PIP Decision Letter received

Mrs QWERTY

The first thing you need to be aware of is that requesting an MR opens your whole claim to review, whilst it would be unusual we do hear of members who's original award is reduced and even some where the award is removed.

Next you need to consider the likelihood of your scoring the extra points you need for an award. If you did not score any points for Going Out then this is going to be a bigger challenge than if you had scored some and need to score more. Also, in case it is not clear, the points for this Descriptor are not because you have physical problems going out but because you have mental or cognitive problems that would effect you ability to plan a route and them follow it to a destination.

If you still want go for an MR then your request needs to be done in writing to the DWP, within one month of the Decision, to the office that dealt with your claim, have a look at our PIP MR & Appeal guide for details of the process and template letters that you can use to make the request with.

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/pip

You should contact the DWP for a copy of the assessment report if you have not already done so, I would phone them but again follow up the request in writing. Once you have the assessment report you will have a better understanding of how the DWP Decision Maker has come to their conclusions and will then be able to argue against them.

Your primary task is to show that you meet the criteria, there are many reasons you may have failed, you need to address each of these but don't get bogged down in criticising the assessment report unless you can clearly show that it is incorrect, it is a lot easier to argue the facts of the situation;

"the assessor recorded that I walked 50m, I did but they have failed to document that I had to stop every 10m for a rest due to breathlessness"

than their opinions

"based on my observations of the claimant walking I believe that they can reliably walk more than 200m.

When you have a better idea of the issues with your claim, come back to the forum and we will do our best to help.

Gordon

QWERTY

If you have or can get additional evidence then it may support your MR.

As I explained earlier your best approach is to explain why you meet the criteria, I'm not suggesting that you ignore the comments in the Decision Makers Statement of Reasons and the assessment report if you receive it in time, you certainly need to explain why they have come to the wrong conclusions.

So, you need to understand what the criteria you are trying to meet are, you need to explain how you meet this and then you need to explain why you believe that the conclusions that the DM has made are incorrect by referencing your evidence where applicable.

Gordon