Have Cerebral palsy and awarded 0 points!

Hi there, I have just received my PIP reassessment letter today and have gone from high rate on both care and mobility to standard rate care and ZERO mobility!
I was born with 'mild' according to medical professionals, Cerebral palsy and in the last two years have had extensive operations on both my legs to straighten and shorten them with metal rods from top to bottom, had my Achilles tendon operated on in Aug 15 to lengthen it, botox in my arm to relax it and still walk with a crutch and have weekly physio.
I put on the form that I can walk between 20-50 meters (with a crutch) but the assessment says I can walk between 50-200 metres?!
I have called the DWP today to ask for a reconsideration and I have been told to state my reasons why in writing. Is this correct? I thought you only had to ask for them to look again without stating why at this stage?
I was also asked what I wanted to challenge? I said 'just the mobility' even though the care has glaring errors I haven't got the energy to do it all. I have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression, hardly go out and have been offered a referral to see a Psychiatrist on my last G.P visit that was just before my assessment and relayed all this to the assessor but I can apparently engage with people unaided? I barely leave my house.
N.B they have apparently received evidence from my orthopaedic consultant who hasn't seen me since my ankle op in Aug 15 but due to see next month and my G.P who see's me mainly about my mental health/depression. We never get round to talking about 9the physical effects of) my C.P!
Sorry that is so lengthy but I'd welcome any help as so confused! Many thanks.

moonandstars wrote: Hi there, I have just received my PIP reassessment letter today and have gone from high rate on both care and mobility to standard rate care and ZERO mobility!
I was born with 'mild' according to medical professionals, Cerebral palsy and in the last two years have had extensive operations on both my legs to straighten and shorten them with metal rods from top to bottom, had my Achilles tendon operated on in Aug 15 to lengthen it, botox in my arm to relax it and still walk with a crutch and have weekly physio.
I put on the form that I can walk between 20-50 meters (with a crutch) but the assessment says I can walk between 50-200 metres?!
I have called the DWP today to ask for a reconsideration and I have been told to state my reasons why in writing. Is this correct? I thought you only had to ask for them to look again without stating why at this stage?
I was also asked what I wanted to challenge? I said 'just the mobility' even though the care has glaring errors I haven't got the energy to do it all. I have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression, hardly go out and have been offered a referral to see a Psychiatrist on my last G.P visit that was just before my assessment and relayed all this to the assessor but I can apparently engage with people unaided? I barely leave my house.
N.B they have apparently received evidence from my orthopaedic consultant who hasn't seen me since my ankle op in Aug 15 but due to see next month and my G.P who see's me mainly about my mental health/depression. We never get round to talking about 9the physical effects of) my C.P!
Sorry that is so lengthy but I'd welcome any help as so confused! Many thanks.

Hi mas,

Welcome to Benefits and Work

Sorry to hear that you have been awarded reduced PIP Awards in your transfer from DLA, but at this time, that is not at all unusual !!

Here is some generic advice that I offer in the case of an MR/Appeal of an adverse PIP decision.

Once you have read through it, if you have further queries please pose them by replying to this topic.

You have one month from the date of the PIP Decision Notice letter to make a written request for a Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) of the PIP decision.

Sending Documents to the DWP.

You could also ring the PIP Helpline :

Telephone: 0345 850 3322
Textphone: 0345 601 6677
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

To request a copy of The PA4 PIP Medical Report compiled by the PIP Assessor at your face to face and sent to The DWP PIP DM to be used when the DM came to their decision.

If you have any problems obtaining The PA4 with a verbal request, you can make a written request which should be done as a separate issue to any MR request :

You can do this using a SAR Form :

SAR Form Download

From this page :

DWP Data Protection Policy

Or you can make the request in the form of a letter, as long as you make it clear that you are making a formal SAR under The Data Protection Act 1998.

Address the envelope : FAO The Data Controller, at the Benefits Office dealing with your PIP.

Write DPA 1998 SAR in front, top, left corner of envelope.

Once received, they have 40 calendar days to comply.

You should not miss your one month deadline if The PA4 has not arrived.

You can make comment that you have requested this and will submit further evidence if applicable when you receive it.

You can then pose any counter arguments to the PIP Assessors recommendations, for example if they are stating that you can carry out a particular PIP Activity, has it been taken into account that to be classed as being able to carry out a PIP Activity, you must be able to do so Reliably and Safely for The Majority of Days

If the Assessor has stated that they witnessed you Walking a set distance have they taken into account the above, the time it took you to do so, and any pain, discomfort and breathless, etc that you may have suffered whilst doing so ? etc, etc, etc !!

You should be aware that when you request an MR, any current PIP Awards, Daily Living and/or Mobility, that you might have, can be increased, reduced or taken away altogether, as they will look at the whole PIP Awards afresh.

Obviously if you have no current PIP Award, there is no risk involved.

See : PIP MR/Appeals Guidance.

Mandatory Reconsiderations Explained

&

Disability Rights UK Factsheet - Appeals and Mandatory Reconsiderations.

You should concentrate on reiterating where and why you should have scored the extra points with respect to the applicable PIP Activities and the appropriate scoring PIP Descriptor for that Activity, whilst cross-referencing to any medical evidence that you have, or may have already provided which indicates that you should have.

See also : PIP Self Test

PIP Points Scoring System

&

PIP Claims Guide. (2nd Link down the page)

You should Bookmark/Favourite this page in your Internet Browser now. That way you can return to this topic easily to pose any further queries that you may have by replying to the topic.

See : This Topic also !

Thanks in anticipation of your future co-operation in keeping all your PIP related queries to this topic !

bro58