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PIP assessment for vulnerable client
My client received notification today that he is to attend an assessment 40 miles away next Thursday. We stated he would not be able to travel far on the form and would be overwhelmingly anxious at a face-to-face assessment and is not sure if he could cope but this has been ignored. His psychologist is going to write a letter as she fears he will be suicidal, however I am concerned at the consequences if he does not turn up. Are they likely to take the psychologist’s letter as ‘good cause’?
My client received notification today that he is to attend an assessment 40 miles away next Thursday. We stated he would not be able to travel far on the form and would be overwhelmingly anxious at a face-to-face assessment and is not sure if he could cope but this has been ignored. His psychologist is going to write a letter as she fears he will be suicidal, however I am concerned at the consequences if he does not turn up. Are they likely to take the psychologist’s letter as ‘good cause’?
Have you contacted the assessment provider to request a more appropriate venue/home visit?
We are in an Atos area and are getting these re-arranged with (relative) ease. Particularly if there is supporting evidence (i.e. letter from psychologist). It has required some assertiveness on our part but they are re-arranging them.
The psychologist called to explain exactly why he couldn’t attend to to ask for a home visit and they were less than helpful, only giving out the PIP mumber to call DWP to tell them. She will write the letter and she is a doctor but does the letter have to be from my client’s GP?
No - there’s no specific need for medical evidence and many of our clients don’t necessarily have somebody who is able or willing to provide a bespoke report.
A letter from any medical professional clearly identifying a need for home assessment would certainly suffice in my experience.
Backing the request (to both DWP and Atos?) up in writing should prod them to take action, and provides good evidence that appropriate and reasonable steps have been taken in the event DWP do make an adverse decision.
Thank you tbidmead. The GP has also written to ATOS and DWP requesting a home visit but despite this, they phoned today to say they reviewed the evidence and will not give him a visit unless he is house-bound (he can get a taxi door to dor to see his psychologist). I doubt they got the GP letter in time to review it but they have told him just to ‘come in and get it over with’. This does not fill me with confidence that they are taking his problems seriously. He is absolutely frantic and the only solution I can see is for him to write to his MP.
I agree, Chris. If need be I will accompany him as he could not go alone under any circumstances.
We are seeing this on a daily basis. Our clients are being sent for assessment in Lancaster, even thought there is a venue here in Barrow. By attending the venue they are harming there case as it is always referenced on the HCPs report. The distance is irrelevant as one could (traffic permitting) make the journey in less than 90 minutes (as per guidance)
The client, off his own bat, wrote to David Cameron a week ago and was told this week that ATOS have all the evidence they need so he doesn’t need to attend the assessment. All well and good but DWP have been phoning him to talk about him writing to Cameron. Why, I don’t know, but would I be cynical in thinking they are trying to engage him in a conversation to disprove he has problems communicating verbally (Tourette’s)?
Use his MP. We have used this tactic successfully with MPs in our area and have had assessments re-arranged closer to the clients home or home visits taken place .
Use his MP. We have used this tactic successfully with MPs in our area and have had assessments re-arranged closer to the clients home or home visits taken place .
We have been using the same tactic. There is an on-going issue with Atos not recording contact with ourselves and the MP though and so it just keeps coming
Due to his letter to Cameron, the assessment has been cancelled. DWP wrote to him via a special ‘Ministerial Correspondence Team’ arm of DWP to let him know. Thanks to all who advised.