Evidence+deadline=

Hi

I am a DLA recipient in the process of transfering to PIP. I am at the 'How your Disability Affects You' form stage


The initial deadline was 28th Feb. I had an appointment with a psychiatrist scheduled for the 6th Feb. The psych cancelled at the last minute and rearranged for 20th Feb, then cancelled again and rearranged for 21st Feb. I requested an extension from DWP in anticipation of letter from psych. After making 3 phone calls and a letter (which was completely ignored) it seems the extension was granted -14th March


I saw the psych with my social worker/ care coordinator as planned. It was agreed they would both write a brief letter of supporting evidence by the 8th March where my social worker would help me fill the big form out to meet the new deadline

But today i hear from social worker, saying psych has been on holiday since I saw them and has no done no letter. The social worker doesn't even have the right deadline (thinks its 20th) and is basically ringing to cancel what he thinks is an unnecessary appointment on the 8th.

I tell the him the deadline and he is basically indifferent , saying he can try to call the DWP for a further extension but whatever. I hang up.

I call DWP to discuss and am told that a 2nd extension is unlikely and that I cannot get a decision now cos it goes to a request review who 'will let me know'. Time is a huge issue here and I am really struggling from a mental health perspective - none of this is my fault. I am just being farmed for easy wages by care services who dgaf what actually happens

Basically
What should I do with (crucial) evidence that isn't ready by the deadline?
Should I assume I have the 2nd extension or assume I don't?
Where would I send late documentary evidence?

Thank you for reading and apologies for length

Gordon

Thanks very much for your reply

The reality is that the 'soft' deadline for the form is the 8th March, the last day I will get help actually doing it. Additionally, I was hoping to be able to use the missives from the social worker/psych to inform my completion of the form. So sending the reports separately, after the fact, is in my humble opinion going to result in a weaker-than-it-should-be 'How your disability affects you form'.

Now I am in a really bad position because I could well contradict these letters, if they ever materialise, with my own answers to the form and make the decision maker's job very easy.

I trusted the psych/social worker even though the alarm bells were ringing with the 11th hour cancellations and way off comments etc in the actual meeting - they ask the most intimate things and i was incredibly candid with them, after a great deal of encouragement ('you can tell me, i'm a doctor)

Because of them, I now basically have to leave everything until the very very last minute (psych ostensibly back on monday 13th), do the form alone, have my carer take an afternoon off work to go post office with me and pray that there are no issues with the last post delivering on time. This is all assuming the letters appear and are actually supportive. I don't even know if this is the right thing to do either way.

I'm just so upset, I feel so demeaned by this procedure. I take this so seriously, it's the roof over my head, the food on my table just reduced to a coin toss with people who get paid either way.

Thank you again