Questions about PIP

poppy12345

"I think newcomers to this forum need to bear in mind that this is a public site on which anyone can post. You can't assume information is trustworthy, indeed some posters are known to disrupt, post disinformation, and tell tall stories.

I would caution newcomers to be wary of any advice supplied that doesn't contain a link to an authoritative site. Such sites include adviceguide, entitled to, turn2us, revenuebenefits.
Accredited benefit advice is available from local advice agencies such as Citizens Advice.

Please don't take horror stories about benefit assessments, appeals etc at face value. There are posters on here who whose aim seems to be to alarm, frighten, and generally dissuade OP's from pursuing sensible actions to claim / regain the right benefits.

Harmful and misleading posters are easily identified by the reaction to their posts

seven-day-weekend

Danday wrote: »

Can I add a little there which may help.
You mention that she doesn't understand complex instructions.

Have you suggested that given your example she be always given a list of things to do or get as opposed to being told and having to remember them?

Myself and many others I know have to write down the itinerary of where to go and what to do when they get there. It solves the problem of forgetting. I never leave the house without such a list - go the chemist to collect a prescription, then the newsagent to get two bottles of milk (one green the other blue caps) and a newspaper, then go to the post office to post the birthday card and finally pick up granddaughter from school at 3pm.

With my PIP claim I make no mention of that difficulty as it has been resolved in its entirety.

She often does have a list. That was just an example.

seven-day-weekend

Well for better or worse, the form is posted.

We took the advice of this discussion and took out anything mentioning 50%. We added a lot more about her conditions, both physical and mental, things she finds difficult. We mentioned in detail how she has to ask friends and family for help in understanding what to most people are everyday scenarios, about how she doesn't 'get' body language or understand certain types of humour and does not know whether people are lying or not. Also other things like not understanding official letters and forms and having to have them explained to her. She has outlined the distress and anxiety that many social situations cause her. Other things too, she has filled up the form and used a separate continuation sheet.

We mentioned how her eardrum problem causes her to lose balance and fall which could put her in danger in the kitchen, bath, shower or outside and that she can not hear the tv and has to use subtitles.

She also now has found her Ed Psych report and sent a copy of that in with the form.

Thanks all for your help. I will update the thread as and when.

poppy12345

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Well for better or worse, the form is posted.

Did your son ring DWP for extra time? If not then i'd advice he do this today. You said it has to be there by Friday, which is tomorrow. The form won't arrive by this date as you've only recently posted it. If it doesn't arrive then the DLA payments will stop.

seven-day-weekend

poppy12345 wrote: »

Did your son ring DWP for extra time? If not then i'd advice he do this today. You said it has to be there by Friday, which is tomorrow. The form won't arrive by this date as you've only recently posted it. If it doesn't arrive then the DLA payments will stop.

My son's partner did, yes. It is her claim

seven-day-weekend

UPDATE:

As many of you predicted, she got zero points.

She now has the CAB helping her for the mandatory consideration/appeal and they have pointed out things that she needs to include.

They also pointed out that the assessor was wrong when she told my son (her partner) that he could not speak on her behalf in her face-to-face interview.

The assessor also ignored the letter that said she had a scribe and a mentor at Uni, and a private personal tutor to help her and said she had 'no problems' at Uni.

The interview was disastrous. Yes, because much of her problems are to do with communication! This is why she needed my son there, to 'translate' to the assessor what she actually meant.

Anyway, hopefully the CAB will be able to help her and she will win on reconsideration/appeal. They have said that if she has to go to tribunal, then Welfare Rights will represent her.

Thanks all for your help.

poppy12345

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

UPDATE:

They also pointed out that the assessor was wrong when she told my son (her partner) that he could not speak on her behalf in her face-to-face interview.

If your son is her appointee then yes he could have spoken on her behalf. If he isn't then i'm afraid the CAB adviser is incorrect here and he wouldn't have been able to speak on her behalf if he isn't her appointee. Some HCP will let you prompt them but not speak for them during the whole assessment.

Did she score any points at all? If not then it's unlikely that the decision will be changed at MR stage, mostly decisions remain the same. If she does get as far as Tribunal then appearing in person will give her the best chance of a decision in her favour. Again, unless she has an appointee then she will have to speak for herself during the Tribunal. Good luck.

pmlindyloo

From the PIP Assessment Guide:

Companions at consultations
1.6.50 Claimants have a right to be accompanied to a face-to-face consultation if they so wish. Claimants should be encouraged to bring another person with them to consultations where they would find this helpful !!!8211; for example, to reassure them or to help them during the consultation. The person chosen is at the discretion of the claimant and might be, but is not limited to, a parent, family member, friend, carer or advocate.
1.6.51 Consultations should predominantly be between the HP and the claimant. However, the companions may play an active role in helping claimants answer questions where the claimant or HP wishes them to do so. HPs should allow a companion to contribute and should record any evidence they provide. This may be particularly important where the claimant has a mental, cognitive or intellectual impairment. In such cases the claimant may not be able to give an accurate account of their health condition or impairment, through a lack of insight or unrealistic expectations of their own ability. In such cases it will be essential to get an accurate account from the companion.
1.6.52 However, the involvement of companions should be handled appropriately by the HP. It is essential that the HP!!!8217;s advice considers the details given by the claimant and the companion and whether one or both are understating or overstating the needs. If the presence of a companion becomes disruptive to the consultation, the HP may ask them to leave. However, this should be avoided wherever possible.

poppy12345

That may be the case, however a lot the time the HCP will not let the companion speak on behalf of the claimant unless they are their appointee.

If a person has a mental, cognitive or intellectual impairment then they should have an appointee.

seven-day-weekend

Fancy not letting someone have help when their main problems are to do with communication.

She will get so anxious at any interview that she will just say anything to get it over and done with, as well as not properly understanding the questions nor being able to explain things correctly.

How does one get an appointee?