PIP and the Public Accounts Committee

Good morning

I am looking for examples relating to the abysmal service provided by the PIP assessment unit. I have a meeting with the chair of the Public accounts committee in a week prior to the session about PIP and although i have a number of local issues i am raising with her, I am sure there are lots of different issues that perhaps we have not come up against.

Don’t need names etc just scenarios that have occurred, lost forms (repeatedly) in the case of several clients, huge delays back to August/September in a couple of cases and general issues with poor assessments etc etc.

I think the committee will go to town on this and the more ammunition the better.

thanks
Dominic

I phoned PIP this morning to check on the progress of a claim that was put in in November. The DWP advised me it was still with ATOS (no surprise there) but that they were now giving Atos 16 weeks to complete the assessment process!!!
On phoning Atos to see what was happening, they would not tell me anything because the customer was not there to give permission, despite the fact he has no voice box, and just said that he will get a letter when an appointment has been made for him too attend.

I saw a client yesterday who has just last week received a (negative) PIP decision following claim she made on 13/6/13. We’ve requested MR as she clearly meets the criteria for both components. The decision is riddled with inaccuracies.

I phoned Atos yesterday regarding a claim made 31/10/13.  Told by them that had been told client had to have an assessment in her home, not at a centre - this is despite no issues raised on the form about her ability to attend a centre because she can organise a lift to our local centre’s front door.

I phoned DWP contact centre to get this changed as it is likely to be much quicker to go to a centre and was told that my client would still have a long wait as assessments are currently being done for people who applied in July/August.  They also suggested that although they would ask the processing centre to contact Atos so a centre appointment could be made that was likely to take 2 weeks.

Massive delays in all claims/medicals, poor communication, no confirmation of receipt of forms.

In addition, early(ish) days of PIP special rules case took 5+ weeks to decide, claimant died pending assessment.

Massive frustration for claimants, inability for me to judge whether I am completing forms correctly or not due to no decisions (at all).

We are in the Capita area….......very few decisions, clients promised appointments but healthcare professional doesn’t arrive at all often with no call to explain this….we have a number of clients who are on their fourth appointment.

Call backs awaited from Operational Delivery teams at Capita - none received to date despite requests. On the plus side on the very few people who have had Capita assessments they speak very favourably of how the assessment was conducted but as we still don’t know the outcome on those cases it is impossible to judge as to the accuracy of the assessment.

It is hugely concerning as the delays just appear to be getting longer. Many of our clients receive social care packages and this ‘no decision’ situation is also going to have a negative impact on LA budgets as if they assess clients for a financial contribution towards their care package they are likely to be deemed as nil charge as the relevant benefit is still being considered…......

There is no light at the end of the tunnel as far as I can see.