PIP confusion, advice needed please

NeilCr

itsmeinnit123 wrote: »

I live in a groun floor council flat with emergency call system installed...due to past falls/blackouts

The bathroom has grabrails around the bath (shower over bath), shower seat inside the bath, step to help get over the side of the bath and a raised seat for the loo....there is a design/layout issue with the bathroom, I will try to explain...

The bathroom is very small, approx 6ft wide by 7ft long, as you go through the door the bath is the full length of the wall to your right and the loo is facing you and tween the loo and the door is a handwashing basin (no room for a proper basin), the grabrail for the loo is ontop of the basin and due to being 6ft tall, when the seat addition is in use my knees hit the basin plumbing, its incredibly tight for space

The council refuse to change the bathroom citing cost...I have offered to buy a shower base and basin so they can just supply labour and they still refuse

I have fallen many times getting from shower seat to floor tween basin and bath and hit my head on the basin and/or floor, also the bathroom is unheated so its really difficult to use even for able bodied let alone anyone with disabilities

The kitchen is the same size as the bathroom, I have a washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher, microwave and slowcooker....kettle is not used cos I can't carry one or lift it

No room for a perching chair so I lean against the worksurface that faces where I am doing anything

I only use spoons for eating, I would love to eat a roast dinner but have to stick to food that is soft and that will not need cutting, frozen veg or tins only (electric can opener)...fresh meat and veg is hopeless cos I cannot prepare it

I have no cooker, no pans etc since picking up pans and turning knobs/switches is painful

I showed the lady all these things when she came to do the assessment.....

rockingbilly wrote: »

No, going the appeal route would have been too much of a struggle on my own.

rockingbilly wrote: »

Everybody that claims a benefit has a story to tell of how it went and what they ended up with.
Mine is much like the OP's so pardon me in saying, is it not right to air my DLA/PIP journey on here?
Some have a good journey and are awarded what is fair and just, others have an horrific journey and end up with benefits previously awarded being removed.
I'm not being negative at all - my DLA-PIP journey is itself a negative experience.
As for the Attendance Allowance situation. I wouldn't say that everything was negative - the fault lies with me on that one in (a) not doing a decent enough job in filling out the claim form and (b) failing to impress on the assessor what my needs are (too positive in my answers to be honest).

Indeed

However, you have admitted on these forums that you were diagnosed with dementia and confusion a few years ago. That is, of course, very sad (especially for your wife) but it also calls into question your recollection of events - and if they ever actually happened. And that makes it difficult for anyone, who is aware of your posting history, to be sure the events happened - and, if they did, that your recall of them is accurate

OP - please do have a look at RB's back posts. It's not for me - or anyone - to say that you should ignore his views. But do take into account the whole story when considering what he says

rockingbilly

itsmeinnit123 wrote: »

Thank you for your quick responses

I shall phone them on Monday morning first thing and have them start the appeal proceedings

I hope that they do pay my DLA this Tuesday as its always used for a specific bill and it will cause all sorts of issues if they have stopped the money at such short notice...its a real worry to me now til I physically see it in my bank account

I will also contact the local CAB to arrange a home visit to help me get this mess sorted out cos DWP have medical evidence equivalent to half a dozen copies of War & Peace that back up my claim for PIP

The speed of the decision concerns me, just 8 days from assessment to refusal and then taking 7 days for the refusal letter to reach me...I do not understand that at all and have to question if they really read the assessment report properly....the lady who did it was very nice, she helped me up off the bed (I cannot use my sofa as too low, so had the bed moved into the lounge and am living in one room, the bed height is very high....the brace used on one knee is a straight leg one, the knee cannot be bent, so the high bed is the only thing I can use to sit on comfortably and get onto and off of without too much struggle). My bathroom is a mass of grabrails, I have a shower bench etc.....

I just feel that they did not read anything they were given and just gave a sweep of the proverbial red pen....

I would be extremely grateful if you let us know if you manage to persuade the CAB to carry out a home visit. My experience is that it is hard enough to get to see them in their offices.

itsmeinnit123

rockingbilly wrote: »

I would be extremely grateful if you let us know if you manage to persuade the CAB to carry out a home visit. My experience is that it is hard enough to get to see them in their offices.

The adviser who passed away worked for the CAB and was held very highly by them and it has it in the notes from my previous sessions that a home visit is required....that said, I dare say I will need to persuade them to carry out a home visit again this time but since they hold outreach sessions, a home visit is not entirely impossible

NeilCr

itsmeinnit123 wrote: »

The adviser who passed away worked for the CAB and was held very highly by them and it has it in the notes from my previous sessions that a home visit is required....that said, I dare say I will need to persuade them to carry out a home visit again this time but since they hold outreach sessions, a home visit is not entirely impossible

I sincerely hope you can.

Most CABs I am aware of are struggling in terms of having enough volunteers, funding, support etc. I know we'd love to be able to make home visits but we just do not have the resources to do so.

I wish you very well with your MR/appeal. Please, please do take heed of the advice/information that Alice provides. She knows what she is talking about!

rockingbilly

NeilCr wrote: »

I sincerely hope you can.

Most CABs I am aware of are struggling in terms of having enough volunteers, funding, support etc. I know we'd love to be able to make home visits but we just do not have the resources to do so.

I wish you very well with your MR/appeal. Please, please do take heed of the advice/information that Alice provides. She knows what she is talking about!

As I have said even trying to get an appointment in their office is hard especially where time limits have been imposed by the DWP to submit documents.

NeilCr

rockingbilly wrote: »

As I have said even trying to get an appointment in their office is hard especially where time limits have been imposed by the DWP to submit documents.

And as I have said many CABs are mainly staffed by volunteers and are under extreme pressure - both in terms of the number of people to be seen (in my area we are the only advice centre and everybody, literally everybody, refers clients to us) and in resources

Quite a few CABs run a "triage" drop in service. Giving out appointments to people who just call and ask for one is difficult. In my experience, anyway, folks quite often don't turn up for them - and, sometimes, the problem is pretty straightforward to sort out and doesn't need the time allocated to an appointment.

NeilCr

rockingbilly wrote: »

And it's those 'appointments' that are so far ahead in time that the DWP documentation will have had to be returned BEFORE the appointment comes around as in my case.- appointment date was still 5 days beyond the extension of 7 days given by the DWP when the form had to be returned. I was one of those that never turned up for the appointment - there was no point in going, the damage had already been done.

Incidentally that is subject to a complaint I sent to the DWP recently - that they should have given me 14 days as in giving me 7 days they prejudiced my right and entitlement to obtain professional help and advice.

I can't speak for your local CAB but if we have a client with a timescale we will do our level best to fit them in

Unfortunately, it is the case that clients don't always get in touch with us as soon as they get their paperwork which can make it harder to get the appointment on time.

I do hope that you contacted your CAB and cancelled your appointment. As someone just "not turning up" as you say you did means a waste of an a precious appointment that could have been given to someone else

rockingbilly

NeilCr wrote: »

I can't speak for your local CAB but if we have a client with a timescale we will do our level best to fit them in

Unfortunately, it is the case that clients don't always get in touch with us as soon as they get their paperwork which can make it harder to get the appointment on time.

I do hope that you contacted your CAB and cancelled your appointment. As someone just "not turning up" as you say you did means a waste of an a precious appointment that could have been given to someone else

In my case I telephoned the CAB the same day the from arrived and was told to queue up before 9am to see if you can get in. First morning I failed, second morning I was one of the lucky few that got in. Then had a quick chat with a lady and told to go home as they will be in touch to come back for the appointment. By the time the appointment came through - well as I have said - it was 12 days after when the PIP2 had to be back with the DWP. I then telephoned the DWP and asked for an extension and was given 7 days which I though was the maximum. This still made it 5 days after the form had to be back in. I then contacted the Jobcentre and a guy there told me to come in and he would get someone to help me. Fat lot of good that was.

No I didn't cancel the appointment I was too annoyed with everybody including the CAB for dropping me in the proverbial. The CAB knew the old date it had to be back, yet that was the only appointment they had.

NeilCr

rockingbilly wrote: »

No I didn't cancel the appointment I was too annoyed with everybody including the CAB for dropping me in the proverbial. The CAB knew the old date it had to be back, yet that was the only appointment they had.

I rest my case

A councillor (apparently) who cares more about himself than others.

nannytone_2

rockingbilly wrote: »

In my case I telephoned the CAB the same day the from arrived and was told to queue up before 9am to see if you can get in. First morning I failed, second morning I was one of the lucky few that got in. Then had a quick chat with a lady and told to go home as they will be in touch to come back for the appointment. By the time the appointment came through - well as I have said - it was 12 days after when the PIP2 had to be back with the DWP. I then telephoned the DWP and asked for an extension and was given 7 days which I though was the maximum. This still made it 5 days after the form had to be back in. I then contacted the Jobcentre and a guy there told me to come in and he would get someone to help me. Fat lot of good that was.

No I didn't cancel the appointment I was too annoyed with everybody including the CAB for dropping me in the proverbial. The CAB knew the old date it had to be back, yet that was the only appointment they had.

IF you think that people that post on this forum in order to gain some advice/insight into problems they are having.....
then you need to SHUT UP.

thread after thread, you hijack the OP's questions and continue to suit your own brand of drivel.

it was boring and inconsistent the first time you posted.

now all you are doing is being unfair to people that MAY be able to receive necessary information