Appeal success, thank you for your help.

Hi, just to thank you for all your help getting back my 24 year old son's enhanced mobility. He was receiving higher rate DLA but after his PIP assesment he went down to 0 points. He had his hearing yesterday and this morning we heard the good news that he had gone back up to the higher rate. We are obviously delighted with the ruling but it has caused an unbelievable amount of stress. How can a trained assessor get it so badly wrong?
I hope that this gives other people in the same situation a little hope that wrongs can be put right but also a note of caution that sitting infront of the panel was terribly traumatic. He was questioned for an hour without a break which was incredibly tough for someone who feels so ill. We were hoping that my husband would be allowed to be his spokesperson but he was not allowed to speak at all.
I can personally offer the following advise,
Keep copies of all correspondence and make a note of all telephone conversations and the name of the person you spoke to.
Send all paperwork signed for recorded delivery. ( ours got lost and we had to battle even to get the appeal because we had gone over the time limit, this was only resolved because we had a copy of the date and the signature of the person who received it.)
Spend time reading the information in the members only guides, it proved to be invaluable.
Dont underestimate the length of time it takes to fill in the forms, it took us days not hours, so dont leave it until the last minute.
In retrospect the decision to appeal was made very easily as he scored 0 points for both mobility and daily care. This is for someone who is so poorly my husband was forced to leave a very well paid job to become his carer. We really had nothing to lose, but as I have often read on this site the decision can go up or down.
Try to find someone to help you fill out the forms. There is no way that he could have done it himself, I feel very worried for people who are facing this alone. Use the forum for support.
After the initial relief that the decision was overturned I feel extremely angry that he was put through this incredibly distressing experience when it should so clearly have been decided at his initial assessment. He suffers from a rare illness that quite simply didnt fit in with the tick boxes asked on the questionnaire. Dont be afraid to write not applicable in the box and then go on to explain why the question is not applicable to you.
I hope this might help someone in the same situation, I can honestly say it has been the most horrendous experience for us all, whilst having to cope with all the other stresses that come with caring for a sick child. His illness is unlikely to improve. I just hope that in 2 years time when the award comes to an end the system will be a little less chaotic.

Hello CJ

Thank you for taking the time to let us know of your success at Appeal. It has obviously been horribly stressful for you and your son; I only wish there was some way that this sort of experience could be avoided. Maybe one day?

Thank you also for taking the time to let us know of the steps you have taken during the 'process' which will make things easier for other people going through the same distressing procedure. Such a lot of sense in what you say.

I can understand your anger and distress. I hope now you can get back to some semblance of normal life, without the worry of assessment hanging over you.

Thank you again for the email.

Hi CJ,

Congratulations on fighting the battle to get your son's enhanced mobility,we are glad we could be of some help. Thank you for taking the time to let us know

Thank you for this update as I'm about to go through this ordeal of appeal and I have took note of you saying that some tick boxes don't fit which is relevant to my rare illness to which I don't feel the assesses are equipped for and therefore score us low and maybe hope we go away . So many thanks for that point as I will now put n/a and explain in another space.

Many thanks Noeleen.

Thank you for this update. I originally had DLA middle rate care and high rate mobility, both being indefinite awards. I wish I had found this website before I filled out the PIP form as I was not as concise as I should have been. The result was I have been awarded standard rate care and nothing for mobility. This is causing big problems and I am now requesting that they reconsider and I am in the middle of constructing the accompanying letter.
What I can tell you is that they have not contacted my doctor or consultant neurologist for further information. The person who interviewed me was a nurse or so she said however, I do not believe she was in any way qualified enough to assess and test me. The reasoning was full of supposition, speculation and conjecture. They have no idea.
Anyway, I am glad you have successfully resolved your case.

David

I have today received my letter saying that I have been moved to standard for mobility and have been on higher rate DLA for the last 12 years. Therefore I will lose my notability car... My illness gets worse by the year and will continue to do so.. I am going to appeal but don't know what my chances of having it overturned will be.