I had my PIP face to face assessment in April and just got the decision and reasons over the weekend and after a lifetime award of High rate mobility and low rate care I have been disallowed care and awarded standard rate mobility only so motability car is to be returned within 21 days. The information that is written about me on the report in no way reflects what was discussed at the face to face . I am having a telephone reconsideration tomorrow but not holding out much hope of them changing their mind despite me having a witness (my husband) who totally disagrees with the responses shown and the responses I gave. Gutted and stressed is an understatement. I have had to retire from work last year at age 45 due to RA, I have RA, lung disease, eye disease, sciatica, bursitis, under active thyroid, osteo penia, fused neck, both knees replaced and needing both hips replacing I cannot walk and my car is my lifeline as I cannot get to my local bus stop due to distance from my house. Any advice of reconsideration tomorrow would be appreciated. PS I also sent all my specialist reports too I just cannot believe the decision.
PIP Fact or fantasy.....: I had my PIP face to face... - NRAS
PIP Fact or fantasy.....
Have your report ready tell them that you disagree with the assessor's report state in why to each statement you disagree with be firm and direct and be prepared to go to appeal I did this and it was overturned try not to get confused or upset hope you get sorted
I a so sorry your having to go thru all that when you should obviously have won the decision. I amin US and had to have a hearing for mine, I was only 31 when I applied so it took a lot of Dr evidence and time to see if I needed long term benefits. I have a good feeling your appeal tomorrow will lead you in the right decision. My best wishes for you.
That is just dreadful obviously you should've been awarded the same whilst on DLA. I hope you got it over to them that you cannot walk at all and in severe pain all the time. Plus the help you would require for your personal care should have at least been awarded the standard care with all those devastating problems attacking your body it should be pretty obvious you need a lot of help with your personal care & would have to pay people to do the simplest of tasks for you cleaning ironing gardening. Help with bathing etc etc etc.
Please remain calm I know it is difficult that you have been given a most unfair decision. I'm sure you will win an appeal.
Just try your best to put it over to them how difficult your life will be now without the one aid that kept you in touch with friends and family etc and now will be a virtual prisoner.
The very best of luck to you for tomorrow.
Jen x
Thank you Jen, I am trying not to stress about it hopefully todays phone call from PIP case manager will get a better result. I just cant believe all the lies in the report how do they get away with it. wish I had asked if I could tape it but propably would not have been allowed.
It does indeed sound suspect, more so as nothing's changed or have in fact worsened since you were awarded DLA.
I appreciate reconsideration has to be applied for swiftly (within one calendar month from receipt of award) but given that you're to have a telephone reconsideration tomorrow that doesn't leave you much time to prepare your reasoning does it?
How much of your dispute period do you have left? Could you gather further supporting medical evidence within the allotted time? The reason I ask is because this was part of the reason given for my award to stand (apart from the say-so of the assessor in the report which was put politely poppycock). If I explain, I was awarded enhanced Daily Living but nothing for Mobility so I requested mandatory reconsideration in writing. I was 2 points short of standard Mobility & was disputing the distance that it was determined I could walk according to the descriptor. When I received the decision it was clear (in my case anyhow) that lack of further written medical evidence meant the original decision stood. In fact in the summing up of the reasoning the actual wording was "no pieces of evidence received from your GP nor the hospital indicate walking restrictions". Well, they wouldn't would they if my feet hadn't been examined & had 2 years of disease activity wreaking havoc! This was the reason I had no further evidence, for the previous 2 years my Rheumy had not examined my feet despite many requests so I had no written medical evidence to support proof of my claim on the form & why I was disputing not being awarded Mobility. Only a few weeks after I received the decision makers reply my Rheumy did at long last examine my feet & a whole load of problems were apparent, consistent with the reason for requesting reconsideration. I've since put it down to bad timing for my sanity! But the fact still remains I was limited time-wise to request reconsideration. For the sake of a couple of weeks I could have provided further written evidence detailing the damage to my feet & problems in walking any distance from my Rheumy & my Podiatrist which could have made the difference in points to being awarded standard Mobility.
I hope you can make sense of this & if you can that it helps!
thank you , I will speak to my GP as have new RA specialist who does not really know me yet.
Any new or further medical information will go towards supporting your request. This may help too disabilityrightsuk.org/appe...
I just want to give you my love, support and well wishes. I wish I was able to advise you, but I don't live in the UK. My fingers are crossed for you
thank you fr your support much appreciated
Be careful when or if they ask "do you understand what we have said" that is how I got caught, by saying I understood what they were saying to me, because of my reply l was then told I couldn't appeal. I did understand what they were saying but I didn't agree with it. I hope you are successful xx
Sadly now PIP has replaced DLA you only get mobility awarded at the higher rate if you are unable to plan, and complete a journey, due to mental health issues. The fact you can plan a journey, but not complete it due to mobility issues, only gets you the lower rate of the mobility element. Most people I know with RA lost the higher rate of mobility, myself include, when changing from DLA to PIP.
thank you, I did not know this befor my assessment but I did say categorically that I did not and would not plan an unfamiliar journey as it gets me too stressed and I cant drive for more than ten minutes at a time, but this was totally ignored on report and 0 points for it.
I'm afraid to say that the information you have posted is incorrect! Please look at the regulations again.
The issue you raised about being unable to plan and complete a familiar journey is correct however it is not the only reason you can be awarded enhanced mobility.
If you are unable to walk no more than 20 metres even using an aid then you may well be awarded enhanced mobility!
These are the guidelines I was sent when I appealed
turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guid...
Thank you for that link. That actually proves that the information you had posted was incorrect.
It is important when posting information for advice that it is correct. The link sets out the rules very clearly.
Where does it state the less than 20m in the qualifying for enhanced rate. I'm asking because I don't see it and was told I couldn't get it?
If you look at 2. Moving around and then look at e. "Can stand and then move around more than 1 metre but no more than 20 metres, either aided or unaided" gives you 12 points which means Enhanced Mobility!
So I should be paid enhanced rate as I have 12 points?. When I queried this I was told enhanced rate was only payable to people that fell into section 1. I was unfortunately in the first batch of people changing to PIP, and no one seemed to know what they were doing.
If you get 12 points for moving around then you get enhanced rate. If you are assessed as 'e' then you get 12 points. Those are the rules.
This is why it is so important to study the rules and regulations.
From the information you have given it certainly seems that you should be on enhanced rate!
Are u talking the PIP BREAST implants?
No, we're discussing PIP - Personal Independence Payment, a benefit which helps with some of the extra costs caused by long-term ill-health or a disability if you’re aged 16 to 64.
Ok
Hi Dmc12 I have just done an appeal letter for a friend. Her assessment was so wrong it was a pack of lies. Everything from her walking down the corridor, which he stated she did with ease. His back was to her the whole time so think from the minute you got up go through in your mind what actuall happened. He made comments that she went shopping for an hour and half. She actually said her friend takes her and what would take 15 actually takes an hour and a half. The most outrageous statement was that she drives to visit family and friends. Not only does she not have a car she cannot drive has never learned. So go through what happened and answer point by point. And good luck.
Shazbat
So unfair, i had mine at home on the q5th of June and im very shaky anout outcome, im on high level DLA for both and everyone who knows me says they cant decline me, i have pointed out that they did ywice for DLA and i got it turned over at Tribunal in 2 minutes by showing them 26 pages of medical reports they claimed they never had never seen before, except that the copies i gave tribunal were the stamped and dated DWP COPIES returned to me by them when they returned the originals, so they sent me stamped copies of reports they never had!. Fortunately it was immediately over turned but that shows what can happen and the 18 months waiting was hell. So now i wait again. What you have experienced sounds completely wrong but fight, fight and fight again to get your award. I so hope you win and of course you have my very best wishes ( i would cross my fingers if i could).
Thank you, first stage of appeal process today, the mandatory reconsideration I hope this will be it but sites I have seen say decision is rarely overturned at this stage. I just wish they had taped it and then they would know the report is a wor of fiction!. Good luck to you hopefully they see sense.
At first they didn't award me any mobility points. That was overturned, by phone, when I pointed out my consultants report saying most days I couldn't walk far enough to even get out of the house. Sadly for you if you can mentally plan a familiar route, I doubt you'll get the higher rate of mobility.
Thank you Kal, your info is great I wish I had taped it but thought i would not need to , hindsight is great. My husband did make notes after and I have them to hand for my call today. I have all the specialists reports that I sent about 30 of them so I will have them to hand too. So sad that this is the way things are for people who are genuinely in need of this assistance I hope people read your post re audio for their own assessments.
Thank you , you are the first person I have heard off getting decision chnged on phone call so it gives me hope as I did state I could not plan route. Fingers crossed
This issue of being unable to plan a familiar journey relates more to people with severe learning disabilities and mental health issues.
You CAN get Pip high rate mobility if only have physical disability !
The main important part of assessment is not what diagnosis you have but how you are affected in day to day life.
As in if you say "I have RA "which causes me pain and has affected my ? Joints =probably no points.
If you say "due to the pain,instability and fatigue ,caused by my RA, I cannot walk further than 15 to 20 metres safely,reliably or in a timely manner " possibility of max points.
If you say " I struggle to get dressed or cook due to RA pain" unlikely to get points.
If you state "Due to the pain,stiffness and/or instability of my fingers,arms,shoulders ,all worse for first few? Hours after getting up and then again in afternoon onwards, I cannot pull on socks, jumper over head,do buttons up etc without help from? Other " possible points.
It really is breaking it down into each question and explaing it .Try and remember the person you are talking to has no knowledge of medical issues and the way it affects you so think how you talk a picture of your day.Do not expect them to fill in the gaps .It is very difficult to think through it ,especially when you have to live with it everyday so to you its normal life,but you need to break every task down into how much more difficult it is for you than somebody who has no health issues.
Please write to Dwp 're your concern over inaccurate written assessment but don't get too caught up in this when phoning in mandatory reconsideration when what you need to concentrate on is making them understand why you should be getting points for each section you think relevant.
Then if need be appeal.Success rate at appeals is about 59% at the moment so dont be put off.
Thank you for giving examples for anyone going through or in the near future about to go through the process.
Have you been assessed for & in receipt of PIP I wonder?
All ways inform them of any pain you have in carrying out any movement,the rules state that the mobility criteria of walking , is walking without pain or severe discomfort. If walking or any other movement causes you any of the above.then you are classed as being unable to do it.
thank you for your advice I hope to get my call from the case manager tody for my reconsideration and follow it up with extra evidence (besides the 26 specialists letters I sent in with my form)!
I am ashamed to say I helped vote this governemnt in way back in 2010. 
The assessment lies are a deliberate policy.
Hi DMC Sorry to hear about your incorrect decision. I too was on DLA lifetime award High Mobility and Care.
When I got my PIP decision back in early February I had been put down to Standard Mobility & Care.
I contacted DWP and requested a mandatory reconsideration and told them I would send a written request outlining all of the conclusions I disagreed with. I also got an extra letter of support from my Rheumatology consultant which I think was the most important part of my reconsideration.
I also rang my local MP's office who contacted the DWP and motability on my behalf. The outcome from motability was that they were prepared to allow me to keep the car until I received the Mandatory Reconsideration decision.
I got the decision after 4 weeks from sending it to the DWP and they changed the decision to Enhanced Mobility and Care! Unfortunately I will have to start the whole process again at the end of the year as my award was only for 3 yrs.
I hope this helps you!
pip success
Pip
Pip knock back
