PIP review - HP said would do a paper based assess

Hi

I have been claiming PIP for almost 2 years. I was given a 2 year award in Feb 2018. I received a renewal pack in August this year and returned to Dwp by beginning of Sept.

I was then sent a letter by Capita advising I needed to attend a f2f. My appointment was 4th Oct...i went along to it with my partner who is also my carer.

I claim PIP on mental health grounds. I have depression, anxiety, BPD, PTSD and am currently waiting to be assessed for potential Aspergers syndrome.

I was a bag of nerves when I arrived at the assessment centre, shaking, having a panic attack, crying, id cut the previous day and had cuts all over my arms. The lady who was assessing me was a psychiatric nurse. She took one look at me, asked why I wasnt put down for a home visit (I never asked for one as I didnt think I would be offered one, I know how hard they are to come by). The assessor then said she didnt think i was well enough to undergo the assessment there and then....my partner said he would help me answer the questions. She then asked if he was my appointee (hes not).

We got in the room and she said she had to risk assess the affect a f2f could have on me after its done and if the risk is too high they can halt it. I told her i was not prepared to leave that centre until they had done what they needed to do....she took one look at me and said she was going to do a paper based assessment and that she felt she already had enough info from the form i had completed and a large chunk of medical evidence id submitted.

She said that having a paper assessment would not "affect my award" and told me not to worry. She also advised my partner to apply for appointeeship and gave him a piece of paper on the way out with a tel number on. Ive read that less than 1% of PIP claimants are assessed via paper and my anxiety has been sky high just wondering what will happen to my PIP now....

I got my partner to contact Capita yesterday to see if we could request a copy of the HCA report. The woman put us on hold and went away and said if its been put down for a paper based assessment then they will most likely write to the health care professional i listed in my review form (my GP) to request their opinion. She said the report hadnt been written yet and was in a "que, most likely sat in someone's work tray waiting to be dealt with"