Work advising me to ask PIP to be re-looked at

LonelyLostGirl

Hi,

Bit of a long story but will try and keep brief.

I receive PIP, HRC and SRM.

I have had a company car for over 7 years. I relied on cruise control to drive but due to an error, new car received in Jan does not have and is causing me extreme issues. As it's a fleet leased car, nothing can be done except hand it back before the agreed term.

Work think I should try and get HRM in my PIP so I can get a motability car but I'm really scared that I will lose the full claim as I've read lots of stories about this. I'm really worried, I need to sort car issue asap as it's having a major effect on my body but don't know what to do for the best.
I don't have any capital to buy a decent vehicle that meets my needs and I know I would not qualify for a loan at the moment.

Is it worth me asking for the PIP re-assessment?

TIA

poppy12345

LonelyLostGirl wrote: »

Hi,

Bit of a long story but will try and keep brief.

I receive PIP, HRC and SRM.

I have had a company car for over 7 years. I relied on cruise control to drive but due to an error, new car received in Jan does not have and is causing me extreme issues. As it's a fleet leased car, nothing can be done except hand it back before the agreed term.

Work think I should try and get HRM in my PIP so I can get a motability car but I'm really scared that I will lose the full claim as I've read lots of stories about this. I'm really worried, I need to sort car issue asap as it's having a major effect on my body but don't know what to do for the best.
I don't have any capital to buy a decent vehicle that meets my needs and I know I would not qualify for a loan at the moment.

Is it worth me asking for the PIP re-assessment?

TIA

It's a risk and personally i wouldn't take that risk. How many points did you score on mobility? if it was 10//11 then maybe it's worth the risk. If it was 8 then i'd think seriously about it. Criteria is 20 m or less without pain and discomfort. When is award award due for renewal? Lots to consider because you do risk losing what you already have. Reporting changes means they'll send you another PIP2 form where as waiting for a renewal you can the shortened version for the PIP2 and much easier to fill in.

GlasweJen

I really don't think it's your works place to comment on your PIP award, do they realise you gamble losing the whole lot if you ask them to look at it?

I'd be more inclined to speak to your doctor and ask them what they think before going near the DWP.

BorisThomson

Your employer has a duty to make reasonable adjustments (assuming you qualify as disabled, which seems most likely). Shifting the burden to you is not a reasonable adjustment.

fed_up_and_stressed

Have you had an access to work assessment? Maybe that could help.

dippy3103

BorisThomson wrote: »

Your employer has a duty to make reasonable adjustments (assuming you qualify as disabled, which seems most likely). Shifting the burden to you is not a reasonable adjustment.

Agreed... plus you may not qualify for High rate.

Perhaps they could pay you the car allowance and you make your own purchase?

Muttleythefrog

Sounds like you're going to ask them to re-assess entitlement by reporting changes to your medical circumstances... before taking the step I would be sure you have decent evidence of the changes and that you can meet the criteria for HRM. Agree with other comments about employer... unless they have good knowledge regarding PIP then it could seem they're trying to shift burden of reasonable adjustments onto you in your private life.

Silver_Shark

fed_up_and_stressed wrote: »

Have you had an access to work assessment? Maybe that could help.

Just adding a link for the OP

https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work/overview

ohreally

LonelyLostGirl wrote: »

I have had a company car for over 7 years. I relied on cruise control to drive but due to an error, new car received in Jan does not have and is causing me extreme issues.

The company needs to sort this out, nothing to do with you and your PIP arrangement or do I have the wrong end of the stick?

teddysmum

Muttleythefrog wrote: »

Sounds like you're going to ask them to re-assess entitlement by reporting changes to your medical circumstances... before taking the step I would be sure you have decent evidence of the changes and that you can meet the criteria for HRM. Agree with other comments about employer... unless they have good knowledge regarding PIP then it could seem they're trying to shift burden of reasonable adjustments onto you in your private life.

The OP has not mentioned any change in their health, so there are ,surely, no grounds for an increase in payment.


Rather, it is the employers who have failed to provide an adjustment that they previously made and so expect the taxpayers to fund their omission by providing a car, when the OP was managing ok with the old car.

LonelyLostGirl

Hi,

Thanks so much for all the replies. My award is due for renewal in 2018 I think so assume I will have to renew soon.
I had an access to work assessment approx 2 years ago and some adjustments were made, one of which was the car to be an automatic when it renewed. The car I already had at the time had cruise control which I was basically using as a hand control. The new car was an automatic but didn't have the cruise control that I was expecting but I should have checked this. I was naive in assuming the model they put on the form would have it seeing as we had agreed it but I didn't check.

In regards to my health, technically I should have qualified for HRM last time but I was just so happy to get an award at all, I wasn't about to quibble! I have declined since my original assessment, just driving the current car has made it worse in itself.
The difficulty is that I have a variable condition and although I am always in pain when walking, one day I can walk, the next I can't at all. I really don't want to lose my current award so if the majority thinks it's too much of a risk then I won't ask for another assessment.

There is no way that work will do anything about the current car, they have looked into it and it's the lease company that won't allow it, I even offered to pay for it to be fitted.

It looks like my only option is to try and find something cheap that can accommodate my needs which is what I thought might be the case. I've got some time off coming up so will use the time to do some research.

Thanks again x