Any one with tips for coping with a home assessment for transferring to PIP. My son hasn’t had a home one before but is no longer able to cope with attending one of those ‘lovely assessment centres’.
An assessor will be coming on Thursday and after not long coming through a long battle with an ESA appeal and winning, we are dreading it
Do I make them a cup of tea, or make myself scarce ?
Does he meet them down stairs or up stairs where he is most of the time these days (near the loo) Those sort of questions anyone please?
I’ve not had the ‘pleasure’ of a PIP assessment, but politeness would usually make me (ie the able bodied person) offer a drink. But only if you feel minded to. I’m quite sure they won’t give your son more or less points for the offer or otherwise.
If your son doesn’t mind, you should stay in the room to ensure that the assessment is fair and impartial. When your son gets the decision (or before, he can request a copy of the assessors report which will be sent to the DWP), you’ll/he’ll need to check that what goes into the report represents what actually happened.
As for where the assessment takes place, if your son spends most of his time upstairs, near the loo, then I would suggest that’s where he meets the assessor and explains why.
Will go with the offer of a drink as I would normally.
To be honest, it would be a hard push to get two people in to his bedroom never mind three, so perhaps down stairs is more practical and at least they can see the struggle he has to get to the bathroom.
An extra pairs of eye’s and ears may help, though he has no faith that it will.
Will go on to the citizens advice guide and read them again, good suggestion thank you.
Hi Jash, If your son is normally upstairs then the assessor needs to see him there, this way they can see how things are for your son. Explain why he spends most of the time upstairs and this will give more brownie points. My assessment was a home visit and the young lady who came was very pleasant. Do be very aware the assessment starts the moment the assessor steps into the house and until they leave. So they watch/observe from then on. I did offer a cupper which was declined. If it gives you any confidence I was also given an award which was higher than I expected.
Thanks for the reply Horsemad, trouble with his bedroom is a questions of space, he has his padded chair in there and thats about it as far as seating goes.
Plus I thought maybe if they see how he does struggled to get around up and down the stairs, wall and furniture walking, it might help.
I know they will want to see the bedroom, the bathroom, kitchen etc.
So glad you had an nice assessor my son has not been so lucky in the past. Well done with your award, such a relief for you.
Hi Jash, They wont want to see around your home, only the room you take them into. Do make sure the assessor is aware of all the aids and adaptions your son needs though as these are extra brownie points. The assessor is a guest in your home, so can not go walking around the place uninvited. The assessor can sit on your sons bed if needed. When my assessor came the only chair available was a kitchen chair because my friend was in the other armchair and I had the raised armchair.
Probably best that your son ‘does’ need the toilet while the assessor is there. I’m never a fan of exaggerating symptoms or problems, but demonstrating actual difficulties is another matter.
Your right about that, mind you he probably won’t need to exaggerate at the moment. But he always say’s it’s bad enough with out exaggerating and anyway with his memory he would no doubt forget what he had exaggerated
Give the DWP a ring on Monday and ask for a copy of the assessment report. This you will get within 10 days as a normal rule. Glad all went well for you.
Hi Jash, any news yet, I hope your son gets the PIP. I had the home PIP assessment about 3 weeks ago and am waiting to find out if it was successful. I had my assessment in the living room, seemed to go well but it is so difficult to explain the daily struggles to others, as they say this is an invisible disability. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Hi Jash! The best advice we had was, if you have good and bad days, describe and act like it’s one of your bad days cos that’s when you need the most help. Putting a brave face on things and making light of them does you no favours cos the assessor will only have what they see and hear to help them make their decision. Best of luck Xx
I’m have a P.I.P assesment this thursday, it will be over the telephone . I am pleased in one way cause I wwould get all worked up . Still nervous though , any advice
