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Got the dreaded letter this morning that I’ve been dropped to 10 points. Phone call done to dwp for a MR. Fingers crossed it gets sorted before I have to hand the car back.
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First thing call the dwp back and get them to send you the PA4 this is the assessors report, whether paper based or if you had a face to face. You really need to see how & why they dropped you points more than just the points scored. You need to see if someone has lied or made a mistake.
Honestly the outright deliberate lies on mine was surreal apparently one can out their own butrans patches on their own upper back (physically impossible) that’s the standard of the drivel they often write.
Get the PA4 and go thru it, pick it apart correct mistakes and write back to them via recorded delivery. The trouble with a phone MR is they will look at the same data again if there’s a mistake in there your MR opportunity will be used up and your only recourse will be a tribunal.
I would never suggest a phone MR as you still don’t know what the data is they are looking at and you can only get one mr out of them. I’m not saying it’s a lost cause you may be a lucky one so try not to Panic.
There’s a Facebook group called fightback4justice they are excellent loads of info and they have letter & form writing services, they did my MR and tribunal submissions and I won my tribunal in 3 minutes. The only reason I didn’t win the MR is the dwp signed for it then lost it on purpose then did the MR using the flawed info & gave me same points again
Best of luck sorting it
<p style=”text-align: left;”>Thanks for the advice. I will ask for what you have said.</p>
I found joining Benefits and Work a great help, worth joining for all the guidence it gives.
It happened to me a few months ago, please don’t give up, I had some great advice from the guys on here.
First thing get the reassessment appeal going, your letter should have the reason why the points were removed, in my case it was the amount of time it took to recover, explain why you disagree. Don’t forget if you have a disability that cannot get better, in my case it’s rheumatoid arthritis and you have motability pip already the DWP can’t remove points. The government interduced something this year, sorry I’m a bit vague about this I’m not at home at the moment to check my paperwork, but I’m sure Sombody will be able to explain it better. Good luck to you.
I’ve never heard that the DWP cannot remove points if it’s a disability that can’t get better. Is that a new thing?
I’ve never heard that the DWP cannot remove points if it’s a disability that can’t get better. Is that a new thing?
The rules are made by the Chimpanzees in parliament who haven’t got a clue about the practicality of life, granted their highly university educated people but haven’t got a clue about about the degrees from the university of life that we normal folk live with.
So those rules are passed on to the DWP who can’t make head or tail of them but send you letter with their interpretation of rules hoping you will just agree and go away.
As you might of guessed I also lost two points and had to go to tribunal to reinstate them so have little regards for any any MP or PM of any party and still after 4 years have a bad taste in my mouth.
Removing points would be a minefield. I think more what tends to happen here is that the criteria shift over time so whilst our conditions are likely lifelong (and will probably get worse, not better) they may not score the same if the reviews are a significant time apart.
My advice around critiquing the assessors report is to try and do it with an open mind and to be as unemotional about it as possible – stick to facts and provide supporting documents where possible to put the assessment into doubt if you feel it is wrong.
I will wait to see what the report says but basically I’ve lost the 2 points for being able to plan a journey without aid. I clearly stated in my phone assessment that when I have to go to a new place I get someone to with me about 4 to 5 times and then still need a sat nav. They have said in the letter from the dwp that this is not the case.
If this isn’t stated in the report the assessor has clearly not put it in or lied.
I won on this point at tribunal the last time so the evidence is there from the courts.
I strongly suspect the PA4 will have lies in it from what you’ve said there. They should get it to you fairly quickly once requested at least then you know what you’re facing, compare it with previous PA4’s if you have something that cannot get better then surely the assessor made a mistake owing to the phone based assessment.
I’m sure you will get it sorted as it’s two points and you’ll have a strong case. It might also be with making a separate data protection act request for everything the two has on you, just in case you need it later
Good luck &fingers crossed
I will wait to see what the report says but basically I’ve lost the 2 points for being able to plan a journey without aid. I clearly stated in my phone assessment that when I have to go to a new place I get someone to with me about 4 to 5 times and then still need a sat nav. They have said in the letter from the dwp that this is not the case. If this isn’t stated in the report the assessor has clearly not put it in or lied. I won on this point at tribunal the last time so the evidence is there from the courts.
Yep they used that one on me too, “was able to get to the assessment without aid” but I pointed out at MR that I would not of been abled to get to the assessment if it wasn’t for my Motability car and it’s adaptions that the DWP have just told me there taking away.
When I explain this fact to the judge and doctor at the tribunal I could see it in their expression they we’re gobbed smacked.
don’t despair, I got zero on both first categories first time round, eventually went to a tribunal where I won.
I used the example of struggling when there are platform changes etc when I am on a journey ( or diversions etc ) – and that in that instance I couldn’t figure out what I needed to do (cloud of confusion)What you have to always remember that 99% of assessors are taking money to fail you, they are not impartial they are not your friend they will take stuff you say and twist it to screw you out of points.
For example one person said I go to the cinema once in a Blue Moon when a friend can take me but I haven’t been for awhile due to back pain. The assessor wrote enjoys a good social life, visits the cinema.
What a DM sees that what decision are they going to make? And that’s it award gone. It’s truly awful. There are some decent honest assessors I’m sure but I’ve never met one.
The key is always ask for your pa4 you can ask for it even before the decision has been made to save time later.
I wish everyone going thru this the very best of luck
Good luck. Get the assessors report. Mine was full of lies despite there being evidence to support otherwise.
Just had my paper based assessment, they kept the points the same even though I supplied evidence that my point should increase.
I think phone assessments are recorded. Can you ask for this recording?
4 years ago I had an assessment with a specialist, all fine and report was spot on awarded 2 years then a year later another assessment and theylied so much it was unreal, I sent in MR with all my letters again with certain parts highlighted by professionals on my conditions with support of my MP and got 6 years, which is now extended to 2027 for some reason.
Lots of pip cases were extended due to covid I haven’t heard anything but some who were due got an extra 2 years added on to an award
Mine wasn’t due until 2023 but I got contacted out of the blue November 2020 for a reassessment. I’ve had a spinal cord stimulator fitted since their last review and I’ve also come off a lot of medication (My choice it was killing me). I had an hour with two people on the phone. Then 30 minutes while someone else went over the detail. Focussing on my medication and the implant. I kept trying to explain that I’m off the medication because the dosage was just getting frightening and I don’t think it was helping any longer (oxycodone baclofen), not because I’m any better, in fact I’m worse. I was CONVINCED they were after reducing the meagre award I already had. Instead the final chap rang me to work out when they should back date an increase too!!!. We agreed on November 2019 but when it came through it was only November 2020 when they started the review.Something had triggered them to ‘re look at my consultant report from 5 years ago which confirmed permanent and unending serious pain following spinal cord damage from a broken neck ( I can walk thankfully). I think they’ve audited a lot of cases. I must admit I was very impressed, but I know I got lucky. The way the calls went I was absolutely convinced they were reducing the award however. It was all a bit surreal. That said, the last chap admitted I should have ‘probably been on enhanced for the last 5 years and was incredibly honest with me. It seems to be whoever you get on the day. Bit of a lottery.
My daughters appeal is on Tuesday by telephone. Her doctor has backed up everything we have said about her so it will be interesting to see how they can try to take it off her. These assessors are a disgrace. She is autistic which is a condition she will always have to live with as well as a long list of other things that are wrong with her.
Yeah. Reading that back I’m obviously telling myself I should be grateful for 4 and a half years in the wrong bracket. ?
mine was due this june but last june got a call letter saying they needed to look at my claim and someone would ring me long story short the give it me till 2030.
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