Before I had my BI I always thought the system worked, was happy to pay my dues.
I wrote a post a while ago ranting about the DWP/PIP/Capacitity for work etc.
My first PIP assessment was in August, I went to the assessment and it was cancelled, was told another appointment would be made.
I phoned 5 weeks later asking when the appointment would take place and was told that my claim had been rejected because I did not turn up for the first assessment in August. I phone the DWP and explained that I had turned up for the appointment and was waiting for a new date. The building has a register that proved I turned up. The claim was reinstated and a new appointment made for November. (I wrote a previous post about this)
Before going to the November assessment I informed Capita that I had a big problem with LED lights and the problems they cause (panic response, blackouts and cognitive deterioration). I go to the assessment and they take me into a room, no windows, full of LED lights, I ask them to move to another room and they refuse. I carry on with the assessment, first they ask why I did not have a case worker. I told them I did not have one, they said I needed one to have the assessment, I told them I did not have one. By this time I was starting to react to the LED lights, my body was going into a panic response, I asked them to turn out the lights they refused and quickly cancelled the assessment there and then and arranged a home visit instead.
Today was the home visit, a friend took time off work to act as support. The PIP assessor did not show up. I phoned Capita and asked why. They said it had been cancelled last week due to a conflict of interest. I asked what conflict of interest, the assessor from november said she would be the one who would visit. They said that because I had met the assessor before, that I knew her, and that is the conflict of interest. I don't know the assessor. I asked why did'nt they send someone else, I also asked why they did'nt send someone else because if by meeting an assessor at an appointment classes as knowing them, then surely they would know this when making the appointment. The conversation went round in circles for a while then they said they would make another appointment.
I then phoned the DWP and managed to get up the chain and spoke to someone responsible for dealing with Capita etc. He said this was an unusual situation, read all the information regarding the whole PIP saga and agreed that there was something seriously wrong with the way Capita are dealing with this. Cancelling appointments and saying that I did not show up, cancelling appointments due to the effects of LED lighting (even though I had informed them weeks before) and no case worker even though I don't have one, then cancelling a home visit because of a conflict of interest because I met the assessor in the previous failed assessment.
I asked why do people get so many problems dealing with Capita etc especially when they have all the medical evidence. I said that I was aware of many things that people are saying including that Capita make more of a profit by failing claims either directly (80% of which are over turned on appeal) or by stringing people on for months, hoping they give up. I said Capita are profiteering from the misery and vulnerability of people especially BI sufferers because they have cognitive problems. I said much more and said that people failed to understand why the system was so bad and what is the need for private companies to make a profit out of this system especially if the rumours are true that they make more profit by failing claims. I really got on one, but nicely, politely.
The DWP person asked if could use all the information, the call was being recorded. He wanted to take it up another level. I said do it. He was a really nice genuine person. I said that they should award my claim without the assessment, it is backed up by reams of medical evidence from the Walton Centre, my BI community hospital unit, my GP, optometrist and Gobowen hospital for the nerve damage. Capita can try and find a way to deny this award if they want because I think they keep cancelling my appointments because there is so much evidence that they can't fail the claim.
Sounds like a nightmare, I’m fortunate not to have had problems apart from getting decisions overturned but the stress of the interviews and the high levels of anxiety caused are exhausting enough. When it’s a brain injury, a hidden issue, it’s so hard to get the assessor to understand where the issues lie with day to day things. They’re not fit for purpose.
Hi thanks, I think the point here is that they are deliberately cancelling the assessments, finding anything to use as an excuse to do it. It's like yesterday, they did'nt show up, I phoned capita and they said there was a conflict of interest so they had to cancel. That decision was made 7 days before the appointment, they could have easily changed the assessor. The DWP person I spoke to later seemed to think this was all very strange and is going to look further into it and push it up the chain. I'm going to push this if I can because I think they are deliberately doing it and I'd like to find out why, I don't think it's personal, I thinks it's routine with the assessments in my area. I'd like to know how the assessors are paid, do they profit from cancelling assessments. If they do then their actions could be seen as fraud. Who knows?
Go online and complain to DWP, making phone calls being fobbed off don't count if it's not in writing it did not happen, in the assessments I have had the whole thing only works if you put a written complaint in place.
This is probably the most appalling situation I have read. I hope you are taking this a lot further, or that someone is doing so on your behalf because you are, no doubt, exhausted and drained by the ongoing saga. What a sad state of affairs! It makes me really angry to read this and see the way people with brain injury's are treated. No continuity of care, no one hand knowing what the other hand is doing, just each person in the machine of assessments doing their little government tick box exercise whilst the injured person suffers even more. I truly am appalled.
Thanks. I find that the whole so called state system, including their private sub contractors, are twisted into some kind of mindset where the goal is denial of quality service. I include the NHS here as well. My eyes have been opened across the board and think that the whole system is corrupt to varying degrees and ineffective at the point of service.
I'm sorry to hear this. I went through 2 rounds for PIP for one of my grown up children. Even went to court . The judge was clearly embarrassed and awarded more points but still wasn't enough. This was some of the stess I was under before getting g ill.
On 2 applications the aassessor gave 9 points. To this date nopip has been given. If another applicatiois made I've advised her ti go with a charity that can take it from start to finish. It's an appalling system and if you don't fit the tick box you are dammed. Anything out of the recognised condictionary like arthritis. It made us all ill at the injustices and driving round a very sick person. Had a letter from seviral hospitals including The National.
I had been to Citizens Advice ect .
Do take care with this process as it is soul destroying.
I empathise with you. I was awarded DLA indefinitely after I was retired early from work in mental health after my aneurysm. Earlier this year I was told I would have to apply for PIP. I applied in April. I heard nothing for months and was eventually called in for a face to face assessment in August. I took my partner with me for support because I knew that I would be likely to caught out by my anxiety and panic attacks. Inevitably I went into meltdown. The interview lasted well over two and a half hours. We left and I was emotionally and physically exhausted. Two weeks later I received a telephone call asking for more information and a few days later another telephone call. I waited for the results of the assessment.
I have been awarded full mobility but didn't qualify for the daily living component. Even though I explained that I have been left with epilepsy which is being controlled by three different types of medication. That I have extreme fatigue. That I have to have my meds delivered in medipacks and my partner has to check on me to make sure that I have taken them. That I have to tell her when I am going to get in the bath and when I get out. She works full time and is constantly on the phone checking on me. I have obviously phoned DWP and lodged a complaint (sorry can't remember the correct terminology) and have now been told that I will have to wait 10 weeks for the result!
Sorry for the rant..... Probably doesn't help you.... But it has helped me!
Hi it helps a lot. It shows the chaotic system that seems to have no rhyme or reason behind how they 'judge' worthy people. It's almost 6 months now since applying via the CAB and have had no assessment. It is making me mentally ill and I have decided not to care about it too much anymore. The CAB advised me to go for a mini bankruptcy, however after going through the small print anything that is awarded via the government gets taken into account and has to be paid to the creditors. I'm just going to plod on in poverty and concentrate on improving my BI. I'm making good progress and want to have a good positive outlook but dealing with the system has a negative impact.
I have been getting PiP since it started, took over from Disability living Allowance.My health issues have got worse over the last 10 years, more of them and hence, more medication. I sent my form back in to the DWP and I was asked to attend an Assessment. My husband had the day off work to come with me as I am Agrophobic.The register was signed but we were told that the person who was supposed to be doing the assessment hadn't turned up to take it.After waiting to see if anyone else could step in for me to have my assessment,we were finally told sorry, but we would have to come back again at a later date.Again, my husband took the day off work and in January I had my Assessment.I suffer from terrible pain and bloating when sitting down for a length of time(pressure on my blocked bile duct due to 1 of my ailments). When this happens I usually get relief of some sort from my medication for break through pain and by laying down.This is what happened during the assessment and I finished the last part of the questions laid bloated and in pain on a Medical lounger which was at the back of the room.A lady from the reception brought me 3 separate cups of water,assessor sent for the manager to enquire about stopping the assessment and booking a home visit,but I insisted to carry on so the manager did something with the assessors computer and we carried on.On the letter with the decision on whether I could carry on receiving PiP, it said that the assessment had gone smoothly without any problems????? It also said that I don't take any strong meds,or anything unusual or of special requirements.One of my Anti - Depressants can only be prescribed by a psychologist(GP can't prescribe it even)and out of 350 patients I was the only one taking this medication. Everything on my reply to the PiP application, had nothing to do with me, my medication or the Assessment, I finally had.They said NO!!! to my application.If I could work I definitely would. I'm not saying that I'm different n how dare anyone say No etc. It's just that when I have phoned on the numerous times, to enquire about my re-application for PiP it's like no one is listening to me.I got through to a Manager, wrote her name down, she told me that she would personally look at my claim and by the following Monday I would know if it was Yes or No.I heard nothing.I phoned back 2 weeks later and spoke to another woman who just said that there was no answer yet n she couldn't even say when I would know. All in all I have been waiting/without half of my Benefit money since February 8th.If a Manager is going to lie to me, who can I believe or ask for help.I feel so low, self harming after yrs of not doing it.I can't pay my bills and am so embarrassed to be asking my mum for help again.Mum needs her own money.I've now got the added worry of possible Rheumatoid Arthritis found from blood tests last week and exact words from the specialist who has already been in touch over the phone(cause of the Corona lockdown)in 1 week since the blood test were taken cause its' so urgent 'to sort out what's happening to my hands etc.I don't know who or what to do and I'm scared I'm being ignored.How do I survive if no one is taking any notice x very scared and no where to turn to xXx
I think it would be a good idea to get an agency involved like the CAB and also talk about your case to your MP's office. You will need to make an appeal against the decision, this is where the CAB comes in, they know how to handle this situation. Your MP's office will keep an eye on what is happening and they may even get directly involved. There's no point in messing about. There's no way a case like yours as you described it could end up with the decision they made, challenge them you will be ok. Once your MP is involved they seem to act very quickly sorting your case out.
It turned out that the issues I was having was because they had actually 'shut the assessment centre' and had a skeleton crew to make it look like it was still open. Unbelievable. My MP not acting for me, but others having the same problem, uncovered the problem and asked the questions in parliament. The office got reopened properly after that. It's a disgrace that these companies like Capita can do this kind of thing. The only way to keep them in check is via your MP etc.
I got everything sorted out in the end, not only the PIP but all the benefits departments and the proper care from the nhs health authority and my solicitor. You should not have to fight the system that is supposed to protect you.
You got to fight and not give up, there's always a way.
Ty for replying so promptly pinkvision.I haven't been given a decision to my appeal yet.It's so belittling to hear on the answer phone message that is in place at the moment, telling a certain amount of the callers not to worry and their money will be paid in 4 weeks after their last payment.There will be a phone assessment instead of the face to face one because of the Corona virus lockdown and someone will contact them later.I asked if they could re-instate my PIP benefits until they had an answer because I can not pay my bills on what I get at the moment. This time I expected the answer to be NO but had to try something.My Dad always used to say if I grumbled about not having enough money to buy something or other that you're given enough to live on not to party with. I honestly do agree with that.I haven't ever queried if I could get more money as what I got paid for all the bills and my husband pays the mortgage.It left me £34 n pennies a month for me but everything was up to date and paid.Now I'm a nervous wreck every time the phone rings incase someone else is going to be asking for money paying.I suffer from Anxiety and can't get this situation out of my head.I keep thinking why, I have asked if the Dr has said that I am fit to work n not told me to which the answer was No.Ive done what they asked.Waited 4.5 weeks the first time & a few days short of 10 weeks up to now to hear about my appeal.So in all, I have waited for 14.5 weeks to get enough money to live off.Its honestly killing me. I have been in touch with a help site for PiP problems and was told that I will just have to wait n not to take it out of control cause I might be worrying about nothing.I wonder if his life every month is in the hands of someone who doesn't know you or care with the sound of it x I was so sad but relieved to see n know that you & others have/are dealing with the exact same thing so I thank you for sending in your letter.x
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PIP assessment
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