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Question re PIP and Eating and Drinking
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Chair, Martin Lewis · Editor, Marcus Herbert
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Danday - All that really means is that 22% of claimants got an initial decision that they didn't agree with. Notice that of the 670,000 who submitted an MR request, 483,000 didn't go any further - presumably because a proportion of those got a different decision on MR, and a proportion realised that they didn't qualify after all.
In any case to follow your logic - using your own phrasing - the DWP managed to get the RIGHT decision in 78% of cases
So, once again people shouldn't panic over their PIP applications. Although some applicants do seem to have difficulty with the process (and those are the ones who tend to be represented here), the statistics suggest that - by far - the majority of applications result in the appropriate decision.
There is another aspect to this. I wonder how many of those that get an award and don't appeal had help from an outside agency either with the claim form, gathering evidence etc? Then there are those that know how the system works don't need additional help and go on to get the right result?
That just leaves the rest that muddle through the best they can and do not access help or advice.
On balance it should make no difference as the DWP and the assessors are supposed to be able to spot those that have extreme difficulty in accessing help, don't want to and/or down play their difficulties - they should not be penalised for it.
Err, no it doesn't actually. Less than 20% of MRs result in a change to the award. The DWP even manage to get a similar result in about one third of tribunal results.
So taking your numbers; "670,000 PIP claimants 22% of all claimants;have submitted an MR request since 2013, with 187,000 of those going on to appeal", this would mean that the DWP managed to get the wrong decision in 8% of cases.
(That's 20% times 670,000 plus one third of 187,000 over 3,045,000)
P.S. The latest PIP statistics can be found here
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/691552/pip-statistics-to-january-2018.pdf
To say I am relieved is an understatement! We have had to fight for literally everything over the years so these days I always assume that the first request (whatever it may be for) is just the start of the process and I was worried about PIP as I've heard so many bad stories (and I know many people have had/are having a bad experience).
Overall, though, it has been good all the way through. There was some initial information giving over the phone (and I'd been made my son's appointee prior to that as he had just turned 16). I filled all the forms in, lots of detail, I used the guides that were suggested and cross referenced everything I mentioned with a report so that there was evidence to support my statements. They wrote to me to say they were requesting more information from one of the people whose details I had provided and then a lady came out to the house to do a face to face assessment.
She was very nice; she said she was a paramedic and she had obviously read the reports and from the conversation we had and the way she was with my son she obviously 'got' his difficulties and I assume the fact that we got the award I felt he was entitled to means she reported back fairly and accurately.
It has taken roughly twelve weeks to go through, I think. They carried on paying his DLA throughout and his first PIP payment will come through in August.
I'm very relieved and happy not to be having to organise an appeal/mandatory reconsideration and son is very happy because I just gave him some extra pocket money to celebrate
Thank you again to everyone who helped; it is very much appreciated and I hope more people can have a good experience