PIP Application Advice Required - MR not answered and don't know how to proceed

Hi

I’m terrified and confused and it all adds a lot to my already difficult situation and I desperately need advice.

Background: I have been suffering from several mental health conditions: agoraphobia, depression, severe anxiety, panic attacks, chronic acid reflux due to the distress I experience in many situations. Even though I was not officially diagnosed with them until about two years ago, I did spend a few months in a mental health institution when I was a teenager. However, this was in a different country, over a decade ago and the only record is some papers written in a foreign language. Likely irrelevant according to my common sense. Anyway, until about 3 years ago I managed them to some extent and avoided thinking or talking about them and carried on with life. But about 3 years ago, due to various events, these have intensified and I ended up seeking help from GP, mental health services and a psychiatrist; took various therapies and still do etc.

Last year I decided to apply for PIP, since I couldn’t overcome my difficulties in any other way and I became housebound and unable to safely leave the house on my own, work, shop or even stay home without my partner as I would become emotionally overwhelmed by my mental health issues and react irrationally. But I do find some comfort in one person and that makes me sometimes able to occasionally do basic things like go out, shop with my partner and even though I suffer severe panic attacks, blackouts, confusion, loss of orientation, I know I can trust my partner to bring me home safe.

The PIP application was submitted mid-year 2021 and phone assessment eventually accepted for September instead of in person as initially booked because I couldn’t do it in person. Following the assessment, I was awarded standard daily living and no mobility. The assessment was rushed through and my mental capacity during it was pretty useless as I was shaking throughout all of it, but I recorded it for my personal evidence. The subsequent report wasn’t particularly accurate, as expected, but the allocation of points and reward was completely contradictory to what I declared during the assessment and what was noted. My conclusion is that the points were awarded completely at random by the “assessor” and doubt they even read the report or my application but I’m not here to judge. The daily living activities were all scored wrong, but in particular the going out part of mobility and for every question (during the interview) about any outside activity I specifically mentioned (about 15 times) throughout, that I am only able to safely leave the house or even stay home as long as I am in my partner’s company as otherwise, I would pose a risk to myself and others.

A month later (exactly 30 days after I received the assessment report, so mid-October) I sent a Mandatory Reconsideration letter (not their confusing form, but a well-constructed letter, which is accepted, as advised by a free legal advice agency) where I stated everything required and reiterated my conditions for every single activity that was scored incorrectly. I did not complain about the assessor or the assessment or the report (which I received about two weeks after requesting it), but instead I mentioned the descriptor that was the most applicable and appropriate to my condition and explained in even more detail than in the application or the interview why my conditions affect me in that specific way and why I should be awarded those points.
The Mandatory reconsideration was sent via Special Next Day Delivery and it arrived the next day. I checked RM for proof, and I have saved a copy of the proof with name and signature of the person who received it.

And this is where the communication stopped, I heard absolutely nothing back from DWP or anyone else. I was very sure that I had to allow them 8 months to review their decision. Only a few days ago I checked the small print on their letter and noticed it was only 8-weeks (not months) so I should have received a review decision or some contact in mid-December. It is now mid-March and I am panicking as I have absolutely no idea what to do. I unintentionally gave them more than twice the required time to get a response back and don’t know how to proceed and what to do next. I’m also terrified to call them, so I don’t ruin everything and have my already awarded standard living slashed back off. If that happened I would be left homeless after the overwhelmingly increased costs I have incurred this winter. Just from the basic energy.

Please accept my apologies in advance as this is my first ever PIP application and even though I have done my best to read through all the materials available on the website, I’m stuck as to what I have to do next and terrified of the process. I’m slowly breaking down mentally and need some further guidance as I don’t know how to proceed from here.

Thank you in advance.

I am unable to edit my initial post but I would like to correct the following part: "the pip application was made in mid-2022" instead of mid-2021. I mistyped it. Please accept my apology for the mistake.

Thank you for the advice greekqueen. As you could probably tell, I'm having plenty of sleepless nights, but I will try to get myself together, be awake during their opening hours and get the courage to make the call because there seems to be no other way to solve this. And be sure that all this process has been eating me up more than I have ever imagined possible.

I'm aware it's necessary to keep any phone conversation to a minimum and will get back with updates.

Regarding the medical records, they are nearly non-existent until about three years ago and since then, they are full of mistakes. The doctor's notes are all over the place with false (mis noted) information and GP help has been close to none (due to the obvious heavy downfall of the nhs system since Covid). The only relevant pieces such as the letters and assessments from the psychiatrist and CBT therapies from other nhs mental health services have already been sent with the initial application and some were attached in the same envelope along with the mandatory reconsideration letter. The prescriptions for various (I had to change several times) anti depressants and couple of other pills that they've been prescribing for the past two years are as far as I understand irrelevant. That's pretty much it regarding my medical records. A mixture of false notes, irrelevant information and a generalised confusion. Not to mention that all my interaction with the GP has been over a handful of 5-minute calls and they never cared to listen to anything I had to say and instead dismissed me promptly and prescribed something and then something else.

That is the kindest way I can put it. I'm sure most others are experiencing similar services from all the institutions supposed to help and aid people in need but the truth is that with every step I take, they make me more confused, depressed and clueless and keep requesting stuff that I or anyone else cannot provide. And when I talk to any of them, they speak back their learnt-by-heart" replies to get me off their list asap.

I still have half a will to fight now, but for the past ttwo years, every interaction with any of the government services supposed to provide me with help and support took me instead one step at a time closer to me wanting to end all future conversations at once in a swift and blunt motion and save them all my trouble. Surprised and glad I'm still here to fight another battle.

Hi

I finally made contact with them after having called several times and every day waited on hold for over 2-3 hours before calls cut out. I was told that they indeed received the MR but "they don't know how it slipped or why it wasn't looked at" but confirmed it was received when it was supposed to many months ago and someone will now look at it and make a decision within two weeks. Deceitful to say the least. Waiting game now, but I'd be very surprised if they actually read it and made a change. Will update once I get a reply from them but it looks like I need to get ready for the appeal stage and I'm literally terrified, haven't been able to sleep much lately and I doubt I will anytime soon as I've got this constantly on my mind now.

Metrobot

Just sending a virtual hug/big slice of cake or whatever makes you feel better metrobot.
If you can manage it I would inform your MP about all this too.
Do keep us posted.
Denby

Hi

>>>
Thank you Denby, for the hugs and cake, your comment actually made me feel better. However, that was short-lived and pretty quickly shattered by the response I got from pip, in return.

Regarding your advice, I I could likely manage what you recommended but I have no clue what you are talking about. I know what MP stands for but I don't know who mine would be, how or by what communication means to inform them and exactly what about. Truth is I am furious but this is a legal psychological game they force me to play and I can't let my emotions overcome my rationality and I know they disregard emotions. If I do, I lose and no one cares. I know I can't let them win because if I do, I will fail myself and likely everyone else struggling to fight this mad process of lies and deceit and no doubt many get crushed by the difficulty of having to see this through, when they can barely manage to live a sort of a life with plenty of struggles already.
<<<

Got a letter back from them, following the MR review, stating their decision, which is what I imagined, that they won't award anything more for either mobility or daily living, other than the already awarded standard daily living. So, I guess they didn't bother reading anything I sent, not my MR, not the psychiatrist's report, not the crisis team letters, nothing. Pretty standard from what I understand.

Could someone guide me as to what I should be looking to do next? I know it's called "an appeal" although that's where my knowledge or experience ends. Never been in or anywhere near a court. I'm clueless and totally not ready for what's to come but I know I have to do it, so I would appreciate if you could point me in a direction. I can follow instructions, but I'm a quite a headless chicken right now and lack knowledge in this area, which terrifies me.

Kr
Metrobot