kind of you, thank you for all that help, I'll study that document!

I think you are absolutely right in what you say and it's something I need to do, I never like to admit my limitations and generally will underplay things and suffer the consequences, the last thing I want after the long wait are grey areas open to interpretation!

Many thanks again

only_mee

It's heartbreaking filling in the forms. I bet we all hide our true feelings from even the closest ones too us.So putting it on paper is damn hard.

Mr_F_Dorsetty

longtomboy wrote: »

As has been pointed out to me when you posted on my thread, it is illegal to answer everything as if it was 'my worst day'.
As someone else has pointed out, answering yes or no cannot distinguish those claims that are made by people that have a fluctuating condition. I was advised to be as honest as you can saying exactly what your days are like. Some good, some bad and some where you have no problems at all.
Nobody can possibly have no one day any better than the one before it. Your worst days are not everyday.

Total and utter garbage ^^^

Why is it the internet is so full of these sooth sayers who love to trot out the 'doom and gloom'? Is illegal the only word they know? Just bizarre and complete dross.

I am not advising anything but telling the truth 100% and if you would like to point out where I have said 'lie', please do OR apologise for the unpleasant manner of your comment.

Answering in an unclear manner creates problems where none exist, that is just a simple fact. DLA forms and ESA claims are enough to confuse anyone,

I personally know people who have screwed up their claims, claims they are perfectly entitled to, because they said "sometimes" or "maybe" etc They now have months of anguish to get their claims started again.

But if I am incorrect then so are the CAB, my OT and my GP as they told me "your worst day" when I first had to claim for my disabilities.

Now oddly enough I'll be listening to those professionals before you and your lickle friends rabbiting away on a here.

I'm not telling anyone to do anything, merely saying what I do. So you do what you like, I'll do what I like... and there ya go :T

But stop with the abusive comments, I am much nicer inside your tent peeing out, than outside your tent peeing in.

Indie_Kid

You're saying you need more help than you really do if it's done on your worst day. There's a declaration on the DLA form (and probably PIP too) to sign to say you've been truthful. You've not been truthful if you've said you need more help than you do.

Mr_F_Dorsetty

Indie_Kid wrote: »

You're saying you need more help than you really do if it's done on your worst day. There's a declaration on the DLA form (and probably PIP too) to sign to say you've been truthful. You've not been truthful if you've said you need more help than you do.

Dear God this is not difficult is it? I suppose it must be.

If the DWP says to you "Can you walk 20 metres" and you can but only once in a day and then that's only one day on average in a fortnight the answer is NOT 'sometimes' the answer is NO!!!

!!!!!!! Get over yourselves :rotfl:


PS - Do you people all jump at your own shadows?

Indie_Kid

Mr_F_Dorsetty wrote: »

Dear God this is not difficult is it? I suppose it must be.

If the DWP says to you "Can you walk 20 metres" and you can but only once in a day and then only one day in a fortnight the answer is NOT 'sometimes' the answer is NO!!!

!!!!!!! Get over yourselves :rotfl:

That's what most people would generally call a good day. Not an average day, which is how the forms have to be completed.

doppio

Hi twirlygirl, this thread is getting a bit bogged down in people's ideas about how to fill in the claim pack, but you're asking about PIP assessments conducted by Atos.

If you Google search for 'Personal Independence Payment assessment guide for assessment providers' (as I can't post a link) - this is the guidance from DWP to PIP assessors about the purpose of assessments and what they are looking at:

This says:

The report to the Department should include:
• A detailed history of the claimant, including information on any health condition or impairment present, their history, functional effects, current medication and treatment.
•Advice on the appropriate assessment descriptors for the claimant, based on consideration of the evidence on file and (if
appropriate) the evidence that the HP has collected during the face-to-face consultation.
•Justify the advice explaining the evidence used to inform the advice on descriptor choices.
•Advice on the likely prognosis of the case.
• Advise if the claimant may need additional support to comply with future claims processes.
The HP may also be asked to
provide advice to the Case Manager
on a range of other aspects of a claim (see section 2.11).

I'm pretty sure you can only see the PIP Assessor's report after a decision is made by the DWP using the advice.

Best of luck with your assessment, lots of people are reporting that PIP reports are a lot more accurate than any they have had for ESA.

pmlindyloo

The best guide for claiming PIP (I believe) is here:

http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/personal-independence-payment-pip

This covers the problem of when you have a 'fluctuating illness' and how you will be scored. There is also a very useful section on whether you can perform tasks 'reliably, safely and repeatedly'.

I believe that if you use the terminology contained in this guide there is absolutely no need to speak of 'on a good day' or 'on my worst day'. There is a section which tells you which descriptor you should be awarded using the percentage of days that you meet the descriptor.

Twirlygirl

Thank you so much for the info. I'm getting really nervous about it so looking forward to it being over!