PIP or a related number phoned out of the blue.I and my keyworker missed them.Will they phone back?

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

Hello. I am hoping people can help as I've had a phone call off a number I didn't recognise and have spam calls to navigate as I am a bit paranoid / suspicious if I don't recognise numbers. It was completely out of the blue, no text, letter or anything saying they'd phone, so I looked the number up afterwards and it looks like it was either PIP, or the review place, or whoever else from what the comments were when I looked it up. My PIP is up for review although I thought the last letter said between now and sometimes in 2026.

This happened on Monday / yesterday  as discussed the following -
I rang my keyworker (KW) panicking, unable to think/speak properly, and eventually after a while, my KW understood what was going on said they missed a call from the same number, as my KW was on another call at the time. They did ring me today (Tuesday) but I missed it for other reasons. For some reason they didn't try my keyworker at all today and it's now end of business day.

My KW said yesterday the number would phone back, as that's what the automated message said when my KW tried phoning that number on Monday, however idk if they will tomorrow or not now. Hope they don't think I'm ignoring them as I'm not, but just wished they'd have tried my KW again too.

Does anyone know how many times or if they will phone again, as not knowing what it's about is really making my anxiety skyrocket not knowing why they phoned or if they will again. I thought maybe they'd try my KW again but no even though it's on the form to ring him. Or even if they tried me again today...

Please if anyone knows, will they keep phoning or what may happen if they haven't been in touch on two days now? I'm hoping they will phone one of us tomorrow but I'm thinking all sorts of catastrophic thoughts. If they'd have mentioned they were phoning it may have been better than this. Last letter made it sound like it was by sometime in 2026 iirc..

I don't know if it's about an appointment or something but if anyone does know please let me know. I just worry about these things thinking the worst. Is there anything I can do other than wait for a call tomorrow? 

Thanks in advance.

Muttleythefrog

There's not a lot we can do for your clear severe anxiety disorder and it rings familiar to me... a missed suspected important call can make me seriously ill so I get it. But what I will say is if you are being reviewed for PIP they will ultimately find a suitable way to assess you. If you have missed a call they'll likely try again at some point... but try to imagine the ball is in their court as it would be. I would try not to wait for a call specifically... try to distract yourself with normal things and if a call is received take it.

Normally if being reviewed you would have first been sent review form to complete detailing your disabilities etc and given weeks to complete it. If not received then maybe you are not yet being reviewed and the call could relate to something else although if the number does relate to PIP or assessment company according to search then you may be right on source.

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

Muttleythefrog said:

There's not a lot we can do for your clear severe anxiety disorder and it rings familiar to me... a missed suspected important call can make me seriously ill. But what I will say is if you are being reviewed for PIP they will ultimately find a suitable way to assess you. If you have missed a call they'll likely try again at some point... but try to imagine the ball is in their court. 

Normally if being reviewed you would have been sent review form to complete detailing your disabilities etc. If not received then maybe you are not yet being reviewed and the call could relate to something else.

Hello I appreciate your understanding and reply. I was sent a form a while ago near Christmas. A form different to the last one for whatever reason and harder to know what to answer. Took a long time to fill in again with others help.

So I have been assuming it's because of this anyway and it'll be an appointment according to comments made when I looked the number up. It was the assessment people I think many said. What is also troubling is some of them said they were being called to confirm an appointment from the post or similar and I haven't received any appointment in the post. 

That's one thing among the general ones, that makes me nervous and that my keyworker was on a call or else I'd know right now. I hate not knowing/ waiting.

I just hope I'm not missing something that should have been sent out or whatever, as the time frame for others making comments seemed to be like a day or a two later. As a lot of things hadn't changed or got worse so I had to repeat some areas (with a small volume) to fill things in and just say "see my previous information" a lot as well as saying it's pretty much all still relevant and some is worse.

I hope included a new letter in my words as well as those Family members also highlighted, but can't remember if one got sent as well as it went on for so long it's overwhelming. I hope I did though. I'll have to see what they say if/ when they ring back. Anyway thanks for your reply I guess I gotta wait and see...

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

They didn't try again at all. I got a message the report went through and will be 6 weeks and panicking because of paper assessment or whatever or at least I assume that they did a paper assessment now which I thought weren't as good as can't defend yourself. I just can't believe. they didn't even bother trying my keyworker more than once. I was waiting for them today as well. I don't think the communication has been good at all and really really stressed out now. 

born_again

Guessing this is not your 1st claim. Then a paper assessment should be good news. As most would be a continuation of the award you have now. 

Muttleythefrog

Ihatethinkingofusernames11 said:

They didn't try again at all. I got a message the report went through and will be 6 weeks and panicking because of paper assessment or whatever or at least I assume that they did a paper assessment now which I thought weren't as good as can't defend yourself. I just can't believe. they didn't even bother trying my keyworker more than once. I was waiting for them today as well. I don't think the communication has been good at all and really really stressed out now. 

Paper based assessment is nearly always good news especially if this is a review of existing award. It seems like the call may have been much ado about nothing if they had enough evidence to give opinion... if they lacked sufficient information they would have contacted again or sought information another way like by contacting doctor or arranging assessment.

You could call DWP (PIP helpline) and ask for copy of the report they seem to have received.and it might ease your anxieties ahead of a decision that is likely to reflect that report. Time wise if you called today you might well get that report late next week.

If I were you I'd try to distract yourself as best you can - you appear to have been able to avoid an in person assessment which would on the face of it caused you severe problems of anxiety and stress in addition to what you're already facing.

Let us know if you get the report or a decision

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

born_again said:

Guessing this is not your 1st claim. Then a paper assessment should be good news. As most would be a continuation of the award you have now. 

Hello. Thanks so much for replying. It isn't my first claim, it's my second.

I am a bit worried still, I don't know exactly what paper assessments would mean. I didn't know if good, bad, whether it would continue the award or not. 

It was a different form this time with different questions and ways of phrasing it. I know we put in some areas to "see previous information" and hopefully sent a cover letter in that said past information still applies, apart from a few things that worsened, just didn't write in every area of the form. It's details like that I worry about as well. 

Last time they just spoke to my keyworker over myself. I think they even said back then DWP would put me for a soft touch review or words to that effect. I don't know the exact terms. So paper assessments aren't all doom hopefully? Just part of me thought my keyworkers input would be better, or if not then my own but sometimes cns be a double edged sword.

I didn't have as much evidence as last time, but that's as things are still similar and I hope they take it into account anyway. It was just keyworker letter, doctor letter, another person who knows me and family member.

Anyway thank you and I truly hope they do consider the past info as well. I just panic and get wound up easily, as I assume many would relate to. I may yet ring them, I was already ringing up to see what was going on but decided to ask for others input here first.

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

Muttleythefrog said:

Ihatethinkingofusernames11 said:

They didn't try again at all. I got a message the report went through and will be 6 weeks and panicking because of paper assessment or whatever or at least I assume that they did a paper assessment now which I thought weren't as good as can't defend yourself. I just can't believe. they didn't even bother trying my keyworker more than once. I was waiting for them today as well. I don't think the communication has been good at all and really really stressed out now. 

Paper based assessment is nearly always good news especially if this is a review of existing award. It seems like the call may have been much ado about nothing if they had enough evidence to give opinion... if they lacked sufficient information they would have contacted again or sought information another way like by contacting doctor or arranging assessment.

You could call DWP (PIP helpline) and ask for copy of the report they seem to have received.and it might ease your anxieties ahead of a decision that is likely to reflect that report. Time wise if you called today you might well get that report late next week.

If I were you I'd try to distract yourself as best you can - you appear to have been able to avoid an in person assessment which would on the face of it caused you severe problems of anxiety and stress in addition to what you're already facing.

Let us know if you get the report or a decision

Hello thank you for your reply again. I hope you're right about the paper assessment and good news and yes it would have been a form of stress as I was actually thinking if they ask for assessment what do I choose (if applicable). 

As mentioned to @born_@born_again some of it stemmed from my keyworker having the input last time and that maybe because things worked out ok like that last time it I thought it would this time/ that maybe they'd just speak solely to my KW again.

I will try to distract myself as you said, seems like you can relate to the anxiety, and I am curious but still nervous to see what it said, but I'm gonna try and calm down and think before I do. I did start ringing but ended up seeing what others thoughts were on this, confirm what happened, see what I could do about it/ prepare, whether rit was bad or not etc. so I appreciate the replies. I'll see what I feel like later on and update if necessary. Thank you.

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

Hello, just leaving an update and apologies for not updating sooner as I just wanted to try and forget about it for a bit. 

They text and said my review is complete now and letter will be in a couple of weeks. I'm dreading it tbh as I know it's irrational but I've been seeing bad numbers everywhere. Lots of 13's and multiples of them, and of course it got completed on the 13th/ that's when the message arrived which I had a feeling would happen. Nearly wrote this a while a back and even if irrational I still worry about stupid things like this. 

I did consider phoning them again, but people said can't really change it as whatever happens will happen. Doesn't stop the worry though or wondering if it was enough.

May I ask if I'll know if it's ok news and it continues if they'll have me under a light touch review again or whatever the term is, and I meant to ask how people knew paper review are maybe likely to be a continuation of previous award as mentioned by @born_again. They mentioned the light touch thing last time anyway, but obviously if they haven't spoke to my keyworker I won't know? Thanks. 

Muttleythefrog

I would have advised getting the paper based report (it sounds like one would have been created for this assessment) - you probably would have known 3 weeks ago what the decision is likely to be and how long the award could be set for. Could have severely eased anxieties - as happens time and time again for claimants in panicked state.

All considered it is likely good news that you had paper based assessment... it's unusual for existing awards to fall down without interview.

Ihatethinkingofusernames11

Hello, @Muttleythefrog thanks for the reply. I did actually phone originally but put it down, sometimes the longer I am waiting on the phone the more catastrophising I do in my head sometimes.

I think you did say I could ring and find out an idea of that the decision was likely to be, but also I know you understand about distracting yourself from your previous comments too, plus had family saying things as well which kind of influenced it a bit.

I really hope you're right about it and it continues on as it was. I guess I have to wait and see now and if it is good news I hope they keep it the light review thing in. Thanks.