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Naming nasty assessors?

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7 years 1 month ago #181266 by Frethel
Naming nasty assessors? was created by Frethel
Hello, I'm new to this forum, though not new to the site itself.
I'm absolutely desperate about my situation; previously awarded PIP several times - latest award for 6 years, and I was a third into that time when I went abroad to get health treatment. Stupidly told DWP it might be a permanent move, but it was only 3 months.
Got back late last year, got told the "linking rules" don't apply but I didn't have this in writing.
Got told I'd have to start a new claim, which I did, but this time, as I'm now homeless and without a support worker (for that I need a home) Temporarily staying with parents in their partially adapted home.
Capita made a string of mistakes about my initial assessment then didn't show up for it so I made a compliant.
They still kept sending multiple appointment times and days, very confusing. Extremely stressed out, sickness, tummy ache, diarrhoea etc.
Finally came early January.
She mentioned my complaint which shocked me as surely she should not have known about this?
She performed an awful assessment, got the brown letter back from DWP a week ago and have gone from 21 to 0 points. No award. First time since 2009 yet my conditions are the same or deteriorating.
Obviously going to ask for a mandatory reconsideration BUT on top of this, the health assessors report came last week and she has lied in it from the beginning , twisted everything I've said.
In the meantime, I got my CAPITA complaint looked at, and though they claim some of what I say is true, they have "no record of calls I made to them" although these are on my phone!
They offered me a £50 goodwill gesture.
I stupidly took it - well I'm absolutely broke because I cannot work. Now I consider it "dirty money" and am thinking of returning it.
I just need to ask -
Has. Anyone else heard of this sort of payment?
Does anyone know whether it is ok for an assessor to be informed of a complaint against capita prior to an assessment? Forgot to add, the DWP or someone, gave her a copy of a complaint I made against a previous assessor who was also nasty, surely this is a conflict of interest?
When I write my mandatory reconsideration, how much information shall I use, I want to argue against her report, as well as losing all the points as I think they are all incorrect.
All I'm after is my award to be reinstated.
This process is so humiliating. I hate it and can understand why so many people take their own lives.
Hoping someone can answer me,

Thank you

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7 years 1 month ago #181329 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic Naming nasty assessors?
Frethel

Normally I would say that an MR and a complaint to the Assessment Provider are separate things, but in this case I agree with you that the assessor having knowledge of your complaint could have influenced them in their assessment of you.

However, you will only receive an award by showing that you meet the criteria for one, so this must be the focus of your activities.

Your Mandatory Reconsideration needs to be done in writing to the DWP, within one month of the Decision, to the office that dealt with your claim, have a look at our PIP MR & Appeal guide for details of the process, the PIP area also has template letters that you can use to make the request with.

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/pip

You should contact the DWP for a copy of the assessment report if you have not already done so, I would phone them but again follow up the request in writing. Once you have the assessment report you will have a better understanding of how the DWP Decision Maker has come to their conclusions and will then be able to argue against them.

Your primary task is to show that you meet the criteria, there are many reasons you may have failed, you need to address each of these but don't get bogged down in criticising the assessment report unless you can clearly show that it is incorrect, it is a lot easier to argue the facts of the situation;

"the assessor recorded that I walked 50m, I did but they have failed to document that I had to stop every 10m for a rest due to breathlessness"

than their opinions

"based on my observations of the claimant walking I believe that they can reliably walk more than 200m.

When you have a better idea of the issues with your claim, come back to the forum and we will do our best to help.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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