Dla to pip and esa

Hi, I am on the dla to pip transfer and have to go to a clinic for a F2F in 3 weeks time. ive read that it can be a bit of a lottery as to how fair the assessment can be so i was wondering:

I currently am in support group in ESA, Should i get an assessment i consider unfair and am not successful in the transfer will this call into question my ESA award?

stickman1992 wrote: Hi, I am on the dla to pip transfer and have to go to a clinic for a F2F in 3 weeks time. ive read that it can be a bit of a lottery as to how fair the assessment can be so i was wondering:

I currently am in support group in ESA, Should i get an assessment i consider unfair and am not successful in the transfer will this call into question my ESA award?

Hi sm1992,

In case you have not already done so, you can read what to expect from page 70 onwards of our : PIP Claims Guide. (2nd Link on page)

You should be aware that how you manage the return trip to/from the PIP Assessment Centre will be taken into account as part of the actual assessment.

You may be observed on approaching, leaving and whilst inside the centre.

Assumptions may be made by the assessor with regards to the above.

These assumptions could result in the assessor writing comments and/or recommendations within the PA4 PIP medical report which they compile and send to The DWP.

You can have someone to accompany you, and they can take notes.

An adverse PIP Decision should not have any adverse effect on your current ESA SG Award.

Good luck and please keep us updated !

bro58

Ok, i will try not to ramble in this update! I had my assessment and now have the result. i was given 8 points daily living so qualify for the standard rate but only 4 points on mobility which i dont agree with.. now the issues i have are:

The assessor states that i was observed walking 25 metres at normal pace with 2 elbow crutches so the mobility award was based on this. Now i was at the assessment centre 20 minutes before the assessor even arrived as i was the 1st afternoon appointment and he was late and after the assessment i literally hobbled on crutches 4 metres from a chair to outside his office to await a cab that was called. in this time he started his next assessment so how could he make any walking observations? from the kerbside to the reception i dont even think is 25 metres! plus i had to stop in that length of time. On the daily living he stated i would need aids for support and balance so how could anyone walk at a normal pace that needs those aids? seems like a contradiction to me. Also in the assessment he asked me to walk a few paces which i struggled up and did ( he noted i had difficulty rising ) and he said to me how far do you think you could walk without having to stop with the pain 25 metres? i said that this was approximately the distance but each day is different sometimes less sometimes more. Plus during the assessment i asked him to do a physical examination of my knee and he replied that wouldnt be neccecary!

There is a couple of things in the daily living that i need assistance with that he put i could do with aids i dont agree with like preparing food. i.e how could you make a hot cup of tea and move with it to sit whilst using your hands to hold 2 crutches?

I sent a consultant letter albeit from 2012 hat said my condition had a substancial negative impact on me but that seemed to be ignored.

I know that writing to them would risk my award so what do you think the chances are for them to consider my views against the stated report? It really annoyed me as i think my mobility is my main problem.

How do you write to them, is it just a standard letter outlining what you dont agree with?

one other thing is the abbreviations used in the justifications. Do you know what fme msk mean?

Hi Stickman
Unfortunately the distance you can walk aided or unaided to get 12 points is now no more than 20 metres so by choosing 25 the assessor led you into a trap.

There is a guide to appealing PIP decisions here
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/dla.php?fld=bw...6630c5db840bc9cec504

To only get 4 points the assessor would actually have ahd to say you can walk more than 50 metres but not more than 200 so as you agreed 25 you should have got 8 or 10 points depending on whether it was aided or unaided.
You need to carefully consider what evidence you can give to challenge the decision. It seems you could challenge the 4 points on the grounds that you cannot do more than 50 metres either aided or unaided. You could challenge the 25 metres, indeed you will have to to get the higher rate. You need to maybe measure distances you can walk ie. From bed to toilet, from bed to armchair in front room etc. and get backup from someone. You also need to maybe say how tiring, painful etc it is bearing in mind the reliability test of all descriptors. This means you have to be able to do the activity safely, well, repeatedly etc.

WCA assessors never conduct actual physical examinations during the interview.

It shouldn't affect your daily living component if you challenge the mobility component.

If you decide to request a MR make sure you have the full report from the assessment with full reasons for decisions made. If you didn't walk 25 metres but were led into a judgement call by the assessor to say you could walk 25 metres you need to put this in the evidence for your appeal and say you can't in fact walk 25 metres reliably and you were misled into a false judgement call by the assessor.

thanks foss for the reply.. i knew about the distance in the descriptors and was comfortable with the 25 metres remark as most days i could go upto 50 metres although others i cant so i was being fair with that and not trying to over exaggerate. the annoying thing is he couldnt possibly observed me walk 25 metres as it isnt 25 metres into the office and he wasnt even there and was doing another f2f when i left.