More on PIP Failures: Today's BBC Radio 4 "You and Yours"

[Lupiknits]

I caught part of a discussion about how PIP is failing people. I'll add the link, but here is a precis of what leapt out for me from what the disillusioned nurse who worked as an assessor had to say. I'm furious enough to write all this in spite of very sore fingers.

They have "cheat sheets" to help them cut and paste generic reports. To make life easier, they will use closed questions, so instead of asking about any problems with food preparation, eating etc, they ask "Did you eat yesterday"? If you answer yes (rather likely) you get no points. Similarly, they may stand back to let you open a door, or position a chair so you have to move it. If you do this, in spite of it causing pain, you get no points because you have "no problem" with it.

Worst of all, it seems that there is sometimes deliberate overbooking, so claimants can arrive, in pain, fatigued and stressed, to be told, after waiting, that their assessment is cancelled and will be rebooked.

No spokesman from the DWP was available for the programme. Atos gave an Atossy type reply, Atossing on about " dignity and respect"

bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09bxk...

[PMRpro]

The don't know what dignity or respect are. Just like the current gubmint. A top-down problem methinks...

[whisperit]

I started to listen, but found it too angering to continue. But what's new?

In 2013, an email from Iain Duncan Smith was leaked which said he was looking at "how to make it harder for sick and disabled people to claim benefits"; in 2015, a judge ruled that the DWP was in breach of its duty to provide a timely response to PIP claims; shortly afterwards the DWP admitted it had faked quotes from claimants saying that their benefits cuts had done them good; a statistical report showed that nearly 3,000 people had died within 2 years after disabilities benefit assessments had found them "fit for work"....the list is endless.

My tip: if you are not rich, don't get sick.

[Lupiknits in reply to whisperit]

I wish I hadn't heard about any of this, because I am feeling sick!

[whisperit in reply to Lupiknits]

find a Russian oligarch, quick! x

[MEW53]

Lupiknits,

A very well written post, PIP is a minefield, DWP and ATOS are so inefficient and like you say they ask closed questions. I’ll listen to the link you posted when I’m feeling a bit brighter.

Like you say they try and get you doing things without you realising what is behind it to see if you are as bad as you say, however I was prepared for that.

I am convinced they make everything so difficult that you eventually give up through sheer frustration. I applied for Continuous Nursing Care which was suggested by my GP as I was bedridden at the time, they lost my forms, my husband kept chasing them, eventually they visited me over 6 months later By which time I had improved slightly. They asked for documentary information which they had already had in Post, then after they had gone my original copies I had shown them had gone. We chased them for my copies but they couldn’t find them. All these official bodies are so inefficient. My community matron wanted us to appeal, but my husband became very ill and we said we didn’t have the stamina to appeal.

What worries me is that confidential information gets lost, I wonder how these people look after our details when driving from one house to another.

When you are very sick, chasing DWP etc., is the last thing you want to do.