PIP decision

In 2018 I changed from indefinite low care and high mobility to PIP no care and standard mobility until June 2021.
It has been a complete nightmare from start to finish.
I had an appointment for a face to face assessment in Cardiff with Capita for May, 2018. They wouldn't let me change the date of the appointment for assessment until the day before even though I had told them that I couldn't attend due to a previous hospital appointment with my neurologist on the same day. His appointment was 3pm in Hereford and Capita wanted me in Cardiff at 5pm even though they are 60 miles apart. There were no other appointments available. They finally gave me a home assessment for which they gave me two different times. Then when I had a copy of the report, there were errors - when Atol did an ESA assessment, it was a complete pack of lies even down to saying that my husband remained in the waiting room - he was in the room with me. He was also in the room with me when they did the PIP one as well. Then it took DWP approx 6 weeks for the decision. I asked for a Mandatory reconsideration on 19th August, 2018 then asked for another one on 5th July, 2019 as I hadn't heard anything from the first one and I had discovered that I could still ask for a MR within 13 months of the original decision It then took two phone calls and 9 weeks before hearing that they upheld the original decision. I took it to Citizens Advice who helped me fill in the Appeal forms on 16th October, 2019. I received a call from DWP on 22nd April, 2020 to say they were changing the original decision so that I would receive low rate care and enhanced mobility until June, 2028 with back pay from August 2018. The letter confirming this was received on 29th April, 2020. It has taken me 22 months from start to finish. The Welfare Rights Assessment Team from Herefordshire Council had also asked twice for mandatory reconsideration but had no reply at all.

It's so frustrating - must be even worse for people who are really ill as well. Surely, they should take notice of what a consultant says? Especially when you consider that the person at DWP has no medical knowledge. This new system has cost so much money - what a waste.