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If not doing MR, advice to get better PIP points at next review?
- rubeatle
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1 day 20 hours ago #309034 by rubeatle
If not doing MR, advice to get better PIP points at next review? was created by rubeatle
At my recent review, I got 11 points care and 12 mobility.
I was annoyed at the assumptions the assessor made and the way they ask things.
As I don't think I'm going to do an MR given the stress it would cause, I wanted to ask how to get a better award next time.
I saw other threads where people who were outside of the MR deadline were advised to concentrate on getting a better award at review or when reporting a change of circumstances but wondered how to do that.
I'm obviously unsure of whether I'll have better medical evidence in a couple of years and worry that they won't see why they should award more points this time (obviously I'll do what I can to try to get some though) if evidence doesn't show a worsening.
So, questions:
1. Can you write on your review form that you disagreed before but were unable to challenge so that it doesn't seem like things are suddenly worse now but rather have been that way a while? I ask because they say they're only interested in changes since X date and mine would predate that
2. My diary could be clearer and my Mum could write a statement saying about how I do things and how long it's been that way etc to back it up- would that help even if medical evidence remained static?
3. Any other advice for arguing better next time?
I know nobody can guarantee but would this approach be a valid one if you wanted/ needed to wait til next review to try to get a better award?
TIA
I was annoyed at the assumptions the assessor made and the way they ask things.
As I don't think I'm going to do an MR given the stress it would cause, I wanted to ask how to get a better award next time.
I saw other threads where people who were outside of the MR deadline were advised to concentrate on getting a better award at review or when reporting a change of circumstances but wondered how to do that.
I'm obviously unsure of whether I'll have better medical evidence in a couple of years and worry that they won't see why they should award more points this time (obviously I'll do what I can to try to get some though) if evidence doesn't show a worsening.
So, questions:
1. Can you write on your review form that you disagreed before but were unable to challenge so that it doesn't seem like things are suddenly worse now but rather have been that way a while? I ask because they say they're only interested in changes since X date and mine would predate that
2. My diary could be clearer and my Mum could write a statement saying about how I do things and how long it's been that way etc to back it up- would that help even if medical evidence remained static?
3. Any other advice for arguing better next time?
I know nobody can guarantee but would this approach be a valid one if you wanted/ needed to wait til next review to try to get a better award?
TIA
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- BIS
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1 day 4 hours ago #309055 by BIS
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by BIS on topic If not doing MR, advice to get better PIP points at next review?
Hi rubeatle
1. Yes, you can write on the review form that you were unable to challenge the previous report.
2. A diary and letter can help - they just don't guarantee anything.
3. Have a look at the guide and go through every question one at a time and compare what it suggests to what you said. This isn't a job you can do quickly. The guide says this:
"‘Reliably’ - the most important PIP word
It’s vital that, before you complete your form, you understand that just because you can carry out an
activity, that doesn’t mean you are prevented from scoring points for being unable to do it.
Guidance issued by the DWP states that you need to be able to complete an activity ‘reliably’ in
order for it to apply. According to the guidance, ‘reliably’ means whether you can do so:
• Safely – in a fashion that is unlikely to cause harm to themselves or to another person. (See the
‘Safety and supervision’ section immediately below for more on this).
• To a necessary and acceptable standard – given the nature of the activity.
• Repeatedly – as often as is reasonably required.
• In a reasonable time period no more than twice as long as a person without a physical or mental
health condition would take to carry out the activity."
Often people don't write their answers to include this - so make sure that you did and if you din't you'll know to include it next time.
My pet favourite is to make sure that I link what I am saying to the evidence I have. So for example. "I cannot cook a meal because of the severe arthritis in my hands (see letter from Dr X, Senior Othropedic Surgeon, 13/12/24) which makes it impossible for me to hold a knife or chop any food." This means that the assessor knows as they are reading through the form that there is evidence to back up what I am saying about my condition. I've done this numerous times for people and have always been praised for the forms I've completed.
Hope this helps
BIS
1. Yes, you can write on the review form that you were unable to challenge the previous report.
2. A diary and letter can help - they just don't guarantee anything.
3. Have a look at the guide and go through every question one at a time and compare what it suggests to what you said. This isn't a job you can do quickly. The guide says this:
"‘Reliably’ - the most important PIP word
It’s vital that, before you complete your form, you understand that just because you can carry out an
activity, that doesn’t mean you are prevented from scoring points for being unable to do it.
Guidance issued by the DWP states that you need to be able to complete an activity ‘reliably’ in
order for it to apply. According to the guidance, ‘reliably’ means whether you can do so:
• Safely – in a fashion that is unlikely to cause harm to themselves or to another person. (See the
‘Safety and supervision’ section immediately below for more on this).
• To a necessary and acceptable standard – given the nature of the activity.
• Repeatedly – as often as is reasonably required.
• In a reasonable time period no more than twice as long as a person without a physical or mental
health condition would take to carry out the activity."
Often people don't write their answers to include this - so make sure that you did and if you din't you'll know to include it next time.
My pet favourite is to make sure that I link what I am saying to the evidence I have. So for example. "I cannot cook a meal because of the severe arthritis in my hands (see letter from Dr X, Senior Othropedic Surgeon, 13/12/24) which makes it impossible for me to hold a knife or chop any food." This means that the assessor knows as they are reading through the form that there is evidence to back up what I am saying about my condition. I've done this numerous times for people and have always been praised for the forms I've completed.
Hope this helps
BIS
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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