PIP - the dreaded face to face interview

May I suggest you record the interview so you can check the report against what you actually said. I am sure that it is difficult for the interviewer to always remember what has been said but it does appear that quite often it has been misunderstood or completely the opposite. I am sure we don't hear about the many successful applications but there do appear to be too many completely wrongly reported applications. Most people could sort it out with DWP before you even get to the tribunal if they have solid evidence.

My DGSs assessor said in her report that he has no problems with anxiety/ meeting people face to face and yet at the assessment he had a major panic attack and was so distressed they called a taxi to take him home! Also according to the assessor because he can play a video game he can follow a recipe, time and cook food and has no problems with mobility. By the way these are quotes from her report!

The assessors vary tremendously. The majority of appeals seem to be those who go from high mob to standard pip.
It is a very different benefit from DLA.
In DLA the relevant distance is 50metres, in PIP it is 50m for standard rate and 20 for enhanced. You must have enhanced level for a mobility car.
If you disagree with the decision the first step is a request for a mandatory reconsideration, only following that do you go through an appeal which is before a tribunal.

Any other questions?

I don't know what you can do about supposedly professional people who tell downright lies and state that black is white to put themselves in the clear - after a total knee replacement three years ago I have been in constant pain and have also been rushed into hospital in agony over a year later after a major bleed on my operated knee. the consultant who did the op didn't even bother to come and see me! He keeps saying the pain is coming from my hip.I saw the hip consultant who said there was nothing wrong with my hip! I have been back and fore to the hospital, and even had a second opinion from a senior colleague of my consultant, who just toed the party line! In a letter to my GP, who is great and agrees that something is badly wrong, the consultant quoted me as saying that I said all sorts of things that I never said. I don't know what to do as I feel that I'm getting nowhere. What can you do if a professional persists in lying like this? (Sorry if this isn't totally relevant to the post.)

My experience was not good-the assessor arrived 45 minutes late,saying she had been stuck in traffic.The first thing she did was ask my support worker for a glass of water.She then asked the questions with a challenging attitude and asked me to do certain movements which were painful.I suffer with anxiety and have Aspergers so was in a terrible state by the time she left.Her report contained details that showed she had been watching me very closely and also some downright lies.My mobility component of the PIP was stopped,a reconsideration was unsuccessful and I had to appeal and go to court.
That was an even more stressful experience but my mobility allowance was re-instated and backdated so eventual success.
I do hope that you will have a better experience and would advise you to visit this site,which has a lot of advice and a forum -
benefitsandwork.co.uk

I must add that they must not hurry you, so take your time in replying, let your husband give the answers and just stay in the background. Good luck I am sure it will work out fine.

Yes, my daughter had a visit. First I must say that they have accepted that your husband is so disabled he can’t attend an interview at one of there centres, so that is good. Secondly I am sure you have kept a copy of the form you sent in so re-read it and have it with you when they visit. One of the most important things the person doing the interview is trying to find out if you have been extravagant with the truth when filling out the form! They will try to catch you out, so don’t underplay any answers and be aware of what was stated on the form. My experience of this has been working for CAB in the past and I still help out with friends and family. Must say I was really lucky with my daughter, I asked them to attend early morning when her carers were around, it was also the time when she was worse mentally. I had stated on the form she couldn’t tell the time, so she was asked what’s the time xxxx, in reply she handed him her mobile phone and told him to look on it!

I had to attend an interview. The medical professional was polite and friendly but she did not accurately represent some of the things I told her. The DWP then decided that because I could drive a manual car I could walk more than 20 metres ‘safely, reliably and repeatedly’ without taking into account that I am in pain the whole time. I went from high rate DLA to standard PIP and lost £30+ per week. They refused to accept that this was like comparing apples with oranges - I’m waiting for a date for my appeal to the Tribunal.

Hm999 yes I have heard that about appeals as well but getting to the tribunal is a fight in its self. My DGSs date took 9 months to come through then it was postponed 10 days before and still no new date. Because they took away his DLA my daughter also lost, carers allowance and disabled child premium and tax credits. Also she couldnt claim Warm Home discount and didnt receive the extra £25 a week cold weather payment. We have been told if (when) she gets PIP reinstated it will be back dated to July 2017 but she wont get the rest of the missing allowances back.

I'm horrified at the stress these interviews cause, and wish you both well, Owlface and mcem.

My understanding is that the interviewer fills in a form, and that form is sent to a third party for assessment.

My family's experience is that should the benefit be removed, appeal (which invariably fails) and then take it to a tribunal. This is exhausting, and sets the disabled person's progress back months and months. However I read recently that in one city, over 70% of appeals eventually succeeded.

My advice is to hang in there for what is your family's rights.

My husband had a face to face interview, the person was perfectly pleasant. She arrived early, I did wonder if she thought she felt she might ‘catch us out’. (Difficult in a genuine case!) She spoke to my husband for about half an hour and then spoke to me as he hadn’t made much sense to her...part of the problem! I felt she didn’t miss anything, taking in equipment and things used obviously on a daily basis. The PIP came through quite quickly.

I had my face to face at home about 5 months ago for DLA to PIP. Mine was with ATOS who have such a bad rep but it was fine. My assessor was a District Nurse very friendly and knowledgeable about my condition. The only time I felt things were wrong was when she asked to see the bathroom and also went into the kitchen to speak to my partner as I had been told they shouldnt do this. If you go to an assessment centre they would not be able to check out your house would they? I was pleasantly surprised to be awarded a higher level of PIP to what I got on DLA, I had expected more of a problem after reading about others!
On the other hand my DGS who is ASD lost his DLA to PIP and my DD is in the process of going through the appeal but the date has been postponed yet again!

Mcem - I will report back. Hope your daughter gets on ok with hers too.

From reports I've read about I'm dreading it, but I suppose you only really hear of the bad things, things going well aren't newsworthy are they! I was hoping they wouldn't need to do one as he has progressive ms.

Well thanks POGS, I hope we have a similar experience. I'm a bit wary of 'friendly' inspectors, I feel they do it to get you to maybe say more than you should! Haha! (Work related experience - Bank inspectors).

I had a home visit last year from Capita and after many years I received an increase in my payments moving from Disability Living Allowance to PIP. .

The interviewer was courteous, kind and whilst she had a job to do and I fully understood the need for being asked her questions I thought she was not at all intrusive other than asking to see what aids I had in the house and looking at the bathroom that was it. She was here for almost an hour but that was more to do with me rabbiting on rather than she was delving into things for the sheer hell of it.

Good luck. I understand not everybody has the same response but we can only speak as we find.

Please report back hooty. My daughter has to face this in a few weeks.
Galen is GN' s kind and wise advisor on PIP.