× Members

Puzzled.

More
6 years 5 months ago #199499 by cazziej
Puzzled. was created by cazziej
Hi there

I have recently applied for PIP (new claim, not transfer from DLA), received the form, completed it and returned it and have been waiting with trepidation for the date of my assessment.

Have today received my date (quite quickly, original form had to be received back to DWP by 29th September).

I am very shocked that the appointment sent for me is for a home visit. This is entirely unexpected as I never requested this on my form, nor gave any indication that I might request a home visit.

Is this unusual or is it the luck of the draw? I have read of many cases where people have had to plead for a home visit and jump through hoops to get one, having to get a letter from their GP. I am not terminally ill, I do have a quite rare auto immune disorder.

Hope somebody can help.

Thank you

C

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
6 years 5 months ago - 6 years 5 months ago #199512 by slugsta
Replied by slugsta on topic Puzzled.
Hi Cazzie,

You are right it does seem something of a lottery whether or not claimants are offered home assessments!

It appears that someone has looked at your form and decided that you have issues significant enough to be offered a home visit. This has little relation to the final decision!

Your assessment will follow the same format as those undertaken in any other venue. This is explained in the PIP guide.

It is up to you who you have with you and in which room the assessment is held. You do not have to make any special preparations - you don't even need to get dressed if you would not usually do so.

The assessor has no more rights than any other visitor to your home. They do not have the right to 'snoop' around your home - nor have we ever heard of someone asking to!

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Last edit: 6 years 5 months ago by slugsta.
The following user(s) said Thank You: cazziej

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
6 years 5 months ago #199518 by cazziej
Replied by cazziej on topic Puzzled.
Hi

Thank you for the reply. I will go and check in the PIP guide what they are likely to ask me. I think my daughter will come round when the assessor is here, as she is the one who takes me out, sorts my medication etc.

I just had to go back and check on my form how I had responded to Q13c "Are you unable to go out because of severe anxiety or distress" as I had an awful feeling that I had ticked "Yes" or "Sometimes" in error, but I haven't, I have clearly ticked "No", so it is obviously not due to this.

Anyway, the assessment is next week, so not long to wait, will just have to see what happens.

My main illness is PBC (Primary Biliary Cirrhosis - not caused by alcohol) and the way this affects me is absolute and sheer fatigue / exhaustion and brain fog. I have explained on my form in great detail how this affects me on a daily basis, so am not sure how this can be demonstrated physically to the assessor when he/she is here. I can only explain the situation to them - will this be good enough? There is only one medication for this disease and unfortunately I am unable to take this due to severe side effects. It is a progressive disease which can ultimately require liver transplant, but even then the disease can recur. With my claim form I submitted copies of my Occupational Health Report from when I applied for ill health early retirement in 2016. This was approved and the Occupational Health Therapist confirmed that my condition was progressive and my health and function was likely to deteriorate, he also ticked "yes" to the question "Does this member have a medical condition that has a serious impact on life expectancy".

I obviously want to give myself the best chance of my claim being accepted, but wondering how I can get this across to the assessor in a short appointment. There are times when I go out with one of my children in their car, but it will take me days after to recover. Similarly, I can walk, but my fatigue increases almost immediately I start to walk, and again I will suffer for it in the following days - how can I get this across correctly?

Apologies for such a long post, but want to make sure I give myself the best possible chance and so any advice is much appreciated.

Thank you

C

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
6 years 5 months ago - 6 years 5 months ago #199519 by slugsta
Replied by slugsta on topic Puzzled.
Hi Cazzie,

From what you have said, I think the 'reliability' criteria will be important to you. This has 4 elements

• Safely – in a fashion that is unlikely to cause harm to themselves or to another person.
• To a necessary and appropriate standard – given the nature of the activity.
• Repeatedly – as often as is reasonably required.
• In a timely manner – in a reasonable time period.

The assessor will have a list of questions to ask and will probably not vary from these. Try not to let her close you down to yes/no answers. Rather than saying 'Yes, I can do it but . . .' try and say 'no, not without' as applicable, otherwise the assessor will stop listening after 'yes'!

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Last edit: 6 years 5 months ago by slugsta.
The following user(s) said Thank You: cazziej

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
6 years 5 months ago #199520 by cazziej
Replied by cazziej on topic Puzzled.
Thank you, that is a good tip, and one I must try and remember when he / she is here.

C
The following user(s) said Thank You: slugsta

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
6 years 4 months ago #199962 by cazziej
Replied by cazziej on topic Puzzled.
Had my face to face yesterday at home. Original appointment was for between 11.00 am and 1.00 pm and the assessor rang at around 12.45 pm to say she was running late and would be there between 1.30 pm and 1.45 pm. This wasn't a problem, I wasn't going anywhere!

Anyway, when she came she said that she had been having IT problems and this had caused the delay. She said they were fixed now.

Anyway, to the point! She opened her laptop and proceeded to tell me that she had not seen my form, nor my evidence.

I offered her a copy of my form and she just copied my conditions from this. The assessment lasted for, probably between 20 and 30 minutes. She tended to concentrate on the fact that I had listed arthritis in my hands and knee, asking me how this affected me, how bad it was etc. But, in comparison to my main problem, Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, which causes complete exhaustion and brain fog, the arthritis is minor. I did tell her this, but on reflection, every time I tried to lead her back to the effects of the PBC she was asking me about the arthritis, which I again told her was not too much of a problem (this is truthfully the case, it does cause me pain, but nothing in comparison to the fatigue preventing me from doing almost anything).

On reflection now, I am 100% sure I will not be awarded anything due to this. A number of times I referred to the fact that I had sent in a lot of evidence in the way of Consultant letters, copies of test results, liver biopsy results and liver scan results, along with a copy of a report from my Occupational Health doctor from when he recommended retirement on the grounds of ill health. She did say that I was the last assessment she had that day and would be able to access my information when she got home.

I am extremely worried that as she had completed the form while she was at my house, typing into her laptop, without benefit of the evidence, she may not then go through my evidence (there was quite a lot), and will just leave her report without changing it.

I expect that I will have to go to appeal after MR but wondered if anybody had any experience of an assessment without seeing any documents prior, and what the outcome was.

Thank you in advance.

C

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Moderators: GordonGaryBISCatherineWendyKellygreekqueenpeterKatherineSuper UserjimmckChris
We use cookies

We use cookies on our website. Some of them are essential for the operation of the site, while others help us to improve this site and the user experience (tracking cookies). You can decide for yourself whether you want to allow cookies or not. Please note that if you reject them, you may not be able to use all the functionalities of the site.