Hi, has anyone else had to go to Luton RFC for a PIP Assessment??

[cutebird]

Hi, I have been for quite a few Atos Medicals, and I have always been to the Cresta House building in the town centre in Luton. However, now I have been told that for a medical for PIP, that I need to go to their building/office at the Luton RFC. Just wondered if anyone else in the herts area had ever had to go there?? It means me taking four buses in total to go there and back, and to be honest I'm not sure it's even worth it!! It seems that you are constantly been watched to see if they can "get out of" passing you eligible for benefit !! But i am sure I'm not the first person who has thought that. Any help you can offer, I will be very greatful for. Thanks and hugs, Liz xx

[fenbadger]

Did they give you a set of instructions? I think you need to go or your claim will be disallowed Make a meal of getting there and lay it on thick that you found it difficult. When I had mine I had instructions for a 12 mile journey they said would take 1 and a bit hrs. 2 buses and a train and a 25 minute walk I could not do though there was another bus that would have saved me the walk. I took 3 hours. They asked me how long it took to get there. I said I hadn't looked but it was ages. They weren't happy with that and kept trying to get me to give a time. I said 3 hrs. which was actually true. They accepted that unhappily. If you look too capable, it seems they take it you can work!

Sorry that doesn't help the actual journey. I wonder if Emma has anything.

Gentle hugs

[gracesgrandma]

Hi I live in beds and I am just checking that you mean Luton rugby club? If so then I am really confused because this is the most out of the way place that they could have picked and that confirms everyones suspicions about setting people up. A better place would be the disability resource centre where they hold all local tribunal hearings. It would seriously make me question their motives :0( If you don't mind me asking whereabouts are you?

[cutebird in reply to gracesgrandma]

Hi how are you. Thanks for replying to my question. I was really confused too when I got the letter with the address on. But I just checked the address online now, and it looks like a healthcare company - but based at Luton RFC. I don't understand it either. For my ESA interviews at Atos, I have always had to go to the office at Cresta House in Luton. I looked on the Atos website, and it says that for PIP medicals/interviews you have to go to the Luton rfc. I have a hospital appointment on the day of my appointment, so I have had to re - schedule my appointment. But I have asked to go to the office at cresta house. I live in welwyn garden city, and luton is the nearest place for medicals. Trust Atos to make it as difficult as they can for people. I have already spent nearly two years to try and get my benefits back since my ESA ended in 2012. Sorry about the long winded message, but thanks for your message. I've had great trouble convincing benefits people I'm actually ill enough to claim benefits, but maybe one day things will get better for all of us. Have a great weekend, and gentle hugs to everyone. xxx

[oncewas]

get a taxi and claim it back

[lcm27]

Hi, I live in Beds and have previously had to go to Cresta House for Atos interviews, however reading the blurb on the back says it has 175 stairs and that you must be able to evacuate down the stairs in a timely manner should the alarms sound. Well I cant. So rang Atos and was told I could go to any one of their 'walk in' centres on a ground floor office. I chose Milton Keynes, but there were about 8 offices I was offered. I don't know about this Luton rfc, maybe the PIP people use other companies other than ATOS, but they should offer you one near to your home or easier to get to, I always claim petrol, I do a RAC/AA route map which gives me total mileage and use that to claim there and back.

Unfortunately as most people have already said, the nameof the game is to see it from your bad days and not good, so emphasise what problems you have on the bad days, I assume there are more of those than the pain free ones and concentrate on those. Otherwise they assume that you have more good days than bad and they mark on those. Take someone with you that knows how you struggle along and who will back you up, it also shows you are just as concerned as they are. Do a search engine on 'how to pass a pip medical' or something similar, its amazing what other people have to say, but there are some great pointers and I learnt an awful lot from reading these blogs, forums and websites as to what to do and say. You could also ask pip/atos beforehand how much they are prepared to stump up for a return taxi then ring your local taxis for a quote, or last resort ask for a home visit.

Hope you manage to sort this out, you have my sympathies, please let us know how you get on.

Hugs Lynn x