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DLA to PIP help

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6 years 11 months ago #186213 by j112009
Replied by j112009 on topic DLA to PIP help
Help Gordon,
we have received an assessment apt on 21/4/2017 in Stoke on Trent. My boyfriend lives inn Derby he suffers from severe mental health problems and fibromyalgia which affects his mobility.
We do not have a car and he cannot use public transport he travels everywhere by taxi. he put on the claim form that he cannot go anywhere that he doesn't know. His CPN is on leave until 10th april and then there is easter in between then and the appointment date. so time is tight. We do not know what to do as there is no way that we can get to Stoke. If I ring up capita and ask for the appointment to be at the Derby centre or if not there then request a home visit what will they say? Will my one phone call be classed as the "one" change of appointment you are allowed? Will he have to get a letter from his GP to ask for a home visit and send it to them?
Also where do you send correspondence regarding appts is it to the main office in Darlington?

Please help as he is already feeling suicidal about all of this appointment stuff and I also have mental health problems. Why can't they send him to the derby office it'e cruel and stupid.
Thanks

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6 years 11 months ago #186232 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic DLA to PIP help
J

The Capita booking system seems to pick the first available appointment within the area that a claimant is considered to be able to travel to, so it's not unusual for this to be in another town of some distance away from the claimants home.

It might not seem like it but you do have three weeks to resolve this and there is no need for to rush into a solution that may in fact still be worse than what could be achieved if you are patient, so do not cancel the current appointment, you can do this at any time up to the day of the appointment although I would ring the day before.

First of all try for a home assessment, he won't get one without his GP writing to Capita to explain why he cannot attend at their offices.

If the letter doesn't work and you cannot provide more information to force a home assessment, then go for an assessment that is closer, contact Capita by phone and try and make the appointment while you are talking to them.

Failing that, go for them paying for a taxi.

The critical thing is to avoid cancelling the current appointment until you have a better one.

Moving the appointment will count as your one change of appointment.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: j112009

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6 years 11 months ago #186280 by j112009
Replied by j112009 on topic DLA to PIP help
Thank you Gordon.

Does the GP have to write the letter to the Capita head office in Darlington quoting BF's details?

How long should we wait for a reply from them and will it be sent to his home address or will it be a phone call?

Thanks.

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6 years 11 months ago #186300 by j112009
Replied by j112009 on topic DLA to PIP help
Hello Gordon,

We have just prepared a letter asking his GP to write to Capita to request a home visit. Is this what you meant me to do...to tell the GP to write to them re the home visit?

When he has written to them how will they let us know that a home visit has been granted, will Capita write to us with a new apt for home visit or will we have to ring Capita?

Sorry if I'm being a pest but we are just very confused and upset here. Thanks

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6 years 11 months ago #186303 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic DLA to PIP help

j112009 wrote: Thank you Gordon.

Does the GP have to write the letter to the Capita head office in Darlington quoting BF's details?

How long should we wait for a reply from them and will it be sent to his home address or will it be a phone call?

Thanks.


I would get your GP to email or fax the letter directly to the venue where your appointment is, contact them and they should be able to give you the address or number.

If they want an address to put on the letter then again use the venue.

I would chase Capita a couple of days after the letter is sent.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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6 years 11 months ago #186321 by j112009
Replied by j112009 on topic DLA to PIP help
Hello Gordon,
We have just rung Capita to ask for the contact details of the Stoke office and she would not give them to me and said she could only put me through if I wanted directions to the office etc. As I said I wanted to see if we could get a home assessment and wanted the Stoke email or fax for the doctor she said that he would have to write to DWP PIP at Wolverhampton post handling centre. Then we should ring Capita back 7 days after the GP had sent the letter to see if they had got it. She kept on saying as I was talking about the appointment did I want to change it...I said no I didn't want to change it at the moment and she has left it as 21/4/2017 at Stoke.
I asked if there was a possibility of changing to a nearer venue and she said she had checked for available appointments while I was talking and there was nothing at the moment and that I could ring Capita back next week to see if anything closer had come up.
The whole phonecall was rushed and slightly confrontational and I got the feeling she was trying to trip me up. We recorded the call on a little machine. God help us if this is what they are like. Why won't they give assessment centre's phone numbers out?

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