I had my PIP assessment a few days ago and it was just awful she did not listen to a word i said and she was trying to trip me up with all the questions she was asking. I was so confused by it all and i know that i will score badly as she kept asking me about medication and the thing is i hardly take any so that will go against me too.I feel so worn out with the experience and i didn’t trust her at all.I was so glad when it was all over but i don’t think i will get anything.I was on high rate for both on DLA.Just so depressed with it all i wont be appealing though i cant face it.
If like me you are SPMS theres not a lot of medication you can take ! Possibly something for stiffness or to help with spasms/jerky legs, and thats only if you suffer from spasms/jerky legs, many with MS dont… I had an assessment a few months ago and I’m not on anything like DMD’s, yet it didnt effect my scoring on the PIP scale. I wasn’t though going from DLA to PIP, my assessment was my 3 year PIP assessment, which bloody annoys me because I’m getting worse not better or even staying the same, so why “grill” me every 3 years. !
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Aw jaydee, that sounds horrible. If your award does go down, you should (if you can) ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration. It’s not quite an appeal, it just means someone else will look at your claim. If you have any evidence (letters from medical professionals etc) that you didn’t include in your original claim, you can submit those.
If you do ask for Reconsideration, think about joining https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/ Their guides are really useful.
Just try not to give up. If you were on high rate DLA for care and mobility, you should still be on PIP for both, even if you are marked down a bit, perhaps because the rules changed about how far you should be able to walk for mobility etc.
You never know, some people have had what they consider to have been dreadful assessments but been given high rates of PIP. So don’t be too despondent until the decision arrives and then you can consider what to do if it’s bad news.
Sue
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Jayzee, please try not to worry, easily said I know. If ‘she’ didn’t do her job, you have every chance of a very successful appeal. If poss, note down her errors such as PPMS & SPMS have NO suitable meds as it’s currently an incurable condition.
Jactac I always think how daft a review would be for MS. It can’t get better. At best, the damage already done will remain the same, otherwise more symptoms and more disability will show in an MRI. You could maybe ask for another MRI a few months before the 3 years is up. This will give hard, irrefutable evidence.
We all understand the need to check up each claim is true, with evidence, but M.S. is known to be permanent and ongoing. To me, every case of proven MS should never have less than the 10year term minimum before the next review (similar to the DLA ongoing).
Keep us updated, it all helps other claimants.
Chrissie x
Blimey Sue, we’ve both responded at same time except I took longer to post! We’re still banging the same drum for what is right.
Chrissie x
I am just so annoyed over the way she was so sneaky and twisting what i was trying to say.It really took it out of me,after she had gone i was in a right state and i can not calm down over it as i keep going over it all in my mind.I also will not stand much of a chance if they do get in touch with my neuro as he downgraded my MS from secondary to benign the idiot.I am still upset over him doing that and told him so but it has not made the slightest difference.I wont ask for a MR though i cant go through all that with no consultant back up.My husband says i have no chance if even the neuros not on my side.Its just all one big mess and talk about the neuros timing too.My downgraded diagnosis a few weeks before the PIP forms came.I really have had enough of it all.sorry for the moaning i just feel so upset.
Hi Jaydee, your best bet is to ring up and ask for a copy of the assessment, then you know exactly what has been said and can then work out your MR if needed. My assessment was done towards the end of August. When I asked for a copy of the assessment it was sent out by the DWP and to say I was shocked by the report is an understatement. The assessor scored me points which I was not entitled to and didn’t give me any for what I was. She even went as far as to say I could do things which I know I can not. Bottom line though she scored me enough points for standard mobility and enhanced living so if the DWP agree then I am happy.
Yes i am going to ask for a copy of the report and i am sure she will have not scored the points i need,she asked me such a silly question about if i was in the car being took somewhere i knew, would i know if i was going the right way,i said yes i would so i know for a fact she will put that i don’t have trouble planning a journey when infact i do due to cognitive issues.I just did not trust her at all,it was like she was doing her best to not let me score points.The questions were nothing like on the benefits and works site.I have done the self test a few times on there and scored high on care needs and mobility.She was just asking me such stupid questions.Infact she was downright awkward all way through i was so glad when she had finished and at one point she said ive nearly done and i said thank god for that.I hardly recognised any of the questions she was asking as they were not at all like on the self PIP test,so that makes me suspicious.She never once asked how far could i walk but i did tell her i wall walk in the house and cant walk outside,so i dont know what she put down for that the mind boggles.She probably said i could run a marathon lol.Oh well like everyone says all i can do now is wait for the outcome.
Hi well you have already decided so it wont be a surprise when the results are in.
Did you have it at home and were you on your own?
The PIP self test is only a guide its not in actuality what you get asked. They may well have been versed in new questions to get the same results.
PIP and DLA are not the same. PIP is about INDEPENDANCE. How dependant you are how much help you need, aids you use etc etc et el.
My daughter when she had hers told me the same. She would get nothing. she didnt expect mobility but she got standard rate on both.
DLA really has nothing to do with the new benefit as PIP is a new benefit. It is written to eliminate the mobility element. The questions are designed for failure.
I think its pants the way its written. YOu cant even say you use a GPS that goes against you. I was lucky i had a lady from aged uk do my form, she explained it to me. I was also lucky as i dont drive anymore and i had to go to the centre for my assessment and i was taken in our kangoo WAV vehicle which we bought ourselves. I arrived in my wheelchair. I still use one. I am about 7EDSS now.
BENIGN MS. well better not go there I might be rude lol. and get chucked out.
ITS NOT THE illness its how it effects you. Just because you are benign does not mean your disability is LESS. It could be with benign you have MORE disability not less. Its not how many lesions you have its how they affect your disability, one can be devistating to some and my friend had a lot and she was still working at 70.
Now deep breathe and wait and see what happens. As to drugs, i have PPMS and TEA, and am only on one 2mg diazepam for my MS, AND one tablet every night for my TEA.
one for blood pressure. so i have a dosset box now, with 1 BP tab, a diazepam and a levetiracetam.
I have a dosset box now as i lost my care worker but my daughter set ALEXA to remind me to take my tablets as i still forget them otherwise lol.
I dont have a cooker as i would boil saucepans dry, i even took photos of all my aids.
If your at home all day and need care which i assume you do they must have seen that surely.
Now the best thing to do is wait and see what happens, if the say no then go for mandatory , which you will win most people do.
BIG HUGS, thank god i have 10 years before my next one, i doubt i will be here then anyway.
Thanks CC your right.I have got that upset over it.I know all i can do is ask for the report and wait,but i always let my mind run away with me over things like this.I hope i am wrong in thinking i will get nothing.
If your assessment was a few days ago ring up on Monday or Tuesday for a copy of your assessment. As soon as I had a text to say the DWP had the report I rang and asked for a copy and it came within 2 days. You can then work out how many points you have scored and if it’s not enough for your needs start your MR. Just be very factual and don’t call the assessor a liar what ever you do. Bullet point everything that you should have scored on and why and send it off.
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Bless you hun it is all so draining and i feel for you really. We should never have to go through these assessments with a confirmed MS diagnosis its ridiculous.
what will be will be, and you can appeal. So deep breathe and see what plops through the letter box. Like others have said you can get your report and go from there, but if you fail then get help with the appeal ok. if needed. xxxx
Just got the assessors report and as i thought its full of lies.One being that she said i refused to do any movements!! when in fact she said to me ‘I wont ask you to do any movements as i can see how exhausted you are’ !!! shes lied about everything too much to write it all down im too upset and worn out with it.How the hell can they get away with treating us like this.I have decided when the award does come i wont be appealing it.I will just have to manage with less money and if it gets bad i will sell my house.I am not prepared to put myself through any more rubbish.
Jaydee Look on line for the points scored and to what level that entitles you too then go from there. Here’s a link for you to work it out Personal Independence Payment (PIP) points system
take a deep breath - make a list of all the things she got wrong - and appeal. You have to appeal because it may help others who will also be badly treated. The more of us that appeal the more obvious it becomes that the system is kn*******.
just done it and according to the benefitsandwork PIP test i should get standard rate care when i was high rate DLA and middle mobility and was high rate mobility on DLA so i will loose our car too.
I have to wait for my award letter so when it comes i will put in for a mandatory reconsideration.I am furious of all the blatent lies shes told.
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Depending on your points score the decision maker might mark you up a point or two so don’t get upset just yet.
Do sit down and look at where you think you should have scored more points and start writing out a MR now so that you have a head start if things don’t go to plan. I’m not 100% sure if it’s still available but there used to be a £2,000 payment made to people who lost their mobility car so look into that as well.
Hi i got mine yesterday only got standard mobility and 6 points daily living …so not enough…i am gutted the woman at pip said i should go for mandatory as i had high in both before…ive been to CAB …got appointment with them next friday to sort it out…my report was wrong on many levels…my anxiety has got worse and nerves…
Thank you i am really upset but not surprised at all with the report.It was just what i expected.When she said to me i will not ask you to do any movements because you look worn out’ i said to my partner she will put that down as i refused to do any,and she did.How can they get away with it.Yes your right you can get a £2,000 payment from motobility when the car goes back.