PIP Assessment not what I expected!

Hi Jane

You have a very short window in which you can write to the decision-maker and challenge the report. Concentrate on the specific questions where you think you should have scored points and you haven't. Very odd to say that you walked upstairs in the middle of a telephone conversation. It sounds like the assessor has done a cut and paste job - which unfortunately all too common. At this point you are not putting in for a mandatory reconsideration - you can do that if necessary after the decision letter has come out. The address will be the one on your review letter and address it to "The Decision-Maker" - including your NI number, name and details.

You can find details on how to put in for a mandatory reconsideration in the Guide to PIP Appeals. benefitsandwork.co.uk/guides-for-claimants/pip (Scroll down the page to find it).

BIS

Hi Jane

When you contact DWP for a copy of the assessors report (PA4) you are usually informed that you should hear from the Decision Maker within 8 weeks.

Once you get the report, use a highlighter to highlight any inaccuracies, once you have gone through the report you can set out any inaccuracies in your letter to the Decision maker. Go through each descriptor one at a time why you disagree with the assessor and try and match it with any supporting documents you may have sent in.

Understand that the assessor is offering an opinion when they say 'in my opinion' you can do the PIP activities, tackling these head-on is unlikely to be successful, you need to show that the basis of that opinion is founded on incorrect information, so try and refer to your evidence to undermine what they have said, remember they are just an opinion which is not based on fact.

Also, try and stick to issues that lead to your scoring points, I often hear members referring to the assessors spelling, as an example, whilst it may show a lack of professionalism, raising it as an issue isn't going to help you get an award.

Your primary task is to show that you meet the criteria, there are many reasons you may have failed, you need to address each of these but don't get bogged down in criticising the assessors report unless you can clearly show that it is incorrect, it is a lot easier to argue the facts of the situation.

Lastly, make sure that you understand the criteria that you are being assessed against you can put the best case forward that is possible but you won't score points if you do not meet the PIP Descriptors.

Make sure that your letter makes it clear that you are not requesting a Mandatory Reconsideration but you reserve the right to do so once a Decision has been made.

The first stage to challenging a Decision is for you to request a Mandatory Reconsideration, this needs to be done in writing to the DWP, within one month of the Decision, to the office that dealt with your claim, have a look at our PIP MR & Appeal guide, halfway down the page; www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/pip

For the CRMR1 form to initiate your MR; www.gov.uk/government/publications/chall...ork-and-pensions-dwp

When you have a better idea of the issues with your claim, come back to the forum and we will do our best to help.

Gary