PIP phone assessment cancelled on the day

(NB moderators - I have now put this in a separate post heading here as I didn't want it to get lost in my old thread. Please, if appropriate, can you delete the post I sent about 12 hours ago. thank you!)

Hi all. I was very anxious about my PIP review phone assessment, especially as I find it v hard to answer questions on the spot due to my cognitive problems from brain injury, combined with anxiety & PTSD.
The appointment, made over 2 weeks ago, was due for yesterday. My sister had travelled 2 hours to support me & help if I blanked out / lost my words.

The assessment was due at 2pm. I had all my bullet point notes ready, my PIP form, & water for a long phone call, By 2.10pm no one had phoned. I decided to do what it advises in the Benefits & Work guide, to call IAS (Atos) after 10 minutes. I felt a bit sheepish doing so.....and probably wouldn't have if I hadn't seen it in the guide.

The man who answered said that I should wait a bit longer and that if no one had phoned me by 2.30pm, to call him back. Well, the phone rang at 2.25pm. I assumed it to be the assessor. But no, it was someone calling from IAS to say that my appointment was cancelled - as the assessor was off sick. What? I asked why no one had informed me of this earlier in the day. He replied that the assessor had only phoned in the last hour to say they were sick - and that since that time, they had tried, unsuccessfully, to find another assessor.

It was hard to believe what I was hearing. I felt stunned,( amongst other things!). After all my preparations, after all the effort my sister went to to be with me, after the anticipation and a night of poor sleep with anxiety, they cancel it, 25 minutes after it was due to start.

The man on the phone arranged another assessment appointment for me - in 2 weeks time.
But I just feel so disturbed by it all. Is this how they are treating people? I don't suppose I am the only person. Are they really really short staffed? And I do wonder what might have happened if I hadn't called them after 10 minutes - would they just have 'forgotten' to inform me that it was cancelled? (I am not asking these questions to be answered, but just to air my frustration!). It almost feels like we've got to jump through hoops to stick to appointment times with severe consequences if we don't - but they can saunter away with no repercussions.
I wonder if I should write to my MP about this.
Thanks for reading! and thanks for all your help on here.

Hi sorry to hear this but they did this to me twice in April and then wondered why I didn't have anyone with me the third time.
Hopefully you will be ok for the next appointment

Hi, if you do have the energy I would write to your MP. Whatever party they are they should know how patchy the 'service' from the assessors is, even if they cannot do anything about it.
When we arrived for a F2F a few years ago, and they acknowledged we had stated our intention to record it but none of the assessors was willing to be recorded, so they rebooked us at another centre, they did pay our mileage for the two trips. You could suggest to your MP that at the least they should offer your sister's travel costs for the wasted trip. After all they are saving a mint atm not paying anyone's travel!
Best wishes for next time,
Denby

We wanted to record my Husband's assessment and arrived complete with the equipment. The assessor told us it couldn't be used unless it had been PAT tested. Nobody had informed us of this. We made an official complaint and were given £75 compensation.
I think you should complain if only to get your sister's travel expenses paid. If it starts costing them money maybe they will stop messing people about. Have you also notified the DWP so they know what has happened?

Hi all. I did write to my MP about the cancellation of my PIP assessment and she took it up with Atos / IAS (and she was very understanding and v helpful) .
Fortunately the assessment did take place as planned on the 2nd occasion and I did get the impression the assessor had read my PIP form. The assessor was very matter of fact & wanted to move v quickly from 1 question to another. It lasted one hour and I don't really know how accurate her assessment might be.

I received a text from DWP to say they had received the assessors report that same day (I received that text within 2 hours after my assessment ended!)
I contacted the DWP to ask for a copy of the report - but have not yet received it. (It is now exactly one week ago that I requested it).
I phoned the DWP to say I hadn't received it and they said it was likely to be down to delays in the post. I am hoping to receive it in the next couple of days. I am a bit worried that if there are any inaccuracies in the report that I may not get time to respond before a Decision maker makes the decision. Keeping my fingers crossed it will arrive soon!
Has anyone else had to wait over a week for their assessor's report? Am just wondering how common this is.
Thank you for reading!