New member (Hi everybody) with a question on benefits

TBI_SurvivorDWP_Victim

During September 2016 I was a victim of assault and suffered a serious head injury which involved life saving brain surgery carried out by surgeons in Hull Royal Infirmary, God bless them.

From that day onward I didn't return to work. I used existing holidays before rolling into 'being on the sick'. Then onto SSP. Then the SSP time limit came and I used the completed form my employer sent, as should happen in such circumstances, to apply to DWP for benefits etc. This is during April this year.

Now, I never really looked into benefit entitlement as such but, given I was following protocol, I knew I was entitled to something so I left it to them and assumed all was good. I'm 6 months post brain surgery at this point. Benefits were not highest of my priorities as you can imagine. Time passes. Through speaking to the professionals around me about the reality of my position, I find myself applying for PIP.

7 months into recovery I get invited to a PIP assessment, they cancel and reschedule 4 weeks later.

8 months into recovery I attend a PIP assessment. This day will always stick in my memory. Due to the extent and manner of my injury, and how amazing my recovery has been, I have severe PTSD, anxiety issues and survivor syndrome. I was sat in the waiting room and 2 blind people walked in, I was courteous, asked if I could help and gave them my seat, because I'd sat on the first row. I then sat on the back row and watched these people and I began to cry. How did I get here? All because of 1 persons actions.

9 months into recovery and I receive my PIP score, zero.

I talk to people around me, because I am still in recovery and I need to take the easiest path, it's agreed that to speak to Welfare Rights or CAB is the best option. I didn't contest my score for the same reasons.

12 months into recovery I attend an appointment with Welfare Rights. I sit and talk with a lady who directs the conversation along the same path as the PIP assessment follows and it results in me being told I am entitled to enhanced rates. I'm told she will be writing to DWP referencing my original application.

13 months into recovery. Today. I've had enough. I was due a 'health assessment' with DWP September 25th but they cancelled an hour before quoting consultations are over running. Weeks of anxiety for nothing, thanks. So today my rescheduled health assessment arrives. I ring them up with the attitude of; come on, we're 6 months in now, what's going on. Long story short, no letter has been received and as far as they're concerned my PIP application ended in July. Naturally I chase up Welfare Rights. "You'll receive a call within 5 days". Right. Massive stress. Why am I in this position and having to fight for what I am being told I am entitled too.

Since April I have received £70 per week. Before injury I was project engineer for the largest land based crane anywhere (which is actually being dismantled where Earls Court used to be as we speak). A bit of fortune in my favour was the judge in Crown Court ordered a monthly payment of £300 until I receive £5000. This compensation does help. But when I contested the reason as to why I was only receiving £283 with the courts, because court results state £300, they tell me I'm actually lucky to be receiving anything because if the assailant doesn't pay, I receive nothing. I am depending on the person who ruined my life to pay his court fees. I'm sure you get the picture.

I had an independent occupational therapy session regarding my employment. The report confirms I am in no position to return to work and as a result I have a meeting to lose my job. Which again comes down to my injuries suffered alone.

I am told by Welfare Rights and professional assessors I can't work because I'm seriously ill. I am currently under epilepsy investigation and have blood clot issues amongst many other problems like loss of taste, smell and vision in one eye. I haven't even started on my mental state. But DWP score me zero. They're the ones who hold the key. I've been told by sentencing the assailant the government is liable for my welfare, I think that's where CICA must of been born too, but I'm 13 months into coming back from the dead, literally, and I'm in receipt of £70 per week ESA and forced into depending on the person I like the least on earth for realistic welfare finance.

My question, Welfare Rights didn't seem to do anything, I am on the verge of giving up, I am not healthy enough to fight the DWP machine, can anybody direct me to a point of contact that can actually help? Please. Thank you for taking the time to read. M.

NeilCr

The obvious one is CAB

But I do think you should find out from Welfare Rights what has happened. It’s not unknown for paperwork to go astray at the DWP. If they have written to DWP (I am guessing from the timeline and the story that it would have been a Mandatory Reconsideration) they will have a copy and could resurrect the case for you

Personally, and I have done quite a few PIP applications, I am very wary of telling an applicant that they are entitled to anything. You can’t be 100% sure and it creates expectations

I do hope this gets sorted out for you. Good luck

pmlindyloo

I am very sorry that you have been through such a rough time.

The next part, you will not want to hear........
If I have read your post correctly you did not apply for PIP and ESA until April 2017. You have already had your PIP assessment and scored nil points. You are yet to have your ESA assessment.

I am sorry but these are fairly average waiting times for PIP and ESA assessments. (Apologies to everyone waiting far longer than this.)

Neither PIP or ESA have rapid decision times unless your doctor submits a form which says that your life expectancy is likely to be 6 months.

It is difficult to accept this but for everyone who posts on here regularly we have come to accept that this is the case.

You must concentrate on making sure that your PIP reconsideration has been received. It is good that you have someone to represent you so keep 'nagging' them to find out what is going on.

Your MP may be interested in your story and may step in to get things moving. Some people have had good results by contacting their MPs.

Your health has been devastated by what has happened to you and we all sympathise. Many people posting on here have not asked to be ill and are going through much of what you are going through.

On a practical level are you coping financially as there may be other suggestions we can come up with?

BorisThomson

It reads to me that your PIP MR was submitted three months after the decision. Unless you had good reason for leaving it this long, your claim would have been closed because you were out of time. You would need to start a new claim.

(You would be better to put the relevant month than x months into recovery, it is very difficult to follow your timings.)

NeilCr

BorisThomson wrote: »

It reads to me that your PIP MR was submitted three months after the decision. Unless you had good reason for leaving it this long, your claim would have been closed because you were out of time. You would need to start a new claim.

(You would be better to put the relevant month than x months into recovery, it is very difficult to follow your timings.)

Agreed. I was making the assumption that Welfare Rights had found what they considered was a good reason for the delay and outlined it in the Mandatory Reconsideration

I do think the starting point is checking out with Welfare Rights just where they think the OP’s PIP application/MR is at. OP I know five days sounds a long time but organisations like Welfare Rights and CAB are under huge pressure and, sometimes, swamped with clients

I’d also agree that it was quite hard to follow the timeline

TBI_SurvivorDWP_Victim

Thank you so much for your replies.

I don't have the energy to play the game any more. They think I'm fine. I guess this is why they say I've got an invisible disease.

I'm going to leave posting on here behind me too. To try and deal with my new mind, because I'm a different person now, I use a lot of meditation techniques and have moved away from lots and of negatives in my life. The DWP are currently the most detrimental thing for my health. I don't need it. I would choose to have no money over dealing with it. It's too hard. So I'm not playing their game and I won't receive what, as said above, I may or may not be entitled too. That being said, if a professional can assess me to the point where their report says I may "never work again for the rest of my life", and the same report be used to end my employment contract... then I would love to go and sit in with the PIP assessor training programme, they must be trained by the best.

I'm too low to even read up over what I've said. I have seizures where I go blank frequently so I have to recheck everything I'm doing. But I'm walking away from the circus so what is the point?

Thanks again for replies. Good bye