Forum Home → Discussion → Disability benefits → Thread
PIP decisions
Does anyone have a client who has actually undergone an HCP assessment for PIP yet? None of mine have.
Nope. We have clients who have had letters trying to arrange them, venue and access issues, long waits for the promised HVs but an actual appointment? Not holding my breath ........ Should we start to be afraid yet?
In fact our caseworker thinks it may be a good idea not to start the DLA to PIP conversions any time soon given the apparent delay. Valid point ......
“There’s a man goin’ ‘round takin’ names”
Does anyone have a client who has actually undergone an HCP assessment for PIP yet? None of mine have.
One of mine had an appointment early next month. Cl in Wolverhampton, assessment centre in Birmingham so we requested a Home Visit instead.
Hopefully Capita will be a bit quicker off the mark than ATOS seem to be.
One of my client’s PIP story….application form ordered on 08/04….medical 05/06….refused 17/09. I’m waiting for her to send the decision letter to me. DWP have said they will “try to contact her after 20/09”. I will be doing a written mandatory reconsideration when the letter arrives.
I have another client who had a domiciliary PIP medical yesterday. His is a better case for PIP than the first one I did.
Another 10 or 11 claims at different stages (most awaiting medicals!)
Phil
One of my client’s PIP story….application form ordered on 08/04….medical 05/06….refused 17/09. I’m waiting for her to send the decision letter to me. DWP have said they will “try to contact her after 20/09”. I will be doing a written mandatory reconsideration when the letter arrives.
I have another client who had a domiciliary PIP medical yesterday. His is a better case for PIP than the first one I did.
Another 10 or 11 claims at different stages (most awaiting medicals!)
Phil
Out of interest - does anyone know whether there would be a tactical advantage in requesting recon over the phone immediately and following it up in writing?
I suppose this depends on whether the reconsiderations are completed in roughly the order in which they are received?
I’m same - no decision on any of my many claims. I too have started complaining to ATOS as I am told it is them holding things up.
tbidmead - That would be my favourite approach but my client was having some difficulty with the letter and she lives too far away to do a quick visit.
The letter seems to state the reasons for refusal/granting each “descriptor” but when a descriptor is seen to apply, she says it doesn’t give the number of points awarded. I really want to see this letter!
I’m also concerned about what clients will say when the DWP call happens!
Phil
I’m also concerned about what clients will say when the DWP call happens!
I think I’m more concerned about what the DWP will say in those calls! Especially given the duplicitous nature of the post-refusal ESA calls
Far be it for me to actually defend ATOS, however… Derbyshire is split about 50/50 between ATOS and Capita for assesments and we have seen no decisions from either area. From what other posts have said it seems to be the same position nationwide, so therefore my finger would have to point at the DWP.
I’ve received my first PIP decision! For a claim made in April so only took 6 months! I had made a complaint about the length of time it had taken to decide the claim.
They decided it on the claim form and 2 GP letters that I included with the claim. Claimant has severe depression and agorophobia. She was awarded Enhanced Rate Daily Living and Enhanced Mobility.
The decision letter has a summary of the “Decision Makers Reasoning” and then lists the points they have accepted.
Thanks
Far be it for me to actually defend ATOS, however… Derbyshire is split about 50/50 between ATOS and Capita for assesments and we have seen no decisions from either area. From what other posts have said it seems to be the same position nationwide, so therefore my finger would have to point at the DWP.[/quote
We are a 100% Capita area and have not seen an assessment yet, let alone a decision. We have had several clients receive a letter giving a five day window for a visit, which clients are taking to mean they have to stay in over the five day period to await said knock on the door. It is only when they phone to complain on the fifth day that nobody has come that they are told they should have rung to make an appointment during that five day window. Nowhere in the notification letter is this mentioned. Crystal ball anyone? By the time they phone, there are of course no appointments left and they have to hurry up and wait for notification of the next five day window. We have also seen an instance where the PIP2 has a date weeks after the PIP1 telephone application was made. Hopefully this is a one-off.
A client of mine, claimed in April, has recently been awarded enhanced mobility and standard daily living. He completed the form himself. A rather generous award if I might say so and I’m willing to bet that in a few years time after PIP is well bedded in awards will become less generous. Haven’t we been here before?
just out of interest, do you know if he had an assessment or if it was a decision on the papers?
I have a client who had an assessment at home on 6 August and another for whom we sent the PIP2 on 23 July. Neither have had a decision and the latter hasn’t even had an assessment - PIP have confirmed they passed his PIP2 to Atos on 5 August. PIP just keep repeating the line that us or claimants should ring Atos to chase them up. This is an unacceptable level of service. Add to that the fact that special rules claims are taking 6 weeks plus for a decision and something is going badly wrong somewhere.