Pip

[trish1957]

Hi all

I submitted a reconsideration letter on 3rd November after receiving the outcome letter of my assessment in September to say they were taking the mobility away from me. Any idea how long it takes to get a reply ?

Trish

[nomoreheels]

Hiya Trish. It took 18 days for my reconsideration to be decided so with the post to the DWP & receiving the letter a little over 3 weeks. Maybe they're a bit behinde at the mo because I received my PIP award promptly too. If it gets to next week & you've still not heard I think you've justifaction to ring the DWP & ask how much longer you can be expected to wait. When you do get it I hope it's in your favour, do keep us updated.

[Beverley_F]

I'm having to submit a reconsideration today my husband is going to phone as I get too upset and stressed, they have done the same to me. I hope you get yours back, its so unfair.

[xandii]

I asked for a reconsideration at the beginning of October and when I phoned them two weeks ago I was told it can take up to three months !

When I queried why it took so long, they told me that the team that it is passed on to for reconsiderations go into the whole thing in much more detail and scrutinise everything you tell them with a fine toothed comb so they often write to the people you have nominated at that point and with waiting for replies and then having to go back through all the papaerwork again it takes ages.

Sorry to dampen your enthusiasm. 😔

Good luck !!

XxX

[Hidden in reply to xandii]

Hi Xandii - I'm not in the UK, but I guess the obvious question is why they don't just review it in depth in the first place, unless the idea is to deny people that maybe won't ask for a reconsideration...

[xandii in reply to Hidden]

Hi Caeryl,

I think you have just hit the nail in the head !

I think they spin it out so that it gets rid of all the 'maybe' characters that are wondering themselves if they should be claiming or not and if the time is extended before they pay out what they should do, some people will actually struggle out and get work anyway if they possibly can which of course, is the name of the game in the first place ! Grrr !

Those of us that are actually due the benefit legitimately suffer as a result of the system that was designed to knock people off of the list of claimants and save money in the governments budget.

Unfortunately no one said it was going to be a fair evaluation process to move over to PIPs, they just said we all have to do it ! Lol

On that note I had better shut up before I say something very rude about the way the benefits system works.

Big hugs,

XXX

Ps love your pussycat. I lost my lovely girl about three months ago at age seventeen. I miss her so much and it was like losing a child and my best friend as she sat with me all day and night and never wanted to be anywhere else except by my side.

[Hidden in reply to xandii]

Hi Xandii - I guess it is like a rebate sort of - Manufacturers offer them because they know most people will never apply for them - of course they have never met my hubby - He will apply for them no matter how much struggle it is - ha ha.

I'm sorry you lost your girl. We have had ours as a rescue cat (from the next door neighbors of all things) for five years - she is about 8 now. Like yours, ours is usually with us day and night. So sweet and incredibly smart, but definitely a one cat per household type..

I just hope this gets sorted out in your favor sooner rather than later...

[premierscfc]

Sorry to hear about you having to ask for a mandatory reconsideration, mine took just under 4 weeks back in February. I contacted my MP's office and they spoke to the DWP on my behalf. Luckily my reconsideration with even more supporting documentation was successful.

I hope yours is too!

[AgedCrone in reply to premierscfc]

Personally & very thankfully I have never had to deal with this problem, but when I was working I was asked to review the contents of a letter submitted by an applicant where my name was given as a reference.

The letter was a complete fairy tale stating the applicant had all sorts of physical problems & couldn't continue working.

He was a manual worker who had never missed a days work. I saw him daily & he a strong and fit worker.

This person had apparently been receiving benefits for a number of years & nobody had ever checked the veracity of his statements in the forms he had to fill in.......so although it must be really galling when you have a genuine claim......it is understandable why the system is now coming under closer scrutiny....although I do agree there is a budgetary side too!

it often seems the people who are doing the assessing are not qualified to be in that position. A friend was recently asked if her son who has Downs Syndrome had been "clinically diagnosed"? I think we might all agree we would all recognise that particular condition, and wouldn't expect that question from an assessor who was deciding if at 40 he should continue to get whatever benefit he had been receiving. Unless I have missed something, Downs system is not curable......

Good Luck to all of you having problems......hope you all receive a good outcome.

[trish1957 in reply to AgedCrone]

Thank you for your reply. I'm just a bit confused as to the difference in pip assessment and the recent ESA assessment I had . ESA say I am severely disabled yet pip say I'm not !

[AgedCrone in reply to trish1957]

Hi Trish....I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that, but I do know that Citizen Advice Bureux do have people who can explain all the different criteria for benefits.

One would imagine if one department says you are severely disabled you could ask that department to pass that info on to the ESA Department & ask why there is a disagreement about your condition.

Hope you get things sorted before Christmas.

[trish1957]

I'm just wondering if that's why it's taking so long. Thanks anyway.

Trish

[Beverley_F]

Well we tried to call... What a joke... on hold... So like you we've had to write and now the wait begins. Good job I have a great husband and family. Hope you hear soon.