PIP Advice needed.

[CookieRocks]

Hi all.

 

Been a while since I've been around. Life's gotten hectic.

 

So, I have been referred to the Social Care Team earlier this year, and as part of the package, I was given a Benefits Advisor who convinced me to apply for PIP (which I have avoided, due to the difficulty in qualifying for it). So, I've just survived with my ESA SG.

 

Anyways, I applied for PIP in July, and was given a extremely short notice Assessment date end of October which I cancelled and requested a Home Assessment as I had a severe case of Bronchitis at the time. Surprisingly IAS (Formerly Atos) offered The Home Assessment which took place first week of November.

 

Received decision today Standard Care and Standard Mobility which is all well and good, actually surprised it went so smoothly until this point, was expecting a battle which I would have found hard to fight.

 

Here is the where I need some advice. Having read through their decision, and where I was awarded points, I think I should definitely have been awarded points with descriptors where I was given 0 points, and parts where I think I should have been awarded more points than have been awarded.

 

Obviously, I have one month from date of letter (20/11), but I'm not sure if I should go for the Mandatory Reconsideration?

 

I've read around that there is a likelihood that they could completely remove the award?

 

I've read that their is no actual time limit for them to make their decision, therefore, during the MR, will the current award be paid whilst they go through the process, or does it stop completely until they decide on a verdict?

 

But, I genuinely believe that I should have been awarded more points. A lot of their long winded decision explanation is wrong and very assumptive and I don't think the Nurse HCP who did the assessment gave a realistic picture of the situation, or included in their report important things that I explained during the assessment. If fact, some of my health conditions they needed me spell out as they had never heard of it, understandable as CES is quite rare.

 

Hopefully I can get some advice or viewpoints from others here who have been through the process of PIP and MR.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Kind regards

[Nystagmite]

There is a chance your award can be removed, it can stay the same or it can be increased.

 

Whatever you're awarded, you keep during your reconsideration.

[CookieRocks]

Thanks Nystagmite.

 

4 points off for Care

2 points off for Mobility

 

I hate their term 'aid'... it's used so often, yet doesn't actually fit in where the actual descriptor should be used, eg: the difference between using an aid to dress top half compared to the reality where I need another person to help dress up top...

 

Going through the descriptors, if the correct points were added, they will both be at least 12 or more.

 

I'm sorely tempted to go through with it, my Advisor is not the smartest of cookies, bless her. But, she's a rush job on most things.

[reallymadwoman]

Given the points awarded already, it is probably most unlikely that your award will be removed, however there is a chance that it might be which must be weighed against the chance of getting an increased award.

Going through mandatory reconsideration probably has little to no risk of losing your award but also very little chance of getting it increased, but in the circumstances I would try, particularly if you think there's a very good chance of getting the extra two points for enhanced mobility. Try to put together a reasoned argument as to where you should have scored those points and try to back it up with evidence, but keep the time limit in mind. If you get some extra points I'd probably leave it there, but if not you can consider going to appeal.

[G G GEE]

You've got very little to lose by asking for a MR, try this tool http://www.advicenow.org.uk/pip-tool .