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Getting an extension to completing PIP2 form

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5 years 1 month ago #225943 by Robbie
I received a text from the DWP two weeks ago to thank me for sending in the form and that I may need to attend a face to face consultation. This morning I received an appointment letter with an appointment for 8.30am next Wednesday (20/02) in a city miles away from me which it is not possible to get to without using a taxi and that would cost almost £30 each way. I couldn't afford to pay this even if IAS refund me as I simply don't have the funds So I'm going to phone up to hopefully have the appointment rearranged to somewhere closer to home but I'm going to leave it until next Monday to phone as the person who is going to be accompanying me is on holiday for the next fortnight so I wouldn't have been able to go anyway. Would delaying phoning them up be a problem? It's no good me phonining this week if all that happens is I end up being offered another appointment next week as I still would have severe problems going.

Also, if the worst does happen after my assessment and I get refused any further payments of PIP is PIP still payable up to the week before the decision or is PIP paid either for a whole month or not at all? It's important for me to know as I am also on ESA (itself also up for review at the moment so my head is all over the place) and get the Severe Disability Premium so that would stop from the week PIP stops, if the worst case scenario did happen.

Having both benefits up for review at the same time is an absolute nightmare. I'm trying to not think about the worst case scenario that both benefits are refused but I can't help but think the worse. I know other people have been in the same position and it's easy to say to someone "try not to worry" but I'm a born worrier and always take the approach in life to expect the worse and if the worst doesn't happen then it's a bonus.

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5 years 1 month ago #225982 by Gordon
Robbie

Leave calling until your friend is available so that you can make a mutually acceptable appointment, doing so won't be a problem but be aware that you will have to attend the new date or you risk you claim being closed.

PIP is paid four weekly in arrears so whilst it will stop on the date that any negative Decision is made there should still be at least one payment still to be made.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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5 years 1 month ago #225992 by Robbie
Unfortunately my relation is away on holiday now and isn't back until the week after the assessment date so I'll have no choice but to phone next week. With any luck they'll give me an appointment for two weeks after that. I've already discussed with my relative the days he will be available but this narrows even further when I can get there with someone with me (to a Tuesday and Thursday). My relative will be taking me to the assessment in his car.

I've read that IAS try to be as helpful as possible when trying to accomodate requests when rearranging assessment but might I be asking for too much? Not only asking for an appointment for slightly more than two weeks ahead but also asking for specific days? The only problem there I suppose is that it might limit the choice of venue. There is a PIP assessment centre which is relatively local to me and is where other people who I know who are on PIP went to. The one they've given me is (were I able to use public transport) three buses and almost two hours away.

One final thing. My consultation is 8.30am yet the accompanying notes say the assessment centre doesn't open until 9am. It's like it's some kind of trick, to have me standing outside a strange building in a place I hardly know when I have chronic anxiety when outside in unfamiliar places.

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5 years 1 month ago #226000 by Gordon
Robbie

Sorry I missed about your friend being away. they will only book about three weeks in advance so leave it as long as you can before you phone.

If they can find an appointment at a closer venue then they will.

They are working longer hours and weekends due to the backlog of assessments that seem to have built up since the New Year.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: Robbie

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5 years 1 month ago #226368 by Robbie
Thanks for your reply Gordon.

I phoned up this morning, explained the situation and the guy I spoke to on the phone was very helpful to the point of letting me pick a suitable date and time for my appointment. Plus it's also at a local assessment centre which makes it much easier and quicker to get to.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Gordon

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5 years 3 weeks ago #227251 by Robbie
Update:

I got a phone call from IAS to tell me that my PIP assessment, which is due to take place tomorrow, was cancelled. Apparently the PIP building (which is on the ground floor of a large building) has been flooded due to water leaking from above and so is closed at present. I had hoped the appointment might have been pushed back to a later date but no such luck. I was offered an appointment at an alternative venue for tomorrow afternoon which I had to decline as I wouldn't have had anyone to take me. I was then told I could use public transport and claim the fares back. As I have severe anxiety and agoraphobia this is also impossible. I then said that getting a taxi would be no good as I don't have the funds to pay £20 each way. So I was offered a home assessment instead which I was pleasantly surprised by and so accepted.

Are there any pitfalls to having a home assessment? Had the appointment gone ahead as planned and even though my relation was going to take me ito the assessment in his car I would have been in a heightenmed state of anxiety. However as the assessment is going to take place in my house this no longer will be the case. While I'm still very worried about the assessment and with meeting someone I don't know it isn't going to be as obvious as it would have been had I had to travel. I will still have someone with me during the assessment but given a large part of what makes me very anxious is agoraphobia I'm worried that being at home will make me a bit more relaxed than I would otherwise have been had I travelled to a PIP assessment centre.

Also despite it being a home assessment will the format of the assessment be pretty much the same as if I had attended a PIP assessment centre? I have a feeling that the actual assessment may take longer to do given that the HCP will be presumably using a laptop rathe than a desktop.

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