Welfare Rights Officer has made me so relieved today

[Lupiknits]

Since the Mandatory Reassessment on my reduction in PIP was unsuccessful I really haven't wanted to think about it, but had a look on gov.uk about Tribunals because the deadline for applying for a Tribunal is fast approaching.

I just can't get my head around it all at the moment, so I tried the Welfare Rights Office at my Council. A very quick witted young man has told me to do absolutely nothing but let him handle it. He's going to get the ball rolling, organise the paperwork and do practically everything except be at the Tribunal ( where he's as powerless as any DWP official there).

What a relief! Happy little LK.

By the way, they are trialling Tribunals in some parts of England where you don't have to attend in person. Some of us might prefer that, but I want them to see me in person. Even if I blub.

[Hidden]

Oh I’m so glad you have some “quick witted” young man helping you. No one could attend mine with me because it was out of my own council area (I live in a complicated post code!) but I noticed all others waiting for their tribunals had a legal person with them going through it all and coming in to represent them.

Someone from the legal team at your local CAB can come and represent you I believe as long as they have enough notice and time to prepare with you. And if you want to be to be represented - which can be good as they know all the trick questions but you might be better off representing yourself if you’re confident of what you want to say 🤗x

[kt11]

👍

[whisperit]

Sounds good, Lupiknits. This is what support services should be about - making sure people get what they need to have a decent life. The PIP process has been set up with exactly the opposite mindset - to make sure as few people as possible get help. Look forward to hearing how this goes x

[fabwheelie]

That's good I had welfare rights for an ESA appeal. They were fab and really good at putting my case into "benefit speak" such as my fatigue and pain would not be "acceptable" to a "normal person", that there was no indication in MR whether pain and fatigue had been given enough "weight" or whether repeatability and reliability had been taken into account. They prepared all the appeal paperwork and attended appeal with me. At the appeal it wasn't like being in court ... just a room with me welfare rights and 3 people on appeal panel. At appeal the people there were really nice and it was a very short meeting as they almost said outright that my appeal should be up held, and the original incorrect decision over turned, just by looking at the paperwork and without me having to say much

I'm about to "brave" the stress of applying for PIP .... years ago when it was DLA I was denied and didn't have the energy to appeal, plus I didn't realise that that appears to be the "system" ie apply, get denied, do MR get denied, appeal and win ... apparently 70% cases win on appeal so that just shows how disgraceful the system is!!

good luck try not to stress and leave it upto welfare rights

[Lupiknits in reply to fabwheelie]

Thank you. Yes, Welfare Rights really know their way around the rather cunning system. I had lifetime DLA, then a WR Officer filled in my PIP application. After the assessment I got the same amount as DLA. This time I filled it in myself, got an assessment and asked for Mandatory when I was deemed to be "better" than before. The assessor was not truthful in her report and the civil servant summed up very poorly in my opinion. So, Tribunal it is. I know the stats on the number of cases upheld at Tribunals and I can only gasp.

[Krazykat26]

In 2016 I had ESA benefit stopped because I hadn't scored enough points..none in actual fact!! My already fragile health deteriorated and I became suicidal. My hubby contacted citizens advice bureau and even the woman there said that she couldn't represent me..she did however help us to get income support. So the appeal procedure went ahead..I was housebound n totally depressed so I just let them get on with it..I got appeal papers of my assessment and I'm not sure if me and the assessor were even in the same room..her 'report' was totally different to what I had actually said. So the tribunal date came round in December 2017 n I still ignored the whole thing because I didn't want to go back on ESA..I should add here that I had a pip assessment during that time n was awarded enhanced rate for daily living element. The appeal was heard in a magistrates court..but I haven't done anything wrong!!! On the appeal date they tried to phone me n I ignored the call as I had ignored any letters etc that they had sent. And guess what?? The tribunal found in my favour and advised that I be reassessed within 3 months!!! Now that is a complete waste of taxpayers money in my opinion..it took 14 months from stopping my benefit to the appeal..think of all the paper pushers who are paid to do this to us. As far as I'm concerned those b**t**ds tried to kill me!! They call themselves 'health professionals' what a joke!! I hope that you find the strength to go through the whole mindless process and try not to beat yourself up about it..it is a farce!!!

[Lupiknits in reply to Krazykat26]

Your story would make abuone despair and I'm so sorry for what you went through. I'm just pootling along now I have Welfare Rights to fill in the forms and know the system.mi can only represent myself, but I'm not thinking about it much. WR says it's not unheard of for it to be 12 months 🙄

[Hidden in reply to Krazykat26]

Just going through the same healthcare professionals they are not

[Krazykat26 in reply to Hidden]

I agree..I was a psychiatric nurse in my youth..I have dealt with many healthcare professionals n these assessors are definitely not defined by that word!!! I have other words for them but I won't share them here coz I'll probably get into trouble 🤐

[Krazykat26]

There is a plus side to my story. While all the stress was going on I became very ill..I was trapped in a bedroom on the third floor of a three storey house..couldn't get to any other rooms in our flat because I couldn't get up or down stairs. By getting help for the appeal my hubby managed to get lots of advice n help from social services and accommodation concern who came to see me and assessed me for better housing. During the time that the department were faffing about my hubby and daughter helped me to get moved out of the hellhole I was trapped in and now I live in a lovely bungalow with a garden..I can get around and manage my lupus better than I could do..every cloud has a silver lining!! In a round about, warped kind of way, they actually did me a favour!! I wish u all the best and keep pootling lupiknits xx

[Lupiknits]

Thanks KK! I got my form asking for a tribunal sent to me today, all completed, so that all I've had to do is sign and send it off with a copy of the mandatory reassessment. Brill!

I'm glad to hear about your roundabout silver lining xx