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Mandatory Review success

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1 month 7 hours ago #297138 by Leanne2730
Mandatory Review success was created by Leanne2730
A few weeks ago I lost my standard daily PIP in what I felt was a very unfair assessment. The assessor asked me if I had a pet - if I had savings - if I had a husband/boyfriend/partner and if I believed in God. She explained she had been both a physical and mental nurse and had been in psychiatric units as a patient. She said he dog had been very ill recently and if she didn't feel up to doing a call she would ring her employer and they would cancel her next assessment at short notice. She asked me none of the descriptors and gave me no points. When I got the results letter I was amazed at the decision. I was about to go on holiday so I had 10 days to prepare my MR. It was my first holiday abroad in 10 years as I had been so unwell but it meant I didn't have much time. I didn't know what the assessor's report was or how to obtain it and didn't have the time to do that. I followed the descriptors in this site and spent about 50 hours in total in preparation. I also asked for my assessor to be considered unsuitable. I am a fully qualified solicitor and in my 50s obtained higher qualifications in health and social care - I did list all my qualifications which may or may not have helped. All this happened at the end of August and I have just had a back payment into my account but no letter as yet. I obtained letters from my GP, 2 friends, a neighbour and my daughter. I did use their appeal for from the internet but added additional sheets. It was tedious but I could not have got all the details down in a phone call. I am not sure telephone assessments are suitable - and are so dependent on the individual assessor. The assessors need to be more qualified and better trained and bonuses for giving people zero points needs to be stopped.
It is worth going an MR but I am highly qualified and a writer for a living now - not everyone is - so I feel the assessment system is very unfair.
The following user(s) said Thank You: denby
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4 weeks 1 hour ago #297191 by BIS
Replied by BIS on topic Mandatory Review success
Hi Leanne2730

Many congratulations on your MR success. You are among the 27% who are successful at the MR stage.

Thank you for telling us of your experience. I have never before heard an assessor ask a claimant whether they believe in any god. This question was completely inappropriate, as was the fact that she was passing on her own personal information. To be honest, I'm not surprised they overturned her judgement. I wonder what the decision letter will say!

I understand what you mean when you say not everyone has the skills to fight back, but believe me there are many members who have been pushed to the brink with the PIP system who are well qualified in a wide variety of professions. Unfortunately, too many claimants from all backgrounds experience poor assessors who, although they are qualified professionals, seem without empathy, or professional knowledge and understanding or experience of the complexities of people with disabilities. There is also an ever-diminishing amount of resources for people to access for help in form filling and attending assessments and challenging poor outcomes.

I'm so glad you fought back and were successful.

BIS

Tags: @RESULT @PIP @MR

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: denby
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