I have been on DLA indefinitely and have now completed a PIP form. Before asking for any information from my medical professionals the DWP have rung me to arrange for their medical professional to come out to assess me. They wanted me to go to hospital but I have told them it has to be done at home so they’re coming to see me on 15/1. Does anyone know what this assessment entails? Also, why are they coming to assess me without asking for information on my condition from my Gp and MS nurse? I’m very stressed and extremely concerned.
Allo hun. Like you I’ve been on DLA for a long time and am expecting my PIP letter anytime. There seems to be a variety of ways people are being dealt with.
Even though I know I am genuinely disabled (but at 63 out of the work place), I am still also anxious about having to claim PIP. Did you send supporting information from your GP or neuros?
Best advice I can offer is to just be how you are on any day. We can do without all this added pressure, eh?
Good luck.
Luv Pollx
Hello
the DWP will not write to any professionals. The onus is on you to get the info to send to them & the assessors.
i went through this & came out OK.
Good luck
Paul
I’ve just got my medical assessment today having also on DLA For a long time. 12th of Jan. Someone is coming to the house to assess me. I can do without this hassle.
Yes me too am so worried. I use my care component to fund my care and have a mobility car so need the pip funding. Not sure how I’d manage if they stop it.
Thanks.
That`s 4/4 of us in this short thread, who are being caused much more stress and anxiety than we can take.
Unfair, but necessary it seems.
pollx
Hi guys,I have to go on the 12th Jan for my 1st app with PIP. I sent a pack away about 4 weeks ago which took my Mrs a couple hours to fill in. Not looking forward to it one bit as it’s my 1st time dealing with this kind of thing. There’s a mock test you can get on google if you look just to give you an idea. From what I hear slot of it depends on the assessor you end up with. Terry x
It’s wise to get the assessments over and done with whilst the old criteria still apply. If IDS gets his way the new criteria will inevitably penalise the disabled. DWP cannot tolerate the idea that we gain points on the PIP tick list by presenting an armful of aids that we need for daily life. I have read the new criteria and I am not entirely clear about the new options; further concentrated reading is required.
I was awarded the standard daily living allowance about a year ago but I have reapplied as my mobility has decreased quite alarmingly. I have an ATOS assessment booked for Jan 18. I must have the masochistic gene in me. I often wonder whether I should have just put up and shut up. I have this irrational fear that the new assessor will not only fail to offer me any mobility allowance but rescind the award I already have. I hope I am being irrational.
Best of luck to all of you at the interviews. As already said, make sure you bring supporting evidence with you especially from your MS nurse. I have just taken early medical retirement and I will take with me the assessment made by an independent doctor for my employers.
Alun
I had mine done a while ago and was shocked that it wasnt a medical person doing the assessment. I was just sat in a room with an admin person who was just looking at the computer screen asking me set questions. What a waste of time She just didnt understand that I have good days and bad days. I ended up receiving a letter saying that I wasn’t ill enough to get anything.
I was in the same position last month. I just filled out the form and sent it back, didn’t enclose any information from any medical professionals, just their names and contact details (GP, Neuro, physio). The assessment was done at my home a few weeks later.
As for the assessment itself, she pretty much just went over the same details that were in the form (and was very helpful) and then dd some physical tests (grip, strength etc) which literally took only a couple of minutes. That was December 2nd and I got the results (Enhanced Care & Mobility) on Christmas Eve.
I know there are cases that don’t go as well but I think it’s important to highlight those that do. I was also very stressed over it before hand so I know where the OP is coming from.
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That’s very interesting as I’m pretty sure they have to be medically qualified. Did they say that they weren’t or did you ask them?
I’m scared to death about changing from DLA to PIP. I currently get high rate care and mobility. I’m pretty certain I’ll be OK for the mobility part since I can’t walk more than about 10 metres on a good day. It’s the care element that bothers me. I too want to reread the aids suggestions and write some points about my thoughts.
The biggest problem to me seems to be that if I use all the aids I have at my disposal, shower chair, grab bars, standing frame etc, I can shower and dress myself. But it takes me hours to do it. At least 2 hours just to wash and dress. And if I want to eg. wash my hair, that adds another 45 minutes maybe. Sometimes it takes me about 20 minutes to put on my socks!! But if I have help, it cuts the time right down. Washing and dressing can be cut down to a hour or maybe 90 minutes. Equally, if I want to pull up my own pants, trousers etc after using the loo, it can sometimes take me about 10 attempts to stand up and manage to get them up!
But the time element doesn’t seem to feature at all. And they call it the personal independence payment! But if you want to retain a bit of independence, it adds loads of time onto your personal care.
So, I’m worried about the change, and I’m actually quite good at benefit forms etc. I’m also quite disabled so I know I should be fine for at least the mobility part. I just cant imagine how frightened other people must feel.
Sue
I didn’t ask her, but no medical examinations where done.
None at all? Not even a grip test?
Doesn’t mean she wasn’t medically qualified f course but I’d have expected some form of exam/test.
I’m really no looking forward to going one bit! In fact it’s safe to say I’m sh*****g myself!! I can’t wait till its over with.
Actually, sh****ng yourself may be no bad thing as far as the personal care element is concerned. Said tongue in cheek of course. My plan is to wear light grey trousers at the medical and give the bladder free rein during the interview. Lol
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There was no grip test or anything. All she did was asked me the questions on the screen. Yes she may have been medically trained, but she did not show it if she did. There was no physical contact between us, and she didn’t ask me to do anything while I was there.
Perhaps she thought that the answers you gave negated the need for any physical tests.
It’s a shame though. As I’ve said before, there is an element of luck in who you get.
My PIP examination was more of a general observation/ interview.
The assessor watched how I walked into the room, how I was opening doors (I didn’t open the door as my mother did), sitting down, how I was taking my coat off and coping with buttons. She passed me a leaflet on where to send more information if I need to, this would be a grip test I guess along with the buttons. I didn’t have an examination as such.