PIP Mandatory Reconsideration Declined

Bogalot

ohreally wrote: »

Earplugs?.

In the longer term make it worse. Your ears adjust and actually become more sensitive.

Hearing aids (non amplifying) can be helpful but in some cases.

mycleverbunnies

It is unfair to suggest ear plugs.It sounds as if one is trivialising the condition.My grandson is 7 and he has high functioning autism.He is also extremely sensitive to noise and loud noises send him into a state of panic.He will just freeze in a crouching position with his hands over his ears.He has a support worker at school and if there are going to be a lot of visitors & noise they allow him to stay at home.If we are out and there is a lot of noise from people around him he will cover his ears too and make sounds to himself -we have been told this is him soothing himself but we usually have to get a taxi straight home as once he is distressed he won't settle until in his 'comfort zone'.You can't tell any of this simply by meeting him, he comes across as very quiet and well behaved (because he doesn't like to interact with people he doesn't know). I feel for the poster because it is definetely a disabling and distressing condition. Also about processing what people say, I understand that too- if I use too many words in a sentence my grandson cannot process the information either.We use simple sentences and often have to repeat them.I wouldn't have him any other way,I adore him.
Interesting about the hearing aid- I will suggest my daughter looks into that.Thankyou.

MoneyAdvice

Yes, it's not as simple as using ear plugs because they only reduce noises by a little bit. I'm hypersensitive to sounds which means even the slightest low-level noise can disorientate me. My solution currently is to isolate myself from the outside world. Being awarded PIP will help me get help to deal with the outdoor environment better. The money isn't important to me, it's the support associated with PIP, although some extra financial assistance will help me, too.

My sensory overloads is just one argument of why I believe I should be entitled to PIP. Another element is my low executive functioning; if for example I get into employment (I'm currently actively searching for work), I will need support with planning my journeys, remembering to eat breakfast etc etc. I know the list of problems makes me sound like an incapable or lazy person, but ASD is a very real disability.

The main difficulty with this appeals panel I know I will struggle with is communication. I'm excellent at communicating written English, but when it comes to verbal communication, it will be hard to describe the difficulties I have to a panel. I will have a support worker with me, but they ideally need to hear from me.

We'll see how this goes but from what I have heard, people aren't really educated enough in autism.

FBaby

Not making a judgement on the award but genuinely curious to know what help you will be able to get to deal with this condition that you can't get without being in receipt of PIP.

mycleverbunnies

It would be a good idea if your support worker could explain at the beginning of the meeting that your condition means you have difficulty with understanding language of questions asked and also expressing yourself clearly when speaking/answering so they may need to assist at times.The very fact that he needs to explain this is an example of you needing support to communicate with other people both in understanding what they are asking and your own verbal response.
I know I have experience of autism through my grandson personally and I have also worked with autistic adults & children so I am sensitive to it.Hopefully people are becoming more understanding of it.I worked at a school about ten years ago where a 15 year old boy had a diagnosis of Aspergers.The HEAD TEACHER said "there's nothing wrong with him.He's putting it on" I disagreed vehemently with him and had to quit 6 months into the job.I couldn't stand it.Anyway I tend to go on a bit but I hope it goes well for you.Oh one more thing, is your support worker from The National autistic society? They might be able to help.

dekaspace

FBaby wrote: »

Not making a judgement on the award but genuinely curious to know what help you will be able to get to deal with this condition that you can't get without being in receipt of PIP.

If its like my autism/aspergers then help is meant to be there but none is provided, I think theres also some consideration meant to be taken from DWP advisors about jobs you apply for as well.

Anyway about the earplugs if they are like me though I seem to be the reverse of many people with ASD's is earplugs/phones give me the opposite effect as they make me more anxious as well as basically make me fall asleep as I have switched off all audio stimulation, if I wear them in public I lose all coordination and space out so could easily walk into traffic, I become like a heavily drunk person.

And the other reason is I get startled far easier as I can't hear anything, its the same reason I can't have my speakers on too loud as if someone knocked on the door it would make my heart beat fast.

I can sympathise with the situation, madly enough at my original assessment I was told as I could use a microwave that counted as cooking, if I can use a computer I can order a take away or home delivery from supermarket so counted as taking care of myself, if I don't wash for over a week then I do its counted as taking care of myself, same thing for sleep, if I slept 18 hours a day it meant I could get out of bed 6 hours a day without support (at time of assessment 12-14 hours a day was my normal sleep)

Basically unless you had no use of your limbs you were seen as healthy.

MoneyAdvice

dekaspace wrote: »

If its like my autism/aspergers then help is meant to be there but none is provided, I think theres also some consideration meant to be taken from DWP advisors about jobs you apply for as well.

Anyway about the earplugs if they are like me though I seem to be the reverse of many people with ASD's is earplugs/phones give me the opposite effect as they make me more anxious as well as basically make me fall asleep as I have switched off all audio stimulation, if I wear them in public I lose all coordination and space out so could easily walk into traffic, I become like a heavily drunk person.

And the other reason is I get startled far easier as I can't hear anything, its the same reason I can't have my speakers on too loud as if someone knocked on the door it would make my heart beat fast.

I can sympathise with the situation, madly enough at my original assessment I was told as I could use a microwave that counted as cooking, if I can use a computer I can order a take away or home delivery from supermarket so counted as taking care of myself, if I don't wash for over a week then I do its counted as taking care of myself, same thing for sleep, if I slept 18 hours a day it meant I could get out of bed 6 hours a day without support (at time of assessment 12-14 hours a day was my normal sleep)

Basically unless you had no use of your limbs you were seen as healthy.

The assessor's job is to discredit your claim, which they have done to a lot of genuine claimants who were on DLA before applying for PIP. I scored 6 points on the care component and 4 on mobility. I was only two points off of being awarded, and this was with the assessor writing small lies / ignoring certain things I said in the original assessment. I also didn't go with my support worker so I was hardly communicating, just sticking to stock answers.

The only evidence I haven't supplied to the DWP is my Asperger's report. I have only just been diagnosed (after the PIP assessment), and I'm hoping that this report will tip the decision into my favour.

Tolly_T

I also had little bits of my assessment missed out of the report. I wouldn't mind if this was done across the board, I didn't expect everything to be written down word for word, however the bits missed out were all the bits that would support higher points than I was eventually given. It's very frustrating. Luckily I recorded my assessment so I can prove this and hopefully get them to place more weight on the letter my GP wrote and my own explanation if I go for MR. It's very frustrating.

MoneyAdvice

Tolly_T wrote: »

I also had little bits of my assessment missed out of the report. I wouldn't mind if this was done across the board, I didn't expect everything to be written down word for word, however the bits missed out were all the bits that would support higher points than I was eventually given. It's very frustrating. Luckily I recorded my assessment so I can prove this and hopefully get them to place more weight on the letter my GP wrote and my own explanation if I go for MR. It's very frustrating.

The majority of mandatory reconsiderations will get declined still. It's mostly a tick box exercise. You will likely have to appeal. But good luck anyway!

rockingbilly

Tolly_T wrote: »

I also had little bits of my assessment missed out of the report. I wouldn't mind if this was done across the board, I didn't expect everything to be written down word for word, however the bits missed out were all the bits that would support higher points than I was eventually given. It's very frustrating. Luckily I recorded my assessment so I can prove this and hopefully get them to place more weight on the letter my GP wrote and my own explanation if I go for MR. It's very frustrating.

The first question would be - was the PIP assessment recorded with the permission of the assessor?

If not, disclosing that you recorded the assessment without their knowledge could well land you in a heap of trouble. You really cannot use any recording that was carried out without their knowledge in any appeal situation.