PIP Review

Hi BIS

Thank you so much for getting back to me. I am so sorry again for the delay in replying, I am the world's worst for getting back to people. I have this weird form of social anxiety that shifts from 'in a minute' because of exhaustion to fear of replying because I've left it so long. Although I was, and still am very relieved that I was (am?) being considered for a paper based review, when I received the letter I knew it's not a guarantee of good news.

Anyways, I thought I would give a little update; maybe it can also shed some light to anyone else who may be wondering the sort of questions their contacted professional may be asked/discussions had when the HP calls your contact. Please delete/edit if not allowed, sorry if it isn't.

So I managed to speak to my phycologist and her first words regarding the call were that the questions were very 'detailed' and 'intrusive'. And some left her wondering why they were being asked, like can X lift ABC - even though I never mentioned physical issues except swallowing on my form because my conditions are mental health. Similarly, she was asked the physical mobility question even though I left that one blank other than N/A. I don't know if this is just standard and the assessor was just going through every question on the form?

She was also asked things like: 'does she need help with medication'; can she use public transport; how often I need help; (and this this quite odd one considering I never said this in my form, although I do have bipolar and trauma) does she shift from extreme depression to extreme elevated mood back to depression within hours. My psychologist explained moods and mood disorders don't work to the severity that was being described to her. Instead she told the assessor about how my moods work and that I am depressed the majority of the time, suffer from chronic anxiety every day etc. And that because of this I need help dressing, taking meds, eating, I don't use public transport and rely on taxis/other people and on rare occasions I drive but I am in therapy for driving phobia too.

She was also asked to go in depth about how I am affected by depression/anxiety/trauma etc. Basically, although my psychologist didn't tell me the whole conversation because apparently they were on the phone for a long time, I got the impression almost everything I wrote was queried to an in depth level, to the point that some questions my psychologist said she couldn't and won't answer some because they were too personal.

I don't know if this is true about how the AP system works, but apparently the HP said that she had only been given a few days turn around when requesting the information to complete the report. But decided to hold off for a few weeks to try and get the extra information because of the difficulties I had explained in my form she wanted to complete the report without calling me for a F2F. After that she said she would try and complete the report without arranging a F2F (I have no idea if the HP was telling the truth lol). I am still expecting the worst.

I hope this may help provide some insight or something. But also, I don't know what to think about all the questions and if anything can be inferred form it all. I am worried sick about the result. I actually want to vomit with anxiety. It's all I think about, like this massive weight of impending doom. I know I am not alone in this. It's such a horrible system.

Hi BIS,

Thank you for your reply. Yea, I can tell she really tried her best to answer the questions and repeatedly told the assessor that I need support the majority of days for many activities.

She said it was intense and lasted almost an hour. I forgot to add, she also said she felt like the questions were very rule based and multiple in relation a single question i.e. exactly how many days I needed help and by whom for dressing - I'm guessing she was probed very closely in line with the descriptors.

Although I know it must have been my form because the assessor had my psychologist's details, when I heard some of the things asked, a couple of the times I wondered if it was even my form. Like multiple questions about toilet needs - I never answered that question other than 'no change' because I don't have difficulties.

I am worried sick because the level of detail and personal questions the assessor wanted has surprised me. I guess now there really is nothing I can do except wait. Have you heard of anyone else's professional(s) contacted being grilled so much?

Sorry, I forgot to add, she asked if it was possible that my psychologist spoke to ESA. But told her although I get ESA I didn't have a review/fill out a review form, only PIP

Hi again,

Just another update. My award ends at the beginning of june so after frantically trying to get ahold of my psychologist, I managed to get the name of the assessor she spoke to. I called IAS again re there being no record of it to give the name. Still nothing, he was very nice, spoke to his manager and didn't give me an answer other than it's usually recorded.

Anyways, seems there's nothing I can do about it because he told me my form is part of 'bunch of claims recalled by the DWP'. And that there's no reason on the system why they have asked for the claims. He said he didn't know why the claim had been cancelled, I asked what do mean cancelled. He said he didn't know if it had been cancelled and it could be the DWP are making a decision themselves. And he thought it might be due to the coronavirus.

Have you heard of this or know why this is happening? Also I don't know if this information is of any use to people already in the review process, but I hope it is in these unprecedented times because he definitely said it's not just mine and that mine was on a list of a 'bunch of forms recalled'. Could it be to do with the extension of awards, maybe for those whose awards are due to end?