Having read loads of advice on here and in other places, I spent weeks completing my application. Eventually I got a letter to go for a medical in Glasgow city centre, which is about 30 miles away for an appointment at 9am on a Thursday morning. Needless to say the train was pretty full. Got the appointment over with and the lady who assessed me was very nice and an occupational therapist so I thought she would understand my difficulties. I stressed several times that I had just been medically retired from my job as a teacher and classed as unfit to ever teach again.
I got my letter yesterday and was awarded nothing! 7 points for care and 4 for mobility, which is a joke as I can walk less that 50 metres with my stick and a little more with my rollator, as I have to have regular rests. For my blue badge assessment I managed 30 metres before I needed a rest.
There are points in the letter that are blatantly untrue and a few things they have obviously made up. I phoned this morning to ask for a mandatory reconsideration and was told that I had to wait until someone called me. When I asked what happened if I wasn't in I was told they would try to contact me three times and if all three were unsuccessful then I could phone and ask again. I asked if all 3 calls would be on the same day, which I had to repeat 4 times as I was just getting more twaddle instead of an answer to be told they can't tell me that. What a waste of time and money!
The stress all this causes is unreal, but I am determined to fight on. I am going to write a letter to them asking for a reconsideration and send it registered post so I know when they received it. The whole system is so badly managed it is laughable. Linda
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Oh dear Linda, I'm so sorry ! It seems like one huge complete muddle both ESA and PIP - mishandled incredibly badly by the people overseeing them. I think to them it's just a numbers game to suit what they have been told they need to achieve. They don't really listen to what the person is telling them and the impacts on that persons' life ! I wish there was an ombudsman that we could bring in to sort this mess out.
i'm so sorry that your feeling so stressed about your PIP assessment, i;m so pleased that that you still have enough fight in you to carry on the fight..
I could'nt believe what has been written about me it was like they were trying to strip me of any self respect
I had left which was'nt very much...
I received 10 points for DLA and 4 points for mobility and called them back to re-assess my Mobility I was told that like you i would get a call back, i did get the call and i must say the woman i spoke to was so rude so be prepared.
Make sure you have everything you want to say written down, and make sure if they dont call you you call them back because they will try to make you wait 28 days ..
I really hope that you receive your call soon and that you receive the benefit you deserve...
I did receive my mobility at the high rate so get your boxing gloves on and keep fighting..
Good luck and gentle hugs, please let us know how you get on..
Thanks folks, it really helps knowing that there are so many of us in similar circumstances. I have decided that I am not prepared to waste time and valuable energy stressing about when they might call back, I am just about to start writing a letter requesting a mandatory review which I will be sending registered post so they can't say they didn't get it in time. Linda
Hi Linda I'm Ros I think we can both fight this my friend as I was rewarded nothing I only had 6 points regarding having to walk I find I'm getting slower and my meds I have to be reminded other wise I'd forget. Gentle hugs my friend xoxoxxoxox
Thanks Ros, to be honest I think what surprised me most about my PIP award was getting so many points for care when it is my mobility that I feel is worse, there are days I can barely walk. I will let you know how I get on. Linda
Sorry to hear you did not get the points you needed. With mobility it is really important not just to focus on your walking but also any factors that come into play. If you are overweight (for whatever reasons), shortness of breath, excessive sweating, nausea are all contributing factors in your ability to walk. Also if you have IBS, Bladder or Bowel issues, and the anxiety experienced relating to these, along with your weak limbs should be highlighted as reasonably expecting you to be accompanied to allow you to complete a journey, safely.
I put all of this in my claim and was awarded 16 points for mobility.
Thanks Shazza, I did mention some of these in my letter, but not all. I will be taking a note of all your points for when/if someone phones me to discuss my claim.
I am so sorry to read that you have not achieved your PIP and I genuinely hope that you are successful second time around. I really do wonder sometimes if these people are actually listening to what you are saying to them at all?
Please keep your chin and and all the best of luck.
Hi Linda so sorry you didnt get enough points to get what you are entitled to. Dont give up the fight. It took me 2 years to fight for DLA . Back and forth to appeal etc, and I will be due for reassessment next year and I know from other peoples comments that I will have a fight on my hands. Its always at a time you dont need the stress. Put those gloves on. Hope you get the call and good luck. Gentle hugs Joolz.x
So sorry that you have been turned down Linda this PIP seems to be so tight on the points, I know I did one of these assessment things on benefits and works and I missed out by one point so I am not expecting to be able to get it when I have to apply next year. I know as with the ESA they are always suspicious of anyone who can travel by public transport on their own for any distance. They don;t seem to take into account that you were probably laid up for a whole week afterwards due to the effort you had to expend to get there. When I applied for ESA my husband had to leave me to go and put more money on the parking ticket as we had been waiting over 2 hours for my assessment as they were running so late. Murphy's law was of course that I was called in and because I could not produce a husband it was marked on the assessment that I had purported that my husband had had to take me but there was no evidence he was there even though I knew he would be back in the waiting room by the time the assessment was over and asked her to go back in there and be introduced to him. They will wriggle out of it any way they can. I do pray that you will get a good resultx
Unbelievable!!?, how disgraceful. I feel so furious for you. You wouldn't believe how petty these people can be. I suspect they are on a bonus for how many they turn down.
I spent most of today going through the report step by step and composing a letter to DWP to ask for a mandatory reconsideration and I posted it off tonight recorded delivery so I know that will get it in plenty of time so they can't use that as an excuse. I took my daughter with me for the assessment and have included her details so they can confirm things with her if need be. I hope that the many people who have been found to have played the system have a few sleepless nights because they are a lot of the reason things are so difficult now for those who genuinely need help.
A few idiots spoil things for the majority of genuine people. You have served your community for many years teaching. You deserve to be taken care of now you are sick. I hope you get what you need and with as little unnecessary further fuss.
If anyone has facebook check out this page. These guys are amazing and help with appeals and filling in forms. Not failed an appeal yet.
Hello there. It is comforting to read that someone else has shared the same experience. First an appointment at nine o clock. I also had to Glasgow for same appointment. I scored a big fat zero. I have been absent from work since a year past in April and still waiting on result for early retirement. I agree when you read your report you think that they have got mixed up with someone else. Don't give up keep contacting them and I wish you all the good luck in the world. Take care x
Thanks and I hope you get better news when you hear from them again. Good luck with your retirement application too. Linda
Hi Linda
Sorry to hear you have to endure this part of the application process and you are so very correct about the stress that this kind of situation places on us.
Having been through this process a few.......... plus some, times, I have learnt a number of things one of those is to contact an advisory service such as the CAB, or the like, straight away, now, and tell them that you are asking for a reconsideration. - Before you send your letter as they may possibly do that on your behalf, obviously I can't say for sure that they will but in my experience they have.
If you e-mail them with your situation you could then ask if someone would be able to come to the home to see you as you have mobility problems that would make t difficult to get to the CAB office. This is just in case there isn't one near you I must admit I did e-mail and someone came to see me but we live in different places and the system may be different for you.
I have also made sure in my reconsideration and appeals etc to point out how the stress of it all affected me. It is stressful and could quite possibly be causing your health to suffer. Unsure if they notice it but I like to cover all bases I also triple-check to see if I missed any consultant letters or forgotten to tell them about one of my illnesses/medications. It all helps
I wish you wellness, luck and many healing fluffies and smiles Linda. Please ask away if you have any other Q's as I'm sure there'll be someone along to help shortly after
I really feel for you. I was found fit for work by the dhss medical, even though I have the high component for mobility from dla and to make it worse when I arrived for my job center interview was told by them that it was blatantly obvious that I am not fit for work so cant have job seekers allowance. When I asked them what I was supposed to live on I was told to get my husband to claim me on his esa. He gets that because he's on a war pension. Why did my appeal fail? Because the doctor doesn't believe in fibromyalgia, he told me it's all in my mind and to buck up. Unfortunately he didn't put that in writing, just said that he felt I was exaggerating my disability. I wish I was, it would be lovely to go back to work, I was a beauty therapist and I really loved my job. Good luck with your appeal, don't hide it if you are suffering with depression, I have found with my husband that there is a lot more understanding for mental illness than for physical problems, well I say sympathy, it might be a case of no one wanting to seem politically incorrect by criticizing a mental illness!
You could be onto something with that you know. I have suffered from depression and anxiety for many years and had a letter from my GP stating that and listing all my other problems and visits to physio etc over the years so I am sending that with my letter asking for a reconsideration. I am sure these people have no idea how much damage they are doing to people's lives. It is quite scary. Linda
Hello to all, I have just read through the posts about this horrible pip process, so I have made a plan to use when they start on me next year. For their ring back calls, give them my mobile number, and I will say as I cannot to the phone fast enough, and dont want to miss the call, then the report, how can I remember what is said, the ideais take a small recording machine, and if anything that is said, like it's all in your mind, buck up, then i have proof, and could send it off for the appeal process (if that is my fate).
I hope all, are feeling well enough this weekend, and the rubbish weather is not getting you down, ttfn
Scouser, apparently you can ask to have your assessment recorded as there are some difficulties with trying to record something when not all parties have agreed, I think. I wish I had asked for my meeting to be recorded as it would have been much easier to prove that parts of the report I got were downright lies. Linda
Hi Linda, will remember that when it's my turn at the front, and see if they can comply at the moment, of the interview without previous booking of equipment, they might try and say not available, and if they record interviews, they should not object. So this is for the future, looking out for your posts, ttfn
have you checked out the benefits and works web site they seem to offer advise on appeals etc they did a talk at our user group this might help dont know but hoping and praying for good news to help
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I also triple-check to see if I missed any consultant letters or forgotten to tell them about one of my illnesses/medications. It all helps 
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Fibromyalgia and PIP 
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