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Pip first claim online and telephone assessment AP4
- Anne-Marie Curry
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1 year 11 months ago #276850 by Anne-Marie Curry
Pip first claim online and telephone assessment AP4 was created by Anne-Marie Curry
I posted elsewhere on this forum, about the new online process, so forgive me, that I haven't got it all in one place. It's been a whilst since I posted on B&W and remembered how to use the forum, my health has seriously declined since I first joined and claimed ESA. Following the advice on here, I rang and got a copy of the form I filled in online. I didn't see a link to download the form after I filled it in. Fair enough, that might have been me, but you can't go back and amend the paragraphs either once you have completed a section, you are closed out of it, and that was a promise of the online system too. It took a month to arrive. Hadn't arrived in time for my video assessment, so I asked for it to be rescheduled. They said they could only record a telephone one, so bear that in mind, and that is what I had. Rang for the A4P, it arrived in two days but I couldn't look at it for two weeks. I just know its going to be a pack of lies, and it is. I've just glimpsed at it now and it could be someone else. I haven't received the recording. I've rung for it. The assessment took place on 19th Jan. Do I write to the DWP now, or do I wait until I'm written to? I don't understand why they have to make life difficult for disabled people. In the box next to the assessors name it says she's a nurse.
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- denby
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1 year 11 months ago #276866 by denby
Replied by denby on topic Pip first claim online and telephone assessment AP4
Dear Rita, poor you, so sorry. Do you have a friend who could support you in tackling the PA4? If you want to, you can write to 'The decision Maker' DWP, at the last address they wrote to you from, instead of waiting for a decision you will probably want to contest.
Icy coldly set out how the report is 'not fit for purpose' because of all the point-losing places where it seems to be about another person. Refer back to your evidence to back your comments. Get it off ASAP and you may yet influence the decision.
Whether you try this first or not, don't miss the one month deadline for asking for an MR following the Guide advice on here after any decision that you get and don't consider correct. The content of a letter now will be the meat of an MR so not wasted effort.
Best wishes,
Denby
Icy coldly set out how the report is 'not fit for purpose' because of all the point-losing places where it seems to be about another person. Refer back to your evidence to back your comments. Get it off ASAP and you may yet influence the decision.
Whether you try this first or not, don't miss the one month deadline for asking for an MR following the Guide advice on here after any decision that you get and don't consider correct. The content of a letter now will be the meat of an MR so not wasted effort.
Best wishes,
Denby
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- Gary
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1 year 11 months ago #276867 by Gary
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gary on topic Pip first claim online and telephone assessment AP4
Hi Rita
Sorry to hear about your poor assessment, unfortunately you are not alone.
There is a small window for you to write to the Decision Maker but you will need to be quick.
Now you have the assessment report you will have a better understanding of how the DWP Decision Maker has come to their conclusions and you will now be able to argue against them.
I usually use a highlighter to highlight any inaccuracies, once you have gone through the report you then set out why you disagree with the assessor's report 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 that 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.
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 assessment 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.
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, half way down the page for details of the process, the PIP area also has template letters that you can use to make the request with.
benefitsandwork.co.uk/guides-for-claimants/pip
Make sure that your letter makes it clear that you are not requesting a Mandatory Reconsideration at this stage, but you reserve the right to do so once a Decision has been made.
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
Sorry to hear about your poor assessment, unfortunately you are not alone.
There is a small window for you to write to the Decision Maker but you will need to be quick.
Now you have the assessment report you will have a better understanding of how the DWP Decision Maker has come to their conclusions and you will now be able to argue against them.
I usually use a highlighter to highlight any inaccuracies, once you have gone through the report you then set out why you disagree with the assessor's report 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 that 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.
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 assessment 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.
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, half way down the page for details of the process, the PIP area also has template letters that you can use to make the request with.
benefitsandwork.co.uk/guides-for-claimants/pip
Make sure that your letter makes it clear that you are not requesting a Mandatory Reconsideration at this stage, but you reserve the right to do so once a Decision has been made.
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
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: Anne-Marie Curry
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- Anne-Marie Curry
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1 year 11 months ago #277141 by Anne-Marie Curry
Replied by Anne-Marie Curry on topic Pip first claim online and telephone assessment AP4
I thought I would say a bigger thank you here to the moderators, and deep and sincere thank you. I wrote a response to the AP4, it took 12 pages to correct what was written. Just to be very brief, I have had two pulmonary embolisms, well three actually. One large saddle in 2020, then two smaller ones in each lung just before Christmas. Its damaged my heart and left me with chronic migraines. I always had migraines, but they have increased dramatically in severity and frequency. The assessor doesn't seem to have the required knowledge to relate to the evidence I've given. I wanted to share however, that she kept me on the phone for over an hour and a half. Then she rang me back twice. She started the assessment early, so in total, almost three hours. She didn't mention the phone calls in the report, I'm guessing she did something wrong there, but she used the length of the assessment against me to award me zero points in one of the categories. I guess its par for the course that t hey never reference the law? I was in the process of trying to print the document yesterday, because although you can upload evidence to the new system, everything else is old fashioned, when I got a call from someone at the DWP. I'm confused, so bear with me as I related the details. She didn't say who she was, she called herself PIP, she said she needed details of when I had been in hospital, what days I had been in hospital. When I said I couldn't remember off the top of my head, she pushed me. She said she needed to know quickly. Then she said it was for my award. She then corrected herself and said no decision had yet been made, but if I was awarded PIP, these dates would ned to be know. So I said well, I uploaded everything, and she said uploaded like I was speaking another language. I explained, feeling really confused, and she went into a call centre eese, about tickets, jobs, queued jobs, which made me think no one is looking at the "evidence " they ask you to upload? I then said I could ring the doctors and get the dates from the doctors, so she argues back that the doctors wouldn't know??? I'm starting to feel like this is some kind of prank call. I have said in my PIP2 I have memory problems due to the severity of the migraines, She then says don't you keep a diary "or something". Were you in hospital on Christmas day, was it four days or five days, surely you would remember Christmas day?? She kept talking at me, told me her day off, then told me I had to get these dates for her, and she was going to ring me again on Monday. I really don't know what to make of this. Presumably they are going to try to take some money off me. So far a combined salary of £88,000 has tried to take £30.00 off me. I'm sorely tempted not to answer the phone. Make then write to me because I supplied all the information in uploads. I'm exhausted from tackling the AP4, its given me really bad migraines and sleeplessness. This is why I didn't apply before. I've applied this time because I really am choosing between heating and eating,
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- Gary
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1 year 11 months ago #277170 by Gary
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gary on topic Pip first claim online and telephone assessment AP4
Hi Rita
Thank you for your post, and informing fellow members about your conversation the the assessor. I can feel your frustration in your words.
I have read your post a few times and could not find a question, so I apoligise in advance if you have asked one.
Gary
Thank you for your post, and informing fellow members about your conversation the the assessor. I can feel your frustration in your words.
I have read your post a few times and could not find a question, so I apoligise in advance if you have asked one.
Gary
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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- Gordon
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1 year 11 months ago #277182 by Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic Pip first claim online and telephone assessment AP4
Rita
I think I know what you are asking!
When a PIP award is made and there is backdating one of the things the DWP will ask the claimant as standard is whether they have spent any time in hospital.
Payment of PIP is suspended when a claimant spends more than 28 days in hospital, the days you go into hospital and leave do not count towards the total.
The 28 days can be continuous, you go into hospital and spend more than 28 days before being discharged, or, it can be contiguous.
Periods in hospital that are separated by 28 days or less count towards the total. so, you are in hospital weekdays but let out at weekends, as the weekday periods are separated by only two days they will be added together.
So, the DWP are just asking for a list of the dates when you were in hospital, if you actually were. I'm afraid payment is unlikely to be released until you provide the information.
Gordon
I think I know what you are asking!
When a PIP award is made and there is backdating one of the things the DWP will ask the claimant as standard is whether they have spent any time in hospital.
Payment of PIP is suspended when a claimant spends more than 28 days in hospital, the days you go into hospital and leave do not count towards the total.
The 28 days can be continuous, you go into hospital and spend more than 28 days before being discharged, or, it can be contiguous.
Periods in hospital that are separated by 28 days or less count towards the total. so, you are in hospital weekdays but let out at weekends, as the weekday periods are separated by only two days they will be added together.
So, the DWP are just asking for a list of the dates when you were in hospital, if you actually were. I'm afraid payment is unlikely to be released until you provide the information.
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: Anne-Marie Curry
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