Letter from DWP PIP

kkkklinky

I've just received a strange letter out of the blue stating that my partner will no longer need to attend assessments and has been put in the Severe Disability Group.. is this a real thing? Sounds too good to be true but the letter looks real and has his NI Number on it.

The letter claims that because his Dr claimed he is unlikely to improve and he gets an  Enhanced PIP award he will no longer be required to have assessments.

p00hsticks

Was it addressed to you or him ? 
Are you his appointee ?

kkkklinky

I phoned PIP it was a genuine letter so good news. 

No I'm not his appointee but have been advised to become one by the DWP since he cannot engage well with other people or manage his finances. The letter was addressed to him.

poppy12345

I've never heard of the severe conditions group for PIP. I thought this only applied to ESA or UC for the work capability assessment. I thought the longest PIP award was 10 years ongoing with a light touch review. 

Jyana

Info on it, including conditions included and how it is applied, can be found here

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/severe-disability-group-test-information-for-clinicians/severe-disability-group-test-information-for-clinicians

HillStreetBlues

I believe it was introduced so there would be a a group for the "most severe conditions" so the (current) Government could then say it was helping those with the "most severe conditions" the long term plan was then trying to get more people into work and looking to reducing benefits for those not in that group.
 

Jyana

HillStreetBlues said:

I believe it was introduced so there would be a a group for the "most severe conditions" so the (current) Government could then say it was helping those with the "most severe conditions" the long term plan was then trying to get more people into work and looking to reducing benefits for those not in that group.
 

Yep, that is the feeling for many. That this is the start of catagorising levels of disability, and therefore the level of needs people will have once placed in whatever catagory. People tend to complain less if change is gradual, and this feels like the start of a gradual change.

Spoonie_Turtle

kkkklinky said:

HillStreetBlues said:

Jyana said:

  People tend to complain less if change is gradual, and this feels like the start of a gradual change.

Classic salami tactics.
Also classic divide and conquer, first you try and divide non-disabled against disabled people by the use of emotive words, then divide the disabled people.

Do want to say to OP glad your partner is in the new group and hope it makes their disability easier to deal with hopefully less stress.

I am glad he no longer has to worry but I  find it very strange a Schizophrenic was put in this group, especially with all the anti mental health rhetoric being spewed at the current time.

An isolated example of the system working as it's ostensibly supposed to - shows it *can* be done, so there's no excuse to fail other people.

And I too am very glad for you both, that he will no longer be subjected to assessments.

Spoonie_Turtle

kkkklinky said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

kkkklinky said:

HillStreetBlues said:

Jyana said:

  People tend to complain less if change is gradual, and this feels like the start of a gradual change.

Classic salami tactics.
Also classic divide and conquer, first you try and divide non-disabled against disabled people by the use of emotive words, then divide the disabled people.

Do want to say to OP glad your partner is in the new group and hope it makes their disability easier to deal with hopefully less stress.

I am glad he no longer has to worry but I  find it very strange a Schizophrenic was put in this group, especially with all the anti mental health rhetoric being spewed at the current time.

An isolated example of the system working as it's ostensibly supposed to - shows it *can* be done, so there's no excuse to fail other people.

And I too am very glad for you both, that he will no longer be subjected to assessments.

The DWP or whoever is responsible for this SDG actually went out of their way to put him in this group as he wasn't even up for review until next year, he had 17 months left on his claim. I am definitely grateful but find separating disabilities into certain groups troubling since it sends the implications that others are more "able".

On the face of it it doesn't seem to be any different from lifetime DLA awards, unless I'm missing something?  

Of course there's the potential for any hostile government to twist it into meaning things that it doesn't - which they already do plenty of - but this by itself seems eminently sensible to me, to save everyone time, effort/stress and money by acknowledging that some people will never stop needing a level of support that more than qualifies for an enhanced award.

(And in reality disabled people are already put into categories by some genuinely not qualifying for disability benefits, and others qualifying for different rates.  So far, to my knowledge, standard vs enhanced isn't widely used as a shorthand for making a distinction, aside from Motability eligibility.)


That is amazing they proactively looked at his case!  Brilliant.

kkkklinky

Thanks...I have to be honest and say me and my partner have never had a bad experience with the DWP/Capita regarding assessments for ESA and PIP and benefits in general. Sad to hear others have such bad experiences hopefully things will change for the better.

Danien

Interesting. My illness is on there, but I need to worsen a little and be on the next medication (which I get in a couple of months) and no more reviews. That's a good thing to know as it's one less stress when we're very sick. At the moment they insist on assessing me every 2 years which is frustrating as in effect the review is about 18 months after the previous decision.

OP, this is great news for your partner who has enough to deal with right now without having to worry about PIP assessments.