Appeal/mandatory reconsideration of PIP decision

Elmer · 29-11-2021, 04:57 PM

Hi,

So I got my PIP decision through on Friday - I scored 1 point (higher than when I applied last time, so yay?). The letter is full of things like ‘you said you needed help with X, I decided you could do it alone’ etc. All the usual. As my health conditions/diagnoses are changing and I am experiencing new, physical issues, how would I go about including that in the next steps? Also does anyone know of a reliable organisation. (Not CAB) who could help? I’m not going to be able to do it on my own.

The Worst Witch · 29-11-2021, 05:36 PM

Do your local council have a welfare rights department? Here they do, but when I lived up north it was CAB that had them so I think every town is different.

Also, this is potentially not helpful anyway because the rules are slightly different here, but yes. Welfare rights is the way to go if you can find one!

Elmer · 29-11-2021, 05:59 PM

Thanks Ali :)

Am in SE England, but I will definitely have a look into welfare rights

Kleiner Angsthase · 30-11-2021, 05:24 PM

Hey Lio, sorry to hear about the PIP decision :( Afraid I don't know about organisations, but when I did my mandatory reconsideration I asked the DWP for a copy of the face-to-face assessment report, which extends your deadline for asking for mandatory reconsideration by a couple weeks I think? And it helped with my Strongly Worded Letter to know what points to argue about. I also wrote in that letter about how my conditions had changed since the start of the PIP process, so that might be an option for you too?

Elmer · 01-12-2021, 01:18 PM

Thanks Finn :)

I did not get a face to face assessment, it was over the phone, which certainly did not work to my advantage as I answered a lot of the questions wrong out of panic and shame, so I'm not sure a copy of that would help (or be conducive to good mental health).

I will definitely write a Strongly Worded Letter and include how my conditions have changed. Am on the lookout online for charities that might help.

not_so_insig · 02-12-2021, 02:58 AM

I dont know if mind could help if they exist in your area. I know that they help with the initial process but whether they help with mandatory reconsideration idk. Might be worth asking.

Auror. · 02-12-2021, 05:27 AM

I wonder if you could also ask for accommodations to have the meeting or thing NOT be on the phone? If phones are not good for you? I dunno how things work but is that an option?

not_so_insig · 02-12-2021, 11:03 AM

Auror sadly that's not an option due to covid in most cases. Unfortunately pip requires an assessment which prior to covid was done face to face. Because of covid reasons they do them over the phone which if you struggle putting yourself across on the phone means that you cant show your true colours/struggles.

Auror. · 02-12-2021, 04:25 PM

What would people who are deaf/hoh and cannot use phones do then? There has to be a way to offer accommodations somehow.