PIP Mandatory Reconsideration Success

Hi all,

I have been awarded PIP enhanced rate daily living and mobility on mandatory reconsideration.

This is what I should have been awarded in the first place but I thought that I would have to endure an appeal to get the right decision as success on MR seems to be like a unicorn so I was resigned to being rejected on MR. I had been on high rate DLA mobility and care and was put down to standard rates on transfer to PIP.

I thought I would share my MR approach in case it helps someone else. It wont be the best approach for everybody - just another point of view that might work for someone else so worth sharing I think.

1. I asked for the MR in writing and approached it like an appeal.
I wrote out an 'MR Request' as I would if it was a full appeal so it was clear that I had all of the ground work already done so the chances of me giving up were nil.

It was obvious that I would go straight to appeal if the MR came back wrong as there was little work left for me to do to turn my document into an appeal.

The downside is that there was a lot more work upfront after the major stress of getting a wrong decision but the upside was that it got the heavy lifting out of the way that I would have to do for the appeal anyway. I think showing I had the work already done helped me get the MR.

2. I put what I was awarded for each descriptor I challenged and what I think I should have been awarded at the top of my letter. I think saving them time helped me get the MR.

3. Put in at least 1 new medical letter. The DM in the reasoning in my case focused on one new letter I put in with MR for all the descriptors upgraded even though the letter didn't relate to half of them and didn't add anything to what was already submitted. It was a new letter though.

It is easier to refer to new info for a change than admit the HP simply got it wrong. I think giving them help with face saving helped me get the MR.

4. Do not slag off the HP!! Say the decision was wrong, not the HP was wrong etc. Be assertive about the facts without letting your anger and frustration show at all. Resist all temptation to state that the HP is a *y$%^* etc. Word check your document and if there are any references to 'he' of 'she' try to depersonalise it and refer to the decision or at least the HP. I avoided using the HP's name as I thought that would come across too antagonistic/ personal.

5. Grit your teeth (yes, I know its hard ) and put yourself mentally in the DM's shoes when you read through your MR Request. The goal is put across the facts accurately and also to make it easy for them to give you what you want (i.e. do their job for them). Know your audience.

Again, this is just my guess at things that might have helped me to win my MR request. It is not any sort of formal advice that will work for everyone. I am just a forum user like you and as MR's seem to be so hard to win, I thought I would set this out as well as I could in the hope of helping others.

Thanks to Gordon and the Guides for all your help. Until the next brown envelope - Laters

Congratulations Fizz on your successful MR and the very detailed notes you have supplied, which I am sure will also be a great help to many going through this process. Having read your notes along with the very valuable information on this site I now feel that the Benefits Advisor who completed you initial PIP form and my MR has not included nearly enough detail for a successful outcome but only time will tell.
You must be feeling so relieved to have this ordeal behind you and many thanks for your post.

Well done Fizz.
How long is your award for?

5 years

Thank you for this Fuzz, I got my award letter on Thursday and have moved from lower care higher rate mobility on DLA to enhanced care and standard mobility. It is what I expected as I got my HP report a week after my assessment. I followed up this (as there was things missing) with extra info that they have not used, so I have contacted my MP and going to start the MR on Monday. This will be a massive help and I will be using your advise.
Congratulations on your award

Well done. I have also recently been successful after requesting a MR for my son and sent quite a detailed letter too. I had no further evidence to send but did challenge the assessor's views in a number of areas, trying not to be too critical. I asked them to clarify and explain various parts of the decision which made no sense at all to me and pointed out areas where I felt that they had not complied with their own guidance or the law After consideration my son was awarded a higher rate than he had received on DLA!