Awarded pip out of nowhere?!

rvj87 · 7 April 2018 at 8:59PM

Hi,
With the help of a CAB adviser, I completed a mandatory reconsideration for PIP. I sent in a statement of reasons and supplied additional medical evidence. I was turned down again, and scored zero for everything. Today, however, after lodging an appeal with a first tier tribunal a few weeks ago, I had a letter from the DWP awarding me the standard rate of PIP until 2021. I'm not sure what to do. I have heard of the DWP awarding PIP to discourage people from going to tribunal. Would it be best for me to go anyway?

NeilCr · 7 April 2018 at 9:09PM

I'd start by contacting DWP on Monday to find out, exactly, how this PIP award came about.

poppy12345 · 7 April 2018 at 9:10PM

rvj87 wrote: »

Hi,
With the help of a CAB adviser, I completed a mandatory reconsideration for PIP. I sent in a statement of reasons and supplied additional medical evidence. I was turned down again, and scored zero for everything. Today, however, after lodging an appeal with a first tier tribunal a few weeks ago, I had a letter from the DWP awarding me the standard rate of PIP until 2021. I'm not sure what to do. I have heard of the DWP awarding PIP to discourage people from going to tribunal. Would it be best for me to go anyway?

Knowing where you scored those points will be a start. After that you need to look at the PIP descriptors to see where you could possibly score more for Enhanced. You don't say if it's Daily living or mobility? There's no point in continuing with the Tribunal if you can't score any further points for the Enhanced award.

rvj87 · 7 April 2018 at 10:08PM

@poppy12345 the award was for daily living only. They only scored me 4 points for mobility. They said that I only needed prompting to undertake an unfamiliar journey, yet in my MR letter I said that I need to have someone come with me or I just can't manage. I also note that while in my letter to them I informed them that I need help managing therapy. This was something I received zero points for in the first MR, yet in the second they made no mention of managing therapy at all. On a self-assessment test I note that I scored 14 points for daily living instead of the 8 I was given, though perhaps the self-assessments are not the best indicator of how many points I would score.
I have heard that the DWP offers a lower award to people in hopes of discouraging them from going to tribunal. I'm not sure whether or not this is what's going on, but I think what I might do is take this to the CAB and get some help making sense of it.

Alice_Holt · 7 April 2018 at 10:34PM

This assessors guide may be helpful when deciding on the DL component.
It details how the points should be evaluated and awarded.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/665635/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-assessment-criteria.pdf

The mobility criteria in the guide predates the court ruling that amended the descriptors around psychological distress, and so are not current.

poppy12345 · 7 April 2018 at 11:07PM

rvj87 wrote: »

@poppy12345 the award was for daily living only. They only scored me 4 points for mobility. They said that I only needed prompting to undertake an unfamiliar journey, yet in my MR letter I said that I need to have someone come with me or I just can't manage. I also note that while in my letter to them I informed them that I need help managing therapy. This was something I received zero points for in the first MR, yet in the second they made no mention of managing therapy at all. On a self-assessment test I note that I scored 14 points for daily living instead of the 8 I was given, though perhaps the self-assessments are not the best indicator of how many points I would score.
I have heard that the DWP offers a lower award to people in hopes of discouraging them from going to tribunal. I'm not sure whether or not this is what's going on, but I think what I might do is take this to the CAB and get some help making sense of it.

Where do you go for therapy that you need help with? Managing therapy, points can only be scored if the therapy takes place in your home.

Danday · 7 April 2018 at 11:51PM

rvj87 wrote: »

Hi,
With the help of a CAB adviser, I completed a mandatory reconsideration for PIP. I sent in a statement of reasons and supplied additional medical evidence. I was turned down again, and scored zero for everything. Today, however, after lodging an appeal with a first tier tribunal a few weeks ago, I had a letter from the DWP awarding me the standard rate of PIP until 2021. I'm not sure what to do. I have heard of the DWP awarding PIP to discourage people from going to tribunal. Would it be best for me to go anyway?

This sounds too much of a coincident. Same happened to me two years ago. put in for a MR and the same result happened - no change. I submitted an appeal notice and just a few weeks later the DWP wrote to me saying that after looking at it again they could offer enhanced for both mobility and care. I also wonder if the DWP only take notice of a claim and the evidence sent in when they realise that I wasn't going to roll over and accept what they offered first time round. I presume they look at the claim again and decide if they would likely lose at a Tribunal.
It does make you wonder.
Mind you I have just had another re-assessment (3rd one in 5 years) and the result is as was expected - nothing.

I never get any help with the forms, MR or appeal can never get an appointment that fits in with the time limits. However I have been told on here that that should not happen. we will see.

NeilCr · 8 April 2018 at 12:03AM

I'd go to CAB to see if they can help but I would definitely ring DWP as this has come out of the blue. If you can tell the CAB adviser how you have suddenly got this award it will help them advise on your next step

"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"

poppy12345 · 8 April 2018 at 6:47AM

Danday wrote: »

Mind you I have just had another re-assessment (3rd one in 5 years) and the result is as was expected - nothing.

You said you were awarded Standard Daily living (8 points) and nothing for mobility (4 points)

bspm1 · 8 April 2018 at 10:52AM

poppy12345 wrote: »

You said you were awarded Standard Daily living (8 points) and nothing for mobility (4 points)

Like my mom used to say to me

BSPM (obviously she didn't name me that) you need a good memory to tell lies.

:rotfl:

Alice_Holt · 8 April 2018 at 11:34AM

"after lodging an appeal with a first tier tribunal a few weeks ago, I had a letter from the DWP awarding me the standard rate of PIP until 2021."

Occasionally, when they have sight of the appeal papers and any further evidence enclosed with it, the DWP will review their decision.
When there is new and compelling evidence, and they realise the tribunal will rule against them.

Do look at what the link I posted says about therapy. As poppy says there are conditions attached to additional points.

Awarded pip out of nowhere?!

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