PIP claim

Once again Benefits and Pension advice by you guys have been successful. Having been reassessed back in March 2018 and losing the mobility part of PIP completely, My mission was to at least to get back what I was awarded prior the reassessment. Having down loaded everything from the site, my work started. In 2 weeks time I was due to appear at a tribunal, today I received a call from the DWP explaining my case had been reviewed and my award had been changed. Basic rate for living and enhanced rate for mobility. All to be back dated to March 2018. Needless to say I'm delighted. Its taken nearly 9 mths. ATOS have a lot to answer for. So make it clear to them your in for the long haul. Go through every sentence of the decision makers explanation and take it apart bit by bit without making personal attacks on the assessors. We know the system is far from perfect, which is why we need to support this Webb site. I'm sure there work is far from over as we all move on to Universal Credit. My thanks once again.

Thanks ever so much for posting this. I’ve been bumped down to standard rate in both components of PIP after being on the higher rate for over 11 years, and things are no different in fact they’re worse. The ‘HP’ made factually incorrect statements, mistakes and misleading comments etc and I asked for an MR (mandatory reconsideration) Just got the MR reply letter saying no change to their decision, which is jaw dropping considering the mistakes made, but as I have the possibility of a couple of drug trials, a misbehaving wisdom tooth and the Jobcenter menacing me again I was wondering if I could actually cope anxiety/mental health wise with an appeal tribunal - you’ve made my decision for me Thank you!

So sorry your going through this ordeal. The trouble I found was, that I was unable get past the decision makers, so had no other option but to see it through to the end. I was under the impression that the decision maker was guided by the assessors report, which in part is correct but I also believe they add there own interpretation to give what they consider to be a fair award. If you feel as strongly as I did that you have been wrongly assessed, I wouldn't bother replying to the MR. Apply for a tribunal hearing in person. For me, this did 2 things. Firstly it lets the DWP your not going away and that there must be something to question regarding you award. The assessment companies (in my case ATOS) are not bothered, they get paid regardless. Secondly, I was able to use turn my frustrations in to a positive. I down loaded everything relating to MR's, appeal hearings, the lot. Its all on this site. Once you have your appeal accepted you will have plenty of time to read and understand terminology used by the DWP. I found this a big asset, I felt some of there comments were designed to scare me off. A lot of it is jargon, big words with little meaning. Your understanding will let you see through it. Try not to let it get you down, it can and probably will take time. But you have more to gain than lose. Don't let these people treat you as a benefits cheat which is how I was made to feel. Its there to support you through your illness, not to add insult to injury as well. Let
the magistrates judge you fairly as I'm sure they will and prove these so called Health Professionals wrong. Patience's is the name of the game here. GOOD LUCK. I wait for your positive outcome. TONY

As I posted I had my PIP claim back dated to March of this year. Checking the dates, I realized that I first made contact with the DWP in January. One phone call and it was corrected. Paying me an additional 10 weeks. So to be fair to the DWP they have corrected the error without hesitation. I'm convinced that all the problems we have in claiming benefits really result from the poor quality of assessments provided ATOS and alike. They extract a fortune from the DWP and should be held to account for the hurt they inflict on these in the unfortunate position to have to claim benefits. They really need to be shamed. I understand that some parts of the country have done away with the services.