PIP - MR - various questions

Dear fellow forum members,

Thank you for the moderators constantly helping us out, and for the input of fellow members.

I am considering asking for a PIP Mandatory Reconsideration. I got 2 standard rates same as before but the good thing is that there was tel assessment , with award period of 4 doubled from 4, and that they were fast to decide (10 days from the time they received my pip review form and evidence.

Q1- Is there a BIG % chance that:
- my award could be reduced to nothing
- or that my award period that was doubled could be halfed again?
I am wondering if from this forum, over the years, when forum members give a feedback the majority of them on standard rates, the majority of them get it stopped, that is what worries me the most?

Q2- Is it wise to say to DWP in MR I should have been allowed more points (and hence more money)?
If I tell them I believe I should have been given more points (hence more chance of an award with Enhanced rate, meaning more money) could that backfire on me?

I am wondering if anyone has actually told them in MR they should have scored more points?
Even though some of us think it and tell each other that.

Especially when on their decision letter pip.7003 the assessor only writes down the daily living activities I scored points on, and the other daily living or mobility activities that score more points are not even mentioned.

Many thanks.
Best wishes

Hi Olympia, here goes my fave topic! Have you actually requested and received your assessment report, called PA4? If not please get a call in ASAP to see whether the assessor recorded your answers correctly. Or twisted or omitted anything -all these are sadly common.
[If you have time it is ideal to follow up your phone-call with a letter requesting it. And by the way if you get a person who says you can't have it, that is only true in Northern Ireland, so if you live anywhere but NI just end the call and try again].

If there are faults in the assessment report, it will help you write your MR by explaining each significant one [ie that would give more points or longer award], refer to the documents you sent for each fault. If time is short on the MR one-month deadline you can submit it on time, with a comment included that you intend to send further comment when you have received information you are waiting for, then get it in ASAP when it does reach you.
Hoping this is useful in your claim, Denby

Thank you so much LL26 and denby for taking the time to reply to help me.

Today I’ll call them and ask for PA4.

I am a bit upset because despite have no tel/face to face assessment they know from all the medical evidence & neighbours support letters (I almost had problems closing the A4 special delivery envelope) that I am severely disabled, I need a hip replacement urgently, , and also knees replacement very soon, my legs are severely deformed, I have OA in all the lower parts of my body, yet every 2 years,.

- they say I can use aids for all daily living activities and they do not give me the help I need for cooking, getting out of the bath because it is medically (as no grip or upper limb restrictions) likely I can use aids so I am short of points and always on standard rate. When I cannot cook anymore, I used to years ago, now I have to order food (or have someone cook for me) because my lower limbs give way at times and I even had an accident in the kitchen.

- For mobility I told them every time I go out which is only for medical appointments and I use 1 or 2 crutches and that at home it varies, 1 or 2 crutches and that is when I cannot walk either for every single step I have to stop and use the crutch(es) or I hold on to the furniture when I am better but still stop every metre or two. And I said that whenever I walk, with or without aids, I can only walk less than 20 metresbecause I either stop at every little step i take or at every 1 or 2 metres. They seem to say that unless you have problems with your upper limbs then despite having problems with your lower limbs you can still use aids. I explained I could not stand, had accident, leg giving way, could not sit but needed to lay down or half lay down and they say it is medically likely I could use aids to wash and prepare a simple meal. I feel they always have escuses (a few year bk they said standard rate and said had no accident in the kitchen) me I have accident in kitchen (once went to A&E 2 years ago for it) and they say I can use aid. I am thinking if I do an MR they seem so keen on giving me standard rate I hope they do not stop it.

But the person who made the decision said I have not reported significant changes to my pain medication to support a significant deterioration.

which is incorrect, because this last 6 months I have been talking to MSK pain management pharmacist, they changed my medication 2 months ago, it is not working and on the day they made the decision the msk pharmacist called me (and I told pip she was going to call me mid march) and changed to medication but made me aware of risks of heart attacks. Even the medicine I was on these last year and a half had risks of heart attack and I told them the gp diminished the dose and stopped it as they say it is dangerous. So I do not think the decision maker is fair there (I admit have not sent the letter saying from the pain management pharmacist that put me on this medicine but when I contacted gp to see if ready, receptionist said gp or pharmacist would call me a few day later about it. Unfortunately I missed call, but pharmacist left voicemail to send he had sent it to my pharmacy). I had not sent the msk pharmacist letter to pip earlier in case my gp did not want to give me the medication because of the risks of heart attacks, plus I am allergic to so many medicine there is not much left out there for me.

And lastly the assessor I have said I only use a walking aid sometimes, which is twisted truth and that she has decided I can walk over 20 metres but less than 50, and that she has considered what my needs are the majority of days.

I go out 4 times a year.
At home I use aid most days or use furniture for support or a combination of both if I have to move 1 metre I’ll only use furniture but further away walking aids.
I am wondering if the fact I have no letter to say I have a walking aid can penalise me. There is one I sent from 2 years ago the physio said I had refused walking aid as I walked better with rolling suitcase which was true at the time, now I use the crutches 2, 3 times a year when go out for medical appointment and at home or use furniture.

Thank you for all your support.

Best wishes

Hi Olympia
I’ve always got 10 points SDL, & I always accepted it & was just grateful that I got something. I certainly wouldn’t have dared query this, until I lost my award & went from 10 to 0 points. After reading the guides on B&W I went for a MR & got the 10 points back, but I was so angry that I also decided to also appeal. I felt that they deliberately ignored some things to stop me getting those extra 2 points which would’ve got me an enhanced award. If for example I’d got the extra point for using a dosette box for medication, along with 3 points (rather than the 2 that they gave me) for needing help to get in & out of the bath/shower I’d’ve got the 2 extra points needed for an enhanced award. I did state this in my MR & appeal letter, not that I would’ve even thought of saying such a thing otherwise. All I did was follow the guides on here which said to see where you could possibly gain extra points & explain why you think that you should get them. I’m still awaiting my appeal & hope to get an enhanced DL award, as I know that there are extra points to be gained.