A while ago I questioned whether assessors paid any attention during a face to face interview. I’ve just received a copy of the assessor’s report which I requested so I can apply for Mandatory Reconsideration. I’m appalled, but not entirely surprised. The report is fair in places, but also contains a mixture of omissions and outright lies. It reads as if she saw and heard what she wanted to see and hear, and she ignored or misinterpreted anything that didn’t fit.
I don’t want the application to turn into my word against hers, which is why I’ve asked my MS nurse for medical evidence to support my claim. One aspect I can contradict on my own, though, is the distance she saw me walk. She claims I walked 20m, a common claim by assessors, apparently. She saw me walk from the front door to a chair in our front room, no more than 20 FEET! We have a long tape measure, so I can get an accurate measurement.
I feel for you cheerful dragon, having to go through this process.
I am currently supporting someone through the ESA process - I think it is similar for PIP. This is the third time in five years. Each time, following the face to face interview, they have been awarded 0 points - and this has been upheld at mandatory reconsideration. At tribunal however, twice, the DWP decision has been overturned and benefits have continued. At the third face to face last week, with a doctor, he said the decisions are likely to be the same and that we would have to see the process through to tribunal once again. I guess it is likely that you will have to do the same.
The Tribunal panel has always been very supportive and is able to direct the DWP if it disagrees with their decision.
I think the trick is to get as much evidence as you can from your GP, Neurologist, MS nurse and anyone else to verify your level of disability - and if possible related directly to the descriptors used by the DWP.
We have also found the information provided by http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/ really helpful and I would recommend subscribing to their service.
I am guessing she saw the 20 feet from door to chair. Did she see 20 feet chair to door at he end. Could she have guessed you walked to the door at the beginning and the chair at the end. Did you use a stick,furniture or wall and was this mentioned. Was the speed or gait mentioned?
Do you walk down a path to get to a car or did you mention where you can walk to ?
I think that when it comes to any DWP benefit, likewise social services care and other assistance, we can’t forget that the assessors personal views can’t be ignored. Also the decision maker will have their own take on the assessors’ report.
It makes it even more imperative that the forms we complete, or have advisors complete on our behalf, are correct, fulfil the appropriate descriptors or other points depending on what you are claiming for, are accompanied by pertinent and correct supporting documentation and are to the point, i.e. worded in ways that will help the decision makers come to the right decisions.
I do not subscribe to the idea that you should describe the absolute worst days on claim forms. If you do that and are then called for a medical assessment, your physical condition may not match the descriptions on the form. Equally, if the decision maker does write to your GP or MS nurse for evidence, their report should roughly match what you’ve written on your claim.
Equally, when you are called for a medical assessment, whether at home or an assessment centre, don’t volunteer positive information, but don’t over stress the negatives. Make sure you have demonstrated the physical limitations as described on your form and which also match the appropriate descriptors. Take someone with you to help with your physical needs, but make sure they are aware of the descriptors and that they help to demonstrate your limitations as appropriate.
I feel that it’s human nature to try hard when asked to walk for example 20 metres. Or to underplay our disabilities and weaknesses. This can of course sway the assessment in the wrong direction. So it’s a fine balancing act, to ensure we are representing ourselves truthfully and honestly whilst also fitting into quite narrow boxes which do not always suit our abilities.
It’s a very stressful time at the moment for so many of us. Every day when the post arrives, I dread the anticipated PIP claim form. But there have also been some really positive results. Let’s take note of how people are managing to receive maximum PIP awards for the full 10 years. But don’t make yourselves ill over the claims.
I’ve posted on the Benefits and Work forum, asking for advice. They told me to take each question on the original form in turn and explain why I meet the criteria. Where I disagree with the assessor, I should explain why she was wrong. For example, in the case of my ability to walk, I should explain the effect of walking any distance. All of this will be backed up by medical evidence.
I’m going to start work on this today. Hopefully the medical evidence will arrive soon.
My assessment was done at home. My claim was handled by Capita and it seems that they do a lot of home assessments. The only distance the HP saw me walk was from the front door to a chair in the front room. She might have doubled it, presuming that I’d walked from the chair to reach the door, but she didn’t actually see me do it. I could have been in the kitchen when she arrived, a much shorter walk. Even doubling the distance she actually saw gives much less than 20m.
This is why its important i think anyone having an assessment at home, has someone with them, so they can answer the door perhaps? 20 metres is quite a longish way, but surely the question should be how far can you walk without discomfort or pain. My answer would be I cant as simple as that, doesnt mean i can walk a little bit along the wall and furniture, but to do so is painful for me.
I think this is so degrading and mind blowing. Anyone who has been diagnosed with a long term disease which is not recoverable from should be awarded some kind of benefit to help. It costs me so much more to live, i.e. special food, supplements, taxis, and higher electric and gas. No one wants to have MS, its just not fair.
I answered the door myself so that the assessor could gauge my walking ability. I did not anticipate such an overestimate of my abilities. If anything, my walking ability has got worse since the assessment. Thinking back, I don’t remember being asked if I was in pain after that short walk. Whether I was in pain then or not, I certainly would be in pain if I did that walk now.
The lady who helped me fill mine in from DWP asked me if walking was painful and did it make me breathless, she mentioned that throughout this section.