Failed PIP assessment; really scared :(

I had my medical assessment for PIP on march 15th.

Despite the fact that I was on DLA middle care component for 4 years, and ESA support group as soon as it was introduced (so approx 8-9 years), I got 0 points for my PIP assessment.

My report was riddled with mistakes and contradications. No restriction of my lower limbs; yet the report says I had a altered gait and slow walking pace. I have severe arthritis, and wear an ankle splint to stabilise my joint.

My family supervise my medication usage, to prevent me overdosing. This is noted and accepted...but I got no points anyway.

I did the congitive test. I failed to properly spell the word I was given by the assessor correctly when asked to spell backwards, and only recalled 2 words out of 4. According to assessor, nothing wrong with my memory.

I regularly consume food that is half-raw; or burn food so badly it is no longer edible. I actively self-harm utilising available kitchen utensils, and at worst times, my family have to prepare meals for me, which I then heat up. Guess what? I don't need any help in the kitchen!

I can attend medical appointments myself. Curious, given my mother was with me for the whole duration of the assessment and did not leave my side.

Made good eye contact and rapport with assessor. Curious, given I faced the wall and spoke to it, without turning around.

I am at college, have a student loan (I am in Scotland) and was going to go to university in September. But know I am scared, absolutely scared. My money has been taken away, and I have no faith in appealing it, I do not know if I have the mental strength to take this all the way through to tribunal level.

My mother has offered to support me financially. However she is abusive, and an alchololic and my worry is that in a moment of anger she will just cut the financial support.

And yet, despite all this, I got a letter from the housing benefit people to tell me that due to my PIP award ending....that my HB entitlement was being REDUCED (when I thought it was terminated...? I thought full time students did not get HB at all if they did not recieve DLA/PIP?)

Can anyone please advise? Feeling really desperate

I don't know about this. It probably looked bad that you went with your mum. You should have gone alone.

If your mum is offering to support you, i would take her up on that offer is probably my best advice right now?

Going alone suggests you probably aren't that disabled.

OP - you need to get help from CAB or similar. You need to gather medical evidence. Remember, it's based on the help you need. Not the help you get or the diagnoses you have.

I went to CAB today. He wrote out a letter for me, picking out the contradictions and expanding the averments made, but that was it. Indeed, I have actually taken the original letter, and then expanded upon it even further, going to rather exhaustive detail.

My concern is about how to approach getting the medical evidence, I got the letter last thursday (21st of April), and the decision on the letter was dated 15th April so cannot help but feel I am on a massive time crunch here.

My GP surgery is always massively backlogged, so concerned that the time I get appointment with a GP (on that point, do I actually need to speak to a GP, or could I just see the practice manager?) the time limit may expire.

I have emailed my MP as well, just in case.

But I am reading a LOT of people saying that mandatory reconsideration leads to nothing but a rubberstamping of the original decision. As I said, I cannot wait indefinitely for the DWP to FINALLY getting round to a decision ya know, 8 months-a year later...THEN I can appeal....I mean I can't put my life on hold

These days, as an adult, I always stand on my own two feet, I remember some years ago relying on others and the same thing happening to me. Op i also have a severe mental health disability, so please trust me i have at least some insight in to this matter, okay?

Thanks John.

bearing in mind that you are going to university, and that the government brought in pip to cut down on payments, you have to try and understand that they are not trying to do this personally. I would recommend moving out from your mum's and attempting to live on your own. She has said that she will support you, so take this support. And if you are at uni, as i think you said you were, then you can get a job to repay her after you graduate okay? thanks.

But I am reading a LOT of people saying that mandatory reconsideration leads to nothing but a rubberstamping of the original decision. As I said, I cannot wait indefinitely for the DWP to FINALLY getting round to a decision ya know, 8 months-a year later...THEN I can appeal....I mean I can't put my life on hold

The majority of appeals are actually upheld in favour of the claimant. Just look at this as the first phase of your application. The likelihood is that if you appeal, you will eventually get PIP. The system is designed to make people give up at this point. Just keep playing them at their own game with as much support as you can get. Whilst you have no alternative but to wait, your patience should pay off.

I had my medical assessment for PIP on march 15th.

Despite the fact that I was on DLA middle care component for 4 years, and ESA support group as soon as it was introduced (so approx 8-9 years), I got 0 points for my PIP assessment.

So what? The fact you passed one test doesn't mean you will pass a different test.



Don't get hung up on this. It is a points scoring process and these decision letters are written by computer. Saying you have no restriction doesn't mean you have no restriction. It means you don't have any restriction that would score you any points.

Read the points table. Decide what points you qualify for and try and demonstrate why you get those points. Everything else is irrelevant. Nothing you have said suggests you get any mobility points.



You should have got a point for this. However you need at least 8 points for a win.

Remember just because you say something doesn't mean the person conducting the examination has to believe you. Try and get supporting evidence justifying the points score you are after. Supporting letters saying "X is really, really disabled, give him money" aren't a lot of use.

You can't sidestep the points score. "well yes, I can do that but I can't do lots of other things", won't get you anywhere. Some points are much easier to get than others and exaggeration will put the back up of a DWP officer/tribunal judge. The CAB are very poor at dissuading claimants from seeking implausible points.

I resent the implication I am being fraudulent, exaggerating or that my claim is implausible.

With severe osteoarthirtis of the left talus, avasciular necrosis with bone on bone pain, I absolutely do have substantial pain and problems walking and have been on powerful medication to help remedy this.

But how far can you walk? That's all they care about.

My comment was directed towards nullius.

According to them I can manage 50 metres but no more than 200....but got no points. :\

I struggle to cook for myself, due to self-harming and lack of awareness of hazards (I get distracted, losing concenctration forgetting when I started to cook food, meaning that I end up either severely burning the food, to the point of it being inedible, or, I end up eating half-cooked food, problematic for say meat, due to uncooked status).

And do you have any evidence backing that up?