Pip Reconsideration – either really good or I have been given the wrong info

[wotshernameagain]

Hey guys

I asked PIP for a reconsideration to my original award which I received in January 2014 at the urge of my Rhuemy.

I was initially scared in case I lose the benefit altogether however in the in the 10 month it took for my application to be processed and my benefit awarded I was diagnosed with

Hepatitis B core antibody, Inflammatory, Connective Tissue Disease and Myositis.

Eventually I decided to give it a try.

After sending the DWP a letter describing my condition and how it affects me along with letters from my GP and Rheumatologist which got lost despite me sending it via a traceable service which stated that it was delivered and signed .

I then resent the information and was sent a How your condition effects you form! The bloody form I initially had to fill in when I applied in the first place.

Not too sure why they couldn’t send me the form in the first place instead of having me sent them all that info twice (which was costly with the recorded delivery)

Oh well.

Filled out the form and sent it off and now we wait.

I received a letter from the DWP saying that my form was received on the 23rd of July and that it could take up to 26 weeks for an assessment to be arranged.

Oh here we go again

I set myself an alarm in my IPhone and called them every two weeks and was eventually told that my case had been passed over to ATOS as I would have to have an assessment and it could take up to 10 weeks for them to contact me.

I can’t remember exactly how long it took for ATOS to contact me but it was defiantly less than 10 weeks later) saying that they had arranged an appointment for a home assessment for me.

Home assessment?? I didn’t request one but hey I will take it

The assessment went ok I guess the lady was polite I noticed she took her notes by hand instead of bringing a laptop and I wasn’t too sure how I felt about that but oh well. I also had some letters from my Rheumatologist as there had been further changes to my condition since I filled out and sent off the forms which I tried to give to the assessor however she could not take the forms and she gave me a free post envelope to use.

I then photocopied the info (In case it gets lost again) and sent it off to the DWP

I had the appointment in October and set up new reminders in my phone so that I could chase every couple of weeks.

I spoke to some on Monday (07/011/2014) to enquire if they received the information which they did. As it was roughly three weeks after my appointment I asked if there was any news about my assessment and was told that ATOS hadn’t sent over my assessment which I kind of expected so I let it go.

After a rather emotional appointment at the Rheumatologist I decided to call ATOS to chase up my assessment and I was told that ATOS hadn’t sent my assessment over to the DWP on the 31st October!

Charming!!

I then called the DWP who informed me that the assessment had indeed been sent over (But wouldn’t confirm when) and a decision had been made!

A letter had been sent out to me advising of the decision that day however as the document had not been scanned on to the system yet she could not tell me the specific but it looks like I had been awarded the Enhanced rate for both the Daily living component and the Mobility component

WHAT!!

Thank god I was sitting down as my legs felt like they were going to give way!

I also forgot to ask for my assessment notes to be sent over to me (My Rheumatologist made me promise to ask for the notes so he can understand the assessment criteria so he can better help his other patients as other than my initially assessment and a few of his other patients he has not had much dealing with pip (Especially as they did not contact him regarding my application – he wrote me a letter detailing my condition ) this morning I called back to request it but the lady I spoke to said that she could not see anything regarding the decision!! And I would have to wait for the letter

Ok I guess some information was lost over night!

She did agree to have the notes sent over (I’m going to call again in a few days to make sure they actually do it)

I’m crossing my fingers that the first lady was telling the truth because I can’t handle another disappointment this week

Fingers crossed

It would be lovely to take some time off work without worrying how my bills are going to get paid since I have now exhausted all my paid sick leave.

I was also told that I my current medication is not working like the hoped and they are going to refer me for Rituximab

#lupustroubles

Every on have a fab weekend and cross your fingers for me

[charm81]

Wow what a complete farse!!! It frustrates me how a government department can be so slack as to loose confidential information and disregard time scales. This is human life they are dealing with!

They fail to acknowledge that in the current climate times are hard financially, not to mention the physical and psychological aspects of living with a auto immune condition.

It seems you've been very diligent in dealing with the mishaps. I'm in receipt of DLA and dreading 2015 when I myself have to apply for PIP.

Anyway I'd like to thank you for this post as it will help me in terms of backing things up and definitely making copies of supporting evidence.

All the best

Charm81

[Loraine14 in reply to charm81]

Yes I'm dreading my PIP too renewal for 2015, hope your keeping well the stresses of having to apply every couple of years is bad enough for us with them loosing stuff all the time x take care

[wotshernameagain in reply to Loraine14]

Thanks

[wotshernameagain in reply to charm81]

Thanks

I'm not going to lie going through all this is kind of helping me to keep my mind off my symptoms and doctors, test and appointment's i guess its easier to fight an enemy I can see (if that makes sense)

at the same time it is really upsetting that people should have to go though all of this

[KarenC]

Great news, after all the hassle. I was awarded theme enhanced payment a couple of months ago and am now waiting for blue badge. It makes a massive difference and takes the pressure of enormously.

Take care and try to relax a little more x

[wotshernameagain in reply to KarenC]

Thanks for your reply i will try to calm down a bit

[juliapulia]

Do let me know how you get on. I am going to fill in my form this week. Good luck.!

[wotshernameagain in reply to juliapulia]

I will defo put up a post.

Good luck with filling in your form and collating your info. Please remember to make copies of EVERYTHING i know that can be timely and costly but it will benefit you if they lose your also as well as when you have to be reassessed

[juliapulia in reply to wotshernameagain]

Thanks! That is really useful!

[marco_mustard]

Yes indeed - it appears that left and right hands at the DWP are at present more disjointed than usual. Recently I was asked to send in evidence of savings for ESA by the DWP. I sent it quickly - signed for delivery. Then I received a text saying they had received it.

A fortnight later a letter arrived saying they hadn't received anything - giving me four working days to respond. Phoning and waiting for a callback proved impossible - despite endless escalations to managers, senior managers and so on. Finally I went into the local Jobcentre Plus - and they can scan stuff and put it straight on computer as well as sending it through the internal post. DWP phoned me a few days later saying they had received the material. Sheesh.

[nicky1234]

well done lets hope she is telling the truth, i had 18months of hell as i could not even raise my head to drink a cup of tea. i was so ill i could do nothing. i put in for higher rate care and they sent the letter back with a threat saying saying i could could lose all benifits and did i really want to go forward with this, i was to ill to fight them.

[wotshernameagain in reply to nicky1234]

I'm sorry to hear you had such a bad experience with them and i hope you are feeling better. Did you ever get it sorted out?

[nicky1234 in reply to wotshernameagain]

hi,

it was a because the rhummy put me one plaquinal a day.

so in that 18months i had a mini stroke blood clot on lung if someone sneezed across the road i would end up flu it went on and on.

if i drank/ate anything it would go straight though me, was vit D and b6

and anemic. bones in neck hands elbow started to rot.

there was just so much going on and have heart diease now.

thats prob a quarter of what went on.

and the dhs said i was not sick enough for care.