Hey I’ve been given a date for a home assessment for pip. Can anyone tell me what they r like I can feel my stress levels rising with it all. How does it differ from being assessed in a centre.
i had a home assessment but my claim was used to reduce my benefit.
fortunately i contacted welfare rights and was told to put in a request for mandatory reconsideration with the result of me having to fill out the form again.
the result was that the original offer was held to be right.
i totally rejected this and my case ended up going to tribunal.
at each stage of the process my stress levels were ramped up to the point where i wasn’t sleeping and just wanted to give up.
at the last minute i phoned my welfare rights advisor to say that i just couldn’t face the tribunal.
she asked me if she had my permission to request the hearing was on paper only, which was accepted.
so the tribunal looked at all my paperwork and ruled that my enhanced benefits should be reinstated.
hurray!
the same paperwork that was rejected three times by the DWP was accepted by the tribunal.
don’t be afraid of a tribunal!
my advice is to seek help from welfare rights or a similar organisation immediately.
don’t give up and fight for your rights.
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The assessment shouldn’t differ at all. But of course it does. In an assessment centre, you’ll be judged on how you got there, how long it takes you to walk from the waiting room to the assessment room, how you sit on an unfamiliar chair, and anything else you can relate to your need for care or mobility (ie what could relate to the activities).
In your own home, you’ll be more comfortable as you’re at home. The way you sit will be easier, the walking you do will be for the assessment only as opposed to getting to the assessment. Your fatigue level will be less.
Personally, I’d still recommend having someone with you at home just as in a centre. Get them to answer the door. Or if you do it, don’t rush. Don’t offer to make them a cup of tea. In other words, treat it as if you are in an assessment centre. Show them what you can and can’t do at home. Keep in your mind the phrase reliably, safely and repeatedly. You should be able to do any of their activities safely, to a reliable standard (ie like someone without your condition), and repeatedly. So if you can do something, but can’t do it again unless you have a long rest, make sure they know this.
So think about the activities, and what you can do and can’t do. If you aren’t sure what they are, have a look at Personal Independence Payment - Citizens Advice or consider joining https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/ You can see what the various activities are on either of these sites.
Try not to worry to much, but take it seriously. I generally recommend that people treat an assessor as being on their side, and all the questions being reasonable and designed to establish sensible things. But in your own home, don’t get too cosy with them. They could well be looking at you from a negative standpoint.
Best of luck.
Sue
Thanks everyone taking all advice on board I will have my husband with me during the assessment I know he won’t be allowed to say much but if anything he will help my stress levels.
Hi Zara,
I had a home assessment and the guy that came round was a paramedic, so heaven knows why the powers that be thought he would be able to shed some light on my situation. He was here for about 45 minutes but all that he asked was exactly what was written on the form in the first place that we all had to fill in. He also asked to use the loo and at the time I just thought that he wanted a snoop, but by the sounds of the ‘niagra falls’ it must have been genuine. All the time in the visit, I had the feeling that he was trying to catch me out in some way. But he obviously failed in his mission and I wasn’t docked any money. Best of luck for your visit.
Moira
Hi Zara
I have an ATOS home visit for my changeover from DLA to PIP, this week too. To say I’m nervous of what to expect is an under statement. I broke my cardinal rule of no googling and scared myself !!! I feel physically sick about the whole thing. I hate talking about MS to my neuro or nurse, let alone a complete stranger.
MrsH
hi Mrs H you may still have time to ask for help from welfare rights. they are brilliant. what you need to remember is that the assessor is not a friend so don’t be too chatty. talk about what your day is like at its worse. talk about when you fall or stumble and how it makes you feel. dig deep into your memory and make notes of when you felt in danger. have you anyone who will be with you? more for moral support then anything, although if they could prompt you (eg what about the time you got stuck in the bath?) that would be good. don’t let it stress you out because that will make your symptoms worse - which is ok if the assessor is there but not ok if it spoils the rest of your week. if the worse comes from it, you must send a Request for Mandatory Reconsideration. there is a lot of info online (not google) such as benefits and work, CAB etc. i swear that the intention of our glorious government (pah), is to make us give up the will to live and therefore save them a lot of dosh. the very best of luck, sending you strength carole x
Thanks Carole.
CAB completed the forms for me as they did my DLA application, so they gave me some tips. Hubby will be with me as (somewhat ironically) I developed some issues a couple of weeks ago and am struggling a bit !! I seem quite drunk and can’t make it to the front door to let anyone in. Such fun !!
I’m relying on him to remember the things that I will most certainly forget. And dates of diagnosis, medical retirement and any other info that I’m sure they will ask. I’ve read about the ways they dismiss mobility issues if you have pets, so I don’t doubt that he will have to explain his role as caregiver to me and two woofitts too.
Xx
that’s good news Mrs H.
i’m feeling positive now that you will get a fair decision.
love the reference to the woofitts!
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I had that with DLA, but not PIP I had a home assessment. she was lovely the doctor i saw but hey that was a long time ago.
All I would say is make sure your husband answers the door. they are watching you from the get go.
good luck i think it was easier at home then when i went for my assessment in a centre but i did very well and came out with enchanced in both.
Just be yourself and relax.
Some time after the assessment, phone DWP and ask them to send you a copy of the assessor’s report as soon as it’s available. You’ll need this if you want to query the award - it’s useful to be able to quote the report and contradict it. I’m not sure if it’s something you can, or should, ask the assessor.
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Thanks everyone for your comments starting to feel nervous about it all as well. I will defo be phoning up for a copy of my assessment to make sure they’ve wrote down everything correctly that can’t be twisted.
I know from personal experience that the report won’t necessarily reflect your condition, or what you said and did while the assessor was there. My report was so full of inaccuracies (lies, in some cases) that it wasn’t surprising that I had to ask for mandatory reconsideration.
Try not to worry too much. The stress won’t help your condition.