Sent my appeal off with some brief details of why i was appealing , Had a Letter from DWP confirming that they received my appeal, and about how much ESA i will get until it's heard, But so far over 1mth since requesting the full written statement of the Atos wca Form IB /ESA85, But so far i have not been sent it, The person that i recently spoke with from DWP ,Confirmed that they could see that i had previously requested it, but could not understand why i had not yet received it, What can be done to force them to supply this info,(assuming it actually exists) ?

As we all know anybody that will become 65 after the 8th April 2013, will have to be assessed under PIP. I don't have a problem with that at all as Attendance Allowance is the alternative. Given that it will be at least October 2015 before they are assessed by which time some will be at least 67! As PIP is awarded in respect of those UNDER 65, will any condition or illness or complication of an existing illness that comes about after their 65th birthday and before they are tested under PIP be considered? Personally I can't see how it can. Say for example you already have LRC & LRM then just after your 67th birthday in June 2015 you suffer an illness or accident that leaves you unable to walk even 10 metres. You are assessed for PIP in November 2015. Under normal circumstances you couldn't claim for that illness or accident under DLA as you were over 65. I would imagine that even if you are assessed in November 2015, you could only be assessed on your health as it was just before your 65th birthday in June 2013 otherwise you would be assessing conditions that naturally occur due to ageing and which Attendance Allowance will be available. If this is allowed and you will be able to have those conditions that arose after the 65th birthday, people are going to have a field day trying to get the enhanced rate of mobility where they weren't entitled to it just before their 65th birthday. They are going to end up with new motability customers aged 67 based on an illness etc that only happened when they were 67!!! Totally wrong! It prejudices those that became 65 just before the 8th April 2013!!

Your Support Needed Before Its To Late! PIP ENHANCED MOBILITY ONLY FOR PEOPLE WITH INDOOR MOBILITY PROBLEMS The DWP appear to be planning to only pay the enhanced rate of the mobility component of PIP on physical grounds to claimants whose mobility is so restricted that they have difficulties moving between rooms indoors. Those who can manage indoors but have difficulty outdoors may only be awarded the lower rate of the mobility component. Atos and Capita, the companies carrying out PIP assessments, have been told that: “20 metres is considered to be the distance that a claimant is required to be able to walk in order to achieve a basic level of independence in the home such as the ability to move between rooms. “50 metres is considered to be the distance that a claimant is required to be able to walk in order to achieve a basic level of independence such as the ability to get from a car park to the supermarket.” To score the required 12 points to get enhanced rate mobility for physical health problems alone, a claimant must prove that they can’t stand and move more than 20 metres even using aids and/or with assistance. This means that in the majority of cases the private sector health professionals are likely to be looking for evidence that the claimant has problems with indoor mobility, rather than outdoor, if they are to be awarded the enhanced rate. You can read more on this here (open access) PIP MOBILITY CHANGES MAY BE ILLEGAL – YOUR HELP IS URGENTLY NEEDED Meanwhile another group of claimants has secured legal support to challenge the last-minute change to the PIP regulations which deny enhanced rate mobility to anyone who can stand and move more than 20 metres. They will be arguing that the failure to consult about the reduction of the limit from 50 metres to 20 metres means that the change is unlawful and should thus be quashed. If successful it would be a bigger blow to the government than today’s forced labour ruling. The result would be that the DWP would be obliged to consult all over again on the changes before they can be introduced. In the end they can still ignore the results of a new consultation, but they will face a very determined battle and will have no opportunity to claim that disability organisations supported the changes. At the very least it would set the introduction of PIP back months. At best it could even result in a fairer set of rules for the mobility component. But the campaigners desperately need claimants who fit very tightly defined criteria to come forward to be the ones who actually challenge the DWP. In order to bring the case, assisted by Leigh Day solicitors and barristers from Doughty Street Chambers, they need claimants: Who are eligible for legal aid – check your eligibility here (external site) Who currently have a DLA award including Higher Rate Mobility component Whose DLA award is NOT due to expire until after October 2013 Who, on re-assessment under PIP, whenever that occurs, are at risk of losing out on the enhanced mobility component of PIP because they can walk over 20 metres or so but cannot walk up to 50 metres. Who do NOT have any difficulty planning or following a journey (eg due to mental health, cognitive or sensory impairment). There are other criteria which are desirable rather than essential, which you can read about on the blog (external site) of highly respected and experienced ‘We Are Spartacus’ campaigner Jane Young. If you think you fit the criteria and are willing to take part, please contact Jane via her contact form as soon as possible, time is very short.:sad:

http://thehardesthit.wordpress.com/2013/02/04/united-sector-secures-late-changes-to-pip-regulations/ Will post more information when I can find some. That's all I can find for now.

Not seen this posted here yet. I have shamelessly purloined it from another forum ...

http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=12343 esther mcvey makes my blood pressure go through the roof and watching risks damage to my laptop.

In the Guardian yesterday, ATOS who've been awarded the PIP assessment contracts are subcontacting South Lanarkshire NHS Occ Therapy to carry out the PIP assessments for them. Why is our government outsourcing work to a private contractor who then subcontract it back into the public sector, no doubt for a lot less than they've charged.

Anyone any idea how these new benefits will effect the claiming of a Motability car ,I seem to remember reading somewhere that the higher rate of DLA is to be abolished.If this is the case then nobody will qualify for the scheme as it is a requirement of it that you are in receipt of the higher rate of DLA

This may be a rather silly post and as not all of the criteria has been published yet, not relevant. But, I hate filling in those dratted froms. I already have DLA - HRM & MRC, had DLA since 1994. Looking at the new descriptors it looks like I will get 8 points for mobility and 0 for care. I will not be 65 until June 2014 so I will be in the first line to be tested! Anyhow, from what I understand its a bit like ESA, self assessment & an ATOS assessment. If anything like my ESA claim it will be a disaster. I sent the ESA50 back with no info as I just couldn't be bothered and the face to face assessment ended up in a shambles as it became personal - I just didn't like the guy When I get the call up, do I have to fill out their form or could I just send it back with a few comments on it? Do I really have to have any evidence? I don't keep anything and refuse to take the medication etc. GP has given up on me and I was discharged a year or two ago by the consultant as I didn't keep any appointments. Having said all of that I am genuine and have genuine health problems that create care needs and mobility issues. From what I read, like ESA, the DWP will accept the ATOS assessment anyhow, so that will be another disaster as I hate having to explain things and be made to feel that I am a con artist. Unlike the ESA assessment, could I take my wife in with me, as with ESA, the assessor refused her to come in saying that he wanted to hear from me and didn't want a third party interupting the proceedings. Simply put, is it going to be a waste of my time and effort bothering to transfer over next June?

Hello My dad will be 65 in June 2013. I have been doing a lot of reading up on this new benefit, PIP and I must admit his fears seem to be founded somewhat. He was awarded many years ago HRM and MRC. I am not so much worried about the care aspect as he will clearly 'walk' through any re-assessment as I am with the mobility part. He was awarded his DLA because he suffers from Peripheral Arterial Disease (Thrombosis of both legs), Type 1 diabetes, and spinal/hip problems. Put it simply he cannot (just not carry on through the pain barrier) walk (more like shuffle) more than 20 metres without having to stop due to the pain in his legs and both hips. At best he has accepted that he needs a walking stick, but refuses point blank to consider any other aid (says he is not a old fogey just yet!). He has never been refused HRM despite a few reviews. From what I read, given his problems, not being able to walk very far will not be sufficient, on it's own, with PIP to be awarded the Higher Rate. They seem to have added that he needs to be in a wheelchair as well!! Is that correct? He does not fit into the other part of getting about and planning a journey as his brain is far from being useless. If you tell him a town or a city he will tell you how to get there, what roads are best to use at a particular time and day/night. He is a one man GPS system!!! If it is he looks to be losing his Motability car then. This will be a massive blow to both him and mum. There is absolutely no way that they can afford to buy a car and run it. It also seems that he was born a few months too late to keep his DLA as he would have had to be 65 by April 2013. On top of that his catagory is likely to be one of the first to be moved over and tested due to his age. although others appear to be given until 2016 before the re-assessments are finished. My worry is that given what I read, he will be over 65 when they assess him for PIP and when he fails the test, he will not be able to reclaim it as he will be too old!! Is that correct please? If there is anything I have missed please tell me as he is worried sick over these changes and is at the moment threatening to tell the garage to come now and collect the damn car!! Thanks for your help.

In September, I saw my GP who said that the treatment he was considering for me was botox injections. I saw a neurologist who agreed and diagnosed me with torticollis. Around that time, I asked my DLA to be looked at and they wrote to me GP. My GP wrote that I have torticollis and that I'm waiting for botox therapy. In January, I saw the neurosurgeon, who disagreed with the diagnosis and the proposed treatment. He sent me for an MRI scan as he doesn't know (neither does anyone else) what's wrong with me. Do DWP need to know that my treatment has now changed? I won't know what is going to be done until I see the neurosurgeon and get my MRI results in 2 weeks time.

im really confued as i didnt attend the medical but sent off a form explaining why , i then recieved a letter back saying :"we have looked at your reasons for not attending a decision maker says you are capable of work from the 15.04.2010 " (this box was ticked) then underneath is says "this means we have decided that you are no longer entilted to which were : Box One : Incapacity Benefit And National Insurance Credits Box Two : Severe Disablement Allowance Box Three : National Insurance Credits The Box They Ticked For Me Were Just : The 3rd One "National Insurance Credits" This is the only box ticked so i dont understand am i losing my incapacity and servere disability allowance cos it says first "u are capable of work from the 24.04.2010 but then says this means we have decided that you are no longer entitled to national insurance credits ! Im confused as i claim incapacity and servere but these boxes werent ticked so what do they mean im no longer entitled to national credits ? im worried if they mean that ill no longer get any benefits anyone plz help me thanks in advance