Pip Assesment experience

I had my PIP Assesment and can confirm the are obviously out to play down the severity of each disability. They asks questions in a leading manner, you must ignore them and stick to your version.

I was angry at the way my mobility was assessed, was asked if I could give directions to my doctors to a stranger. Isn't it obvious that the doctors is a frequently visited place for people with health problems.

The next was how many minutes can you walk for. I have DDD and prolonged walking over any distance causes pain. To the point I am bed bound if I over do it, something I am having to learn to deal with. I tried to explain this but she was not interested and just said how many minutes can you walk for. I just answered 1 at this point and have been regretting it since.

The physical is a joke these people are obviously not medically trained, twice she asked me to lift my leg whilst sitting, despite evidence of a trapped nerve by MRI. Then three times asked me to touch my toes, demonstrating and saying "look like this" again ignoring the MRI stating I have no discs in my lower spine. Asking once for each of these would have been sufficient, who the hell are these people making what is medical decisions ?

My advice is don't even smile at these people as they will take it as weakness. Say little and don't trust them. I have an ESA assessment next week and know how to plan it in my mind now, good luck to anyone going to face this corporation of evil.

Thank you for telling us how your face2face assessment (we never call it a 'medical' because we know it is nothing of the sort!) was carried out. I hope that you do not have to wait long for a favourable decision.

I wish I had read this before hubs assessment. You are absolutely right in everything you say, these people are out to get your benefits taken off you and money is their motive. I hope your result is a good one, ours wasn't. Hubby went from Higher rate DLA to 0 points in one fell swoop. The report is like a work of fiction. It's devastating! We've taken it to MR and will go to appeal if necessary, it's so cruel

Asked if you could give directions to your doctor when asked by a stranger?

Firstly, how far away from your doctors are you when asked.. a mile? 5 miles, 10 miles, etc. Is this by car, bus, walking? Does not make sense at all.

Asked how many minutes can your walk..?

Where in the PIP form does it state a time, rather than a distance????

Like the ESA face2face, the PIP assessment aims to gain information in roundabout ways. We have had several reports of being asked for how many minutes the claimant can walk. That does not gain any information about time taken, manner of walking, pain or fatigue.