Forced to attend PIP f2f with agoraphobia?

Hi again all,

UPDATE: So, I called DWP and withdrew the PIP claim on 10/4/19, the day before the assessment. I didn't bother informing ATOS but I did point out to DWP that the only reason I was withdrawing was due to ATOS' inflexible attitude (to put it mildly) regarding the f2f in Manchester when my GP had strongly advised against. Oddly, after I explained this, the lady I spoke to said that this was 'very unusual' treatment by ATOS (!) and would I like her to investigate the matter further (!). I was very tempted, but as the f2f was due first thing the following morning I decided against, informing her that I would prefer to make a new claim later instead as that would give me more time to gather more evidence and support. They promptly ended my current DLA claim and I was told that the remaining back payment of DLA would be paid up to 1/5/19. By my reckoning that's three weeks, rather than four - is that correct Gordon or is this something I can challenge?

Anyway, 1/5/19 has been and gone, and no payment has materialised in my account. Should I expect it by now, or should I wait another week until my usual payment date? Unsurprisingly they weren't forthcoming about exactly when I'd receive it at the time, and I didn't think to ask.

I'm mainly asking because following the PIP withdrawal my very next ESA payment failed to go into my account, which ruined my Easter weekend but turned out to have been 'an unrelated processing error' that was sorted with a (very lengthy and tedious) phone call. I'm just wondering if this is something similar or if I should just wait?

As for my next PIP claim, I'm gathering stuff together. My MP has grown oddly silent, but I suppose she might be more occupied with the local elections at the moment.

Thanks Gordon.

The next and final DLA payment would be due on the 14th of May (I received the previous, penultimate DLA payment on 16th of April as expected, six days after phoning DWP), but as I ended the PIP claim on the 10th April I think it's going to come up a little short. I'm not sure of the arrears/advance ratio of my payments unfortunately so I'll have to take their word for it.

As for receiving it I'll hang on until the 9th, and see what happens then.

Hi again,

So, now the fun begins...

I decided to wait all the way until today (the 14th) to see if my final payment showed up in my account. It didn't.

I then called DLA, who (after an hour on hold) told me it was no longer anything to do with them as PIP now had all my records, 'so call them'. After an hour and a half on hold to them, PIP tell me, 'No sorry, it's a DLA matter, I don't know why they would have said that, they've got those records. So call them.' After a further 20 minutes on hold to DLA again, an unbelievably rude (more in tone than actual words) woman tells me, 'No, you aren't entitled to a thing, we didn't have to pay you a penny after the day you decided not to claim PIP' (the implication being 'consider yourself lucky we paid you up to April 16th'). I said, as calmly as possibly: 'but I was assured when I withdrew the PIP claim that DLA payments would continue until the 1st of May'. Her curt response: 'No.' We went back and forth with variations on that theme for another minute or so, with her making no attempt to explain anything in detail.

Meanwhile, my MP has sent me a copy of the DWP's response to her enquiry about my case, will clearly states: "payments of DLA will therefore be paid to 30 April 2019" (a day less than I was first told, but I'll let that go). As the last payment went into my account on the 16th April, even allowing for the possibility of payments being three weeks in arrears/one week in advance, it would suggest that they owe me something, if only a week's money.

Any ideas on how to proceed from here, Gordon?

hi, how did you get on?