Just had to share this decision with someone. Assisted cl with claim April 06. No award given. Reconsideration failed also, even with good GP letter. Appealed, EMP visited and as a result decision revised and HRM awarded. Horray result. No not quite. The award was limited to six months which was seven days after the EMP visit!. They even sent renewal forms which arrived the same day as the decision. Award had by now ended by a few days. Obviously we are appealing, we want care as well as a longer award. I have rung for written reasons and the EMP report (cant wait to see that) and also 'new' claim form. This is because if they are being that difficult they could say that the date of the renewal claim (if ever awarded) would be the date received. At least the 'new' claim would be from the date of the telephone call. Mad....

Have a cuppa and a bun and then remember the words of the old song:

"Pick yourself up. Dust yourself off. Start all over again."

Thought I should give an update as I have been pleasantly surprised. The day after I had visited the client at home to complete the new claim pack I received a telephpone call from the DWP. It was the lady whom I had vented my feelings to when requesting the written reasons and EMP report. She had obviously agreed with me and was ringing to say there was a new decision in the post. She explained that after speaking to me she had referred the case back to the decision maker and the award had been reviewed and changed. So I thought it only fair to report this change of heart and good practice, and give credit where it is due. Also in the back of my mind I wondered if my posting here had rung a bell with someone - stranger things have happened!!