Preparation for PIP2 & ESA Reassessment

Hi all at B & W
I was awarded HR mob & care for PIP approximately 18 months ago. I also receive ESA (CB) in the support group.
I was retired from work in August last year on ill health grounds, Atos was the O\H provider & Capita had the final say on the decision for IH retirement.

I'm preparing myself for the arrival of the PIP 2\reassessment . As well as sending in all further evidence gathered since my last F2F (home visit by Atos), should I send again, I\Health retirement certificate & letter, O\H letters etc (these will be some 3 yrs old by then)?
Also is it worth putting on the form somewhere that I'm in the Support group for ESA & what the current PIP award is, or does this have no bearing on what is technically a new claim?

Would mentioning that you've been independently assessed by a physiotherapist for your local authority and given a Disabled Residents Parking a Bay, bear any weight?

Around the same time my ESA reassessment is also due. I'm in the process of filling in the online PDF version of the ESA50 as well!!
As you suggest it's best to get this in hand and I can go back and amend it when necessary. I just wanted to know if I should note anywhere that I receive H\R PIP or is this not relevant to the assessor for ESA. When I awarded it the first time I didn't have an assessment, I was just placed into the SG after a number of weeks.

Sorry for the number of queries, just trying to get things right in my mind while filling in both forms. (If I should've posted this on my previous post I apologise, please let me know for next time)

The help you all provide is invaluable.
Thank you.

Judith wrote: Hi all at B & W
I was awarded HR mob & care for PIP approximately 18 months ago. I also receive ESA (CB) in the support group.
I was retired from work in August last year on ill health grounds, Atos was the O\H provider & Capita had the final say on the decision for IH retirement.

I'm preparing myself for the arrival of the PIP 2\reassessment . As well as sending in all further evidence gathered since my last F2F (home visit by Atos), should I send again, I\Health retirement certificate & letter, O\H letters etc (these will be some 3 yrs old by then)?
Also is it worth putting on the form somewhere that I'm in the Support group for ESA & what the current PIP award is, or does this have no bearing on what is technically a new claim?

Would mentioning that you've been independently assessed by a physiotherapist for your local authority and given a Disabled Residents Parking a Bay, bear any weight?

Around the same time my ESA reassessment is also due. I'm in the process of filling in the online PDF version of the ESA50 as well!!
As you suggest it's best to get this in hand and I can go back and amend it when necessary. I just wanted to know if I should note anywhere that I receive H\R PIP or is this not relevant to the assessor for ESA. When I awarded it the first time I didn't have an assessment, I was just placed into the SG after a number of weeks.

Sorry for the number of queries, just trying to get things right in my mind while filling in both forms. (If I should've posted this on my previous post I apologise, please let me know for next time)

The help you all provide is invaluable.
Thank you.

Hi J,

Looking back at your last post : Here it looks like your existing PIP Award runs from November 2014 for 3 years.

So you should expect your PIP renewal forms circa November this year, 12 month before the end date of your award.

To should provide all and any evidence that supports the fact that you should continue to receive the Enhanced PIP Awards that you currently have !

You should treat the Renewal just as you did with your original claim, and not rely on DWP or The PIP Assessment Provider (ATOS) reviewing evidence that you have previously provided.

Although current evidence supporting the fact that you still qualify for Enhanced Awards of both should be used if you have it, you can use older evidence, but in doing so, you will have to make it clear that your medical conditions have not improved since that time, and subsequently you still suffer the same level of Daily Living needs and Walking limitations that you suffered at the time of your last PIP Assessment.

Remember, at Renewal, you will be assessed on "how you are" at that time, and you will most probably be Assessed by a totally different PIP Assessor and the decision will be made by a totally different DWP PIP DM !

Regarding your ESA Award, this is a totally different "Benefit" to PIP with differing qualifying criteria.

However, if you are aware of "why" you were placed into The SG, and this is supportive of your PIP renewal, you can refer to it in your PIP evidence.

If you have a copy of the ESA85 or ESA85A medical report and this is wholly supportive of your PIP renewal, with no negative aspects, you could also include copy of that !

The same would apply if you had any supportive evidence from your PIP award, such as The PA4 Medical Report, which was supportive of your ESA reassessment.

Regarding preparing for your PIP renewal, see : This Post

You should also ensure that you use our most current version of PIP Claims Guide. (2nd Link down the page) whilst filling in the PIP 2 Form.

See also : PIP Self Test

&

PIP Points Scoring System

bro58

Hi bro58

Firstly, many thanks for such a quick reply.

I do already have quite a bit of current evidence to support my claim but I will also send some of the older stuff as my conditions have definitely not improved since the last assessment and I now unfortunately have other conditions as well.

When I first claimed ESA (all very new to me, not claimed any benefit in over 35 yrs) this was the only the only benefit I was in receipt of, as I didn't even know about PIP. I have a copy of an
LT 54: it says I score 15 points and at least one of the descriptors in Schedule 3 of the Regs apply. Could I refer to this in my PIP claim?
I'm not too sure what the ESA 85 is? I don't seem to have a copy though?

I do have copy of the PA4 from my PIP assessment. Is was a very supportive report, should I send copies of pages that I believe support the ESA claim or just refer to it on the form?

While I've been looking through all the paper work I first received I've realised I haven't read it all properly. A lot of that due to illness and the shock of receiving the benefits at all I think. Anyway I've just read that you're supposed to let them know if you go into hospital. If I send discharge letters as further evidence with my reassessment, will I get into trouble for not having let them know I was in hospital. No stay was for more than 14 days.

Thank you again for all your kind help.

Judith wrote: Hi bro58

Firstly, many thanks for such a quick reply.

I do already have quite a bit of current evidence to support my claim but I will also send some of the older stuff as my conditions have definitely not improved since the last assessment and I now unfortunately have other conditions as well.

When I first claimed ESA (all very new to me, not claimed any benefit in over 35 yrs) this was the only the only benefit I was in receipt of, as I didn't even know about PIP. I have a copy of an
LT 54: it says I score 15 points and at least one of the descriptors in Schedule 3 of the Regs apply. Could I refer to this in my PIP claim?
I'm not too sure what the ESA 85 is? I don't seem to have a copy though?

I do have copy of the PA4 from my PIP assessment. Is was a very supportive report, should I send copies of pages that I believe support the ESA claim or just refer to it on the form?

While I've been looking through all the paper work I first received I've realised I haven't read it all properly. A lot of that due to illness and the shock of receiving the benefits at all I think. Anyway I've just read that you're supposed to let them know if you go into hospital. If I send discharge letters as further evidence with my reassessment, will I get into trouble for not having let them know I was in hospital. No stay was for more than 14 days.

Thank you again for all your kind help.

Hi J,

Firstly, regarding your stay in Hospital.

If none of the stays exceeded 14 days, there should not be a problem.

As you will see from the information on ESA and Hospital admissions : Here , your ESA payments would only be affected if your stay was for 4 weeks or more, and even then it would only affect your ESA payments if you were receiving : Income Related (IR) ESA Premiums.

If you were ill that the time, it is quite understandable that you did not think to inform DWP ESA.

". I have a copy of an LT 54: it says I score 15 points and at least one of the descriptors in Schedule 3 of the Regs apply. Could I refer to this in my PIP claim?"

The fact that you have been placed into The SG may help to show that you suffer from severe disabilities, however the above information does not state why you were placed into The SG, and which of : The Functional SG (LCWRA) Schedule 3 Descriptors were applied !

e.g. If you had confirmation that you had been placed into The SG through Activity 1 :

"1. Mobilising unaided by another person with or without a walking stick, manual wheelchair or other aid if such aid is normally or could reasonably be worn or used." as you fulfilled :

Descriptors 1 (a) and/or (b) :

"1 Cannot either:

(a) mobilise more than 50 metres on level ground without stopping in order to avoid significant discomfort or exhaustion; or

(b) repeatedly mobilise 50 metres within a reasonable timescale because of significant discomfort or exhaustion. "

This would be a good indication that you also at least fulfilled Descriptors (c) or (d) of The PIP Mobility Moving Around Activity

2. Moving around.

a. Can stand and then move more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided. 0 points.

b. Can stand and then move more than 50 metres but no more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided. 4 points.

c. Can stand and then move unaided more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres. 8 points.

d. Can stand and then move using an aid or appliance more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres. 10 points.

e. Can stand and then move more than 1 metre but no more than 20 metres, either aided or unaided. 12 points.

f. Cannot, either aided or unaided, –
(i) stand;

or

(ii) move more than 1 metre. 12 points.

Which would give you a Standard PIP Mobility Award.

On reading the above you should take on board that although The ESA Mobilising Activity 1 does take into account any distance that you can self propel a manual wheelchair unaided, the PIP Moving Around Activity doesn't, it is purely a Walking test.

"I'm not too sure what the ESA 85 is? I don't seem to have a copy though?"

An ESA85 is the Medical Report compiled by The ESA Assessor at an ESA face to face when one takes place and includes recommendations on which group you should be placed into. (Similar to The PA4 with PIP)

An ESA85A is the medical report that is compiled in a paper based assessment when no face to face takes place.

You should find hat the information in one of my previous posts : Here will further enlighten you on ESA "Forms", "what" you can request, and how to do so !

bro58

Hi bro58

Thanks again for your reply.
I've looked again at the information on the LT54 and can't glean anything else much from it.

I have though found my copy of the ESA 85A which says:
Evidence considered suggests client cannot mobilise 50 metres repeatedly, within reasonable times a snd unaided, because of significant discomfort or exhaustion due to my contiions.
Ability to propel wheelchair would be affected by fatigue and SoB.
Evidence suggests improvement is unlikely in the long term.

Would enclosing a copy of these 2 documents be of use to both ESA reassessment and PIP2 reassessment?

Can you enclose any paperwork from your PA4 to support either reassessment? The justification for review period choice states my conditions are of a progressive nature and functional abilities may vary in the future.

Thank you

Judith wrote: Hi bro58

Thanks again for your reply.
I've looked again at the information on the LT54 and can't glean anything else much from it.

I have though found my copy of the ESA 85A which says:
Evidence considered suggests client cannot mobilise 50 metres repeatedly, within reasonable times a snd unaided, because of significant discomfort or exhaustion due to my contiions.
Ability to propel wheelchair would be affected by fatigue and SoB.
Evidence suggests improvement is unlikely in the long term.

Would enclosing a copy of these 2 documents be of use to both ESA reassessment and PIP2 reassessment?

Can you enclose any paperwork from your PA4 to support either reassessment? The justification for review period choice states my conditions are of a progressive nature and functional abilities may vary in the future.

Thank you

Hi J,

O.K., so The ESA85A indicates that you were placed into The SG under Activity 1. "Mobilising".

As advised in my previous post, this should help to indicate that you qualify for at least a Standard PIP Mobility Award.

You would obviously have to back this up with current evidence, and if you are trying to obtain an Enhanced PIP Mobility Award you would have to show that you can't walk 20 metres reliably and safely for the majority of the days.

Again you could use it as evidence in your ESA re-assessment, but you would have to reiterate how and why Activity 1 still applies.

I would be wary of writing anything in support of your ESA re-assessment that may indicate that you can "Walk" more than the 20 metres which is the benchmark for the PIP "Walking Test", that is of course if you can't walk 20 metres or more reliably and safely for the majority of days.

As previously advised, you can use all and any evidence that is wholly supportive of your PIP claim and ESA re-assessment.

If the evidence is not current, you will have to reiterate how and why the evidence is still relevant at the time of your Assessment/Re-Assessment.

bro58