PIP Poll 2 - Average time from PIP assessment to decision

Following the release by the DWP of their ad hoc stats on PIP claims registered and decisions made, we are interested in how long your clients are waiting for assessments and then for decisions. This is for non special rules claims only.

There are two polls - this one on average time from submitting the PIP2 to the assessment date - and another one about the average time from PIP2 to assessment.

We’ve had some horrendous delays here (one case took 10 months from claim to decision) and we suspect it’s the same elsewhere. We want to take this up as an issue (rather than on a case by case basis) with local MPs to try and get some answers from DWP about the reasons for the delays and to get PIP to start chasing up the providers rather than telling claimants they have to do it. There is a lot of frustration with the whole process and it would never have been accepted at any time under DLA

As I have only had one decision so far, I don’t feel qualified to answer this question….

I’m not sure these answers can be right. It cannot have been 8 months from assessment to decision unless the assessment was held pretty much immediately following the claim. I suspect some of these number are the total time from the claim.

MrFinch - 17 February 2014 02:02 PM

I’m not sure these answers can be right. It cannot have been 8 months from assessment to decision unless the assessment was held pretty much immediately following the claim. I suspect some of these number are the total time from the claim.

....well I think it is possible for the “assessment to decision” time to take 8 months or more. In some areas up North we have had PIP new claims since 8th April 2013 - so a decision in Jan 2014 from an assessment in May 2013 is (unfortunately) possible.

But lets face it - even a shorter assessment to decision time of say 4 months, is clearly not acceptable. I could not see that happening under the old DLA regime…...and we have yet to experience most of the DLA reassessments too.

I haven’t been able to complete this poll because it doesn’t reflect my clients’ experience.  A poll of time from claim to decision would be better.  Out of the 10 clients I have helped so far to claim PIP, only one has had an assessment (in September) and NONE have had decisons.  I work in an ATOS area - or had you already guessed that!?

Helen Rogers - 19 February 2014 10:07 AM

I haven’t been able to complete this poll because it doesn’t reflect my clients’ experience.  A poll of time from claim to decision would be better.  Out of the 10 clients I have helped so far to claim PIP, only one has had an assessment (in September) and NONE have had decisons.  I work in an ATOS area - or had you already guessed that!?

We have a separate poll for time from submission of PIP2 to assessment here
http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/5956/
but it doesn’t sound as if that will cover it either if the other 9 are still waiting for an assessment. Have they even got dates?

Thanks for that link.  Still haven’t completed it though as it would give misleading picture if I said my average was only 4 months! (Based on 1 case)

One of the other 9 was given a date, but has had to postpone becasue she had just come out of hospital.  The client who has had his assessment had it cancelled and rebooked by ATOS.

In Atos area, PIP form submitted July, medical assessment is on Tuesday. Was told by ATOS when asked for a HV to “not go there”. They are taking forever

I have a case where PIP2 was sent back in August and client still waiting for ATOS to call her for assessment.

My longest PIP (ATOS area) was submitted in July 2013 , an appointment for a home visit assessement was made for the week before Christmas , then it was cancelled and no further date has been set for this assessment.I have made a formal complaint to ATOS Healthcare as advised by our lady at the DWP. Not holding my breath that it will change anything.

I have 15 outstanding PIP assessments waiting for medicals! Atos admitted in London that they don’t have enough facilities and staff to meet the demand. They sat on one case from September to January and it is now in the “pending” pile. They stated that they were looking to see if it needed a face to face assessment - why would that take four months to figure out?

I think that the reality is that Atos have over extended themselves with this one.