Requesting a PA4 after telephone assessment

Well I just had it. Was supposed to start at 1.30pm but she called at that time to say she was running late so called back at 2.30pm by which time I’d got myself into a bit of a state. She was very thorough and the whole ordeal lasted 1hr and 42mins during which time my mind went quite numb and I cried a lot.

I think I messed it up a bit. Sigh.

The call ended around 4.20pm and I received a text from the DWP at 5.05pm saying they’d received the report. The assessor was typing a fair bit during the assessment and I’m guessing I was her last of the day, so she took another 40mins to finish it. I’m hoping this is a good sign and she tried to be fair, but who knows.

I’m expecting the worst but I’ll request the PA4 on Monday. Then of course, even if the report is ok, you still don’t know how the DWP decision maker is going to react so it’s a whole lot of ‘what ifs’.

So I received my PA4 today, after requesting it Monday. My hands were shaking and my heart pounding ripping the thing open. The assessor was very thorough in her write up, and I think reasonably fair, although she didn’t accept a dosette box as proof of needing an aid because I fill it myself. Having said that, I know this is a pointless one point anyway.

The main thing she got wrong was Q9: engaging with others face to face, which I had scored myself as 9d - overwhelming psychological distress. She put me down as 9c - needs social support which is a full 4 points less.

Anyway, according to the report, I did get 10 points for daily living and 10 points for mobility, as she did put me in the OPD box 1e for planning and following journeys.

So is it likely the DWP decision maker will agree with this report (or by some miracle score me for OPD in question 9)?

Also she has only recommended a 2 year review window, which given I’ve been like this for over 20 years I find somewhat bizarre.