Copy of report came today, looking at it I "should" still be kept in support group. Should be interesting telling this to my PiP tribunal next month.
How can someone be in support group and not be entitled to some kind of PiP should be proof the assessment was not correct. Also used a piece of evidence that had been used to get me enhanced care to use it to refuse me. Looking forward to this tribunal now.

ESA is about what you CAN do, PIP is about what you CAN'T do, so it's theoretically possible to be in the support group but not to qualify for PIP.

Having said that, I've yet to encounter a support group claimant who is not entitled to PIP!

I wonder if you should send the tribunal a copy of your ESA report as part of your evidence for the tribunal?

I'm a support group claimant who isn't entitled to PIP. The lady helping me (who hardly knows me) is rather baffled as to how. As are my parents and my friend who was at my assessment.

I've been advised due to my depression and anxiety meaning i can't use things such as knives etc un supervised that i should claim for pip, however reading the horror storys i'm not sure if i can handle the hassle.
I'm on ESA in the support group and a online test suggests i score 13 points in the daily living compoment but 0 in the mobility, is it worth me claiming pip and would it mess up my ESA?

If you don't live with another adult, your ESA could go up by £61.85 a week if you get the daily living component. It certainly won't go down, PIP is disregarded as income for means-tested benefits.

I'd strongly advise you to get help filling in the form from a benefits adviser though.

Are you appealing the decision?

Mandatory reconsideration went off today.

Thankyou for the quick reply, i will phone them mondsy to get the ball rolling.

I was on high rate care DLA and I had to of course apply for PIP.As soon as the letter came saying only 7 points , my money was cut off.I did the Mandatory C. letter , still no .
I am have appealed and have the tribunal coming up soon .We also lost income support , and help with our mortgage at the same and finding it tough now .

At the risk of offending anyone who is delicate - stop reading now !
I should have scored a lot higher on the needs help with going to the bathroom one and getting bathed .I have a colostomy and a mucous fistula (which was made by the surgeon at the same time to drain off mucous ) .As the fistula is in my pubic hair ,there is no way I can see to shave it or to wash it out with a catheter .I have a hernia and a very uneven tum through a lot surgery scars .
The response from the DPW was , there is no descriptor for the mucous fistula ? It's part of my colostomy and a pain in the neck to change and care for .
Advice/thoughts would be appreciated
thanks
B.

In respect of any appeal, I'd suggest getting as much supporting evidence as possible from GPs/specialist consultants and get help with any appeal from the Citizens Advice Bureau, local council benefits advice unit or community law centre depending upon what is available locally.

Links:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/be...y-to-tribunal/

http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/pdf/HOW%20T...PEAL%20DWP.pdf

https://www.actionforme.org.uk/uploa...-factsheet.pdf

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/ima...y15_sample.pdf

Since it was created, many forum users have benefited from the advice contained within this thread.

I really hope that the Digital Spy forums continue to go on but if they don't then I'd suggest saving useful advice from this thread which can be done from any browser using the Save As or Print functions (printing can be done to Pdf pages and not necessarily paper documents using this software http://www.dopdf.com) and each thread page can be saved at a time.

Good idea.And thanks for all the info - very useful .
B.

Once you've applied for UC do you have to do anything regularly?
I've just found out that it is us who have to inform the UC of any rent increase. Where as at the moment the Council automatically get the rent so automatically get any increase.

And how do you inform the UC so that they know your rent is being increased?

Very good sdvice, i've copied and pasted it into my google docs.

Sent off my PIP application... and they give me an appointment 40 miles away. Did they even bother reading it? Nice to see it's with ATOS, the same company who lied on my report the first time I had an assessment with them.

Its not uncommon for ATOS to send people further away for an assessment, even if one is closer to them.

Are there any other things you can't do, Barrowgirl, or is just stuff related to the stoma/fistula?

On the basis of what you've told us so far, I reckon you should get 2 points for washing and bathing (need assistance to wash below the waist) and 2 points for toilet needs (use of an aid or appliance). It might be possible to stretch it to 4 points if you need assistance with the stoma. I'd also be looking to get one point for monitoring a health condition, ie checking the drain.

That's only 4-7 points, so not enough, unless there are other descriptors that apply.

Feel free to pm if you prefer - I know this stuff can get very personal!

Some people don't have an assessment centre within 40 miles, but if you do, you can ask them to change it.

Re the lying, there was a documentary about PIP assessments recently (still on iPlayer, I think). They had an interviewer with an ex-assessor who's become a whitsleblower, and he gave examples of reports being sent back and being told to rewrite the content in ways that were untrue. It confirmed what I've always expected: it's not a few rogue assessors, it's the system being completely unethical.

One lady had had a home assessment. Her report said that the assessor had seen her go upstairs without any problem. Unfortunately, she lived in a bungalow...

Indeed. The appalling decision was made last year by dwp that if you can manage your stoma device by yourself then it's not an issue.
Also, I would imagine that going out causes you anxiety in case of leakage etc
As others have said EVIDENCE EVIDENCE is the key. Good luck.

Correct. The reports that are borderline go back and forth to the assessor asking them to alter things. Causes alot of stress and anger to the assessors who are MOSTLY trying to do a good job with an assessment that's not fit for purpose.

There's a Facebook group where a lot of people have posted that the assessor has claimed to have seen them do things. Mine apparently saw me read. I didn't read that letter - I had to pass it to my friend for him to find something. I knew what was in the letter (because it was the one GP gave me and said it was from ENT) but I couldn't sit there and tell you what's actually written in the whole letter. I've not been able to read standard size print since I was at least 16 and haven't been able to read large print since I was at least 18. She then contradicted herself by writing that in the eye tests carried out, I can't read anything smaller than font size 24.

The only things she got right were that I can walk and bathe with no problems at all and that I have problems getting dressed. Everything else was a lie. I found it rather odd (not) that she claimed I've got no problems communicating because I can tell her I don't drive; but both my parents and my friend who was present at my assessment (who have met; but haven't discussed my situation) will tell you the complete opposite.

Unfortuantely, I had a complete idiot fill my form out. He told me Autism doesn't cause any problems at all and completely ignored how my hearing problems affect me. (I can hear; just not if there's background noise and I can't always process what's being said)

And now the fun task of trying to get through to ESA to inform them I'm not on DLA / PIP which means no severe disability premium until this is all sorted.

I have given up now .The major problem for me was I can't see to the mucous fistula myself .The doc placed it in my pubic hair and it has to be shaved.Since there's a hernia between me and it ,I need assistance to look after it .Of course there stuff around anxiety too .No matter now.
My form was full of crap when they returned it to me - I never bent down or touched my toes yet there was a breakdown of how many degrees I could move etc.I just couldn't be bothered pointing out their inconsistencies as I think unless you are literally terminal, you have as much chance of getting it as I have to waking up looking like Angelina Jolie.

On the other hand I am a carer for my husband and I will put up one hell of fight for his PIP when it comes time.And now I know their tricks I shall make certain to read their report before they leave the house.!!

Instead of just linking your hearing to Autism, also explain it is partly Hyperaccusis and auditory processing disorder.

TIGER RAG have you got the letter where it shows your diagnosis as being autistic ? I've heard that often helps if you can produce a doctors letter who tested you .Just thinking.

Hi, can anyone help? I sent back forms for a ESA reassesment in the summer and heard nothing till last week when i got a letter saying something along the lines, ''YOUR CLAIM FOR EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE'' then underneath ''ACHANGE IN THE EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE RATE PAYABLE'' The letter then went on to say they have looked at my claim again following a 'recent change' and that i have been 'placed in the work related activity group', then stating how much i would receive from 8 November 2016.

Does this mean i have been placed in WRAG again without a medical? Or is this some sort of generic letter.
Thanks