PIP was 2nd claim with new conditions but from 15 April 2025 new 3rd claim as advised.

peteuk

tifo said:

peteuk said:

As born_again says it is the same assessment.  The only thing they cant do is the physical assessment (for obvious reasons) however post Covid all the assessments initially went to telephone calls. I believe they have restarted face to face. 

Face to face would need you to visit an assessment centre (as did all assessments pre Covid) it is rare that they do home visits and this is usually to venerable clients.   You probably wont get a home visit because the telephone assessment will cover all the aspects of the assessment. 

You can all but ask!  

My previous assessment in September 2021 was face to face.

The reason I want a face to face appointment is so that I can show the assessor anything i may need to, such as the affects of gout or osteoarthritis or raynauds or how i am with my eye condition. I can only say so much over the telephone but it's not the same.

And in your own words your gout isn’t a problem at present…

Muttleythefrog

tifo said:

peteuk said:

As born_again says it is the same assessment.  The only thing they cant do is the physical assessment (for obvious reasons) however post Covid all the assessments initially went to telephone calls. I believe they have restarted face to face. 

Face to face would need you to visit an assessment centre (as did all assessments pre Covid) it is rare that they do home visits and this is usually to venerable clients.   You probably wont get a home visit because the telephone assessment will cover all the aspects of the assessment. 

You can all but ask!  

My previous assessment in September 2021 was face to face.

The reason I want a face to face appointment is so that I can show the assessor anything i may need to, such as the affects of gout or osteoarthritis or raynauds or how i am with my eye condition. I can only say so much over the telephone but it's not the same.

I don't think it'd particularly help you to have an in person assessment unless you had specific difficulties describing your problems over phone. Your job is to describe how you are disabled relevant to PIP activities.. as others have said.. this is not a medical exam... and you need to focus on exactly what is affecting you now regarding this application. For goodness sake don't indulge, in forms or assessment, issues of past or that don't cause contemporary disablement. Use the fact it is by phone to your advantage... you can describe any physical manifestation of disablement without so much concern for what they are looking at or seeing... you can refer to notes or forms. Bear in mind these assessments can be short or long... there's very mixed experience out there...generally the longer the better... regardless there is a pressure of time (on the assessor)... but it is your assessment... and I hope your completed form is an excellent reference point as the activities are gone through.

born_again

tifo said:

i've got a telephone appointment mid March but i wanted a face to face appointment as it's easier (i think) to get my points across and show the affects of my conditions rather than explain over the telephone.

can i get it changed?

Did you manage to get it changed?

tifo

born_again said:

tifo said:

i've got a telephone appointment mid March but i wanted a face to face appointment as it's easier (i think) to get my points across and show the affects of my conditions rather than explain over the telephone.

can i get it changed?

Did you manage to get it changed?

The advice is to leave it at a telephone assessment so i've not asked them yet.

tifo

I've had my telephone assessment and it was about 1 hr 30 mins .... the appointment was late by 1 hr 10 mins .... but they did call 10 mins before the appointment time to ask if it can be 45 mins late, then called again at that time to say it will be another 10-15 mins. I said that's fine.

The assessor went through each condition and how it affects me and asked about each medication and any side affects (I don't know of any). I think it went OK but i know they'll catch me out on many things, for example i said i go shopping when i can and they'll say this means you can walk X metres or I said i drive a manual car when i can (and don't drive when i can't) but they'll say i'm ok driving a manual car for mobility. But the assessor did prompt me many times and i said "oh, i didn't think of that".

I did mention my OCD which i hadn't thought to put on the form, this was when asked about mixing with people and being in public spaces. But this affects me a lot, if i touch anything, i have to wash my hands with handwash immediately or am worked up until i do, for example letters come and i put them inside and immediately go wash my hands, i explained that i think about the journey the letters have taken and how much bacteria or germs they've collected or if i shake hands with someone then i'm worked up until i can wash my hands because i think how many germs or bacteria the person had on their hands and what they've touched etc etc, for public spaces i said i don't like to meet new people because i have low self esteem and confidence or want to see anyone i know and literally hide so i don't have to meet them (this is true), i don't like sitting on public seats because i don't know what dirt and germs are on them and never use public transport, the assessor asked when was the last time i used public transport and i said a train 6 years ago as it was at the time my eye condition was very bad and i couldn't get a lift but i had to go to a court hearing (my mortgage provider was totally unhelpful). In the end the assessor said i should go see my GP about the OCD. At home i always have at least 5 handwash bottles so i don't run out!

I asked about the possible outcome but the assessor said it will be for the DWP case manager to decide, they can't tell me. I said "you must have an idea" but they wouldn't say. I got a text from DWP PIP an hour later saying they've received the report and will let me know within 8 weeks. I thought that was quick and take it as bad news as the assessor may have just ticked boxes and given 0 points for everything, like last time.

born_again

Ring pip & ask for a copy. It will list the points on there.

peteuk

tifo said:

I've had my telephone assessment and it was about 1 hr 30 mins .... the appointment was late by 1 hr 10 mins .... but they did call 10 mins before the appointment time to ask if it can be 45 mins late, then called again at that time to say it will be another 10-15 mins. I said that's fine.

The assessor went through each condition and how it affects me and asked about each medication and any side affects (I don't know of any). I think it went OK but i know they'll catch me out on many things, for example i said i go shopping when i can and they'll say this means you can walk X metres or I said i drive a manual car when i can (and don't drive when i can't) but they'll say i'm ok driving a manual car for mobility. But the assessor did prompt me many times and i said "oh, i didn't think of that".

I did mention my OCD which i hadn't thought to put on the form, this was when asked about mixing with people and being in public spaces. But this affects me a lot, if i touch anything, i have to wash my hands with handwash immediately or am worked up until i do, for example letters come and i put them inside and immediately go wash my hands, i explained that i think about the journey the letters have taken and how much bacteria or germs they've collected or if i shake hands with someone then i'm worked up until i can wash my hands because i think how many germs or bacteria the person had on their hands and what they've touched etc etc, for public spaces i said i don't like to meet new people because i have low self esteem and confidence or want to see anyone i know and literally hide so i don't have to meet them (this is true), i don't like sitting on public seats because i don't know what dirt and germs are on them and never use public transport, the assessor asked when was the last time i used public transport and i said a train 6 years ago as it was at the time my eye condition was very bad and i couldn't get a lift but i had to go to a court hearing (my mortgage provider was totally unhelpful). In the end the assessor said i should go see my GP about the OCD. At home i always have at least 5 handwash bottles so i don't run out!

I asked about the possible outcome but the assessor said it will be for the DWP case manager to decide, they can't tell me. I said "you must have an idea" but they wouldn't say. I got a text from DWP PIP an hour later saying they've received the report and will let me know within 8 weeks. I thought that was quick and take it as bad news as the assessor may have just ticked boxes and given 0 points for everything, like last time.

Firstly these are all standard issue questions.  From what youve said there is nothing out of the ordinary.

You are right in saying if you can go shopping you can walk X meters, there is a formula which is used to calculate the distance you walk if you provide them a time eg I walk for 10 minutes and then stop for 10 minuted.  Shopping takes me 2 hours.  It gives them a better understanding of your pace of walking and then distance you can walk. 

It does come down to majority of the time.  For instance if you say I can walk 200 meters normally, but when my arthritic ankle flairs I cant get out the house due to pain, they will then look at your good and bad days.  If you say bad days are 4/7 days then it means you’re less likely to walk 200 meters and more likely the 20.  

Although the DM would rarely change the assessment outcome, it would be wrong for the assessor to advise you, if then the DM does change it.   Again this is not a you thing this is normal.  Even scores aren’t allow to be given. 

Some people on here advocate getting a copy of your report before the DM makes the decision as this then maximises the time you have to appeal.  Personally I would wait until the decision is made and then go from there. 

tifo

should i ask for the assessment report, which may tell me what points i've got, or wait for the decision, which could be many weeks?

Muttleythefrog

tifo said:

should i ask for the assessment report, which may tell me what points i've got, or wait for the decision, which could be many weeks?

Get the report.... there are so many reasons to do this. Remember the report is not the decision which could take weeks as you say... but it likely will be relied on by the Decision Maker at the DWP.

I'm not sure how the OCD related problems will play out in terms of assessment... obviously you communicated a lot of disablement that you presumably did not mention on your form... the fact they seemed interested and to listen is perhaps helpful.

tifo

peteuk said:

Firstly these are all standard issue questions.  From what youve said there is nothing out of the ordinary.

You are right in saying if you can go shopping you can walk X meters, there is a formula which is used to calculate the distance you walk if you provide them a time eg I walk for 10 minutes and then stop for 10 minuted.  Shopping takes me 2 hours.  It gives them a better understanding of your pace of walking and then distance you can walk. 

Some people on here advocate getting a copy of your report before the DM makes the decision as this then maximises the time you have to appeal.  Personally I would wait until the decision is made and then go from there. 

"You are right in saying if you can go shopping you can walk X meters, there is a formula which is used to calculate the distance you walk if you provide them a time eg I walk for 10 minutes and then stop for 10 minuted.  Shopping takes me 2 hours.  It gives them a better understanding of your pace of walking and then distance you can walk."

Yeah, the assessor kept asking how many times i go shopping and how long for.

"Some people on here advocate getting a copy of your report before the DM makes the decision as this then maximises the time you have to appeal.  Personally I would wait until the decision is made and then go from there."

If the assessment report gives points then i'll know the outcome and can plan an MR appeal or tribunal, but it was more for me to be able to make an appointment with Shelter because they take so long. If i wait for the decision letter (if it's a straight no and 0 points then in the past we've had it in 2 weeks) then ask Shelter i could wait 4 weeks from that, whereas if i ask Shelter now and see them in 4 weeks i haven't got the longer wait. I say this because i'd like them to help with an MR or tribunal rather than go it alone again.