PIP timelines and address

For the benefit of others, I have a timeline of PIP decisions, as of last year.

15 Feb 2021 - my PIP 1043 reassessment was posted (signed for).
26 April 2021 – decision sent by DWP – 10 weeks wait.

21 May 2021 – Mandatory recon posted.
25 July 2021 – Updated decision sent by DWP – 10 weeks wait.

So, the 10 weeks processing time seems to be the norm.

Both were paper-based assessments, partly due to covid restrictions, partly due to my history of home assessments due to my conditions. I sent Data Protection requests to my hospital and GP to get copies of my medical records as evidence.

I sent a mand recon request as my PIP was (inevitably) reduced. I sent a Data Protection Rights of Access Request to the DWP to get a copy of the assessor’s report. Inevitably, the assessor lied as usual – they said they had spoken to my CPN and that I was having weekly telephone consultations of an hour duration. In fact, in a period of a year, (due to covid), I had only 6 telephone chats with my CPN of 10 minutes duration, which he later verified. (This was devastating, as pre-covid I was having fortnightly HOME VISITS by my CPN of an hour duration. After Christmas 2020, I was hospitalised and sectioned after a hanging attempt.) Fortunately my telephone records confirmed the CPN reduced contact and exposed the assessor’s lie, and my PIP was reinstated to the correct level.

From this, it is clear that the DWP have seized upon the covid crisis and reduced access to the NHS as an excuse to reduce or stop benefits. This is a major political issue, and I urge support groups such as DNS and yourselves to raise this with ministers. (I have informed my own MP.)

I urge all claimants to get their GP / hospital medical records with a Rights of Access Request as a matter of course to send off with re-assessments.

I urge all claimants to then get a copy of the health assessor’s report from the DWP with a Rights of Access Request. I think the DWP should be sending these to claimants by default anyway – it’s our crucial data and should be sent to us with the DM’s decision – we should not have to resort to Data Protection law to get a copy.

Something the DWP inadvertently let slip through in my data report is the PIP handling site A actual address:

Cardiff Wales BC
Block 2 Government Buildings
Cardiff CF14 4YJ

The address to get a copy of the assessor’s report is:

Rights of Access Gateway team
Mail Handling site A
Wolverhampton WV98 2EF

I sincerely hope this is helpful to others, and wish everybody the the best.

Andy (West Midlands)

Dear andyfoley1963, thank you so much for this contribution. We have not had to resort to right of access requests to get our daughter's PA4 or PA3 assessor's reports, just ask for them though sometimes at second attempt if first refused. However I completely agree with your points about the DWP's use of covid circumstances, or should I say abuse.
I wish some academic would study the cost to the NHS of two aspects. Firstly the cost of providing all the paperwork as you say, because claimants have to get this to prove their genuine-ness. Secondly of treating claimants and their families who become ill/iller than before, as a result of the stress of the claim process.
Best wishes and well done on winning your MR -at least you aren't waiting around many more weeks for an appeal.
Denby