Quick PIP Question

Amathyst

Thanks for the responses, yeah that's what I thought when I read it.

With regards to my last assessment report, there would be no point in them looking at it as a baseline because it was inaccurate and was disputed by the case manager, Capita then requested a GPFR from the wrong medical centre which they had no excuse for and it took them 2 months or so to rectify and because my award at that point was due to end and the case manager still hadn't received the necessary information, she went along with the report and lowered my PIP to standard/standard, MR of course failed and when we appealed the DWP overturned the decision without the need for a tribunal so I'm assuming that they read the GPFR at that point and my usual amount was reinstated for another 5 years.

The HCP tried to switch my award from being mainly about my mental health with some points for physical to being just about my physical, which was a bit silly because absolutely nothing had changed between assessments with my mental health apart from it getting worse, I'd had no treatment or anything else and what I'd tried previously hadn't helped which the DWP acknowledged and understood (to a degree), so the DWP switched a lot of points back to being about my mental health.

I'm hoping that they'll see that in my records.

Amathyst

For ESA I asked if I could redo my ESA50 as they were going off a 4 year old inaccurate form which was filled in by someone who was supposed to be someone who did it on a regular basis but they appeared to not know what they were doing, a GPFR was then requested and I was given a paper based assessment and moved to SG.

I did mention a the above in my review form, but didn't send a copy as I assumed that both departments communicated with each other and that each had access to your info with it being the DWP (if that makes sense) and to be quite honest, I didn't want to see the GPFR or ESA report for personal reasons.

peteuk

I can only go with the training I had as a PIP assessor, which was as described.  

Any supporting evidence sent in for previous assessments will be mentioned in the previous report.  The previous report is the baseline for a review.  I was also told not to take into account tribunal results.  I dont agree with this but it was how I was taught.

Certainly if you've sent 10 letters for your initial assessment and ten further letters for your review, then the assessor will look at the new 10 letters, But cant look at the 20 due to time constraints.  

In my experience they will not look at or have access to your ESA report.

Your last assessment seems complicated, I would try not to mention it during the assessment should you have one, as this may confuse the issue.

Muttleythefrog

peteuk said:

I can only go with the training I had as a PIP assessor, which was as described.  

Any supporting evidence sent in for previous assessments will be mentioned in the previous report.  The previous report is the baseline for a review.  I was also told not to take into account tribunal results.  I dont agree with this but it was how I was taught.

Certainly if you've sent 10 letters for your initial assessment and ten further letters for your review, then the assessor will look at the new 10 letters, But cant look at the 20 due to time constraints.  

In my experience they will not look at or have access to your ESA report.

Your last assessment seems complicated, I would try not to mention it during the assessment should you have one, as this may confuse the issue.

Unfortunately your training seems at odds with what is happening in assessments and decision making and certainly in recent times. (We've even had the lengthy issue of one user having had the reports/decisions of the alternative benefit used in negative fashion to give decisions including possibly at tribunal). In terms of ESA report.... well my advice would be for people to include any supportive evidence like this unless it contradicts their claimed problems in PIP form etc... otherwise indeed they may never see or consider it.

Given some awards are from appeal tribunals leaving any assessor or decision maker light on evidence in favour of simply looking at previous assessment report (which could be completely at odds with current award) could be a fatal error... something else reported.

The same by the way true of Work Capability Assessments which the user now raises... I've used PIP evidence.. in fact in my last ESA assessment the report describes what had happened at my PIP assessment (from the PIP report) and it directed the nature of the assessment itself in terms of risk. I'll screenshot an excerpt from that which also people should note included use of old medical reports and correspondence regarding getting permission to use a taxi. 

Amathyst

With regards to them using the report as a baseline from my experience with my last review I felt that the first assessment report was totally ignored by the HCP, not only that as I said previously, there would be no point in them using the last report as a baseline due to what I've explained previously, even the DWP disagreed with the report.

I also didn't have a tribunal, I appealed, DWP overturned their decision and the case was closed.

I wouldn't mention the last assessment, there would be no point as it was pretty much a waste of everyone's time and effort and the taxpayers money due to how it turned out. It was a s show from start to finish due to both Capita and the DWP's mess ups.

born_again

peteuk said:

I can only go with the training I had as a PIP assessor, which was as described.  

Any supporting evidence sent in for previous assessments will be mentioned in the previous report.  The previous report is the baseline for a review.  I was also told not to take into account tribunal results.  I dont agree with this but it was how I was taught.

Certainly if you've sent 10 letters for your initial assessment and ten further letters for your review, then the assessor will look at the new 10 letters, But cant look at the 20 due to time constraints.  

In my experience they will not look at or have access to your ESA report.

Your last assessment seems complicated, I would try not to mention it during the assessment should you have one, as this may confuse the issue.

You can see why they say that. But if a tribunal overruled their decision before, it is just crazy. 
As end of the day a wrong & contested result costs more to the DWP.
But I guess the % that do a MR & just end it there, rather than going to a tribunal is a lot higher.

peteuk

born_again said:

peteuk said:

I can only go with the training I had as a PIP assessor, which was as described.  

Any supporting evidence sent in for previous assessments will be mentioned in the previous report.  The previous report is the baseline for a review.  I was also told not to take into account tribunal results.  I dont agree with this but it was how I was taught.

Certainly if you've sent 10 letters for your initial assessment and ten further letters for your review, then the assessor will look at the new 10 letters, But cant look at the 20 due to time constraints.  

In my experience they will not look at or have access to your ESA report.

Your last assessment seems complicated, I would try not to mention it during the assessment should you have one, as this may confuse the issue.

You can see why they say that. But if a tribunal overruled their decision before, it is just crazy. 
As end of the day a wrong & contested result costs more to the DWP.
But I guess the % that do a MR & just end it there, rather than going to a tribunal is a lot higher.

Totally agree!  Especially when you had a zero scoring assessment, which is up for review.  Its obvious that there has been a review be that MR or tribunal that has given the claimant an award.  What happens if I'd agree with the original assessment, its just going back to MR/tribunal.   Thats the way I was trained. 

Amathyst

Thankfully my award was reduced not stopped altogether although that was bad enough and also I didn't have to go through the stress of a tribunal, I do think if whoever did the MR bothered to read the GPFR and other info to begin with that I wouldn't have needed to appeal, but that's the DWP for you.

My messy review was down to both Capita and the DWP. I hope my current one goes a lot better.

Amathyst

I have another question but when I post it I get really anxious and delete it.. I hate having mental health conditions, I can deal with my physical health conditions but my mental health.. it frustrates the hell out of me.

Sorry for that but I often get annoyed with myself. I'm sure other people can relate.

Muttleythefrog

Amathyst said:

I have another question but when I post it I get really anxious and delete it.. I hate having mental health conditions, I can deal with my physical health conditions but my mental health.. it frustrates the hell out of me.

Sorry for that but I often get annoyed with myself. I'm sure other people can relate.

Yes many will relate.... ask away....