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Have you waited months for a PIP assessment?
Richard Butchins who we have worked with before is looking for people who have been faced with a very long delay waiting for a PIP assessment or decision or both. This is for a Channel 4 documentary but will not in any way be like the recent Benefits Street.
Richard produced and investigated ATOS medical assessments for an excellent channel 4 documentary. We are entirely certain that Richard's programme will represent the true facts and not be sensationalised in any way.
Please contact Richard directly if you can help with this
437 Responses to "Have you waited months for a PIP assessment?"
I am a widowed mother,every day of my existence is unbearable.i have mental health problems.a benefit centre worked very hard to help me claim pip and esa.i could actually afford to go shopping,have gas and electric,normal things.i was told I would never have to go through assessment again.didnt last for 1 year.i had help to appeal,10 months and still waiting.mental health declined so much I have suicidal thoughts daily.i now have mental health worker and stronger antidepressants.my go even wrote them a letter saying how desperate my situation is.
10 years-Disabled spinal injury, mis diagnosed with DVT;s by Dr Andrew xxxx, left 2 years on waiting list for NHS surgery.
At pre-op found to have bilateral DVT's and after chest scan found multiple pulmonary embolisms, cant breath living in pain on steriods/MST morphine and high doses of warferin for life.
Recieved PIP assessment forms last year Dec.2015 sent forms back and finally got appointment in June 2016
Assessment done incorrectly by an ambulance driver! No idea what they are doing- as they are not even qualified.
After downgrading me to standard appealed for a "Mandatory Reconsideration" ! lol never heard such rubbish . I bet they where told to fail everyone and only the serious cases would be looked at again.
Since Atos has been involved they have stopped my mobility and still owe me 2 months which was due proir to ATOS ghetting involved, and caused me to go into overdrtaft incurring costs due to their incompetance!
Told 6 to 9 weeks for Reconsideration , and then will request a tribunal, have asked for all the information that they use to make their decisions to be forwarded to me, so I have facts for the tribunal.
Vote Labour and kick these incompetant school boys out! L"OO"K at what they are doing ……
Hi 2 years ago my wife was on holliday in spain when she returned back to the uk 2 days later she turned ill and was rushed to the hospital at a&e affter the doctors checked my wife over she had tightness in her chest and symptoms of stabing pains in her lower back area they told her it was some kind of infection and gave her antibiotics within the space of 48hrs my wife ended up on life support and my family was phoned to go into hospital as they diddent think she would make it threw the next couple of hours they diagnosed her with influenza flu seamingly 2x worse than the swine flu virus she was pute in a suduced coma for severl weeks each time she recoverd she crashed straight at the back of it this went on for severl months she finaly got stronger and beat the virius but let her with loads of disabilitys hyproxy brain injury..mini stroke down one side of her arm and hand and she lost mobility in her walking she gets shortness of breath cant go up stairs wthout aid of a stair lift she needs to use a wheel chair when bad days and walking stick aids on good days i need to prepare all her meals help her wash and she uses toilet aides she was granted dla for 2 years then asked 4moths ago to go to this pip board we did that and have been waiting on a decition for nearly 8/9 weeks now its utter disgusting she dident ask to be unwell to what that virius has left her with multipule disabilitys its not right the system is to slow on making a dicition she cant sleep with worrie now great another problem of anxiaty to add to her health. This pip across the uk is affecting every disabeld person its a joke i think the way its setup is to discurage disabeld pepole going to boards and attempting to fill out the forms etc this goverment needs to tealise not all pepole are comfidant and cant do this due to there health problems basicly its a get out claws for goverment spending as i keep stating pepole with disabilotys dodent choose to either be born with there health isues or pepole that suffer due to no fault of there own ie falling ill its a utter disgrace how they are being treated they need to beg to survive..
I am going through allot of anxiety during this whole pip application and it is not exactly helping with my depression, at first when it was explained to me it seemed like a straight forward process of applying and either being rejected pip or granted pip. I filled in the how your disability effects you form and attached 2 supporting documents of diagnosis for anxiety, depression & ASD (a form of autism), after 3 months went by and I began making calls to the dwp and Atos, those calls only made my anxiety much worse as I was often wound up, belittled, antagonised, sarcasticly mocked and had my words used against me as if it was a court of law by dwp call agents & atos call agents, I was then told by Atos I was not required to go to a medical and the details were *sent* to the dwp almost 2 months ago so they should have made a decision, I made a call to the dwp and was told yes they have the information and they will make a decision soon another month went by and I got a rejection letter in the post, i scored 6 points for daily living and 4 for mobility so i was rejected pip. when I requested a mandatory reconsideration during the call I asked how on earth do i not qualify for pip at all and I was told because there was no supporting evidence to my claim. my anxiety became overwelming when the dwp call agent told my they were *probably lost and the wolverhampton distrobution centre* I felt sick to my stomach as one of those documents explains how i was abused as a child and many other things and also explains about my disability and personal childhood background. I nearly collapsed when she told me that, I was told i had 28 days to send in any supporting evidence for the reconsideration of my claim which my support worker went and did for me. I called atos and asked who asessed my clain at atos and was told Kathleen Rieghl asessed my claim and I was told she is registered on the hcpc website, I was given her registraion number and double checked it to make sure and when i checked if she was registered it turns out she is not registered at all I then requested a manager to call me about this & was promised a manager would call me back tomorrow, that was 2 weeks ago and i still have not recieed a call from any atos manager. I have been through months of mental abuse by the dwp and atos and I was finally called last week (6 months 3 weeks after my application for pip) and I was told they have got the supporting evidence for my claim and will be in contact with the reconsideration decision. its now been 7 months since I tried to claim PIP and i still have no ideah what is going on. can anyone give me any advice at all please? im strugleing allot with all of this.
My word, this comment is heartbreaking to read. I do hope your claim has been completed – in your favour of course – and that your mental well-being is now a more peaceful one.
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I have autism and manic depression and received DLA since 2013. At the beginning of this year they sent me a letter saying they're stopping my payment altogether meaning my working tax and housing benefit stopped altogether along with it. My mom has tried her very hardest to get them to assess me, it's been 8 months now! I've had to take up a second job in order to live, the DLA would cover my rent usually but now I'm having to struggle! Apparently I'm too independent for it. I live alone, yes, and drive also, but I struggle with cleaning and tidying along with cooking. My mom usually cooks me food on Mondays and Wednesdays and she also helps me with my finances. I'm also at risk of a breakdown if things go wrong for me and am likely to self harm unless I'm with another person. I also struggle with understanding in certain subjects like finance and politics and government. So they have been asking for evidence from my workplace as well as my doctor for proof of my behavior and my subscription to citalopram anti depressant. It's absolutely ridiculous that I have had to wait forever for them to get back me. We even had an MP back us up about the situation. They just stopped altogether with no assessment being made! We made a reclaim but we've heard nothing! It's just stupid and ignorant! I've had to miss out on a lot of things because i've been struggling for cash!
Hi Loz,
I am in a similar predicament but not as bad as you. My DLA was awarded on appeal until 27 July 2015 for bipolar and depression. Someone from DWP tried to visit me at home unannounced 3 times in the last week of April, I was at work and called the number on the letters they left to tell them I work part time and would need to arrange a time I was home. You couldn't speak to someone only leave a message which I did 3 times. Then I got a letter asking me to call them which I did. As far as I was concerned my claim was started at the time, they took a lot of details. The new form duly arrived and I couldn't face attempting it initially, I thought as long as they got it before my current award ended It would all be sorted money wise even if there was a period where my payment stopped temporarily while PIP was assessed. I sent the form back in June and they have received it. I Have my PIP assessment next week. Heres where I am like you: I got a letter from Tax Credits saying they have over paid me since April 28th as I am no longer entitled to it as my DLA was stopped on that date. I tried to argue that my award from the tribunal clearly states 27 July and I also said I have submitted the claim for PIP and the dates etc. He said I need to pay back £1500 within 4 weeks and my benefit money has stopped. I don't know what to do, I cant afford to work part time and couldn't cope with full time. I am going to call DWP today to speak to them but don't hold out a lot of hope of help.
Here we go again. I was awarded PIP around June 2014, for 5 years. June this year I have had to re apply again. I received a letter from ATOS yesterday saying they had been given my case to look into. Today, I get a letter from ATOS, saying that they are requesting more info from Doctors and specialists. This info they already have. It beggars belief, and the stress and worry, starts all over again
I find it rather ridiculous that they tell you one thing,that in most cases cant be carried through,i was visited in February 2015 was told should take around 4 weeks.since then nothing.when you are not working and relying on kindness of friends and family, its most depressing.
Keep the faith people . I rang up on 18th April 15 .Got my local CAB to help fill in paperwork , had my home appointment on the 18th of June 15 and got my award for 5 years in the post today the 1st (6 weeks altogether) so I say again "keep the faith and good luck to all in need " 🙂
Hi I put in for mine last year jan 14 only has assume that last week Monday 13th rang up Friday 17 th they said its with a decision maker how long till I know it's really stressing me out and making my anxiety depression even worse worrying about it thanks x
I was awarded DLA indefinatly in 2012 and as my condition was deteriating last year i put in for more help (do not bother) i had to apply for PIP and my DLA payments stopped so i do not get a penny. It does make me wonder what sort of clever person behind a desk pushing paper comes up with these ideas, i would love to see how they would cope without any money. I then applied for ESA and was sent the wrong forms so i was turned down – i then got the correct form for which they denied it based on the information in the first form. I have got severe mental health issues as well as a degenerative spine so as anyone with mental health issues would understand my mental health is rock bottom.
I had an assessment from Capita for PIP and when i got "0" for every question i asked to have a copy of the assessment form – It was total lies he even said that he saw me walking unaided around my home and if he saw me walk 15 steps that was it and the answers he wrote for the other questions were a load of rubbish so now i have to wait and go to a tribunal. I wish in this day of age there was one place you could get help and now it was correct and not be fobbed off all the time and then have to wait months for money to pay bills but obviously being disabled either mentally or physically makes you a nonentity!!!!!!!!!
hi i agree with everything u say they done all that with me told a load of lies,when i was assessed the woman wrote things down that i didn,t even say so thats y i appealed and now i have won my appeal got my award for dailyliving and mobility but pip is telling me i have2wait4to6weeks which i can,t believe
My girlfriend has waiting well over a year for this to be completed. No income can be provided until the pip is completed.
Atos are useless. We have a had several house visits for the assessment cancelled by them, they won't accept a paper based assessment and my complaints are not being responded to. There is no one else to complain to. Dwp won't do anythning, we have surgeon letters, letters from the GP, consultants all back up her claim but no one wants to take responsibility.
Pip claim started (29 april 14).personal assement (6 jan 15).all info recieved (23 jan 15). Its now (20 april 15). and am still waiting on a decision on something i was told would take 2-5 weeks.Its now going on nearly (5 months) for a decision and still no end insight. Absolutely Shambolic. iv been railroaded by the dwp.
Hi My wife has been waiting for two years now and it seems she has been forgotten about,is there anything i can do apart form ringing then up,ive tried that and all i get is passed over with some rubbish.
i have been refused an assessment at home by atos because i wanted the assessment to be recorded in audio to protect myself from the very underhand tactics they have used in previous assessment with myself in regards to esa claims so on this occasion for the pip claim i insisted that it must be recoreded
to which they said i couldnt do because i didnt have access to their approved equipment for which i said they must supply upon request
they told me no that isnt the case and that i must supply the said equipment for which i have got access to nor the money to buy the said equipment so i told them i will use my mobile device to record the assessment to which they said they have cancelled the appointment because i am refusing to have the assessment under their terms and conditions
so my claim has now been delayed for the fore seeable future
it is a total out rage this company still gets away with treating its customers this way
customer care more like customer we dont give a s…t you carnt touch us
Thank you for the heads-up, Lee. I have just received my DLA/PIP transition letter which prompted me to this board. My intentions were to record the audio of my face-to-face interview as I totally expect false information to be added by the agent – just like my recent ESA review – but you (Lee) have allowed me to digest their response before I've even put forth my question. I do intend to seek a home interview as I have agoraphobia, so if approved I'll just place my recording equipment out of view as the interview takes place. Amazing the lengths one must go to expect a fair hearing/interview.
Hi I have bin waiting 15 months for apoment with pip I've got in in 2 weeks I have phone up 135 times in the and told differnt thing i was so mac I suffer from depress as well as other thing
Started my PIP assessment process in February 2014, had the assessment done in December 2014 and was told that I was unsuccessful, requested full report reconsideration of their decision not to award PIP and received a letter dated 3 March 2015. The reconsideration was clearly not conducted by a health professional.
I have cirrhosis of the liver, sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes. At the moment I get an average of 2-3 hours sleep per night, have been booked off sick with exhaustion and lethargy and my diabetes medication is no longer working due to insulin resistance as result of lack of sleep.
How I know the person who reconsidered my PIP was not even a health professional is that they got some things glaringly wrong.
According to them because the letter from the consultant indicated a high sleep score, I therefore get a lot of sleep, so my sleep apnea was dismissed. In fact if they bothered to check their facts, high sleep score is the opposite, high risk of passing out and lack of sleep, difficulty breathing and danger of falling asleep as the rest of the letter from the consultant states.
According the the reviewer, my diabetes is controlled by taking regular blood tests managed by myself? Really? Shock!, So despite having hyperglycaemia this does not affect my ability to carry out everyday tasks….accordingly to them as I have retinopathy in my feet and legs…retinopathy is in the eyes, neuropathy is in the feet and legs.
Basically just dismissed everything…laughable
waited to get my sons pip assessment for 10 months, after travelling for 35 minutes in a taxi, no one turned up for the interview, he has ADHD, and was on middle rate care on DLA and lower mobility, for years, i was 1 day late with them receiving his re-claim form and so his DLA was cancelled and the claim for PIP was treated as a new claim. SO for 1 year he received nothing, as it took PIP a year to make a decision, needless to say, they have only awarded him the lower mobility and no care component, because their questions, dont even consider the danger my sons actions could have upon himself or others, He started DLA when he was 7 years old, he is now 17, he has jumped on wires to get them out the plug, he has put his hand in a sink full of water while holding a plugged in hairdryer in the other hand, he has lost a tooth from chewing on metal tins, he puts things in his mouth that could choke him, I have a bag full of evidence, he smashes cans that can blow up, both his sister and his brother have been injured through him not thinking befor an action. I have now been to CAB and a tribunal is the only route, he is just 1 point short of receiving the care on PIP, but the fact that this benefit doesnt even consider people who may be a risk to themselves or others is actually a joke, this is not even in the equation, I have been fighting this for 1 1/2 years now, i have bipolar and borderline personality and am on DLA, I am not looking forward to the day they tell me i have to apply for PIP because this has caused so much stress to my health both mental and physical, at times iv felt physically sick with the no contact, no explanations, absolute shambles of a situation.
Ive been waiting now since 12th september 2014 so will be 6 months in next couple of days everytime ive rang in next few days everytime ive called in last 2 months since my assessment ive been told my claim is with a decision maker why are they taking so long u have the assessment why need a decision maker I scored the points at appointment thier job is pointless unless they go against medical advice which in my opion they have no right to do the whole system is on its knees and bringing pip in was a stupid decision made by fools at a massive cost to taxpayer another torrie bundle this is crippling me and my family somone should be held to account and payments should include what interest we could have made while we have been waiting
I had an ESA 50 (the form for applying for ESA) in February 2012, the Work Capability Assessment was held in July 2012. In September 2012 the decision came – Fit For Work. I appealed, in the December I was sent a letter that stated that because of the Work Capability Assessment my Disability Living Allowance was being stopped. I appealed that decision too!
In November 2013, after 2 appeals for the DLA and one for the ESA, I ended up with no Blue Badge, no DLA and on ESA in the WRAG. I applied for PIP, as DLA had been replaced by this time. My application form got to the DWP at Christmas 2013, they passed it on to Atos on the 2nd January 2014.
In October 2014 I got fed up with waiting, so I sent three copies of one letter to my MP, the Secretary of State for the Department of Works and Pensions and to top it all, a copy to the home of the MP of Chingford and Woodford Green.
It wasn't the letter to my MP or the Secretary of State that got action, the third one got me an appointment, 20 miles away from my house at 08:50 in the morning! I got in touch with Atos and amazingly, got an appointment in my home town at 10:30 the day after the first, and I had been told there weren't any for four months!
Thanks to the setup of the exam, and forcing myself to walk further than I could, the physiotherapist failed me!
Hi everyone. I thought I'd tell you about how long my PIP process took. I applied on 6/3/2014 and I finally had the face to face assessment on 21/1/2015. On 3/2/2015 I received the award letter. I got 11 points for the care component, awarding me the standard rate. I'm thinking of asking them to reconsider my claim as 12 points will give me the enhanced rate, which I feel I should be getting as I have both mental and physical health problems. Does anyone know if you still receive payments while the DWP reconsiders your PIP award? For those of you waiting, please contact your MP. I read other peoples' advice on this site about how your claim can be sped up if you involve your local MP and I really think that it worked. Best of luck to you all!
Hi everyone,
I would like to briefly share my experience, i became unable to work bout six years ago
took me 2 yrs of fighting to get sickness benefit,applied for DLA and was refused, went to a tribunal and was awarded an extra £20.00 weekly [JOKE]. to be reviwed in 2 yrs. This led me to having to apply for PIP in june 2014, meanwhile my health had deterioated i was moved to more suitable housing.I was then contacted by Atos i would be put on list for a home vist as i am practilly housebound.waited 11 months and a few fone calls to then finally be told if i can attend my gp i should be able to attend thier office as they did not have enough doctors for home visits, so i agreed as i just wanted it over by now. On the day i arrived and was seen promtly by a nurse who was lovely and very easy to talk to. My concern at the i/v was there computers were down so she had really no info on me, i was worried that would affect my application.The assescment was over in 40 min and i left feeling defeated. I recieved an answer within 3 weeks and after a year of waiting and worrying i have been successfull on both enhanced rates but to be reviewed again in 2 years.I am very gratefull my life will get easier in some ways now…Thank you my Angels…xx
hi there, I think your post is one of the best ive read on any posting forum, I applied for P I P on 21st may 2015 got an assessment with atos on 16th july totally went to pieces, they don't tell you anything how long you have to wait etc etc. Personally I think you did really well to get a descion that fast. well done, hope I hear soon as the anxiety of waiting and not knowing is driving me mad . Im now waiting to hear about ESA assessment that to is worrying the life out of me. Ive been of sick since November 2014 and didn't know anything about PIP or ESA until may time when I got a letter about full pay ending, no one tells you anything these days. xx
I applied for my PIP (first time) in April 2014, and am a current blue badge holder under the new assessment process, I live with severe chronic pain (Spinal nerve damage since childhood), and have recently injured my back causing compression fractures of my spine, of which my walking has deteriorated further. I had a letter around June time from a company that the DWP sub-contracts to stating that it will be approximately 23 weeks till the assessment. However, I'm not surprised at the long waits as they have decided to re-assess everyone who has ever claimed. I know of 2 people with MS, who condition is not going to change, are now being re-assessed, and will lose their PIP in between that time!
Applied in September 2013 as DLA claim was ending. still waiting as of 1 year 4 months later. over 6 months ago was told someone will be in contact to arrange date. Every few months have called and they just say wait.
hi. i was diagnosed with eupd. a personality disorder. i will be getting treatment in coming months. had to do alot of hospital stay for it. it affect me daily and on very strong anti psychotics for it. is it a recognised disability to pip. had strong letters from psychologist, gp, and pd treatment etc. i applied for pip in june 2014 and still no word. i even been on assessment rate of esa for 14 months with no sign of medical. so be nice hear feed back of reassurance, because it struggle to get to appointments etc.
Hi Charlie. I have EUPD too. I think it's really important to remember that ATOS look at how the disability affects YOU personally, so you need to give as much information as possible about your medical history, your hospital stays, your past suicide attempts etc, and not just focus on the diagnosis. Just because you have a diagnosis of EUPD doesn't automatically mean you'll get PIP. Let's look at back pain for example. A lot of people say they have back pain but not everyone will get PIP just because they have back pain. That's because back pain will affect them all differently, some worse than others, in their ability to carry out daily activities. You get PIP based on how your disability affects you, i.e. can you prepare and cook a simple meal? Can you eat food without assistance? Can you wash and bathe unaided? etc. As you can see these questions focus on being physically able to do things. ATOS has faced criticism about not including many questions on mental health. So it's really important to think about how EUPD affects your ability to do these tasks. Please look at this website. It has a PIP test so you can see what questions they will assess you on when they meet you face to face. http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/pip/indexxx.php If you have any more questions, please feel free to reply and I'll do my best to answer them!
hi applied in feb 2014 still waitingtold don't need an assessment ? ………… but has anyone been asked to do a KEELE UNI survey for pain management
Hi me again I have and ARACHNOID CYST on the brain had a shunt quite a few years ago, now it has moved to my right hand side FRONT and I have cronic headaches sometimes all I want to do is bang my head against the wall. Have tried before but believe doesn't work, I also have a few other problems the main one is muscle spasms, what happens is I get a weird feeling in my back and I collapse my legs just give way and I have no control over them, a couple of times now I have fell down the stairs
Well it's now the beginning of feb so I have waited now 12 months, have called them up 3 times now to no avail, was recently told would get a call back from the manager ? again still waiting
I was doing a degree at Keele and they discriminated against my condition. which in turn i FAILED!!!! I have been immobilized for a long time now and no-one helped me with trying to get out of this rut, I worked hard to get to university and look how far it got me! NO WHERE AND IN DEBT! Just because i have a disability!!!!
My DLA/PIP expired oct 2014 so re applied June 2014 sent paperwork back ,had appointment for home assessment OCT 2014 with Capita,she came out ,she said wait 4/8 weeks, phoned DWP Dec2014 told us they had no paperwork etc,to phone back after xmas holidays ,we did to be told still no paperwork DWP said phone Capita so we phoned Capita to be told we needed a further assessment at home,as i type this she has just phoned to arrange appointment mid January 2015 fingers crossed
PIP/DLA forgot to mention i suffer with osteo an psoriatic arthritis fatigue an depression
Applied PIP Feb 2014 Stil waiting assessment December 18th 2014!
Hi Guys, My wife applied back in April 2014, managed to get het ATOS assessment in September 2014, we had to raise a complaint last week (18th December) after 12 weeks waiting for a final outcome. Finally received her letter today.
Luckily for her it was favourable, except they do not back date it and it does not start for 1 month from now, so January 2015.
So even although she has waited over 9 months, they do not back date the benefit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They get you all ways
Hi. I am shocked to hear that your wife's award was not back dated. I applied in December 13 and was finally awarded in November 14. Mine was back dated to the date I first contacted them on December 9th '13. I would urge you to get in touch with your local Welfare Rights Office to have this checked. All the best
hi, if your wife was getting DLA for the same thing she wont get her money backdated its only if you were not recieving DLA will it be backdated if this is the case get in touch with welfare rights…
I made my initial claim phone call in June 2013 and received my decision at appeal tribunal yesterday, 16 months later!
I have been waiting 10 months up to now. I had my assessment in October and I'm still waiting to hear from them. I was diagnosed with MS I went blind in my left eye and have serve pain and pins and needles in my right leg. And I have to have medication administered via IV at the hospital every month aswell as other appointments. I really can't afford the transport cost with all the appointments I have. Waiting for this to be finalised will be a godsend to me but at the moment it is causing me undue stress !
I recently applied for "any benefit I was eligible for" and was told I wasn't entitled to any, if I wasn't expected to live more than 6 months then it might be different. Although diagnosed as an incurable and terminal cancer patient, they are unable to tell me when I will die from this. Luckily the Macmillan people had a financial guy who advised me I was eligible for PIP.
I can not believe that the DWP don't tell you about your PIP entitlement, you have to hear from a charity and they don't start the claim until the day that you call asking specifically for the forms. I have been told it will be about 3-6 months for my assessment. Does that mean that I don't get anything financially for up to 7 months. What has the social security system become, I've got incurable cancer and can't work but the system wants to make sure I am ill enough before I get any payments. Is that because risk of fraud is treat as a higher priority than giving support when needed.
The time it takes for assessment is far too long, why isn't my doctor's word and that of the Cancer specialists enough for the system to help me quicker than 1/2 a year.
What a disgrace the system is. We have IDS and the Tory scum to thank for this.
I have waited over 6 weeks for a decsion they told me 4-6 weeks dose anybody no how much longer I will have to wait to hear off them??
My husband been waiting for assessmernt on PIP from February 2014 – is now 27th December 2014! Seems these people can do exactly as they want! And bugger the poor sod who is ill
I applied for PIP Nov 2013 after I had a fall and broke my back….somebody came out to asses me at home in May as I was on complete bed rest… However I have still not received a decision one way or the other, Ive phoned up several times and all I keep being told is that the medical report is still yet to written up… May I Aldo add that ESA are just as bad, I am also owed money from them as they have yet to increase it from the basic rate as they claim they are waiting for pip to make a decision. Absolutely ridiculous!!
I applied for pip in June 2013 had assessment november2013 turned down June 2014 appeal november 2014 heard today I won. How long will it take for money to be paid?
Hi Julie, your timescale for the pip process is almost identical to mine. Let's hope for a Christmas payout!
Good evening just wanted some advice i have a 16 year old son hes in college at the moment and im claiming income support as i have got 2 very small other girls my problem is that since my son has been 12 he has suffered severe migranes and panik attaks and very bad anxiety when he goes into college he missed a year of main stream school then had to be home educated as hes migranes were so bad he was put on 6months medication by hospital but it made him worse meaning side effects were awful so we stopped them and was told to give him nurofen just when he feels one coming on so thats what weve done for 2yrs they have stayed the same and hes also having panik attacks and anxiety. Hes struggling dailey to jo college as when he has migranes hel sleep for 15 odd hours in pitch black so he wakes all night and days he does go college for some strange reason sets migranes off more severly what do you think it could be and whats our options as i want to pull him out college as hes suffering so bad but they said theyl stop all my money for him if he leaves education could he not claim sick or something or could i claim as a carer for him as hes struggling so much help
Hi, you defo need to take a visit to your gp there are all sorts of medication on the market also might be good to look at his mental state get the gp to asses also I think from the sounds of it your problems are deeper then benifits your son won't be 16 forever and with no quilfications he's not going to get very far in life the age limit for pip is 16 and it's not means tested so weather he is in or out of colledge like I say I dont think you will be doing him any favours it's a grooling and long over a year sometimes not fair to put a child thought that if councling and medication can help good luck
Hi..In reply to your Son's migraine I can tell you that in my case fluorescent lighting makes my migraines worse. I only found this out when I was made redundant and noticed how they subsided. I don't have to be in a place for long for example, supermarket or hospital and in no time they are back. Hope this helps for your quest to find a solution. Medication doesn't stop you from getting them.
Hi my ex partner had a stroke in June 2013 applied for pip Sept 2013, paid out in April 2014,only paid because got local MP involved who made representations to relevant minister,prior to that sent all medical evidence to dwp and atos plus any updates. But within a couple of weeks of MP involvement all paid, backdated no assessment, because of this esa didn't have a leg to stand on and also paid up, backdated and paid up no assessment, send as much medical evidence as possible as soon as possible contact MP via cab
Hi my husband has cancer it is treatable but he is under going chemo which makes him very sick and tired also he had a large tumor removed before he started the chemo we was told to put in a claim for pip which we have done but we havemt heard from them wanted to know if there iis a chance we would get it .is there any one else who has put in a claim for pip whilst having cancer.
Hello, I was diagnosed with breast cancer in April, I have severe osteoarthritis in all my big joints and I also suffer from fibromyalgia. I basically ache from head to toe and have limited mobility. I have undergone chemotherapy since June, I have had a mastectomy, and still to have radiotherapy in December to finish my cancer treatment. I applied for P.I.P on 3rd June 2014, I got confirmation my claim was received, and have heard nothing else since. It is absolutely atrocious the length of time you have to wait for an assessment, and that's not even to say my claim is successful! Disgusting 🙁
Sorry but you could be in for a bit of a wait, it took me over a year to get an assessment (Applied for PIP 11th Oct 2013, got assessment 15th Oct 2014) although the decison took a week they failed to take into account much of the evidence provided by doctors and support workers so I got less points then I should of done, now awaiting a decision after a reconsideration request. Look online for PIP points list and many sites like CAB or Welfare rights should show you the what the decison maker will be assessing your evidence and your conditions against so make sure to bring lots of evidence and be cautious at the asessment because the asessors monitor how you walk, speak, etc, so if you have fluctuating poblems try to exagerate a little bit, dont lie but just show off a bit of how these conditions affect you because otherwise they won't include it in the report and won't be used as evidence by the decision maker. Good luck
I waited 7 months for capita assesment went along and was there just 20mins woman just asked me to squeeze both hands sit on chair and raise my legs even though my right leg was badly injured in a sucide attempt,i suffer from chronic,leg,back and hip pain and was sectioned twice under the mental health act. i have mobility issues and cant walk any further than 20-50 meteres without stopping. i got the results back from capita saying i could walk 200meters had no mental issues and got 0 points for everything,and they are rejecting my claim as of 20/1/2015.
its a disgrace they hadnt even consulted my gp or phycriatist for any evidence.so now i find myself in two weeks having no money and was told the appeal would take 9 weeks and if that is rejected it goes to court which will take months because of the huge backlog.how do they expect you to survive on nothing
Hi..my question is..I had my pip appointment a week ago & turned up to find out that I didn't need to be there as my doctor sent more info on to them..I was not in a good way..they didn't even let me know that I didn't need to be there..even though they said they was trying to call me..not one call that day…excuse was they must have had the wrong number..but sent me text the day before to remind me of my appointment…they told me that they would do the paper work & send it back to DWP..now I'm just waiting…as anyone else had this happen to them?..if so what was your outcome?
i turned up and just as i entered the building they called to cancel because my assesor when home sick.
had assement in november and was rejected even though i have severe mental and physical issues,they just had me in the interview asking questions about everything except my issues.they even told lies about my mobility saying i could walk 200meters when on the DWP i stated 20-50 metres with pain,i told them i had biopolar disorder yet in the report they said my mood was normal even though i told her a have regular sucidal thoughts which was ignored i use certain aids to shower and dress,she put on report i showered unaided. i class this company of fraudulantly making up stories just so they can get their bonus for each person they can try and destroy. disgusting company with no morals.they simply sit behind the desk looking at a screw and dont listen to the person they are assessing.they should be struckoff
hi neil so sorry to hear of your problems -I had very same problem with atos for esa -where the woman lied on the forms – they have set targets to get rid of people I think? – i had to appeal after that – I went last year for the same capita test as you too -i'm hoping it wont all be bs again -as i'm deteriorating rapidly -do you -or anyone else think its worth contacting Richard Buchin channel 4 disability programme ( as i've waited months for pip and when I rang up they tell me its still with decision makers ) or will we all just be portrayed as idiots like benefit street
Hi can someone please help me?
I was on ESA – national insurance contributions, I had a medical and they said I could work, so I appealed and won my case at tribunal, my ESA was paid but it's only for a year and I am not entitled to the income related ESA. So I applied for PIP a year ago, I am still waiting to receive my Atos appointment, my question is, if I won my tribunal do I really have to have another medical? I am currently receiving no benefits at all and it's putting a strain on my hubby now, so if anyone can offer any advice I would be very grateful, TIA 🙂
Hi Julie. I cannot tell you anything about the different ESA's but the assessments for ESA and PIP are separate so Yes you would still have to have an assessment for PIP if they think it necessary. However, I would strongly recommend that you get in touch with your local Welfare Rights as they will be able to help you cpmpletely, as they did me. All the best
Hi everyone.
I have a spine fusion, and metal in my right heel (injuries I sustained from a suicide attempt), chronic pain in both, as well as mental health problems, namely BPD, OCD, depression and anxiety.
This is my timeline so far:
I first put in my claim on 6/03/2014.
I received a letter from the DWP saying they passed on the claim to ATOS 16/05/2014.
I only just received a letter from ATOS saying they are writing to the professionals involved in my care for supporting evidence on 19/10/2014.
On top of this, my bank has sent me a letter today demanding I pay back my £2000 student overdraft. I just don't know what to do. I go to Remploy who are trying to help me get back into work even though I still have chronic pain that is so bad at times, that I contemplate suicide. I volunteer a few hours a week and even that is enough to cause me more pain. I just don't know what to do. This is one of the hardest times of my life and I'm only 27.
What's benifits are you on at the moment if you don't mind me askin ,esa ? Also might be intitled to income support tbh remploy expect people who have health problems to work £2.70 a hour as a placement in my experience there's nothing wrong with our brains you defo need some support ring citizens advice
It took 6 weeks i called every day we'll other then sat and sun because they were closed lol to make a desision the hole things a joke tbf I was awarded high rate both in the end have u called them to complaine no one turned up
Hi i been waiting for a PIP assessment since 5th july how long does it take to get the assessment, and for the money to come through. This is really stressing me out big time and i been on the phone to them and nothing. Need help please. X
How long is a piece string its pot luck really with them you have to keep calling once a decision has been made you will get the money within a week
It took a year for me, application submitted in november last year, just about to recieve my backdate and payments from there
My husband had a major stroke last June and underwent life saving surgery. He came out of hospital last September and we applied for the Pip assessment on 24th October 2013 a YEAR ago. I have had to give up work to be his carer. I have contacted the DWP on numerous times to be told time and again that he is on the list since January of this year and his assessment is pending. I wrote an e-mail to Ian Duncan Smith but just got the standard reply of excuses. I have now made an appointment with our local MP to get this sorted. Both myself and my husband have both contributed our taxes over 35 years and neither one of us have ever claimed a penny in benefits in our lives. I think it is an absolute disgrace that vulnerable people are treated in this way
Dear Shirley,
Personally speaking a Private doctors letter will go a long way. In fact decisions that
can take months could be well speeded up. I am very sorry to hear of the anguish your receiving.
DPAC are doing their best to fight for us but it doesn't look like any political party is taking this serious enough.Like yourselves I worked for many years paying full taxes ,now I have an incureable disease.
Can you believe this ,this COALITION is paying a company in America a 500 million pound contract to force seriously ill and disabled people into work,yes its true and its name is MAXIMUS. Our country is sliding backwards. Please give your comments
Hi Everyone.
I posted in September telling of my wait and how after getting in touch with Welfare Rights I was offered an appointment within days……
I had my assessment on October 8th 2014. I was terribly anxious. The whole process seemed very rushed to me. Some relevant questions went un asked and some of the 'tasks' I was asked to 'perform' left me feeling totally inadequate. I left, more than convinced, that I would not get an award. My assessor told me to call DWP in about 8 weeks but that did not indicate there would be an answer by then. No shock there then after applying in December 13.
To my absolute shock I had a decision in the post yesterday. I have, indeed, been awarded PIP at the standard rate for both components until 2017.
I would urge everyone to involve any independent body in your case. I am convinced that I would not have had my assessment yet or even my award had Welfare Rights not been acting on my behalf.
The whole process of applying for PIP and meeting the necessary requirements are, in my opinion, stacked against the people who desperately need the extra money in order to have a better quality of life. Again, in my opinion, the government has set the bar so high so that it is harder to get any money. It seems that Mr Cameron thinks it is more than okay to penalise and discriminate against a certain section of society….. SHAME ON HIM!!!!!!
I wish all of you the very best and hope that you all get an award which you all so deserve.
Hi I'm Melissa,basically, I applied for pip on the 2 of September this year,I did hear back after sending my part2 so I rang to make sure they had received it,I was told they had processed my claim without needing face to face interview,and my claim was with decision makers sine 1 October,my friend has said it proberly means I'm not getting it,but I never needed face to face with ESA and got support group for that,what does everyone else think x
Hi Melissa
Same thing here Atos saying I don't need f2f assessment have we been refused then ??? Dunno what to think ??
I have a rare condition called Cluneal Nerve Entrapment of iliac crest and Tarlov Cysts of my Sacrum symptomatic. I was told to apply for PIP by the pain clinic because the condition may never get better.
I have Fentanyll Patches and take trammadol , Paracetamol and Duluxotine but this only gives up to 30% reduction in chronic pain. I am 31 years old and I have to walk with a cane because I have severe pain in my buttock and down my right leg into my foot. This makes me a unsteady on my feet so I walk everywhere with a cane. I cannot stand or walk for more than 10 minutes without the pain becoming unbearable. Sitting on chairs hurts considerably so the only comfortable position in lying down or supported with lots of pillows on a sofa.
I applied for PIP in February 2014 and was told I should get a response for face to face appointment in July 2014. It is now October 2014 and I still have no response for PIP. I have called every month since July 2014 and they simply tell me " There are far more people waiting for a response; some have waited over a year. there is a long delay " Is 8 months normal for delay, according to the phone representatives yes.
I am still waiting for a response from PIP.
I have been put in the Work Related work group for ESA which the representatives at the Job centre admit I have been put in the wrong group. I have sent off an appeal to DWP with a support letter from my consultant which cost £50 , in order to get a second opinion. The Job centre believe I should have been placed in the Support group for ESA not the work related group. As they know how much pain I am in , I no longer have to go into meetings as they can see what pain I am in. If I do not get an appeal to be placed in the ESA support group, I will not receive any more payments as of end of December 2014.
I thought I would have had a decision from PIP by now but the dragging on and waiting is very stressful. If we do not get any PIP response in the next 2 months , we will be in financial difficulty as of December 2014.
Hello everyone, I wanted to share my story in hopes it might help some others out there who are still waiting.
I applied on the 29th August 2013
My appointment letter didn't come until the 29th July 2014
My appointment was for the 4th August 2014
Finally after 14+ months I have now been awarded PIP
at the appointment I was told that the paper work would be sent that week and then a decision would be made within "probably" 8 weeks.
10 weeks later and I still had no word from them!
I did a bit of research on-line and found out that some people had contacted their local MP to rally on their behalf.
I thought enough was enough and send my local MP an email, I mean what's the worst that could happen! I email him (Richard Bacon) on the Monday and heard back from a member of his team the very next day! The people in his office were amazing and told me that they had been in touch with the DWP and as soon as they had any news they would contact me. Now in the 10 weeks I had been waiting after my medical, I had been calling the PIP people about twice a week just to keep on pushing them I decided to keep doing this (again what could it hurt?) So exactly 1 week after contacting my MP I called PIP and what do you know??? They had come to a decision!!! Funny how fast they came to a decision after someone else steps in to speak on my behalf!
I got the letter today telling me all the information I needed to know and telling me that I would be paid back pay from the 29th Aug 2013!
So my advise is if you have been waiting a long time and are as fed up as I was then contact your local MP because I'm sure they will help you. All you need to do to find out who your local MPs are is to go to this website http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/
I didn't want to go into much detail about my illness as I'm sure I am in the same boat as everyone else out there! I will say that I will have been sick for almost 4 years, I am unable to work and won't be able to work for the foreseeable future. Now that I have been awarded PIP my life and my future look so much brighter, I will now be able to afford to eat and pay all my bills this winter! After all isn't that what we all want! I do think these people who are in charge of the PIP and benefits situation forget that we are PEOPLE and not just numbers and paperwork!
I hope this helps someone
Thanks for reading
Hi Thanks for sharing ur story
I was waiting 12 months for assessment
when the day come i was feeling 7/10 in pain (Crohns Disease)
i got there and lady in her late 20 said to me she is trained by DWP
anyway she asked questions so i try to explain how does Crohns
work and affect my life but before i could finnish she already come up
with another question now am in pain my abdominal is on fire
feeling really dizzi from meds that i take in the morning (vomiting on way to pip)
she made confuse so much i ask her why she like that whats the rush
that i cant hardly speak and my mind is not with her to slow down she reply
to me with i can see u in pain so i dont want to hold u
it all was done in 20min i show her my surgery latters (i had stoma bag small bowel resection while waiting on pip) she didnt even look at them saying she dont need that even thou i ask her to copy
and post it along with her report to dwp she only took one later from 10
now am feeling so upset about how it went and all that time waiting to get not heard what u have to say
i been sick for 5 years now shorly that cant take 20min
Hello, Im Chloe and I applied for PIP claim in March 2014. It is now 14 October 2014.
Im 16 years old and a college student. Im very dependent on my mum and i suffer with Anxiety (Due to traumatic experience), Irlen Syndrome (Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome), Undiagnosed type of Autism and Asthma.
I was advised by my Irlen Diagnostic Judith, that i should wear Irlen lense glasses to help me see the world better, I see in 2D (Flat) so i often trip over little bumps on the floor and I dont see curbs (Edge of pavement on floor) because it appears "flat". I have lots of migraines too, due to my irlen. My longest migraine was 2 weeks, non stop headache and constantly throwing up. These glasses will help me see things in 3D, stop my headaches and im less likely to be accident prone. But the glasses are such a high price, £295. I simply can not afford this as im a dependent person and a student. My mum is on a low income and can not afford this herself too. The only way i could afford these glasses is to apply for pip, and so i did. I first thought it would take up to 3 months but i was wrong. Its been months and months.
I also struggle with reading too, i cant read simple instructions because i either miss or replace words or simply can not read the long words. Like dyslexic people, pages in a book or piece of paper they move. Again the irlen lenses will stop this.
As for my undiagnosed autism, I often act very childish and speak "Jibberish", i speak my own made up language that i understand but others cant. I love dolls and childrens cartoons and toys. I do want to be diagnosed but because of my anxiety I feel like everyone will judge me and stare at me and bully me for having autism. My mums made lots of appointments with my GP, but i just simply wont go.
Ive not even had an appointment letter or anything with PIP, its been 7 months.
When will i hear from them? When will i get my appoitment?
It took one year and three days from my application for PIP to receive a letter from ATOS. The letter says that my application has been considered and that they have decided that a consultation is required. One year and nine days and I'm waiting for a consultation. After the consultation I'll have to wait another period for decision.
I applied for PIP in January 2014. I have only just got my assessment appointment today (03/10/14) i think Atos take the mick in how long they are taking to get back to people, the only reason i got my appointment is because i have been phoneing up each week for the last month.
I think this process is a disgrace.
I have quite a serious condition where my spine is discintergrating and i am on morphine daily with constant physio and hydrotherapy, my condition seems to be getting worse each year and now my doctors have told me i have no chance of an operationas they cannot fix what i have…
Hi there,I started a pip claim in April and my 28 weeks are up in October ,I've shattered L5 in my back and nothing more can be done .I take 8 tramadol ,8 paracetamol and voltarol gel everyday and have upto now seen phyio 11 times .
There is nothing else I can claim all my savings have now gone.I need help daily to bathe,walk ,done leave the house due to bad falls,can't sleep due to pain .Atos have said it's being processed they are trying to do it without an assessment. I don't know how must longer I will have to wait only 43 pence left ? All advice will be great fully received
I have been waiting 10 months for Atos to come back to me, think you may be a while to get your appointment. But if you call them to chase 0300 3300121
Hi applied Feb 2014 got atos assessment Feb 3 2015 now have received letter saying its in audit but I was told it would be backdated to the day I first phoned to apply that's why they took my bank details so I would definitely ring up as I can't believe the rules are different for different people or in different areas all claims are supposed to be backdated to the day you applied annx
Hi there, I applied for pip in April my 28weeks are up in 5th October ,I've broken L5 in lower back ,nothing can be done I'm on 8 tramadol and 8 paracetamol aday 11 sessions with phyio can't sleep can't bathe alone don't want to eat etc all savings have now gone no other benefits for me only this? Hoping I will get this pip any comments would be great I've been told I might not need an assessment .
I applied back in may, just got the letter today saying my assessment will be in six to twelve weeks time. I have EDS type three and chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as ME). I have to use a wheelchair most of the time and (with great difficulty) walking sticks around the house but I fall over a lot. I can't write, butter a slice of toast, open the fridge etc because it's too difficult and painful. I'm sixteen and want to learn to drive as I can't even get to the corner shop by myself, but have to wait until I get the disability benefits before I legally can. My mother only works a couple of hours a week as she needs to look after me and we can't even apply for carers allowance until I get the PIP! To everyone who's been waiting even longer, I hope you get yours soon. It's ridiculous. Government has a huge paycheck yet there's people who can barely afford food and have to wait forever for their benefits because the government aren't providing the bureau with enough money!
Hello I have just been reading your post and I myself have a very bad case of eds type 3 and also chronic fatigue from fibromyalgia and severe depression. I use custom fitted leg braces, crutches and wheelchair permanently. Had 4 surgeries in the past 3 years on knees, shoulders, hip. I attend pain a clinic and monthly orthopaedic appointments and physiotherapy. I have just recently applied for pip after a 3 year legal battle for dla with no luck. I was just wondering if you could please keep this post updated once you hear back from them or email me just for peace of mind so I know what im up against this time as I honestly don't think I have it left in me to go through all the appeals again thanks in advance. John..
10 Months and still no word at all on my PIP after I was tricked out of my DLA. All of my care has stopped as I cannot afford it. I am unable to manage toilet needs or do shopping and have no relatives to help.
I have a 12 page diagnosis which includes autism, sociophobia (more likely to be reassessed as general anxiety disorder) and dyspraxia. I have not left my home or had visitors other than carers in 5 years.
I am now suicidal and living in only one room of my home. I sleep under my computer desk. The rubbish has not been taken out in almost 7 months. I cannot live any more like this : (
Call social services ask for a social worker , are you not also on esa
Gary your situation sounds dire and I am surprised that you haven't had any support. You say your rubbish has not been taken out for 7 months,surely your place must smell horrendously! And the neighbors, if you have any, must smell it too! It is all to often that I read this.
The world is becoming a less friendlier 'caring' place..I suffer bipolar,but I have the support(had to fight for it though),so I know what depression can do and does and 'without' the right help can become a life or death situation.
You need to let someone(other than this website) know what your situation is right now,even if you try and post some kind of note through a neighbors door,asking them to see if they can phone someone n your behalf.
Never give up Gary. The replies to your blog are good advice but in dire desperation ask your doctor or Citizens Advice bureau to try and step in.The Salvation Army are more than willing to try and help and the Citizens Advice Bureau can give you a referral to a food bank. Ive done it,nothing to be ashamed of.
When your broke and nearly starving then get the help. Our councils have been given extra money from the government to help us with food and heating bills. Never ever give up
hi every one…..I am very ill myself aged 66. My son is all so very ill aged 34. He recieved a call from atos
saying your esa is stopped ..sign on the jobseekers…Well Well…I have twice been in the Jobseekers, It is a dangerouse place to go….They agitate you,sanction you, or call the police….then court then a fine or prison
Sounds more like a Hitler state…….kill the old and ill off…..don't you see the patten, we all need a union.
The goverment ..Cameron can stop all of this….Wake up Every one…Please
Why did they stop his esa ? And what group was he in ? And if you don't mind me asking why they would call the police if your on job seekers surely if you don't adhear to the terms they stop ha money or send you a letter not prison
I applied for pip on the 9th December 2014 I'm yet to here anything I haven't even had an assessment! I have rang every week to be told the same thing your on the waiting list. In 9 weeks time I will have been waitingn a year! I have epilsepy and have fits quite often, as well as depression due to a violent relationship and agoraphobia! I suffer many side effects to all my tablets & find life a challenge especially only being 21 with a 4 year old son it's very difficult! Luckily I've had help and support from my family but think the system is a complete let down!!
Hi ive applyed for pip in november 13 still havnt recieved a pip2 booklet or assessment got seviour mental health issues just wondering if anyone had same problem .just wondering if id be intitaled to living alowance and mobility.
I applied for pip in January an was told that i could not apply for DLA as i,am to old went for an assessment with having Arthritis in both knee,s as well as epilepsy does not mean just because i can walk 200 meters does not mean that i,am not in pain .Having to take medication for the pain an the fact i have fits every day ,to me that is a disability which is,nt going to get any better yet i,am not entitled.
can anyone help me? getting in a tizz. I applied for PIP on 5th February 2014, had my assessment on 01st September, which PIP received on the 5th September. I called today and asked if a decision has been made and I was told it has gone for a Management check now so will be waiting longer! Has anyone else had this please? I suffer with Fibromyalgia, Anxiety, depression and chronic insomnia.
U suffer same as me I was awarded high rate for both , if anything your case will be seen quicker now it's with some one mine took 5 weeks when it was with a case manager to review its the normal process don't worry I'm sure it will be ok
thanks for the reply Nath. I'm currently bracing myself for a nil entitlement as I was totally honest and told them some days very rarely I could walk more than 200 meters. Also can't see that I would qualify for any care. This whole process has stressed me out beyond belief!
Thanks for reply Nath, my claim is not with the case manager anymore, it has gone for a management check – 2 weeks ago apparently, a decision has been made, it just needs approving. I am bracing myself for a nil entitlement award, I don't think that it looks very hopeful, I don't think the person from Capita thought there was an issue, they didn't even tell me what their background was. This whole process has made things so much worse. As you know the problem with fibro is you do have the odd "good" day where you can manage to walk more than 200 meters, get dressed and do all the usual things although these are few and far between I was totally honest about this! I just wish I could get a decision then I can stop getting worked up about things,
I totally no what you mean , keep positive you might not get high rate mobility but shouldn't see why you won't be awarded care it's discusying and the people that come out to do the assisment are not qualified health professionals there just there to do the paper work cross the ts dot the i z , it's the decision maker will sit down with your form there form n supporting evidence so I'm sure it will be okay are you under pain management ?
Hi guys just to let you know a phone call today, have been awarded standard rate care. Relieved I must say. Thanks for all the support x
I applied for pip in November 2013 due to issues associated with bipolar 2. I waited until July this year for my asssessment and backdated money was in my account 4 weeks later – in fact before I received the notice of my decision.
Hello Lisa, if you don't mind me asking what rate(s) did you get? I sent off for it over a year ago and still sin heard nothing. I, same as yourself, suffer with Mental Health issues……Psychological Depression, OCD (pure O), anxiety disorder and panic attacks…….also I've been onto my Psychiatrist about Bi-Polar disorder and he brushes it to one side BUT he did diagnose me with an phenomenon Emotional Regulation, which he said was worse than Bi-Polar.
I'm absolutely dreading my face to face has I can't really speak to new faced people! 🙁
i have been waiting since december 2013 for a assessment i have rang atos and emailed them a few times and all they say is im on a waiting list
Hi, Hazel,
like you ,been waiting for assessment since a stroke last Dec.
6 weeks ago, Atos told me they were gathering medical evidence before they assessed me &considering how long since my appeal began, I was where they would expect me to be in the "queue." Atos also told me I could be waiting another 8 weeks. Now I can't even get to speak to someone on the phone.
So I contacted my MP & wow! today I get a letter telling me I don't need an assessment & a decision about my award has already been made by the DWP. I don't know if this is goodness or bad, but to get things moving, contact your MP.thats what they're there for.
That's ok if your local MP care enough.
Hi there, I'm not myself claiming pip but my mother did and waited over 10months for her payments she unfortunately passed away in July this year. Few days after my mother's funeral I received a letter stating I could fill a few forms out and I would be able to recive the payments that were owed to her, I have since sent the form away with appropriate documentation and have received nothing back! I called today and spoke to a woman to fine out the status of the application and she just told me she would get someone to call me back within… Wait for it…!!!! Between 1hour and 5 days and she said I had to look out for a 0845 number or withheld. I also asked her was there anything she could tell me about the application she just told me to speak to whoever was going to call and see if I am entitled to anything. Am more confused now than I was when I first spoke to her.. Has anyone else been in my situation? Thanks for reading.
I have just received notification of my PIP assessment, it's in two weeks and I'm so anxious about it. I've waited for 28 weeks for an appointment I'm almost sure is a waste of time!
I have fibromyalgia, a chronic illness that doesn't have a definite test. I have many of the other conditions this brings. I have 24/7 comic pain, a high level of mobility issues but even though by my refining using their point system I should be entitled to high rate on both counts, I've read that many people in the same situation of me don't get any help.
What is this works coming to, when you can work hard all of your life and then get no help when you most need it!
sorry to hear that,im on a renewal of pip my money was stopped 25/4/14 not had a reply since i have chronic ibs and very advanced stage of copd.my mp contcted atos and basically said theres nothing they can do sick of being fobbed off they have 48 pages of medical notes cant even walk 20 metres hope ur situation gets better i know exactly what your going through,cannot believe you have to wait for a renewal when i was one of the first to get pip april 2013 and my condition will never get better
Wow why have they stopped your pip I thought it was awarded for certain amount time they let you no on the letter mine was 3 years
phoned atos today and was told your not the only one in this position you will have to wait like the rest .if i was fit enough i would give them what 4 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! playing with peoples lives
I no it's really bad , but why was your pip stopped if you have already been awarded it ?
they say you have to be reassessed even if you qualified before incase your situation gets better now have been diagnosed with emphesemia can they not understand facts its beyond me
Hi Maria,
You sound like your describing my conditions. I also have fibro and cronic pain condition I have permant nerve damage in the spine but I was awarded high on both so there is hope hunny it's such a horrible thing to have to go thought some people don't relies how mentaly draining it Is if you have any questions feel free to ask xx
my name is Christopher and I applied for PiP in December 2013. I've been so ill through having part of my stocach taken out it causes me to be really weak, confused and forgetful. Not a very organised person you could say. I called Pip in July to make a new claim to find out I had already made a claim last December 2013. If fact I think I've been trying to claim for 7 years(without having been given a dision), well it started as DLA but it has changed now. The thing is I keep being told I'd called with an interview and I just wait. Eventually I had waited so long I'fd forgotten and got so desperate for money as I was starving for long periods of time and thats really not good when you are malnourished at the best of times because I can't digest my food. Its worrying seeing so many other people waiting so long. Does anyone really get this benefit at all. I see over 170 posts, mostly peeps saying they been waitng at least a year it seems. Many Thanks for reading, Hope you guys have some better luck, I sure know I could do with some, look forward to hearing what you say.
Respect. Christopher. X.
My husband has MND/ALS and is classed as a terminal illness we were issued a DS1500 form but ATOS refused as insufficient evidence further reports obtained from the hospital consultant but still does not warrant the fast track system. Now been told his assessment will be December and an answer will be in March 2015!!!!!
We have never claimed anything always worked………anger and frustration comes to mind when you see people blogging the system!!!
My partner applied for PIP in Oct 2013. We are still waiting for the claim to progress. Have phoned them countless times. Have not yet even had the ATOS assessment. Am now drafting an email to our MP and see if he can help at all. This is beyond a joke and not fair on people like him that really need this….
i put my claim in for pip at the beginning of march 2014 and the DWP has made no effort to contact me on the matter, i have phoned on multiple accounts to see what is happening only to be told they have passed my claim onto the atos healthcare department who i have phoned repeatedly over the past 6 weeks. i still dont have an assessment appointment or even a single letter from anyone regarding my claim. when i asked about financial aid during the waiting period i was told to, and i quote 'borrow from friends and family' by a very rude gentlemen from the DWP who made me feel like i was a benefit cheating low life. i dont normally complain about things in public but im losing sleep and my health is deteriorating to the point where i just want to give up. from what im reading on this page im not the only one suffering because of a broken system that isnt designed to help those who need it
I have just accompanied my 24 year old son to his assessment this week. He has Asperger's syndrome which was diagnosed at the age of six. We have waited 18 months for the assessment. His paperwork was sent on 19th March 2013, even the nurse who saw us could not believe it. He has had no support or anything to get through this phase. Wonder if we hold the record ha ha.
Hi Everyone. I am really sorry to hear about your plight.
I applied for PIP December 2013. Called ATOS a few times and was told I would hear when an appointment was available. One time I got a particularly rude person who made me feel less than deserving.
Finally a few weeks ago I called my local Welfare Rights office and gave my permission for them to act on my behalf. Less than a week later I had an appointment. Awesome…….BUT it was for a centre 0ver 40 miles away. When I called them explaining that there was no way I could get there they offered a taxi….how much money is this government wasting?????? Oh that'sright….they have plenty because they are clawing it away from certain sections of society. US!!!!!! They told me to call in a week to see what becomes available but there wasn't a local office.
I thought this a bit odd so I called Welfare Rights. The very next day they called me back to tell me that they were going to offer me an appointment for a week later at a centre 2.2 miles from my home. The following day I got the letter confirming my appointment 2.2 miles from my home. Must have built it over night!!!!!!
I wanted to give up so many times but my family are great.
As a certain section of society we are constantly being discriminated against by the government. Please don't put up with it!!!! Please don't give up get everyone you possibly can to act on your behalf. Get the treatment and money we are clearly entitled to as real members of society.
Take care everyone and good luck.
Not as bad as some cases referred to but applied PIP on 24th Feb 2014 and heard nothing. I've called twice and been told there are delays of up to 6 months in some cases and that my case had been sent for assessment. I emailed about a month ago and got no reply so I resent it three weeks later. This time I received a reply which simply stated that there were some delays and that my case was with the assessors. No indication of timescales were given was just told I would hear from them in due course. I'm finding it more and more difficult to walk as each day goes by and I would love to get a scooter to help along with a chair I can get in and out of with ease but just can't afford it. However bad the delays are surly they could schedule cases and give some indication to timescales?
They just donot comunicate at all communicatio comes fro you they are saving on telephone call costs, keep pestering by phone and also get your local mp to look into it (you will get more response if your mp is labour not a consevative or lib dem) he needs to be in touch with compaints and resolotions . personaly things start moving if you can talk to this department
Hi all and sorry to hear of everyone in the same boat as me, this is dreadful, I have chronic insufficiency in my left leg, through dvt's, leg ulcers and have to wear a support stocking 24 hours, also have type 2 diabeties, and cannot hardly walk due to so much pain from my joints and my legs, also pain in my back and wrists. I have been waiting 9 months for an assessment for ESA I do receive money at £65.00 a week, as I owe dwp for a crisis loan from 12 years ago, quick enough to take money from benefits but not to give an assessment. I am gradually getting worse and there is no cure. I have rang ATOS and DWP I am at the scrutinizing stage whatever that means. X Good luck all
I put my claim in last june 2013, they lost the first lot of papers inculding information about my mental state, aswell as thing's I really don't want people to know. I send all this info ( srinks reports and so on ) just to make sure they cant fob me off. Well I sent a second lot in july 2013 and all I have been hearing since then is. Its with there office and they still not finsh going over the papers. Its the same story every time i ring. I've not been able to start my care plan as I dont have the funds to go appointments. My mental health has also gone down hill because of this. Im on more medication now then I was last year. Dwp have still not received the report
from capita, All's capita keep saying is they still have not gone over the paper's. This was ment to take 6-8 weeks not a year plus and counting.
That's awful to hear hope your okay , have you contacted capita or atos to see if the report has been sent to the dwp
I suffered a traumatic brain injury in October 2013, applied for PIP in November 2013. Didn't hear anything back, it took for me to call them in May 2014 to be told that my details had been sent to ATOS in February and they would contact me with an assessment date………. Still waiting, waiting, waiting.
I have had no financial assistance apart from a bit of housing benefit since I came out of hospital, I've since had a 2nd operation to fix the hole in my skull left by the brain surgery, still no help.
I find it astounding that people have to wait so long for financial help when they are at their most vulnerable and in many cases unable to do all the things they used to. I am now unable to work full time because of the crippling fatigue the TBI has left me with and I am in deserate need of help, I cannot afford food to cover a whole month on the wage I now get and am behind with many payments all because I have been waiting 9 months (and counting) for anything to be done, its totally unacceptable.
Please please please all of you that are waiting for ATOS, Capita etc, go to your local CAB – they will help, I have first hand experience of this and the progress is fast once complaints are raised. If not you can contact ATOS or Capita and ask for a Complaints form to be sent to you.
Having an MP or agency like CAB puts more clout behind the complaint and the cases will be escalated. Just ensure you get your money from the DWP back to the date you applied, this is when you are entitled to PIP. Don't accept your claim starts from the date you had your assessment!
My husband applied for PIPS back in October 2013, and after a lot of chasing he finally got an appointment for a face to face consultation in July 2014. He had a telephone call last Sunday (August 2014) to say he had been awarded PIPS and the paperwork would be through shortly . His direct debit forms arrived 3 days later but as yet he's not been informed of how much he's been awarded. They did state he'd get back pay from the time of the claim which we've worked out to be about 42 weeks ago. Fingers crossed there are no further problems.
I applied for ESA in Sept 2013, and I have been waiting for an assessment from ATOS since then. SInce applying for ESA my health has gotten worse. I've contacted my MP, who was pretty much a waste of time, and out of desperation I also sent a letter to David Cameron whose assistant replied saying that my letter had been passed to the relevant dept ie: DWP,
DWP themselves have been of no use at all, any time you phone them they just pass the buck and blame ATOS for having "temporary" waiting lists.
I now have my assessment date through, and on the day of the assessment (Sept 2014) it will be 51 weeks since the start of my ESA claim.
I've also recently had a letter from DWP advising me that my ESA claim is soon to run out as ESA is only payable for 1 year, so I truly hope that I don't have to apply again and go all through the process again.
I don't think that DWP or ATOS realise how demoralising and depressing it is living day to day with a disability, let alone having to wait a 51 weeks to get an assessment whilst not receiving any income or benefits to live on.
It's disgusting
Hi i applied for pip last sept 2013 i finally got my assessment for sept 18th 2014 im scared wot im up against i was diagnosed wiv adult adhd and bipolar last sept i havnt a clue wot im up against but ive waited a yr 4 this pip ass wot a joke
Sorry to hear about your wait. We are still waiting for a decision for my mum. Have been waiting since may2014. And was told today it could take up to 6 months!!
I've been advised to go with mum to her appointment ( when it happens) as they assess you from the minute you walk in the door. Best if luck!!
I have finally been awarded pip been waiting since march
Was it march this year u applied ?
Yes was begging march this year
I applied for PIP in February 2014 and am still waiting. I have contacted DWP as my health has got worse and was told I would have to wait for at least another 26 weeks. I have worked all my life and had an accident I did not want to be ill and feel that the PIP system needs some serious looking at, as people who are in need are suffering and having to make sacrifices in their level of care because of the inefficient system currently in place.
My partner applied for PIP November 2013 waited for ages to get a assessment from Capita to then be told she didn't qualify we have appealed the decision and now being assessed by Atos. since all this started she has been diagnosed with crohns disease but still have to wait for a assessment. she suffers from anemia as well and is now being treated with blood transfusion. one of the biggest issues with the crohns is stress and all this waiting and hassle isn't helping. funny thing is sitting in the hospital and seeing a sign saying Crohns you can claim PIP. (what a joke) i have had to cut my hours of work to help with hospital appointments which i assume is what the benefit is meant for.
John Chambers, I hope you've appealed against the decision made. Maybe your GP and consultant could write a letter in support stating how your day to day life is affected, what you're not able to do and need help with plus any mobility issues you have? Fingers crossed for a happier outcome for you
Applied for pip november 2013 was seen last month by atos dr and was sent a letter from dwp 2 weeks ago saying they have recieved atos report and they will let me know of their decision shortly and i am still waiting
Exactly the same as me. My question is …….. if awarded PIP is it back dated from the first phone call when you started the claim ? Anybody know ??
Yes it Is I've just been awarded as was all back paid within a week then you get paid every 4 weeks good luck
I applied for PIP in April of 2014 it took them nearly two months to even send out the paperwork. I have been given a place on a course at college starting next month and I have had the chance taken away from me due to the fact that PIP haven't got back to me. I rang them up to see if I would get an answer before September so I could start the course and was told I could be waiting another six months.
Hi , why do you have to miss the opportunity I also start colledge step pip didn't stop it let me no maybe I can help
I've been waiting over year for my PIP claim & I've just receIved a letter today finally getting it. I had been on DLA until feb 2013, I went to renew it last year & after a few months was finally then told I had to apply for PIP instead. I applied for PIP june 2013 & just got it today august 2014. So I've waited 1 year & 2 months. Worse still due to a benefit loophole DLA/ PIP is the only benefit I can get, eventhough I'm too sick to work & our only income is my husband low pay as a gardener & due to lack of money we have no choice but to live in an unsuitable 44 year old mobile home that's falling to pieces & isn't disabled accessible & we cannot get a council house because we can't get most benefits & we cannot afford to privately rent. Worse still we had been waiting 4 years & 4 months for a Disabled Facilities Grant from the local Council to adapt the mobile home we live in (to put in a wet room as we only have a bath I can't get in it, to put in level entry access as there's 4 steps up to the front door which I'm constantly falling down most days & when I'm really sick it means I'm housebound & because there's no proper disabled access I can't get a mobility chair loan from my council's Wheelchair Services & because of that I cannot have several operations I've previously been offered (to replace both hip joints at the same time & to put braces in each shoulder joints at the same time as I keep dislocating them & to put rods in my back as I've scoliosis & ankylosing spondylitis). About a month ago the council told us that because I wasn't getting DLA/PIP or any other benefit & my husband works over 30 hours a week (eventhough it low pay) we now can't get the Disabled Faciluties Grant, eventhough we've been on the waiting list for it for 4 years & 4 months
from the council. They told us that if we could get Housing benefit, Income Support, Council Tax Benefit even if it was a few pence a year it would automatically qualify us for the Grant, so we looked into it & found we can't put a claim in until I was getting the PIP, as without we couldn't apply for anything else in order to qualify for the Grant. Normally someone like me would get Incapacity Benefit/ Employment & Support Allowance but I can't get that either as because over the years as I got sicker & sicker I was able to work less & less & I was so sick I really should not have been working, not that anyone wanted to employ me, so after university I did bits of temp work, voluntary work, self employment, tried retraining at other professions (at my expense), but I couldn't get the benefit as my NI credits were partly class 2 & 4, under advise from DWP & Inland Revenue I paid the self employment NI Credits eventhough I didn't need to as I never earnt over the personal allowance & paid any gaps as they told me if I did that I would get the benefit, so I paid about £300, which I didn't have to pay, but then DWP said I still couldn't have the benefit as my 2 previous tax years were a mixture of NI Credits classes which isn't allowed, but they wouldn't give me the £300 back either & I couldn't claim the benefit though the income related way as my husband works more than 21 hours a week, even though it's low paid. Unfortunately normally when you receive Incapacity Benefit /Employment & Support Allowance it usually opens the door to claim every other benefit, but because I can't get that benefit I can't get the others. What we fear is that one day as I get more & more sick me & my husband will have no choice but to split up & I'll have to live in a hospice. It seems so unfair we can't get any help & have to live in such terrible & unsafe conditions.
Hi, I had back injury at work, was forced to early retirement as I'm unable to work because of pain. The injury happened in the end of February 2013, after all the stuff, GP, physio etc they couldn't do anything with it I applied fot PIP. Application form posted in July 2013. I'm on painkillers, practically zombie at all times. My life stopped. Recently I received a letter inviting me to face to face consultation next Thursday. I'm fed up, zero social life. Ha never mind social life, I can't do anything, cause if I try to do something I always end up in bed or on the sofa for days (despite painkillers) what I want to say is, that now I'm pretty sure I'm depressed as I don't care anymore about life. Sorry for being so negative but it's the way I feel. Liz x
I applied for PIP back in January 2014,It is now Aug and still have not had an assessment or approval. I Contracted a spinal swelling of two of my vertebrae due to contracting pneumonia also found out that i have a degenerative condition,i have had xrays,scans,acupuncture,and hydrotherapy and cannot walk unaided and have a nurse come in twice a week.. Cannot understand why it is taking so long,they have all the forms ,ATOS said they are waiting for an appointment for a home assessment and am still waiting.Both my sisters claimed disability living allowance ,one only waited 2 weeks and the other only 6 .So it must be the changeover that is causing the backlog.Why change something that was working fine..
I applied for pip in March of this year and have not heard a thing since, i have a degenerative bone condition (from birth) which has become increasingly worse after having my children. I worked all my life up until my condition deteriorated and i was unable to. I have letters from all sorts of consultants, surgeons, bone specialist. I have had every sort of scan, bone analysis and x-ray. I have had appointments with some of the leading experts in this field and they have all said that apart from 3 operations ( i am on the waiting list for) which will help me from becoming completely immobile, that there is nothing they can do. I have sent all the correspondence from all my appointments and still nothing.
I am currently receiving no benefits as my illness is long term i am not entitled to sick pay, as i have said i have worked all my life without claiming a penny. I have 2 small boys under 5 and i am no longer able to drive with out an adapted vehicle, so i have to pay for taxi's every day to take my son to school.
I am lucky to have a good family support network to help me but i do not know how other people who's condition is much worse than mine are coping? People who require carers and do not have the support of a partner who is able to work.
I am only 27 and have lived my life blissfully unaware of the actions and consequence of the government, but not any more!! the heart ache and financial stress that their actions must have caused the most vulnerable people in our society is totally unnecessary and completely avoidable..
Hi Kate
Sorry to hear about your illness and financial worries. I know where you are coming from with work i am 46 and worked full time from the age of 16 at times holding down 2 full time jobs don't ask me how but it can be done. Then in 2007 fell from the top deck of a car transporter suffered various injuries and have been unable to work ever since. I was put on incapacity benefit and after only 2 months was asked to attend a medical. Well the person that examined me told a pack of lies and was told i was fit for work and taken off the benefit. Labour was in power at the time so i wrote a letter to the Prime Minister and told him to stick the money where the monkey keeps his nuts. What made me laugh was i had to go back to the same place that said i was fit to work for another health check as i was told of an industrial injuries payment you can claim. Wasn't expecting much good to come from it and they decided that i was 18% disabled how can you get 2 different decisions fron the same place? Enough about me you have got to hound the pip find out who you are placed with for an assessment? Call them but when you get an appointment be prepared for them to cancel it at the last minute and they can do it more than once. 3 times they cancelled my appointment finally had an assessment on the 17th of June but now the DWP are dragging their heels so have got on to my MP. But your right people need to think more when it comes to voting and this current government have got a big shock coming to them because despite all of their cut backs and more people supposedly in work they are still spending more than they have coming in. Good luck with your claim hope you get something soon?
Regards Rob
blimey after reading all of your comment it seems im in for a long wait i only applied march this year(2014) why is it taking so long,why should we have to live like this yes fine if you get passed and get the money it back dated but what about now.thanks for reading my rant and good luck to all
Hi. My father-in-law went into hospital in August 2013. Following various procedures he lost 5 1/2 stone but one of the procedures went terribly wrong resulting in him having all the toes on his right foot amputated. The drugs he has been prescribed for the pain since last August have been Gabapentin, Amatriptaline and Tramadol. He had also been prescribed Oramorph, He applied for PIP in December last year eventually having an assessment several weeks ago. Following numerous telephone calls to PIP and after being passed from pillar to post when nobody seemed to know what each other was doing we finally got to speak to someone who we thought knew what was going on but we were wrong. We later had to get our local MP involved once he spoke to them we had a phone call within a day. We then thought that it should be sorted but we were wrong we were told many different things once again. After weeks of constant phone calls we were finally told that his claim would have a decision by that friday that was 3 weeks ago and we are still none of the wiser. We were told that we should never been told an exact date but later that day we were told yet another date which again we didnt have a decision by. My father in law is a poorly man i feel that i must also mention that my father in law has heart failure and diabetes which results in him having many hypos a lot of the time he is on his own and this whole situation is causing him a lot of strain and is making him feel a lot worse, he needs constant help from family members who dont always have all of the time to do it due to working. Nobody can claim carers allowance to be able to look after him full time as the PIP has not been sorted out. Personally, I feel that when a disabled person needs help it should not put such a strain on that person that they have to seek further medical assistance to just be able to get on with their day to day struggle, they should get the help they need in their lives without the stress this shambolic claims system causes them.
Hi everyone!
I have applied for this pip back 2013 December and I have had no response to the form and I am, fed up with trying to live like I am. No more conservative party (for this goverment no desable and suffer people!)).
I've been waiting since august 2013 and still no assessment….
Same, I applied 2nd week of Aug 2013 and I'm still waiting as well, must be 10 months now. I heard you have wait months for a decision as well, if so it could last until the middle of next year before we get through this process. I'm seriously getting annoyed with what has been 5-6 months of ATOS saying "Not much longer now" when I ask how long until I get an appointment.
Its unreal, I also started a claim in August 13 and it has just been sorted August 14 after a complaint letter. If you are genuine then good luck!
Hi Gary,
I sent my claim in Aug 2013, waited till July for an assessment and then I received a letter on 28/7/14 informing me that I have been awarded PIP and they would pay arrears into my account on 1/8/14 – I still have'nt received the payment or a courtesy call from a manager to explain why I haven't received the payment. It is no surprise at all that we get so frustrated with DWP.
Hi Diane
I was awarded pip was told it would be in my account on the 14/8. Checked account and surprise there was no money. I rang them and was told that because my arrears were over 5 grand it had to go through extra security checks. That was over 2 weeks ago!!! Keep checking your bank and then just hound them. Good luck
how long did it take in the end ? I got my letter on the 19th , still waiting as its over 5 grand , cant get an answer , what are these checks does anyone know? ordered a mobility car and its due for delivery next week, I dont have the advance payment needed though
I have had my father in law living with us now since just after Easter this year.He has got dementia and when he was in hospital we got told off lots off benifits and help and support for people like himself.My partner is is full time carer so now he can no longer work as her father needs 24 hour care so how come it takes so long to get sorted out I am a working man struggling to make ends meet when I should be making the best off the time we have got being happy not worrying about money can anybody help with my case many thanks
Hi Shane
I know what you are going through as we are in the same boat and it's sinking fast. We now have my Mother-in-law living with us who also has dementia and we have had to fight for everything. The only benefits are carers allowance which you say you are getting and attendence allowance for your Father-in-law which with this mental illness he should get the top band. But it isn't easy it's ground hog day every day in our house going over the same thing it's completely distroyed me i don't even use the main part of the house anymore i live in the conservatory or my garage just can't stand being round the illness anymore. Me and my Wife seem to do nothing but argue i have my own health problems and tried to end my life earlier this year by taking an overdose. You need to get a social worker involved and tell them how stressful it is and you need a break we but it isn't easy it should be when living with this illness but it isn't my overdose made them take action i didn't do it for that reason i genuinely have had enough of life and what it offers. But get a social worker involved they will tell you lies but your Father-in-law needs to have a financial assessment he will be given a weekly budget we pay £39 per week towards our care plan which covers 3 days per week with my Mother-in-law going to day centre specially for dementia make sur you get a day centre for dementia as social services try to do it on the cheap and offer you a normal day centre not set up for the illness. We also now get 8 weeks per year rest break where she goes in to a dementia care home and we get our life back for 7 days. But i will tell you it is hard because the first few days you have to get use to living a normal life again and then the last day you never want to end because you know your going back to loony land. But other than what i have told you there isn't much else out their even went to see my wonderful tory MP and all i got was how much it is costing the government to care for the older generation well that's not my fault. But good luck and all the best.
I applied for PIP in no November last year finally had my appointment a week ago Monday, 9 months later!!
And now they say it takes up to 8 weeks for them to make a decision, my argument is I am disabled and work as much as I can, I've worked since I was 14.
I applied for pip in Dec 2013 , some one came to see me in Jan 2014 to do my assessment , they said you will hear with in 2 months if i will get the benefit , im still waiting , 7 months later, i ring every month to see how its going , but they sill not even received my assessment form back , the last lime i called they said they would try and push it forward cos i been waiting so long , i suffer from depression and panic attacks, i cant get out the house , i long to go see my daughter , but i have to get on 2 buses , i cant do that . All this is making my illness worse , im at a loss now what what to do , its like no one cares .
Hi Wendy I no exactly how you feel, I'm still awaiting but I feel I've turned a corner as I've contacted my local mp he is involved and is trying to help speed things up, try emailing your local MP they may be able to help
Hello ,i have a situation,ok were to start ,i was born with ADHD and Dyslexia,also Bipolar,my Mother who was receiving DWP from 3 years old till i was 16,when i was 16 years old DWP wrote a letter to my Mother,saying i had to claim this Benefit,but she was my carer,DWP New of my Disturbance and my extreme learning difficulties i went to Extreme Special needs Schools,my Mother was an Alcoholic,she kept me in the dark about things which was happening in my life,her morale was if i ain't having it you ain't getting it,i do believe the DWP new this of my Mother,this is why i think that they told her i had to, full well knowing i had extreme learning difficulties,ive been living Income Support now for over 10 years , they must know im ill why would they leave me all time,im now 30,,i Understand the Government are still asking for money over 10 years ago saying its Government money ,so if thats the case i Calculate 14 years +Compensation.i'm now 30 years old going know were fast.
First of all I would like to say I am disgusted by the treatment some of you have recieved. Your conditions are far more severe and are obviously distressing than my own. I have been waiting for around four months to hear anything regarding my PIP claim. I have epilepsy and generally suffer from around 7 seizures a week during a stable period and around 5 a day during more challenging times. On top of this I have bipolar disorder. As a recent graduate with a family of my own I have no spare money to help towards the added expense and the wait for news is ruininh my life and making my condition worse! I just cannot cope anymore.
Hi Ben, my daughter has Epilepsy as well, she is 21 and we've never received benefits for her condition. She hadn't had a seizure for around 4 years but they started again in December last year, she applied for PIP in January because she had to stop working as a nanny, she had an assessment at home a week ago. The assessor was a lovely lady whom thinks Hannah should receive PIP because she needs a lot of care and can't do things for herself like Cook a meal or have a bath without me or her sister in the bathroom with her. She is still waiting to hear back wether she will get anything, I can't believe people are waiting so long for a reply or decision! The amount of money I have had to pay for her to get a cab after a seizure just to get her home safely when she's had a seizure has cost almost 80.00 in 3 months, might not seem much but it is to a family who don't earn a great deal of money. Anyway Hope you hear back soon about your claim! And it's successful!
My husband's DLA officially ended in March 2014. The week before Christmas 2013 the paperwork arrived for reassessing him for PIP, and because it was impossible to complete it in time with the supporting evidence I managed to get a week's extension and the form – altogether over 100 pages of form and information – was sent in January 2014. We heard nothing after that, except in April his DLA was extended instead of being cut, thank God. Yesterday, July 26th, we got a letter saying he has to have a face to face assessment, and it says there may be at least 8 weeks to wait after that before a decision. In our experience it's normally much longer, something like three months. So it will almost a year going through this very stressful, worrying and almost terrifying procedure, during which time my husband has been at the brink of suicide twice, and we were also at the very brink of separating too. It's been tough.
Hi Amanda
I had never claimed anything before until December 2013 when i decided to claim pip. I fully understand what you have/are going through i wasn't as lucky and couldn't take anymore and ended up taking an overdose in February 2014. I left a note to my family and drunk a bottle of rum and kept taking my codine tablets. I was luckly or unluckly depending how you look at it by my Wife and was rushed to hospital and made a recovery but i am on even more tablets now. It is now the 29th of July 2014 still no futher forward with my claim and really wished i wasn't here everyday is a struggle and just think this Government want to do all they can to make life as hard as possible for anyone with a disability. I also believe they changed the system not to help people with disabilities but thought they would catch people out and have come unstuck. Tell your Husband to keep on going hopefully it will all be worth it in the end?
I'm just waiting for the dwp to make a decision on my claim applied march it's been 3 weeks they have had all assent reports and doctors reports what on earth takes them so long I don't no lol I call prob every over day and today got told to stop calling and when a decision is made they will write to me 2nd class that takes 10 days in the most lol then I asked why on earth it takes so long she said PIP IS NOT A IMPORTANT BENEFIT ITS MORE OF A BONUS THERE NO TIME SCALES OR ANYTHING BECAUSE ITS NOT A MAIN BENEFIT LIKR JSA OR ESA how wrong they are to think this is a bonus and not people less fortunate deserve a helping hand and personally I think the rates will be more after reading every ones comments I prob think my claim will be turned down
I sent my application and it was received the beginning of February this year, however, almost 6 months later, I have still not heard about an appointment for an assessment. I was advised upon applying that I shouldn't contact the office for an appointment as they would contact me. However, if I haven't heard and it's been six months or more, then to call but was also advised that there is a 6 month wait for an appointment.
hi I waited since January for assessment I kept foning them ever week ,, anyway I you are prepared to attend another centre instead of designated 1 for your area and you fone ATOS on a Monday morning they wil let you no if theres been any cancellations and it may be a quicker way to get things moving I had my assessment at different centre 21st july just waiting to hear now
Hope this helps ..
I applied 19th May and still not even had my form through – has anyone else waited over 9wks for their form??
Ive rang every week and keep getting told they cant contact the department just email a request to them to send it out.
Im frustrated Im not even in the system yet. I have a blue badge and my house adapted by social services but cant access any other help or benefits until get a decision on PIP. I was repeatedly turned down for dla so gave up with that
This is shocking 10 days they allow for forms to come thought or they normally resend them
I applied for mine in august 2013 and had my assesment in december but dwp has only just got my report and say it will take 3 weeks. But everynody whos just applied i have been waiting nearly a year for mine so good luck 🙂
Hi there,
I applied in April 2014 for PIP over the phone and sent my forms in around May time 2014, is there a phone number or email I can call to see how much longer I will be waiting for my assessment date to come through? I have been laid off from work an have now lost my home due to not having any money. I had a operation in October 2013 and since I've been in severe pain caused by nerve damage, with little relief from medication, making me unable to work. This is now stressing my family out and they are having to support an care for me. I've been referred to a pain clinic an the infusions I had failed to work (May 2014) an now I have to wait again til October to try something else. What is with these waiting times! I am only 22 and my life has been ruined, I can no longer walk or stand without extreme pain an discomfort. So I now have to put up with this pain for a further 3 months (over a year after my op) I don't know wether I can cope anymore! If it was a celebrity or the royal family there wouldn't be a chance In the world that they would be left in this pain for over a year, I feel like they have just given up on me, instead of trying to fix the problem that they caused!
Sorry for essay, thank you if you read this.
I have same thing I'm on 20 mg morphine patch along with every other pain relief tablet just covers quarter of the pain it's the worst thing to wake up n be in pain n same for bed but I have just tried a new positive attitude n works a lot just laffing lol I mean people might think your nuts but it will help lift your mood
Hi Nath,
I know what you mean, I usually try to laugh everything off but just getting out of bed is getting to painful now and somedays I just can't cope. It's awful that anybody has to be in pain, but we don't get much help from anybody. Everytime I end up in hospital because the pain is just too much I feel like they all look at me like I'm wasting there time, an like I'm not an important patient. They have even joked about me getting my fix… That was so hurtful, like I'm a junkie but no I'm I'm absolute agony /: I also take a lot of pain relief too I have 5ml of oramorph 4 times a day an that just takes the edge off, an I hardly sleep with the pain now, I'm always tired because of broken sleep an lack of it. Just wish I could have a day off but I'm far from that, I was so hopeful at the beginning of all this I believed that I would be pain free after the operation but it just got worse an now I physically cannot live my life because everything is just to painful. I feel so bad for people who have been living with this for 10+ years an I'm moaning after just short of a year I don't know how I'll cope but I just keep telling people I'm just plodding on an I'm fine I'll get there one day an I keep thinking next time will be when they help the pain next time will work an I'll be back to good old bubbly confident sian, I've now got 3 months to wait for next time (: sorry for essay thanks for your reply, even tho my comment isn't that related to this page (:
Evening, today's been awful, I have FSH muscular dystrophy, had it since birth, it's genetic. But never asked for anything, but last October 2013 due to issues, gave in & applied for PIP, took until late January 2014 to receive the forms, maybe there printers broken or out of ink. I had help filling them in from my district nurse & enclosed support letters from my neurologist, OT, Muscular Dystrophy Physio, cardiologist. Then I heard nothing. Only got an appointment because my social worker rang.
Brings us to today 23rd July 2014, my Capita medical assessment at my home, due to me not been able to leave the house. I'm so stressed & having panic attacks, so my social worker suggested she come & sit in. Just to have a friendly face, the assessor didn't arrive, I swear I've been in tears for the last couple of days, threatening to cancel it with fear & not eating. Unjustified Im told, but after 2 hours of waiting & wasting my social workers time. She call the help line & was told it had been cancelled yesterday, that someone had supposedly phoned & left a message on my answering machine. It's not true, we checked the machine, no message, nothing, no one had rung. It's disgraceful, such behaviour from a government department. Its not right, for them to lie. I'm just not up to having to fight like this, when I'm not well. Thank god she was here, at least she could talk to them, she's not happy.
First they said they could rearrange, but when she pushed them on this, they said they had no vacancies. Honestly! Are they allowed to behave like this. I've never dealt with benefits or anything. This is my first experience & to be honest I'm shocked at how they treat poorly people, it brings me to tears. I wish I was well enough not to need them.
Thank you for listening, it's my first time, but I'm so worked up, I felt I just had to message you guys.
Hi Delphi
Don't give up they cancelled my assessment 3 times what they tell you is all a load of rubbish. The worst thing is that this wonderfull Government paid an outside company £540 million pounds to do these assessments just think what that money could of been used for? I am the same as you never claim in my life then last December 2013 i decided i needed help finally got my assessment on the 17th of June 2014 only because i had taken an overdose a few months before. DWP recieved the report on the 10th of July and when i called them yesterday the 28th said waiting for someone there to look at it now so I've given up. I wish no one had found me now when i had taken all my codine it would all of been over. Take care i really hope you get help soon.
Please don't give up, I 1st claimed 17th july 13 and there have been times I thought I've had enough, 55 weeks & 1 day, today I made my call to be told that my claim was approved this morning, he couldn't tell me what I was getting as that wasn't on the screen yet, but at least its approved.
The stress this is causing to people is unreal, my 11 year old will be getting a small treat for all he has done for me, and the moods he has had to put up with.
Hope you all hear soon, good luck
Sadly some 5 years ago i was unfortunate to have an accident and damage my and spinal chord, i applied for DLA on the advice of the local disability charity, application made with their help blessem! shock horror denied! appeal set in motion and once again denied! hmm ok i shall concentrate on getting or trying to!
Some four years later my condition has not got any better but much worse! local charity says you really must apply for PIP! so last early August 2013 application made!
After many phone calls writing to MP, letters to anyone who would listen i finally get my assessment June 10th 2013, and now nothing not a word! no clue as to when if ever a i will hear if i am to be awarded anything! by my calculation that getting on for around 13 months, of course i am really enjoying being disabled, all my life,s savings gone, even the wife left when the money ran out, saying she could not cope with my condition not not having her money to spend!
So every day i wait for the post only to be deflated, just how much more of this i can take i,m not sure, life is just so tedious, worked all my life like many on here only to be treated like this, at least if i was an old work horse someone would shoot me and put an end to it!
Sorry to hear about this sounds bad i think you need some help with depression even if u was awarded pip at the end of the day it's only money yes it makes our life a bit better but it's not every thing life is what you. Make it find a new wife and find fun in life again not being patronising just truthful
Hi Nath
I suffer from servere depression for several years now even tried to end my life several times and you don't get any help because their isn't any. All my Doctors do is give me stronger tablets and send me on my way for another couple of months and i am now adictide to my tablets when i try to come off them i become more suicidal. I applied for pip in December last year due to my ever increasing health problems. We are nearly in to August and still not heard a thing even though the DWP know that i had taken an overdose in February this this year . Luckily or unluckily depending on how you look at it my Wife found me and was rush to hospital. This all happen at about 2am in the morning and the hospital sent someone from RAID round to see me etc. I was discharged at 8.30am the same morning had to catch a bus they never told my family my Wife was worried sick etc. The whole system is a complete joke there isn't any help out there. Sorry for going on
I put my claim in for PIP February 2013 and have my assessment today. Dealing with spinal stenosis and chronic arthritis in the spine, depression and anxiety related to my back condition is no walk in the park. I am in chronic pain all the time and take 7 different medications for my condition, I've called ATOS on many occasion and just been told my appointment would be soon. I doubt that I'd get 18months back pay if I get accepted for help………. For those of you who have had to wait less than six months you are the lucky ones….. The system is a total farce and plays with people's emotions and everyday lives. We do not ask to have the conditions.
You will get 18 months backpack they backdate from the day you phoned.them
Well…. I am in total disbelief at the incompetence of the people who have been able to tender for the very important job of playing doctor with people lives. I have MS and after a major attack in Dec 2013 was advised I should claim for PIP. I had a baby by C section in August 2013 and so with a new born need all the hep I can get""" and quiet frankly have been left distraught and exhausted dealing with ATOS. I find it very hard to speak on the phone and so each time I call and stutter my way through the call I am left feeling so very upset. I have now been waiting 22 weeks and still nothing!! somebody somewhere needs to stand up and be held accountable for this poorly managed system""
Well after applying for pip in febuary 2014 for my partner who has anxiety, stress, depression, asthma, severe arthritis and dequarveins dieses in her wrists and knee cap and telling her today to get onto them (again) after reading some of your horror storys I am glad to report that the guy from ATOS has given us an appointment for 21st august.
Hopefully the decision part of this won't take another 20 odd weeks.
Further to my earlier post I had my a call from my case manager who informed me he was making a decision on my case and I would have a decision within the week. Called the next day and was advised had been awarded pip and payment had been issued. Finally after 36 weeks the light at the end of the tunnel had arrived.
After applying end of October and waiting for 9 long months for a home assessment Ive been told when I phone that decisions are taking – 3 weeks – 4 weeks – 8-9 weeks – depending on the advisor .
Wouldn't it help if all sang from the same hymn sheet and gave us a true answer instead of sounding so sick of us ringing and basically saying " go away and get off the phone ! "
how long into it did you get an appointment ?
Was it back dated from the day you started the claim and if you don't mind me asking what level was you awarded and what are your health conditions mine has been with dwp decision maker now for 3 weeks
Applied In March had my face to face at home then sent my gp a form to fill In the report was sent to the dwp on the 4th July now waiting for a decision two weeks tomorrow called today they said I should no by 1st august how true this is I don't no
Just an update.
I applied for PIP July 2013 and after 47 weeks of waiting I final had my face to face assessment. During those 43 weeks I complained to ATOS and the DWP numerous times but nothing was ever done. It wasn't until I had the humiliating experience of bursting into tears on the phone that I finally got an appointment.
My assessment was done on 13th June 2014 and I was assessed by a spinal specialist. In all honesty the assessor was very thorough, courteous and polite. There were a few trick questions but nothing outrageous. The notes from my interview were with the DWP by 18th June and I was told I would have to wait a further 4 weeks for a decision.
I rang the DWP last week to check on the progress of my claim and thus far it hadn't even been passed to a case manager. I despaired and made yet another official complaint. I was told that whilst they agree that the waiting times are stressful and horrendous, there is nothing they could do.
As a last ditched attempt, I contacted my MP yesterday. I informed her of my case and said that there are thousands more people in a similar situation. I was contacted at 1pm today by my MP. Not only had she the results of my award but told me that all the relevant back pay would be in my account by the end of this week!
I would urge anyone who is having issues to contact their MP. The more MP's that are made aware of the plight of disabled people, the more chance there is of the system changing.
I have contact my Mp and not alot being done can you give me any advice my PIP claim is now in week 35
Hi, i made my claim for pip August 2013. Just last week (09/07/14) I had my medical in the form of a home visit from ATOS. I called DWP today (16/07/14) They told me that they received the ATOS report this morning and that I will get a decision, in writing, in 3-4 weeks. So all told a year from application to decision, utterly ridiculous in my opinion. I am claiming for Trigeminal Neuralgia, also for depression and a certain level of agoraphobia thanks to the TN, weather is not my friend…
Anyway, a year of waiting with virtually no communication has been my experience, all talking we have done has come from me contacting them. I am terrified the decision will go against me, a year of worrying and stress, on top of my other issues, potentially all for nothing.
Well today I rang to see what was happening with my PIP claim, (will be a year tomorrow since I made the first phone call), told the man on the phone this, to be told 'I have some good news for you' my reports have finally been sent to DWP, to which I laughed and said its only been a year, told him I was trying to hang on till tomorrow to make my weekly call, he said ring DWP tomorrow then and tell them the same.
Now to wait the outcome of this, even though when I went for assessment I was told it was all in my consultants letters what was wrong and that I need further surgery to my back and other treatments for my hip problems.
Will let you know the outcome when I get the letter in the brown envelope.
Seems my case is very common – Sevre cycling accident last July – still no sign of an appointment and from what I have read will be at least 2 months for a decision after that. Maybe it will be over by Christmas!
My husband has borderline personality disorder
I applied for PIP on his behalf on 13/08/2013
After lots of chasing we finally got all the forms out to us and returned back to them
We joined the ATOS queue for an assessment on 03/12/2013
We were finally assessed on 02/07/14
The report went back to DWP on 04/07/2014
We have now been informed we could wait up to another 8 weeks for a decision which would be 29/08/2014 or 54 weeks
Carers allowance will only back date 3 months so I have lost 9 months worth of carers allowance
I have also not been able to access some support services because we are not in receipt of the qualifying benefits yet
I have had to jump through the hoops of jobs seekers allowance just to have an income
The stress has been so bad I'm not sure if we will ever recover and their answer?
Write a letter
Can anyone help me, I have borderline personality disorder. am not on any benefits. applied to pip on jan 29th. got my award letter yesterday, and have been awarded enhanced daily living,no mobility but it wont start until November? still waiting for a case manager to phone. presumed if I got it it would be backdated. causing me very bad anxiety.
Applied october 2013, still no assessment as of 10th july. Getting mp involved
applied October 2013. now 10th july 2014 still nothing. obviously haven't improved
Hi I received my assesment at home on 23rd of June ,my report is with decision maker since 1st July .they told me today they received a form back they gave my doctor to fill in onmonday ,so should have decision soon . My query is I've only seen this gp twice as at our surgery you don't have your own gp . How can he fill in questions about my health when he doesn't know me .how can he tick boxes on my health when he doesn't know
Well i applied on 16th dec 2013 after waiting and waiting i finally get an appointment on 26th june 2014 at 12.30 guess what they dont turn up. after ringing them i finally get another appt for 1st july 2014, was told by the assesor it would take 1 week for her report to go in and everything is done electronically. Rang Capita today 7th July 2014 and the report was sent over electronically this morning at 8.30am. I leave it till lunch time and ring the DWP they say they have recieved the electronic copy but now need to wait for the hard copy which could take another 7-10 days, no one mentioned a hard copy. Then once they recieve it will take a futher 3 weeks for a dicision. The whole system is a joke.
I have been waiting for 7 months now and still nothing, I have now involved my MP TIM FARRON, lets hope he can resolve my situation.
Hi Sarah,
Does that mean that DWP are making decisions in about a month then?
The OH applied back in November, and had her face to face with ATOS yesterday, we had requested a home visit (clarified by phone when we chased the application) as getting out really sets her back health wise, however we got her appointment and it was to attend a centre, rather than chase the home visit and have another few months to wait, we decided to go ahead.
This has clearly set her back, and its likely to be months again til she gets out, but at least it showed that her mobility is severely impacted, still not massively hopeful, but we've done what we can, been honest, and just pray that dwp see things correctly, its just annoying seeing people 'swing the lead' somewhat, knowing that they are not remotely in need of DLA/PIP.
I had my assesment 2wks ago and dwp got my report on 1st July .i know they are dealing with it but this is now eight month ,they asked my doctor to fill in a form about my difficulties which I am worried about as I have only seen this doctor 3 times he knows little about me .my rheumatologist knows me best . Hope this doesn't go against me as I can't understand how he can fill this in without my background .any advice on this .thanks.
We have been waiting 28 weeks for a decision. They told us 3 weeks from Wheb the received hard copy of assessment three weeks was up today and still no decision and told could take another 3 weeks. Totally unreliable.
Hello, I was taken off of DLA as they claimed I had not sent in my renewal on time as they had not received it, which is utter crap as I sent it in via a local carers organisation who helped me complete it in ample time and they sent it off! They communicated this to them.
I was then told that despite the fact I had complied I was unable to be put back on DLA because "computer says nooo". Both the PIP and DLA agents I have spoken with are either completely inadequate or abhorrent liars, or perhaps a bit of both as every time I called either of them an agent would have a different story for me… "We didn't receive it… We received it but it was late… We received it and you agreed to put yourself forward for PIP", just 3 of the consistent variance of stories I would receive after multiple misleading calls. The last infuriated me as after the horror stories I had already heard about PIP applications I was happy to remain on DLA until this farcical incompetent shower of scoundrels, set on us by the abominable nincompoop that is ian duncan smith, sorted out what is supposed to be an easier system than the last.
After receiving a traumatic brain injury I was left with a number of hidden disabilities. Despite this I decided to return to work rather than opt for living on disability allowance as, although I would have been slightly financially better off, I wanted to return to some normality. However due to chronic fatigue being one of the hidden disabilities I have incurred I am unable to work more than 20 hours a week.
I applied in early March and although I have heard nothing since I remained hopeful that I would hear something each new week until reading this forum and realising it could be next year before I find out.
Since my payments being stopped due to my PIP application being a new one I have ran into financial difficulties as I have been relying on short term loans and additionally incurring bank charges of ever increasing amounts. This week I was charged £46 for last month's array of returned direct debits and a £6 charge for every day I am overdrawn due to a court action which leaves me overdrawn for several days before I am paid. The court action was due to unpaid bills while I was in rehabilitation at my parents' home, during which time I was mostly sedated and in a time of healing.
This is having a detrimental effect on my mental health and in turn my physical as my fatigue is worsening under the stress of it all. The worst of it is that I am likely to NOT receive the benefit. The new system seems to be based on evidence of appointments and medication. I do not need either of these as my symptoms are cognitive. Due to my memory I cannot cook, iron my clothes and everything has to be on timers. My fatigue in incurable and although willing to work I am unable to work to earn a sufficient income.
Better off in work you say, I think not.
This is why the people of Scotland must vote Yes because it is a country of socialists at heart. Too long have we lived under this elitist tory scum. However if we do gain independence my thoughts will be with the poor souls left under the tyranny of cameron, osborne and ian duncan smith.
I applied for pip on 8th nov 2013, sent forms back to dwp and these were sent to ATOS on 9th Dec 2013, after months and months of calling atos and the dwp i finally got a call offering me a face to face home assessment on 30th june, the man from ATOS arrived and i can fault him he was polite apologetic for how long i had to wait i live in the south west and he had travelled from lancashire to carry out my assessment as there was no one closer to carry one out!! Now comes the waiting game for a decision
i put in a claim in october 2013 heard nothing in Jan 2014 so called and was told im in a queue for a face to face and she said she doesnt know how long , i called again march i think to be told in a queue so i said im struggling and need a decision and my symptoms are worse how can i tell you she said your doctor needs to write to us, i was told there are people who have been waiting longer than me and she doesnt know how long it will be. i still havnt had my face to face July 2014. and my doctor said they do not write to atos so they dont have my new details which are now worse what do i do.?
Make sure that you inform the DWP that your situation has worsened so that the atos assessor is informed. My wife applied for pip on the 25th October 2013 and had her face to face on the 1st July 2014. Now we await the results.
hi there i sent a claim in to theses people a year ago this month july 2013 and still to date july 2014 all i get is were still waiting on a decision.how long do theses people take,some unlucky people could died before this useless company do there job,who can i complain to does any 1 no,?they are ajoke,
I claimed for DLA a few years back and went through 2 year process ending in tribunal and the refused as being 'not credible'. Very hurtful when you have lost everything, & resulted in me taking an overdose as I could not see any way forward for me other than festering in my bed with no hope.
This time I applied in October 2013 and today 2nd July 2014 have received letter for medical assessment on 17th July 2014. I have rang several time, but told to wait. 8 months is a very long time.
Keeping fingers crossed (well I would if I was physically able to do so!!) this time it all goes well and I then have money to pay for the support and help I need.
Hi. I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia back in May 2013 but didnt apply for PIP till October 2013 and I'm still awaiting my face to face assessment. I have rung ATOS several times this year but apparently I'm still on the list to be assessed. At this rate there will be nothing to assess by the time they get round to seeing me. I don't see the point of offering this help if they take years to see people. In addition my wife cannot claim carers' allowance without the PIP assessment. What a shambles.
I waited ten months for an appointment and eventually sent a quick email to my MP explaining I had applied for PIP in August 3013 and now in July 2014 still not had an assessment, within three days I received a letter from ATOS for an assessment so I strongly advise you to find out who local MP is you don't already know (council can tell you) and either email or write. I had my assessment and now waiting decision, was told my assessment is being audited so hope that's a good thing as I assume they will be thorough but will soon find out. Good luck.
I claimed for pip in Jan after receiving. A letter from work confirmed my contract wSdue to end and since I had been long term sick nearly 30 weeks. It would not be renewed . I had a letter saying atos were collecting information this was dated 21.may I waited 6 weeka and rang pip as I was expecting a letter for a face to face exam. I was told by pipthat I had a lot of supporting evidence 8 bits and I didn't need a face to face as they are doing a paper based decision and will here back in the next 4 weeks.i have bi-polor disorder
Hi all, i applied for PIP Sept 2013 after having probs with my knee's for years and then having 5 op's that went wrong on them leaving me in more pain that before, now my question is i had my ATOS assessment and DWP has received all back, they have asked me now if i were in hospital when i made the PIP claim, i have told them no, i just don't understand why it is taking so long.
I take it you can not claim then if you were in hospital? although i wasn't any info would be great, i am hoping i get the award but after reading many posts on here i very much doubt i will.Wish everyone all the best
I applied For PIP September 2013 and I had my Medical on the 18th of June, after reading some unbelievable comments here I called Atos to find out when would they be sending my Report to the PIP department and I was told that it was actually sent on the 18th of June which is the day that I had my Medical. Then I called the DWP to find out if they have got my assessment report and they did say that they did get it through computer system and that they hard waiting to receive the hard copy in order to process my claim. They assured me it will take up to two weeks.
I suffer with severe depression and agoraphobia. I cant leave the house and my partner who is helping me through this cares for me daily. I have been waiting for an assessment date since Nov 2013 and only just nor received my appointment for July the 18th 2014. 8 months wait and now my doctor has faxed supporting evidence about my illness so am waiting for an appointment now for a home visit. It's left me and my partner in severe hardship. I have lost £35k a year trading and a fully qualified Electrician and worked all my life on the tools, and this is what happens to people like me that's paid taxes and paid my way all my life to be treated like this after suffering break down after breakdown. Disgusting.
I made my claim for PIP on the 17th July 2013, had face to face on 6th Feb 2014 and on the 24th Jun 2014 my claim was sent back to ATOS for reworking from DWP, following an error on their part in submitting the scores. The scores completely went against everything that was written in the report by the medical assessor. So what has told to me by the DWP decision maker looked like a simple clerical error, has now caused me more unneeded stress.
I have contacted my local MP's office as my claim is now going to take well over 12 months, has anyone else had this happen to them.
My mum applied for PIP on 6th September 2013 for severe Arthritis and Spondylosis in her neck and lower back. We waited 10 months for her assessment, and everytime we called ATOS, they said all the appts were fully booked 'back to back'. Finally in her 10th month of waiting we got given someone elses' 'cancelled'appt. When we attended the assessment, the waiting room was empty, there was no one around apart from the receptionist and a couple of assessors who were twiddling their thumbs' in their offices. We arrived quite early for mum's assessment and got called in early too. How is it the assessment centre was empty if all the appts were fully booked 'back to back'? How was it we got called in early if all the appts were fully booked 'back to back'. How is it that when people here complained to their MPs, they got called up with an appointment the following day, if everything was fully booked?
The whole system is rigged, it is designed to frustrate people so they give up applying! The solution everyone, is to complain, complain and complain again! (Here's hoping, a newspaper will pick this up and make a national scandal out of it.The media are the only ones that can hold our politicians to account these days).
The assessment was also an extension of what I described earlier. The assessor was following a pre-made script and focussed on what you can do rather than what you can't. Massive assumptions were being made, like if you can touch your shoulders, then it means you can wash your hair too. Or if you can move your fingers it means you can hold objects too, irrespective of you being unable to sustain the weight of the object on your wrist/ elbows. We are now awaiting the result.
To the people who are are saying you can claim a blue badge from your council. Not every one can. My council (Newham), will not issue you a blue badge unless you are in receipt of the higher rate mobility component for either DLA or PIP.
I wish everyone the best of luck with their claims.
I put my p.i.p claim in June 2013 I had my assessment with capita nov 2013 the assessor told me my report would take about 1 month max it's now June 2014 and with constant complaints I am still being told my report is not ready so I just think this is ridiculous I have suffered with chronic tumours and nerve pain for over 22 years and never ever claimed any benefit help for this but now in last few years my illness has got worse and I have being told no cure capita have all me info from go and surgeons and university from my disability department and still they are on a delay 13 months is disgraceful I have now made formal complaints with dwp who have agreed that I have waited to long. I have also wrote to my local mp which dwp are aware of now so I will see what happens. I would suggest to anyone in same situations to constantly call and log complaints/ email as you have further proof of contact and also send letters if you can afford to send as special delivery that would be better as they can not say it was lost and further to that write and email your local mp, I guarantee you should have some quick action do not give up stay positive x
I 1st applied july 13 had assessment 2nd Jan, like you say when attending there is nobody waiting and staff are just sat there. Was also told to ring after a month, to date still waiting, have put 3 complaints in when on phone to CAPITA but only received 1 letter to confirm this, even made a complaint via internet last week which states you will receive reply, week later still no reply, also over the 21/28 day of complaint being dealt with and not knowing what's going on.
Telephoned DWP last week and was also told its too long, told the man on other end that since I sent my form back in Aug 13 things have got worse, also my consultant has written to my GP stating I need further surgery to my back, plus scans, but they keep trying different drugs which are no working, getting more depressed with it all, he said to send more information to them.
The person I saw for assessment even said 'it says it all in your letters what needs doing'.
So lets see what happens when I ring again tomorrow and which excuse will be used this time
Normal 1's are: It's still with HP
We have more staff dealing with claims, so yours is in that pile, to be told the next
something else.
That the HP has now left, and you might have to have another assessment.
Now waiting for results of PIP and ESA
Well just made my call to CAPITA, yet again it still with Health Professional, and to be told 'I don't know what's going on with your claim' can't tell you anything else.
Asked about my complaints to be told the same, no phone number on the letter to say my complaint is being dealt with, so looks like I need to find my local MP involved.
Had enough now.
So I've waited 26 weeks (that apparently is how long it takes for pip), have rang dwp they gave me atos number to ring as it was passed across to them in the start of February. Great should be sorted soon?….. No, the woman at atos tells me it hasn't gone through the atos system until April the 27th (I applied at xmas). Its going to take 26 weeks from it being on the atos system not from when I actually applied! Wow this is taking such a long time :(. I can't even go to physiotherapy because I can't afford the taxi to get my self their and back, due to my seizures I've lost my license so I am stuck! Sucks I've paid tax since the age of 16 and now when I need some help the most, I don't get any!
I did how ever apply for iib (which is done through atos), 3 weeks for my assessment appointment since I applied, so I don't understand why the pip is taking so long!
Been waiting 244 days which means that some of my original wording on the P.I.P. form has become outdated! Since then I have had a change of support worker, a different support company, different medication and so on… I have rung A.T.O.S. many times with the same response regarding 'computer generated appointments'. What makes it sound so bizarre is that when I originally put my claim in, it had to be returned within four weeks. One week before it was due back I received a reminder letter! LOL!
Hello to anyone reading my story
last year may 2013 i was diagnosed with crohn's disease
(it took over year for doctor to find out what is wrong with my health)
i had no choice but stop work and claim ESA providing sick certificate every 3 month
was told by DWP that Atos is going to call me for assestment within 3 months that was in august 2013
its june 2014 i have not ben to any assestment provided by Atos instead i got letter with decision that
i have been put into support group i have apply for PIP at october 2013 and its same story that all of you
have said calling to Atos to get someone telling its all computer generated make me even more upset
i had it with them i wont call no more just leave it as it is i have not ask to be sick i have worked payed taxes like anyone else if theres a cure i want it cose the reasons why i need this help is symple i cant work and not that i do not want to work i have earned twice more money by working and i miss it more then anything
Atos made me depress checking my post and nothing from them call to get same answer over and over
we all know the cost of bills going up every month,special diets ,taxi to gp or hospitals , etc.
there are days i wish i wasnt here worst thing in my mind is waiting not knowing how long you got to wait
that just make me more depress writing and thinking about this make me depress
it has been 8 long months of waiting during that time i had ileostomy surgery end up with stoma bag
that has been reversed month ago now i have to take steroids to prevent flares i have gone from 80kg to 47kg
i have lost my girlfriend most of my friends my hobbys(football) to this disease and ofcorse my work
i wish you all the best with Atos
and vote Labour maybe they will demolish Atos for us
Good luck
two things….firstly, it was Labour that introduced ATOS to our lives, and it was under Labour that I joined the 'Zero Points Club'!!….the Tories are scum, but be under no illusion that Labour will improve things 😉 ………secondly, contact your MP!! it DOES make a difference, I promise! 🙂
Applied for PIP foe my 18 year old Autistic daughter on 19th June 2013, one year ago next week!!!!! She was assessed by DWP and they found her to be incapable of dealing with claim herself so I was made her appointee. Filled in paperwork, included Statement of Special Needs, Diagnosis (age4), medical reports and report from the Special Needs school that she attends. Heard nothing. Phoned DWP who told me paperwork had gone to ATOS. Have since phoned ATOS monthly but simply told my daughter is waiting for a face to face assessment – appointments "system generated" cannot tell me when hers will be 🙁 BEEN WAITING A YEAR! I have absolutely no problem with new system of face to face assessment, but a YEAR is too long to wait.This is on my mind every day, and affecting important decision-making regarding whether my daughter can except a place at college in September – I would have to drive her as she can't travel independently. It's not right to be paying ATOS a huge amount of government money to do their job so badly.
Totally gob smacked , I have been waiting since 18 October 2013 for assesment with atos, was phoning very wk to ask if any appointments you all know the drill just have to wait cause it's computer generated , so from Monday 9th June 2104 I have been phoning twice a day, I phoned at 9.30am still nothing, girl on phone said you should really have home visit I just left it at that, by chance I thought I will phone again to say I don't want a home visit as that will take me even longer to wait on list, which the girl agreed then she said I have an appointment for you, nearly kissing her down the phone, she said its tomorrow we'll blow me down with a feather asking can you manage yes I said do you really think I would say no after phoning twice a day…..
So people will keep you informed how it goes….these are my ailments arthritis, raynaulds ,Primary Billary cirrhosis, severe knee and back pain, restless leg syndrome, fibromyalgia , carpal tunnel, migraine , asthma ,
Connective tissue disease, and depression….oh and myalgia ….
Well had assessment on 12 th June lady said it will only take an hour, it took 2 hrs & 20 mins,
Which I felt drained and so tired after this. She made me feel comfortable asking questions,
Then when finished she said it will take 3 weeks for her report to go to atos then they forward to dwp so to phone dwp in 5 wks, this morning 17th June I received a letter from atos saying they have report but now have to audit it? Been waiting 34 weeks so another 5/8 weeks are going to be even more stressful,
Just have to wait and hope…considering it's all computerised it's shocking
Wonder if the banks computer will wait for urgent payments…
My Husband (terminally ill) applied for PiP in Nov 2013. At the end of Jan 2014, having heard nothing he called DWP and then ATOS, only to be told that he would have to wait until 'THE COMPUTER' generated him an appointment date. As of today THE COMPUTER is obviously not generating!! Again he has contacted ATOS, via e-mail, only to receive the following generic response.
'I am aware that you are currently awaiting an appointment to be arranged at an Assessment Centre.
I can confirm that appointments are prioritised in date order and can assure you that one will be booked as soon as available. Unfortunately, there are currently some delays within the overall DWP PIP claims process and your referral to us has been affected by this. We are taking steps to reduce the delays in our part of the process while at the same time continuing to focus on providing high quality, fair and accurate assessments for the DWP. This action includes the recruitment of additional staff to increase capacity and improve our level of customer service.
The DWP have confirmed that any delays in the process will not affect the date from which customers are paid, if found to be entitled. I apologise for the inconvenience you are experiencing and can assure you that an appointment will be arranged as soon as possible.'
What a cop out, how come its taken this long for them to realise that they have issues. We despair of having to try and find the extra cash to help pay for our increased heating bills (on 24/7 despite the warm weather), extra water bills for the cost of additional washing, extra fuel costs for numerous hospital trips, extra food costs due to his special diet. All this made even harder by the fact that my husband is receives only half of his salary now that he's on permanent sick leave, while I have had to give up work completely to care for him.
All our lives we have worked hard, paid our stamp etc.. and when we need help we are at the mercy of 'A COMPUTER'.
What guiles me even more is hearing continually that the government has given us all a £10,000 allowance that we can earn tax free, how can I earn a tax free allowance when I can't work, as much as I'd like to. Why can't hubbies income be treated as joint and we both offset our tax allowance against his half salary, that would be some help. I could go on!! but why waste my precious time. This government has totally cocked up, as far as we are concerned, in relation to benefits for the sick, rest assured we will not vote for them (either Cons or Lib Dems) at any future election.
Hi Kate, I had to get my local MP to step in on this, he accosted the Health Minister in Parliament, but all terminally ill patients are suppose to be first in the queue, they get seen first. If I was you, I would ring them constantly, sooner or later they will give you an appointment to get you off their book. Stress the fact that your husband is terminally ill, they suppose to get you an appointment straight away for terminal patients. Hope you get it sorted & quickly, good luck x
I applied end of august 2013 took 2 months for depression to send forms. Atos received them 23rd Dec. And after countless complaints to everyone involved I Complained to the government ombudsman. So now June 2014 I got a letter to say my assesment is 12th. Oo this week. Fingers crossed (if I could) awful. Have had to work more to cover money needs and it's making me worse 🙁
Hi lauren my story is very similar to yours with what sounds the same disability. I applied in november and finally have appointment this month.
I waited for my assessment from July 2013, stating around Febuary I phoned DWP, they told me they has received all my medical reports and they where now in the hands of ATOS. After weeks and numerous phone calls to ATOS, about an appointment, I was told, there is a long waiting, list and it will be several more months yet.
I wrote to my MP, explained the situation, no reply, I wrote again, and this time I received a reply. Saying to expect an appointment on 23rd May. With his letter he included his correspondence to a parliamentary office. Guess what they had my appointment sorted out within 50 mins.
So I would harass your local MP, to get somewhere. Unless its IDS of course. I am now awaiting the results, I was told 4 to 6 weeks. I will give 4 weeks, then back to the MP.
Does anyone know the best number to call? been waiting 10 months for assessment and keep getting told im on the list!!!
How big is this list?
Hi ive been waiting 6 mths awell, i have the number 03003300121 option 2
Hope this helps
My wife has Graves disease and has the onset of Addisons disease. She put in a claim for p.i.p. in December, and is waiting to be assessed face to face. On the 22nd of June I go to see a adviser at the job center due to the fact that my e.s.a has to be reviewed every year. I receive e.s.a. for both my wife and myself, and have that gut feeling that this will change because I no longer see any professional related to the mental health side of things, and I am not on any medication whatsoever. I'm expecting that I will have to go onto Job seekers allowance and so will my wife, but what I am worried and been stressed about since the letter arrived is that this will have an affect on my wife's p.i.p. claim and cause an extension on the delay. I feel that I am stuck between a rock and a hard place, because I really want to go to work, I've been long term unemployed due to mental health reasons and worked very hard to try and turn my life around. I do go to evening college twice a week and am really doing well, and as I said I want to go to work as well while I am still attending college…I have a plan of action for myself on this front, but how can I? My wife is very ill and I am doing just about everything I can in terms of looking after her. Personally I feel that no-one is being supportive enough if supportive at all. People are informative in what help is available but that help is just not happening. The e.s.a is not going very far as it is and is just causing more stress as we are relying on food banks and the salvation army, and although this has wreaked havoc on my mental health I cannot afford to give in to it or even so much as show it for my wife's sake. Her consultant and doctor has told her to avoid stressful situations but this is impossible…I'm hoping that my wife can get her p.i.p and we can get in carers to help look after her, but until the p.i.p. is assessed, decided upon and finalized (hopefully in her favor) we are stagnant. It is not fair, this system is not working and is causing a great many people unnecessary suffering and hardship…and all to do with statistics to back the governments claims up that less people are in receipt of disability benefits. Absolutely disgusting!
Hello. I have Graves' disease like your wife. I understand how ill she must feel as I feel terrible. I applied for pip in August 2013 and have just got an appointment for 27th June. Nobody seems to recognise this illness. My mum had this disease, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia and committed suicide in a totally horrific way almost 3 years ago which turned my world upside down. My husband is ill & we have to fight for everything. I think I know what you are going through so I wish you all the best.
An update on my situation.
I have finally been given my ATOS face to face appointment on Friday June 13th 2014. 43 weeks after I initially applied. This is only because I burst into tears on the phone and said I would call every 10 minutes until someone gave me a date. I plan to take a relative with me who will be taking notes of the questions I am asked and my responses. I shall also be taking copies of my hospital letters and surgery notes. From reading the comments on here, I will still be looking at over a year until I receive a decision. This is not only a complete disgrace but it is a spiteful and despicable way to treat people with genuine disabilities.
after over a year, I have just recieved my first pip payment.
it took three attempts for the dwp to actualy acknowledge my claim. after 5 months of re-applying, they finally reffered me to atos, after 6months, i eventually managed to speak with a superioir who "squeezed" me into an appointment, but it was 40miles away, when there is a centre within 2.
eventually my report arrived at the dwp, several weeks after atos said they had sent it…the dwp did personally phone and apologise.
But that does not make up for me having to wait 13months…….
How long was your report at the dwp before you got a decision
I applied back in Dec 2013 6 months on I am still waiting to have my assessment !! I was due to have a home visit today but they called to cancel this morning AGAIN !!! I am so angry right now. The woman on the phone at Capita was just rude, didn't seem to care how long it took and offered me an appointment in a months time, this however is a first, normally they have no other appointments to offer me. The last time they cancelled and couldn't get another appointment I was told it was my fault for wanting a home visit, I tried to explain it's not a case of wanting a home visit it's because I am unable to get to an assessment centre, apparently this is not acceptable and I should be more flexible.
Today I called DWP to find out if they had any processes in place to have assessments completed and returned within a certain timescale – obviously not this would be far too easy. So yet again I am having to go through the complaint to procedure and hope someone listens.
On another. Note does anyone know if you are awarded payment, will thus be backdated to the day of your claim or from the award date ?
Ever hopeful they won't cancel next time
Yes, they will backdate your award to the date of your claim, at whatever rate you are awarded.
Having waited nine months i finally had my atos appointment on 4th June.The assessor was lovely kind and patient. I found it distressing ahumiiating. Not because of the assessor but because i had to try and explain my condition to a stranger. I am not good at that and coupled with the journey to a strange place which i just canbot cope with, i think i failed! I have bipolar disorder and no amount of money could change this awful confusing and distressing illness. I was lucky my son helped me through this. And i was actually physically sick outside the building. I did that in front of my son! Terrible experience
This just sums everything up…. One hour before my appointment that I have waited 6 months for, they call to cancel!!! Unreal.
The guy on the phone said sorry sir but I cannot offer another appointment at this time. I questioned how far in advance is he able to book appointments to be told that he has nothing until the end of August at least! That would be over 8 months since the claim started. Well I was not happy as you can imagine and I wanted to speak to someone and complain. I was given another 0845 number (of course) and sat on hold for an age. Finally I speak to someone and explain the whole situation again. Then guess what…. Yep, "let me transfer you to somewhere else sir". After yet more hold music I reach another person and explain the situation again! At least this time it hasn't fallen upon deaf ears, the lady was actually very nice (shocker I know)! She seemed very understanding and empathetic, then came the most amazing thing in over 6 months. She asked me to hold for one moment and then said "I can get another appointment next Friday?". Well bugger me! I don't care if it's Friday the 13th or not I'm having it!! Let's face it, it can't be any more bad luck than what has proceeded it.
I should know better than to get to excited just yet so we will see, and I must keep in mind that the decision will no doubt take just as long.
Well there you are guys and gals, don't take the first thing they say, complain and complain some more and it's amazing what suddenly happens.
I shall update everyone next Friday!
Capata seem to be much more quicker then atos I waited 3 months for face to face turned up first time I was in shock and I only got that appointment because I complained and complained then they offered me a next day one , now just waiting for the reports to be done they send the doctors a set to prob be another few months before I get anywhere it is total madness you just can't believe it's the dwp good luck for Friday.
Hi all,
Today is a big day! I am finally going to have my assessment 6 MONTHS after I started my claim! However from what I hear I will not hold my breath for a out come as I believe that May be just as long.
Oh well they do say persistence pays!
If i do ever hear anything more from this lot of incompetent fools I shall let you know!
I applied march. To capata had my face to face at my home a week to day the lady was helpful she said it would take a few weeks to write her report they have also send my gp a health and well being form to fill out with me to confirm my illness and medication then said this well we sent to the dwp hopefully won't take that long
Applied for PIP Oct 2013, got medical assessment 4 and a half months later in Feb 2014, it's now June and apparently ATOS still are doing checks on my report and even when it does go to DWP there is a bag log of 24 weeks WTF !!!!!!??????? I have suffered with Addisons Disease since '96 and was on ESA prior to this. Basically because i got off my backside and went to Uni they stopped my ESA that had a knock on effect and my Housing Benefit stopped. Landlady has since taken me to court for rent arrears (Through no fault of my own) and now has a court order for possession for 20/06/14, so at that date landlady will have to apply to court to evict me & my 2 grown up children who live with me. My symptoms have exacerbated through all this stress and i have had to be put on anti anxiety meds from my doc as i really felt that i was losing it !!! My situation is still on going, not sure how much more i can take of this stress 🙁
I have helped my mum apply for this as I was advised to do so by three of her doctor's at the hospital. I finished uni almost a year ago and have been caring for her, but noticed her condition has deteriorated in the past year. Her arthritis is very severe now and she has been diagnosed recently with dementia caused by small strokes. I myself have not been able to claim any benefits as I was very unwell until about february but not considered sick enough to work. I have a genetic joint complaint which often flares badly and had developed TMJ which is only now finally improving after 2 and a half years of agonising pain. I was also caring for my mother which aggravates my joint condition as I find it physically difficult sometimes. I have not been able to get jobseekers or ESA as they wanted me to either do voluntary placement in a supermarket which I can't physically do or go on a full time training course.
I can't leave my mother alone as she is sometimes a danger to herself, she can scarcely walk most of the time, she cannot get a meal for herself, she cannot bathe without supervision and help getting dressed. She gets all stress and anxious which is part of the dementia.
I was in a position that I either leave my mum with no care and get £45 a week (because I'm 23) or stay and care for and get nought. I've been told I can't apply for carer's allowance until she sucessfully claims PIP.
I think the system is very wrong, if we could get some extra money I could perhaps get a little part time job and pay someone to care for her when I'm not there. Our bathroom is in a right state as she has been ill for bout 7 years, she has arthritis in legs, feet and back, diabetes, sleep disorder and depression. I've been told by our council that I cannot get any sort of grant to help with a disabled bathroom until she gets that benefit. Also we could get a reduction in rates maybe because I have to live at home to provide care otherwise I probably would have moved out by now. But this is holding it up.
I am in horrible predicament because she feels it is her fault, she's a burden and I am sacrificing my future, career and love life for her. It isn't her fault at all. Fortunately I have just a little bit of savings, so have lived on about £100- £150 a month on average which I have bought food, household items, toiletries, supports and special shoes for mum, pay for phone, internet, tv, and sometimes still give a bit of money if she is short for bills.I know there are food banks but she would never forgive me if I used one as she feels it is degrading and we should leave them for people who are more desperate than us like the homeless.
Hopefully they will get it together and stop making disabled people endure more suffering than necessary. It is quite ridiculous to think that these people at dwp and atos are paid with taxpayer's money but have no feeling for anyone and do virtually nothing. I feel taxpayers money should be prioritised to be spent on helping people who are sick or disabled lead a better quality of life and give them acess to better medical treatments and equipment/disability aids. After all any single one of us could end up disabled or develop a longterm illness so it is extremely important for the goverment to sort it out sooner rather than later.
I have applied for this pip back 2013 November and I have had no response to the form and I am, fed up with trying to live like I am.
I applied in november as well , still waiting for face to face assesment and got my mp involved. Still no appointment !! The system is a joke .
we put my wifes claim last august and we are also still wating to hear
it s taken 7 months for my chronically ill son to b assessed , they have cancelled the home appointment 4 times an finally came on the fifth , now june still aven t had a decision , they finally came on the 6th of may ,god knows how long we got to wait for a decision , this whole system is crap
I filled my form in and sent it off in august 2013 got told it would take no longer than 12 weeks fir the full process to be finished but it took me ringing the dip and atos everyday from November 2013 then finally got an assessment date for end of March 2014, I am now waiting on a decision from if I qualify for it or not, I rang up a few days ago to be told the hare waiting on a decision to be made and could take up to the 13th of June 2014 it's been nearly 10 months I just wish they would be a but quicker.
I've been waiting since May 2013. Tried calling Atos but they just say "no idea how long you have to wait" every time. Could you let me know the numbers you called please & did you say anything in particular or just plead for some action!?! Appreciate it if you could. Thx.
Wow, I thought I'd been waiting long. I applied in August 2013, still haven't had an assessment.
I applied for PIP in October last year, and only had my assessment in March, and now I am waiting for them to make a decision.
I put a PIP form in on the 13th April 2014 and I am still waiting to hear which is stressing me out. I was hoping to get it sorted by the time DLA end date which is the 15th July 2014. I don't even know if the DLA will extend my DLA until PIP is sorted.
I have severe to profound hearing loss, borderline personality disorder, post traumatic stress, OCD, severe depression, sleep disorder, over active bladder, IBS, bronchitis asthma, dyslexic, dyscalius, fibromyalgia syndrome,panic and anxiety attacks and there also the side effects from the 14 different medication.
I am getting fed up of waiting this is not how to run things at all and it seems to be the disabled who suffer.
Had my face to face assessment to day at my home with capata the lady was very nice made me feel comfortable was the same questions on the form really said I will know within two weeks hopefully so fingers crossed I will keep you all up dated
hope it was good news? i went for my asessment 2 weeks ago atos recieved my info 2 days after the assesment said it wouldnt take too long for a desision i really hope they hurry iv been waiting 10 months.
I have been waiting since October last year
My husband webt into accute heart failure in april last year. I applied for pip in the june and he eventually got the standard rate in November. Unfortunately his condition has worsened this year so asked dwp if hr could have another assesment as he unable to walk now. Thinking that he may now go on to the higher rate. How wrong I was. Dwp told me via phone call because this pip is a new benefit they don't have a claim form for when your condition worsens. So they have now cancelled his standard rate pip monies and have now been treated as a new claimant. Have been told there is a 26 week waiting time just to have the assessment that's before they make you wait months for their decision. My husband is 61 years old and worked all his life since he was 14 yr old and this is how he id treated. I don't even no if he will still be alive next year. Its disgusting.!!!
My son in law has been waiting since novemember last year for an assessment he has severe epilepsy, my daughter cares for him but they are struggling financially. Twice he has had to be admitted to hospital overnight in that time.
I had my assessment earlier this month and i'm still waiting to hear back, I'm 19 and I've been here since 4am reading all of your stories, I hope everything goes well for all of you.
I haven't left my house without a carer since I was 13, The few times I have left the house alone was with heavy doses of Benzodiazepines and even then the police brought me back on many occasions because I'd end up getting lost or hurt myself, I don't think i'll ever be able to lead a fully functional life which is sad because I want the full human experience of going to work and making friends, I don't like living off of handouts but right now I have no other choice.
What upset me the most was during the assessment I was wearing a Jimi Hendrix t-shirt with a psychedelic design, I have never taken drugs, I just really like rock music, However since I was wearing a psychedelic style shirt the assessor thought it was appropriate to ask if I used drugs frequently throughout the assessment while continuously making remarks to draw attention towards my shirt.
I honestly don't know what I'd do if I had to live on no money because I use it to pay for support throughout the week as well as essentials needed to live and medical products, Once again I wish all of you the best of luck and will keep you updated with what happens.
Take care!
I had my assisment to say the lady asked me the same question but was very nice about it my reply was simple no I. Already take 160 mg morphine a day plus others wouldn't need any more drugs lol good luck hope you get it sorted if you don't mind me asking what are your medical conditions is there any mental health ? Thanks
Been waiting two months now herd nothing same story still under review had a letter from my doctor asking to book a appotment to fill in my health and well being form I'm assuming this is from pip any idea what this is has any one else had to do this ….?
My sister applied for pip in february after being very very ill for over a year, I had to telephone to make sure that her application had been received, as she had no acknowledgement. She and her husband were forced to put the house that they had worked all their lives for (she as a nurse and carer for much of the time) up for sale, because she could barely walk let alone work!! She died from her condition on Saturday, The people of this once compassionate country should hang their heads in shame, I have no doubt that the people working on the other end of the claim line are well paid and that the assessors are better paid, once again we have people being paid well for a job that they are failing to do, or are they? Could it be that they are hoping people will die before their claim is dealt with!!! I hope to start a petition to try and get this issue dealt with.Please help if you can.
Hi janet I'm very sorry for you're loss, my condolences. I would like to help you in any way I can, its disgraceful the way we are all treated. I have my assessment tomorrow morning after waiting jst over 8 months just to hear anything back from them.
My email shud u want to contact me ( email@example.com )
My claim started on 08.07.2013, I finally got a face-to-face assessment on 23.04.2014.
I rang them yesterday to check whether any decision has been made and was told I have to wait 'a bit' longer. I suffer with Fibromyalgia, anxiety, depression and stomach reflux & hiatus hernia.
The last 2 might sound irrelevant to PIP, it certainly did to the ATOS professional, but it actually matters a lot. If I'm in too much pain (because of Fibro), which gets my motivation very very low (depression kicks in), I am unable then to prepare, cook or eat a meal, and if I don't eat regularly (small portions every 3 hours) then the refluxes kick in and I'm in so much pain I start vomiting, at which point i can't eat, i just have to go throughout the agony which will exhaust me so I fall asleep and as soon as i wake up i need to eat asap so the process doesn't repeat.
The health care professional was very dismissive of this issue.
Hi kat
I have similar issues to you and was just wondering if your claim was successful? Thank you
My partner applied for PIP in september 2013 as her health got so bad she was forced to quit work. after a number of phone calls to ATOS, we visited CAB who were very understanding but explained unfortunately there's not much they can really do apart from contact them, but of course they were told the same as us 'no appointments in your area yet and on the waiting list for an assessment' my partner has Fibromyalgia, severe depression, anxiety, OCD, multiple tic disorder etc. She receives ESA (support group) I had to quit my job too in order to care for her full time. Im not entitled to anything as she isn't receiving PIP yet and we have had to borrow a vast amount of money from family to get us by and buy items to help with her health. We're both effected by the stress of this all everyday and close to our money completely gone with no more family able to help us. It's a complete joke how they expect people with disabilities to meet basic living needs for a ridiculous period of time without any financial help.
I have been waiting for an assessment since November 2013. DWP say ring Atos. Atos do nothing. Theres nothing I can do, I dont just need the money, but I need care as well. Im genuinely convinced now that theyre (DWP) hoping the ill either give up or die waiting. I cannot comprehend why there is no public outcry over this. All hope has gone for me, especially as I joined the zero point club at my initial Atos assesment for IB (8 mth wait for appeal, and won). It going to take years for ANY money to come through, nevermind care. All hope has gone…..
I applied in September 2013 because of osteo arthritis. I received a letter middle of January from Capita asking me to choose dates between 31st Dec 2013 and 4th Jan 2014 when I would be available for an interview. After many phone calls, being lied to about on site parking etc, I finally had a face to face at home on 31st March 2014. Still waiting to hear about a decision.
How is this new system saving the tax payer anything? DLA would take three months at most. This is just a shambles.
I have been waiting since last October for my PIPS assessment; they know I need one but they just can't give me an appointment… this has a knock on effect of preventing me and my family from claiming other benefits (eg attendance allowance) which unfortunately is leaving us vulnerable to financial poverty
Hi sorry to hear abt ur sittuation is it a home visit u have requested as mine took 7 months then thay came to see ne but my report got sent back really quickl from what other people have said its been takeing months i wauld sugest u keep ringing them x
I put in a claim for pip in August 2013. I had not heard anything by march this
year so rang and they said I am on the list for an assessment and should hear soon.
still no letter or anything. I had vulva cancer. suffering from lymphodema and side effects of radiotherapy.
can hardly walk sometimes. I am in pain every day due to ulcerations and genital lymphodema.
I have severe irlen syndrome, asthma and social anxiety.
I struggle with everyday life. Im 16yrs old and even getting on a 10min bus rode to college everyday is a huge task for me. Im constantly stuck in my room and id love to go out and spend time with my friends. I cant go out when its summer, because i get constant migraines and high levels of stress due to brightness of outside.
My diagnostics has concern for me, and she has put me down for and irlen glasses test. But unfortunately i can not afford these glasses (£289.50).
I have sent out my pip form along with a report, a docotrs report on my anxiety and my inhalor box.
This was 2months ago (March 22nd).
Ive still not heard off them.
Anyone one know how long i will hear from them? 🙁
Hi I am put a claim in dec 2013 for my severe asthma, steroid dependent, bi-basal and central bronchiectasis.
I have cancer & I have been waiting since October 2013. I have rang them every week & finally sort help from my local MP. Thanks largely to him, I have finally got an assessment on 17 June. Every time I rang they just said no appointment yet, it is almost a year since I last had Disability money & no guarantee I will get it back. Keep on at them but it will normally take months & if need be contact your local MP like I did. Good Luck x
just thought i wauld share my experience with pip i put a claim in october of 2013had my assesment on the 29th of april this year pip got my assement back on the 2nd of may i have runf them to day but still no still no decione as yet .x
Hi the PIP process is a complete joke. My father has been waiting on a decision now since last year. My mother looks after him and is unable to work due this and they are only getting ESA. They waited 26weeks then called then were told they had to wait another 3 weeks (that time was up last week) called them last Monday and was told to give them yet another week as everything is there but no decision has been made yet. Called today and yet again no decision made and we were simply told to wait another 2-3 weeks. Please does anyone no why this is taking so long and if there is anyone else we can speak to as I feel this is completely ridiculous.
For anyone reading I have an update about my fathers pips claim.
We have contacted to office of our local MP who have been really helpful. They have taken all of the details and are contacting DWP on our behalf to push for an answer. Hopefully this will give us an answer quicker. I will post again to give an update
Been on sick since 6/5/12 ( only 40 percent of lung capacity ) still awaiting atos assessment
how long do you have to be on sick lines before they do any action?
hi ,my husband Robert became very ill at xmas he had got to give up work,he is 64 this june. they told him it was bile duct cancer and had to have an op in leeds to remove most of his internal organs, we put in for pip in jan this year ,we still have not had a letter and when we rang up they told us it can take 24 weeks for a letter then an assessment could be 18 months, we waited another month NO letter so I rang again and they said they would send one out I told them I wanted to speak to a supervisor but they told me somebody would ring me in 5 days .yep you guessed it its now 5 days no call .I am starting a video diary about this pip it sucks.my hubby underwent a 7 hour op on Monday to try remove the cancer he worked every day as have I ,and this is how we get treated am sick to death with the system and sick of pip.as soon as my hubby gets well am going to be kicking off big time ,hang your heads in shame pip.
I rang the DWP to see how long my claim would take and was told at least 26 weeks before I even get to hear about getting an assessment with ATOS health.
Something is very wrong with this system and people who desperately need the money for help are missing out and suffering as a result. Unless you are long term sick you have no idea how much your lifestyle changes, how quickly you become isolated and dependant on others for help and charity and as a result how depressed and low you eventually become to the point you just feel like not bothering to claim, or alternativly you condition gets so bad you die. Possibly this is the intention of the new system, it certainly is not person focused, kind or caring :-))
I applied for pip as I had been advised to by numerous people inc someone from the DWP.
I have had agoraphobia,anxiety issues re abuse since childhood inc rape,broken bones,burgled 3 times.
Frozen shoulder in both arms.Arthritis,osteoporitis.Severe blinding sickening migraines.Depression.Incontinence.Ocd.GORD.
I applied last yr and received an interview recently.
Embarrassing to say the least.
I cannot bathe as I'm unable to get in and out of the bath.I'm unable to reach to wash parts which now smell,sore,chafe.No one to help me dress.Have been braless for over a year,and 42gg.Awful sight.
Can't cook or hold a brush to make myself presentable.Gained 4 stone by no exercise and eating quick non cooked food like buns,fruit,cereal,carbs based rubbish.Have a person who takes me on a quiet day to bank,shop,chemist for meds on prescription inc pain killers.All this once a month only 🙁 …….I've eaten nothing for days sometimes.Seen no one for 4 weeks.Non one works to care for someone for nothing unless its family,friends.As a recluse I've no one.Still waiting to see if I'm worthy of pip.
i really sympathised with your case, i am so mouved by your story, its is very expensive city, you are aware of they (government) taxing everything like food, transport, clothing, house, road, no one couldn't work for free. i am disabled and looking for work like cleaner and would like to help if we could help each other what do you say give me a shout
I've been turned down for pip !!!
Haven't left my home alone since 1994.Have been assisted every time since then.Haven't bathed in my bath since my inability to get in and out.I'm allways assisted with flannel washing instead,washing hair,dressing,cooking,bed making,housework.Agoraphobia,panic attacks,social phobia,mobility problems,incontinence both ways.Yet I'm not able to be worthy of pip it seems.My injuries have changed my life further inc my health.Getting pip would enable me to have someone cook for me more often instead of me eating uncooked cold food.It would enable me to be taken and assisted more often outside when I need to buy something.I'm stuck in until I'm assisted.I'm not assisted as much as I need due to costs to myself.This is encouraging me to be more of a recluse.Pip would give me more independence.Give me some hope back.I feel like giving up now.
Now being re referred
Have any of you had a decision yet!!? My oh applied beginning of July last year and still no decision
I also applied last july (17th) rang again this morning to be told its with the assessor who did my interview in January still, told the man on other end I was told 2 weeks ago it was now in a pile for the file to be looked out because they have got more staff, he replied 'you shouldn't have been told that'.
Over the weekend my 11 year old son was having to get me up off the floor because I was having to crawl due to the pain in my back & hips.
Have had enough now, operation on disc's not worked & consultant said he won't operate again, fluid on my hip which they won't drain, tried drugs which don't work, already had depression which is now worse, hardly leave the house.
Have told them this morning I want to make a complaint.
My husband has pulmonary fibrosis and is deteriorating more rapidly than his respiratory team envisaged. C.A.B. worker completed a PIP claim for him in December 2013 and we had phone confirmation that the claim had been received.
We have now been given an end of life care plan to complete and still no word re his claim. We don't meet the criteria for Carer's Allowance or any other support as I have a pension. We used savings to buy a bed and fit a walk in shower downstairs as he can no longer get upstairs. What happens to his claim if he dies before they actually get around to dealing with it? I can't afford to pay for personal care and our visiting medical team only provide medical care.
People struggle enough when facing ill health and disability without the additional stress of trying to actually get what they have paid for throughout almost 40 years (each!) of full employment.
Hello. I am so sorry for your situation. My parents were in a similar one, their pension was a couple of pounds over the limit where you can apply for any other help and they had to go to army charities (dad was in army decades ago) to get help for things at home (mum was terminally ill, on oxygen and had no legs). But if you are doing an end of life plan (please forgive me for being personal) then you should be entitled to get rushed through the process on 'exceptional circumstances'. My mum was told she may not live longer than 6 months so she applied, with help, and it took days literally, to be processed. Fortunately she was with us for a further couple of years but if someone is terminally ill (so sorry) you are fast tracked within 14 days I think. Personally I have applied after suffering chronic illness for years and so far waited ten months, still not seen yet. I wish you all the best.
My son has Aspergers and Neurological Nystagmus and was in receipt of DLA. When he reached 16 his money was stopped and he was told to apply for PIP. That was 1st July, 2013. After many phone calls an appointment was made for December for Atos but they failed to attend blaming DWP for giving them an incorrect contact number (DWP dispute this). A further appointment was made and cancelled and we finally saw them at the end if January.
This was a 24 min assessment as my son became distressed so they finished it early. It was carried out by a nurse who didn't examine or ask any questions about my sons eyes or ask about his ASD. It took her four weeks to provide her report even though she was typing it when we were there and decided that he was a normal teenager with no visual impairments. He was given 0 points. I have asked for a review.
MY ADVICE to anyone starting the process is to send all paperwork, medical reports etc with your application as Atos don't often even contact your medical team. My son's decision and many others have been purely based on the short assessment with, quite often, a health professional with no experience if their condition. Also print off a copy of the PIP points system and be guided by that.
I suffer from M.E or post viral fatigue syndrome.
I applied after FINALLY admitting that I needed help
I was immediately given ESA (support group) for ATOS (I nearly fainted that I did not have to appeal!)
I applied for PIP on Dec 6th 2013
I got an appointment for an interview with CAPITA for the 28th of Jan 2014
No one turned up…. no Call, no E-mail no nothing to say why, or to re-arrange
Due to my situation I then forgot about the interview, sleeping a lot tends to do that, and when awake you just need to do things that are REALLY important like getting food., or paying the rent etc
I eventually found the appointment letter again, E-mailed Capita and got a new date for the 6th of May, thankfully they actually arrived this time so now it is just a case of waiting for the DWP.
I have received no apology from Capita for the lack of attendance on the 28th of Jan, I did not even ghet an acknowledgement of my E-mail, just the new appointment
i had the same problem, it took 3 times to get capita to come out, finally dec last yr some lady did.. the first 2 appointments no body turned up. i felt like nobody cares about the disabled, unless you got no limbs theyll make you work. i didnt expect me to be ill im 47, but it has..
i suffer with anxiety and this has made me so ill on top of having other phyisical illness.
wheres our human rights, they need to stop this and go back to how it was. i cant sleep i have had housing benifit etc stopped, now i finally am going on to support allowance. but all this change over makes me so ill.
i struggle with making calls im so anxious, i talk my self out of ringing .. i have nobody to help me.
Capita are no better every time you call its a different story I have put a complaint in not sure that will even be sorted out I'm really confused they all seem as if there trained to lie. I've only been waiting two months but got no where it seems very stupid do they back date the money when if they finally sort things out I'm struggling to work only part time now it's a struggle
my daughter was recieveing DLA for depression, mental health issues and aspurgus until she turned 16 when it suddenly stopped with no warning. I phoned DLA who told me she would now have to claim PIP. I filled out forms and sent them back in dec 2013 and she is still waiting today. I don't get any money for her and im on benefits myself. PIP is supposed to help my daughter in her life yet all this has done is cause a lot of stress for all of us. I have had to turn to the foodbank and had to sell things I own to survive day to day and my daughter once again stays in her room every day all day
I think its a disgrace that people who need help are having to wait so long for it.
Hi Elaine.I was wondering if perhaps you should approach your local social services for support with your daughter.Asperges doesnt just go away at 16.Maybe they can put you in touch with a support group.I can sympathise with you as I have an 18 year old daughter who has Lupus and inflammatory athritis.She hasnt heard anything with regards to her PIP claim after months either.Take care anyway Caroline x…
My wife applied for PIP having epilepsy and back problems going back many years after a bike accident. This was 13th September, her forms were passed to ATOS within 2 weeks and they put her on the waiting list for a face to face, today 16th April she is still awaiting an appointment. Despite many phone calls to ATOS we get the usual "sorry there's no cancellations, but you are moving up the waiting list". It seems this is the norm for many people yet nothing can be done and there is nobody you can turn to to air your complaint, DWP just say it's all on ATOS and they have no say in the matter!!
Update 07/05/14 Contacted my local MP Charlie Elphicke who replied by letter to simply state he applauded the work i done as a carer for my wife and that he was aware of the long waiting times and was monitoring it. So much for getting your local MP's help!!!!
I made my initial claim for pip at the end of June 2013. I have Crohns disease and had a large part of my bowel removed five years ago which has resulted in a huge impact to my day to day living. I am now being treated for stress and anxiety, I believe as a direct result of this appalling system. Three weeks ago I was told by the DWP that I would be hearing within three weeks. This morning I phoned and was told my claim was awaiting a decision and it would take another week to process. This appallingly chaotic system needs to be thoroughly investigated as my experience has been an utter shambles from the beginning…and I haven't even began to mention my treatment at the hands of ATOS !
I have been waiting for an ATOS medical since August 2013.I have 2 arthritic discs,2 bulging discs and a lateral tear. I am on all sorts of pain killers including powerful patches. Manchester Social Services have been very helpful and made adaptations to my home and given me a blue badge.
Unfortunately such is my condition I can not even get up the stairs any more. I have moved my bed in to the living room.
After waiting 8 months for an ATOS medical I wrote to my MP John Leech and the Disabled people minister Mike Penning for their support.
On the 23rd April 2014 I received a reply from my MP John Leech. The next day I received a telephone call from ATOS to inform me they would be in touch within 7 days to arrange a medical. They arranged for me to receive a home visit on the 7th May between 1030 am and 1200pm.
I sat waiting with my husband for ATOS to arrive to conduct the medical on me. At 1210pm it was obvious that nobody was going to call.
I telephoned ATOS on 03003300120 to inform them nobody had attended my home address. I was informed that somebody from ATOS had called and knocked for 20 minutes and had rang my home telephone number. This was a blatant lie I informed the operator. My bed is in the living room next to the front door and I was sat with my husband. Nobody had called at my home address. I had only waited a further 10 minutes after the allotted appointment time to telephone them. Why would I do this ?,I am housebound. I burst out crying on the telephone, I couldn't believe someone would blatantly tell lies. This person lying is the one who was going to give me my medical assessment.
I was informed by ATOS that a note would now be put on the computer screen to say I was not at home and could not be contacted. Obviously. I was so upset I was absolutely devastated.
I immediately telephoned my helpful MP John Leech within the hour. And someone called Chris is going to endeavour to contact ATOS.I also immediately contacted the DWP to inform them that I had not missed any medical, that I was at home. The lady I spoke to at the DWP was called Nicola and she agreed it made no sense considering i was telephoning everyone within minutes off 1200pm.She said there is a PIP complaints procedure she will be activating a complaint on my behalf that will take up to 5 days.
I will be accessing my online BT Telephone record and printing off the incoming calls for today as evidence and sending them to the relevant people.
I am still terribly upset and in a state of shock that an ATOS employee could completely fabricate a failed home appointment they way this person has done. The stress of it all is becoming too much, I am struggling to get by and need more financial help. I am genuinely disabled. I have the full support off my GP/Hospital. I am at my wits end with it all. I really am in a state of shock.
I have heard this happen a few times to other people. I doubt they were even going to visit you on that day. Personally I don't think they have enough staff to do the amount of assessments.
They should never had changed from DLA.
Surely these waits must be against some European law? Everything else is. I have breast cancer as well as fibromyalgia and anxiety, I have been waiting since Jan and have been told it will be 6 months before I even hear about my pip claim, could be doing with the financial help now to buy in some care services. Total disgrace and an issue which requires immediate action. First time I have ever made a claim, appauled by this governments treatment of the sick, they aught to hang their heads in shame. I am not destitute so not in financial hardship, however as previously stated could do with the help now.
I applied for PIP on August 26th 2013 and am STILL awaiting assessment. ATOS have had my paperwork since 19th September 2013 and to date still haven't contacted my consultant. I have lumbar degenerative disc disease and my situation has deteriorated since I had two spinal procedures last year. I call ATOS every two weeks and am told that I am on a waiting list. I have now waited 37 weeks and have not even received an acknowledgement. This is totally and utterly unacceptable. I have contacted the DLA on numerous occasions to update them on how my situation is worsening, but am told there is nothing they can do. ATOS are contracted by the government so it is within the governments power to deal with ATOS. I have also heard horrendous things about the assessment itself and have been told that they are conducted by people who aren't medically qualified. It's no wonder ATOS staff are being abused! People are sick to death of hearing their excuses and dealing with their unprofessionalism.
hi so sorry for you,ive read al of these comments
, and its pretty obvious to me that the goverment new policy on claiments is to break them down,yes hope people crack up,and go away its disgracefull,dogs are treat with more respect,
i have put claim in ,for pip have rhumartiod arthritis in my neck goes into spasm, cant move my head still not heard anything.
Hello everyone. I've read some of these comments and appalled by the long delays. I have been waiting since December 2013. I have several conditions but my most notable (and the ignorance of this condition is so frustrating) dissociative Identity Disorder A.K.A d.i.d. and formerly known as Multiple personality disorder M.P.D I have poor kidneys, asthma and several other conditions that always pop up in interviews and i see the discrimination disguised in things like fear, false understanding or jokes. I have ha the book past so many times. I have 'switched' in the Job centre and can't receive benefit (still don't recall what truly happened, after blackout which is a clear indication I switched into another alter). I am qualified as a chef but qualifications are scribbled that don't help you. I have been on JSA then ESA then JSA then back to ESA to apply for PIP and wait 5 months with no peace of mind. I have found disgraceful articles relating to death counts due to or after going for assessment. I had looked after a girl who's mind was more balanced but she couldn't do any psychical things like lifting etc as she had a fused spine and several other serious conditions. I hope everyone gets the needed and help your entitled for. This is disgusting to everyone and elitist behaviour against the disabled and poor needs to stop. Sorry for the long winded message I can understand but never fully know all if your pain.
I suffer from PTSD and went for an assessment around 5 weeks ago! To be honest it was a difficult and degrading place to go to and to deal with! I could prepare myself for the interview as my head was all over the place and I was extremely nervous, anxious and stressed before! During the interview, I became extremely emotional due to the nature of the questions asked and found it difficult to communicate. When the interview was over it set me back months as I slipped back and to this day still struggle to keep a level head!
I contacted DWP last week regarding my claim and decision and been told that it is with the decision makers and could take another 3-6 weeks! Again this stresses me as I just want to know whether I am getting this or not! If I don't get this I know I have the right to an appeal, but I am not sure I can cope with the added stress and more lengthy wait to be awarded. I think that the way the system is set out doesn't work and I feel that they should assess people on an individual basis and in certain categories where very like the ESA system if there is a valid reason why you are not employable you go onto support rate, like I am on. I came off ESA several times over past 2 years to try and work, but the PTSD took hold and I couldn't sustain employment.
I can only hope the government gets their act together and stops penalising those who genuinely need this extra help. Support wise from DWP is Nada too. Thanks and good luck with your documentary!
I have adhd, ocd, tourettes syndrome, social anxiety, depression and a high resting pulse and take beta blockers. I find it nearly impossible to go out I have been waiting since june 10th 2014 its now may 2nd 2014 !! they told me they have the report back and will make a decision within 3 weeks it is now 3 weeks 2 days and now there telling me 4 weeks
I am suffering from Breast Cancer, it is my third time of having this. The Assessment Centre has had my form since 10 October 2013. I also got the doctor to write a letter which I sent with the form. I have been ringing them for weeks with no joy. My local MP wrote to some Director to find out why it is taking so long, but we
didn't get a reply. I now keep going into the red in my bank account when the rent is due, because I have had to cut my hours down due to the medication tiring me out. I am still paying rent & Council Tax & although I will get my money back dated, I will not get back all the Council Tax & rent I have had to pay! This is doing my head in now & the stress does not help my situation! Thank you for listening.
my son had a brain tumour removed in december 2013 he had been on dla for epilepsy until may 2013 where i had to fill forms in to renew it , he was turned down then he had this tumour which i in formed the dwp
so far capita have cancelled 3 appointments at my home since january this year 2014 , the next appointment is supposed to be on the 6th of may 2014 my son has been diagnosed with a rare brAIn disease called pituitary xonthagranuloma which i am told is very rare for his age
I suffer from walking difficulties where I can only walk so far before I start getting really bad pains in my hips and legs, & need help getting in and out of the bath, I am only 23 and really cant hack the pain, which some days the pain is dreadful, and I'm taking pain killers every 4 hours and constantly having backache because how I walk, I also suffer from IBS, depression and anxity ( don't no how to spell it) because of people taking the mik because how I walk,, I made my PIP claim in June 2013 and after having my appointments cancelled 4/5 times because of having needing a home visit, finally had my assessment the 12th march 2014, the assessor could tell from how I walk I have a condition, and was told that her opinion she could see why I wouldn't be able to claim PIP, 7 weeks on I still haven't heard anything, I've been told to phone up about the decision of my claim, does anyone know how long it takes for a dicision to come back?
don t know lovely but i have been waitin for a decision about my son s brain tumour for nearly a year it s crazy capita keep cancellin appointments an makin stupid excuses
I hear a lot of problems about atos not much about capita they received my paper work 7th April and said they would be sorting a assessment out soon how soon we will see and I will keep you all up dated but defo agree its a joke of a system good luck guys
I must say I was lucky – looking at your comments 🙁 I sent out filled form for PIP on the 10th of January 2014. My ATOS face to face consultation was on the 31st of March. I got the letter from DWP dated 18th April – saying that there is a delay and apologising. they said they have all the stuff from ATOS and will contact me as soon as the have made the decision.
The people at ATOS in Glasgow were really nice.
The people of Scotland are very nice lol been a few times love it and yeh seems to be luck of the straw I think hope it Allgoes well let us no x
ive heard nothing since nov 2013 and im in Scotland
I'm in Dundee and been waiting since 2nd dec 2013 so Scotland not as good as some people are saying,
Maybe for others good luck, I'm losing the will to live now ….
I sent my claim form in on 27th October 2013, after waiting 3 months I rang the DWP who advised that they sent ATOS my form on 2nd November, I then rang ATOS and was advised that there is a delay and that they need to assess me and would send me a cancellation in due course. I rang them again last week and they have now sent me out a complaints procedure. I feel that I shouldn't have to fill this in, they should be doing their job and have seen me by now. I do appreciate that they have a lot of work on their plate, but if I used that excuse at work, well I probably wouldn't have a job now. This payment is supposed to make life easier, all I can see is that it is causing people more stress and when you are ill, stress is the last thing you need!
Hi Sally, I agree with you! It's shocking the amount of time we are having to wait, keep ringing until you get a cancellation otherwise you will be waiting weeks maybe months. It's interesting to note that no other benefit make the applicants wait this long or go through assessments etc. it's bad enough being disabled or having a long term health condition without having to prove we are telling the truth?! I can understand the need for it though to cut down on fraud…but honestly why the delays and why are we not even getting an update letter as a matter of curtesy… if you ring to chase it up, you just get the same old jargon told to you, it's as if you are an inconvenience…perhaps they are trying to frustrate us into giving up the claim??!! Enough is enough something really has to be done about the delays… Please please someone in power hear her pleas and frustrations…HELP US PLEASE!
I had an accident going back to December 2012, lost vision in both eyes. I reluctantly decided to claim PIP i i had at this point no income.
This is what i experienced, Claimed PIP around August 2013, i got a form to complete, which i did and returned to ATOS in September2013.
Waited and waited and waited, in April 2014 i was told i would require surgery now i needed help urgently as i would lose my vision for quite sometime before it got better.
ATOS fobbed my off over the 5 months.
I decided to write to my MP and the department of Health, Emailed letters outlining my wait on 10th April 2014 and surprise surprise i got a call from ATOS on 11th April 2014. Medical arranged for the next day.
Please if you are waiting longer than 3 months you should email the Department of Health & your local MP.
You have every right to fair treatment, i have worked all my life and did not want to claim. When i was injured i tried to continue with my job and this was stopped due to my vision.
When i did attend the ATOS appointment the waiting room was empty, that,s odd hmm mm NO Comment.
I am very concerned for all disabled people who require help, they cannot possibly wait months on end, I was lucky my family helped me otherwise if i had no one to turn to i would have probably suffered in silence.
Thank you, good luck.
hi I put a claim in for my partner in june 2013 only got seen in feb 2014 only because I got a solicitor to chase them up phone 2-3 times a week to pester them I phoned last Friday and was told he had been awarded pip and to wait for a letter and was going to get back pay haven't received letter yet or back pay will be contacting them in morning if still nothing so far been waiting 10 months
my partner applied for pip in oct 2013 and hes still waiting for an essesment now nearly 7 month later, its a joke, when he rings he gets told hes still in the queue for an essesment.
I put in a claim for pip in September 2013 and keep being told by ATOS is it awaiting an assessment appointment in my area. I really think that they hope you either get better or die before they have to deal with you. I was told the last time I phoned and chased it up that they can't cope because the system wasn't ready before the Gov made the switch over! I am not really expecting to be successful with the claim as the more I read about PIP i.e. people with cancer and no limbs etc being turned away I ask myself are there any successful applicants anymore plus the people who asseess you aren't even medically trained so how would they know what each individual person is going through on a day to day basis. The whole thing is a joke but it is an easy target benefit!
my partner had to wait 9 months before he got to see atos and they are people with out any medical experience we had to travel from Southampton to Portsmouth to be seen and had to get a taxie as I don't drive been told he has now been awarded it after 10 months but still no letter or backpay
I applied for PIP on the 09th September 2013. The DWP sent my paperwork to ATOS on the 23 October 2014, I finally had my assessment on 11th March 2014. I was told at the assessment that my paperwork would be sent back to the DWP in a couple of weeks. I rang in a couple of weeks to be told the paperwork is sent back to ATOS and not DWp. I then rang ATOS to be told that it had to be checked before being sent back to the DWP, I asked how long this would take and was told a maximum of 6 weeks. I rang up on Tuesday to check that my paperwork was back with the DWP as that was 6 weeks and was told it wasn't. ATOS, said it was due to the bank holidays.
I sent a complaints e mail to Atos 20.02.2014 their complaints leaflets state you will get a reply in 20 working days so I should have had a reply by March 20th rang Atos today – 16.04.2014 and asked why I had not had a reply I was told that there was a computer issue, I rang several days later re my assessment and asked about the e mail complaint, I was told that they had a "new team dealing with complaints and that if I emailed again that I would probably get a reply, as they were dealt with in strict date order. When I said I hadn't had a reply from my first e mail they said I probably would if I emailed again.
The DWP PIP helpline now states that claims are taking up to 26 weeks to process, as of the 22.04.14 it was 32 weeks. I have also been told that when the DWP get the paperwork back they try to get a decision made in 3 weeks. At this moment I can not see me getting a decision anytime soon. Even my local MP has been unable to help.
I had to move out of my 3 storey house and move into a bungalow due to my mobility/health problems, I can only claim ESA. I claimed ESA in Oct 2013 and it went into payment within the week, my paperwork was assessed by ATOS (different dept) by the beginning of Dec 2013 that I was put into the support group.
I own a 3 storey house which I rent out to cover my mortgage, because of this we can not claim any other benefits. My husband is my main carer, he can not claim carers allowance until I have a decision on my PIP claim. He will also only be allowed a 3 month back date. Therefore, despite having always worked and never claimed benefits we have to live on a very small amount of money each week because of the failings of the new benefit system. As PIP is a new benefit, they have no timescales to keep to, so. in theory, we could all still be in the same situation 6 months on.
On the whole I find the whole process stressful, inadequate and also makes me realise why people do not claim benefits. I was advised by my GP to apply for these benefits, I don't understand why the word of a GP or a consultant, on the abilities of someone they see on a regular basis are not enough, as opposed to a physiotherapist who you have never met before and see for an hour is the basis for this benefit.
We have been waitng now 10 months and are in the same boat as everyone here, can't stand the stress of it all it's just not fair to put us all through all this waitng we all need closure
Does it get back dated if your awarded pip
I have been informed (By the DWP) that if awarded PIP will be backdated to the date of the ORIGINAL claim made – my case 6th of December 2013.
I applied 17th july 13 had my assessment in Birmingham due to no appts in Coventry, my son took me for my assessment, (nice gentleman did interview), good job I took my consultants letters with me as he didn't have copies of the one's I sent to DWP.
He told me he would submit my claim and to ring DWP at end of January, still no answer, keep ringing Capita to be told its waiting for a Senior Professional to look at it, also told its there fault for delay and the longer it takes might be a better result for me!!!!!!!!!
Keep ringing to be told the same answer.
In so much pain and because I can't get out getting more depressed
I applied for PIP October 2013, I haven't heard anything at all. I've called a few times to be told that my claim was with ATOS. The last call I made 2months ago told me that I need to attend a face to face as yet no appointment has been given. I'm not sure how I will cope with that, I have bipolar II disorder and suffer anxiety meeting new people and when in unknown/strange environments.
I have had to cut my hours to remain in work, my employer has made me attend a few case conferences with regard to my attendance at work and how my condition affects me at work. This in itself is stressful as I feel that I am always at risk of losing my job completely because of my condition.
Hi Ade-I have also got bi-polar and after several years of many failed attempts of sustaining a job I finally had to `throw in the towel".I was keen to work but found that I became a victim of my own distorted thoughts about the way other people were towards me.I felt that i was being `picked out`,criticized,blamed for things going wrong and it was all in my head -Once I was in that self-distructing train of thought (which I was unable to change as i felt it was real to me) I would turn into a mouse-like , timid, stressed- out `child-like`individual, with no self-confidence and confused about what to do next.`Time to go` I would think to myself- so yet another job bites the dust>a few months time of feeling guilty that i was not `doing my bit` towards the financial needs of the family I would have the delusion that i STILL HAD SOMETHING TO OFFER to the rat-race—so finding a job fairly quickly (I am a nurse and there are lots of jobs available especially in private-owned nursing homes;-sounds great for prospects but is like getting a death sentence ) – so yes you guess right! yet another self-destruct situation.FINALLY I had to accept defeat and applied for Contribution based Employment Support Allowance (after alot of encouragement from Mental health supporters,family etc) I was immediately placed into the Support group-no interview needed-such a relief to me! I was devastated at not being able to have a job for keeps but after 30 years of paying NI contributions that safety net is now my support.I am slowly accepting my limits – though i only get about £100 a week (regardless of how much your partner earns) at least it`s something.Though I am waiting to get Personal Independence Payment ( wchich is about £50 a week lower rate or £70 a week higher rate and it should be back-dated to the initial application date which was in Dec 2013-+ still waiting!)- slowly my self-respect is returning- so please DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR and do as I do!
Hi all ,
I have a cronic pain disorder that I have been suffering with for two years now the pain is disabling takeing very high levels of pain relief and morphine it's taken. Over my life I'm now using two sticks to get around I have just been issued with a blue badge witch is helpful . Going to the pain clinic next week and to see a rumatoligist they think I have fibromyalgia also I do suffer with bit of depression and anxiety because of the situation I'm in I'm 26 and have to relie on some one else to wash and dress me as I'm in of much pain and very stiff In a morning to move I applied for pip in April after loosening my job due to health reasons said they can't no longer fisilatate my long term illness I called capita today who said its in the process of seeing if I need a home visit a clinic visit or non atall has any one been awarded pip and what is capata assisment like
Since 2010 I've been suffering wiith ancer , it has gave me lots of side effects that can't be treated and I suffer with on a daily basis. I'm now 17 and was told to apply for PIP I did in end of January and last week I had my assesment, I am very surprised that I have got my assesment so fast it didn't get cancelled but then the second appointment was fine. I'm just wondering how long have people waited from thaving heir assesment to actually receiving a decision?
You should defo call them after a week and see if they have sent your report to the dwp then call them should only take few weeks so I've herd
It's a very important for every one, thank you for shearing post
Applied for PIP back in August 2013, had my assessment in Birmingham with Capita in October 2013, now still waiting an answer April 2014. Had a letter December 2013 apologising for the delay. Phoned DWP in January was told they had received the electronic copy of the report, still waiting the hard copy and I could ring Capita direct, if I wanted. I rang Capita and was told there was delays and basically it would be sent when it was ready, the person wasn't very helpful at all. Its like bagging your head against the brick wall. I don't know what to say, its absolutely disgusting to be treated this way.
I applied for PIP in October 2013 i have not heard anything to date. I did phone the pip line back in January and was informed my application had been received and was with ATOS and if i called them i would get an estimate of when i would go for my assessment. Contacted Atos and they informed me they could not give me any idea of when i would be seen and could only confirm they had my application. 🙁 this is ongoing five months now.
I applied for PIP back in September 2013. Yesterday I tried to ring to find out what is happening with my claim and I ended up sitting at the end of a phone beeping at me! Its not the first time I have tried, there are not enough people to answer the queries and I am not going into the job centre every month to make a call! That's the helpline I was told to phone at the job Centre. About the same time I asked for a reconsideration for ESA to be placed in the 'support group' instead of the 'work related activity group'. I had to phone the tribunal service in London for that…no answer. I guess that support is out of the question these days. i have had MS for 12 years and have difficulty walking crippling fatigue and am so tired of all this waiting!! June 2014 they take away my 'contribution based benefit and then want to ask intrusive questions about my partner as well as me. So come June I could have absolutely no independence and my partner will ahve to work harder to keep both of us. Really looking forward to the quality of life that will provide
ditto, had my esa stopped after 365 days + lost dla payments in the same month . December was devastating had a total of £625 taken away , my wife who is a school cleaner has to do extra hours to try to earn more , I was in the support group but somehow ended in the work group , I have what the doctors say is major health issues , one of which is a brain atrophy which leaves me confused and depressed, am waiting surgery
I applied for PIP at the beginning of july 2013 and had a face to face assessment in october 2013. I have phoned capita once a week religiously since before christmas and yesterday (22nd april) they informed me that my report has finally been sent to the DWP. I was told by the lady on the phone that it may take upto 10 days for DWP to receive the report even though it is sent electronically. Its taken 42 weeks to get to this point so it may be almost a year by the time i get a decision.
Just a quick update
I phoned the DWP this morning to see if they had received my report and they havent as yet, but they do have the electronic copy so thats something…The DWP`s automated call routing system appears to have new options, I dont remember hearing these the last time i phoned.
"If you have waited less than 26 weeks press this key, if you have waited more than 26 weeks press this key"
I applied for pip in november. I have been waiting for assesment. Phoned them yesterday, they said it was a 26 week wait and I would hear soon. First time I have ever claimed anything in my life. Have suffered with depression and anxiety throughout. Has anyone had assesment for any of these conditions ?
Sharon, you need to make sure when you get your assessment that it is with the right person, I don't know if you will be assessed by ATOS or Capita but I know with ATOS there have been cases of sending people with mental health problems sent to Physio to be assessed. They are clearly not experts in mental health. If you have problems with this I would recommend you speak to your local Citizens Advice Bureau, they will be able to help with your claim. I would also suggest you keep a daily diary on what you can do and how you feel etc. hope this helps
I applied in October, Was supposed to be assessed by Capita on New Years Eve, but no one turned up! Came out to me on 17th January and done home assessment, Capita sent report 17th February 2014 but this was not received by DWP. Despite my phoning both parties informing them both that a report was sent and not received, this was ignored (another delaying tactic). On 28th March a letter was sent to me to say they received my report. I have phoned every week since up until today ….. each time I was told they hadnt received my report from Capita… even though I had a letter stating they had received them …. today I am told its still with the decision maker!!!!!! ARGGHH!! How long does it take these people to make a decision? I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus SLE … Does this decision maker know of a cure for these conditions? Is he waiting on it to miraculously disappear? Where is the support for disabled people in Britain?
I made a claim the beginning of august last year was told that letters for medical assessments would b e sent out and people would have them at the beginning of october at a medical centre as I have anxiety problems Imy cpn requested a home visit which I had on the 14 november and haven't had anything yet no decision keep ringing them and get told ring back in a couple of weeks and we should have some news for you but still nothing
I completed the form and sent it off in August last year, after 3 months of not hearing anything I contacted the DWP who confirmed that my form had been received and sent to ATOS, I called them and was told that they had my application and it was just a case of waiting as there where no cancellation appointments available.
After still not hearing, a month ago I emailed my local MP explaining the situation, and that I have never had to claim for anything before in my life, but for the last two years have been off work and not received a penny, and was advised to claim for PIP, but seemed to be getting no where. Within two weeks of sending the email I had a letter from ATOS and email from MP to say that I had an appointment for the 22nd April, which I attended yesterday. In the letter I was told to take any paperwork relating to my medical condition with me, this I did it wasn't even looked at , I was told that I should photocopy it all and send it off to Atos to support my claim. I had a medical and was asked to do things which really aggravated my back.
I was told that they don't know how long it will take to hear back?
So please if you are still waiting please try contacting your local MP it does seem to help.
After reading and commenting on this thread I rang up dwp for an update as I was going to get in touch with mp they said a decision was made last thurs and will get I in the post in the next few days they didn't tell me the exact decision but said it was favourable
Good luck to everyone else waitinhope you all get the news you deserve after waiting this long
i applied Sept 26 2013 for PIP and after hearing nothing for 3 months called DSS they said it had been passed to PIP on 16 of October 2013 i have spent now 7.5 months waiting for an appointment for a home visit as i suffer fibromyalgia ,spondilosis and sciatica along with bad migraines and panic attacks and need someone with me if i go out which is virtually never i have now been trying for 23 years to get disability benefits and they keep moving the goal posts to suit themselves i have to walk with crutches sometimes for support because i am in so much pain but to look at me i look like any normal person in the street and that is exactly what they see they have had specialist reports from professors not the junior drs explaining my problems and i am now in limbo awaiting yet another NO answer from them should i cut both arms and legs off and my head before i get anything from them
Been waiting for a decision from PIP for six months. Contacted them yesterday and listened to a short voice recording stating that PIP claims are taking up to 26 weeks. Anyone know why this is taking so long?
Is that 26 wks from your date of claim, if so lots of people here been waiting longer than that.
My original claim form was requested on the 18th September last year, it took until the middle of December before I received the claim form. This was completed and received back with DWP on the 18th December 2013. It then took until the 26th March before I had the assessment.
After calling them to see how long this will now take I was informed that it was passed to the decision maker on the 31st March, but I am still waiting for a decision to be made.
I have now raised a complaint with DWP over the length of time the claim is taking.
your dates sept then form mid dec are exactly the same as mine but thats were mine ends iv heard nothing no medical i rang once to be told im on a waiting list still nothing how do you conplain fed up and unwell
26 weeks? What a joke. I've been waiting for about 40 weeks now… Have been calling Capita to find out why my assessment which I waited 6 months to get still hasn't been processed and passed on to DWP. I've been talked to like what I'm asking about is ridiculous! Like I should just wait endlessly and keep quiet.
My son age ow aged 16 originally in receipt of DLA for his medical condition and learning difficulty was receiving the low rate for both but as he delayed in re applyimg after one year in recipe of DLA he was then regarded as a new case and reaching 16 meant applying for PIP.
October 2013 he applied, then it took months to get a reply and when he did was then reffered to ATOS. It took months feb2014 to get an appointment !! Now we are April 2014 and still no decision even the the medical assor who is a paramedic assured me the longest it would take is 8weeks! I called them yesterday and they were vague with their answer when asked what's happening. Apparently they have now had to write to another doctor for more info! They have already had the hospital specialist letter what more do they need!
I would like to know legally how long they can keep a person waiting on a decision?
My son needs help getting around with this money as he is deaf with a learning difficulty. It's disgusting to think he wasceligablevfor it once and his condition has not changed so if they do decide not to award it how can they justify this when once he was receiving it.
My partner had a very bad fall back in January leaving his arms with all his bones out he contracted compartment syndrome almost losing his arm. He has lost most feeling in his hand and arm leaving him mostly disabled in his left arm and had 4 operations metal plates and reconstruction on his arm. Also traumatic stress disorder after his fall and very high anxiety. I am my partners full carer he can't do much for himself with the pain. We applied for pip and carers allowance in January and have got nowhere they said it would take 12 weeks to prossess. I was refused carers allowance and my partner is still waiting. We called them this week to find out what was happening and they told
Us it would
Take another 16 weeks to prossess and they're was lists or people waiting he is no different we are struggling he has his own flat it costs me £60 per week to tend to him he has hospital visits it costs £30 a time travling and waiting. I called them today to ask if there's any help I can
Recive and was asked if I was on income support and tax credits
Which I am for my daughter is 2 years old my
Partner can't work and the adviser said
What more help do you want your
Getting free benefit which upset me and when I asked her why she said that she said
She never ment it that way a
Explained "what way did you mean it you said it that way that is clearly how
You ment it" we are still
Waiting for any word everytime we call they said that they can't help this is shocking we need this help and we are
Getting nowhere!! But people with drug habits will be helped right way!
I suffer with anxiety , depression, high blood pressure , asthma. I m in receipt of esa was told to apply for pip by my local jobcentre so I did in november 2013 January 2014 I had a letter from capita for a face to face assessment which the lady turned up very worried about the questions she would be asking me eventually got through it after 2hrs , I waited and wauted for a letter to arrive about the decision no letter so I rang pip several times was told to ring back in 2 weeks so I did then was told to ring capita so I did was fobed off your paperwork is with the case worker ring back in two weeks so I did guess what still with case worker god knows how many times I rang them both I was determined to get an answer from them and not to give up .I then rang capita 17 march 2014 and hooray after so many calls back and forth your paperwork has gone over to pip they have it now, so I rang them after a number of attempts they have awarded me with pip .any body out there who are still waiting jyst keep naging them I rang my wife rang on my behalf ask to speak to a manager put your point over im really sorry to hear that people still hav heard after several months . Tbey told me they back date your payment from the day they re your form I know its alot off stress guys not knowing I was in your position but it will be worth it at the end. So keep naging and sta d your ground everyone after all ifyour entitled to it you should have it all the best everone and good luck 🙂
My wife applied for PIP having epilepsy and back problems going back many years after a bike accident. This was 13th September, her forms were passed to ATOS within 2 weeks and they put her on the waiting list for a face to face, today 16th April she is still awaiting an appointment. Despite many phone calls to ATOS we get the usual "sorry there's no cancellations, but you are moving up the waiting list". It seems this is the norm for many people yet nothing can be done and there is nobody you can turn to to air your complaint, DWP just say it's all on ATOS and they have no say in the matter!!
I have problems walking and bending down, which has been caused by an old army injury in the mid 1990's and has been getting worse since around September 2013 and is at the stage wear I am now in pain 24/7, and I have cartilage and knee cap damage in both knees and a bone in my right hip that is growing the wrong shape. I applied for PIP in October last year, the DWL informed me they sent the documentation to ATOS on 3rd December and it should be assessed within 16 weeks, however following numerous phone calls and finally getting the number for ATOS I contacted ATOS and they informed me that the waiting list is currently at approximately 22 weeks, and I am still waiting.
Sent my form off on the 2nd September. Phoned DWP just before Christmas and was told my form was sent to ATOS on the 4th of September and I needed to call them. I did and was told there were no appointments available in my area at that time and it can take up to six weeks to get one. I'd already waited 13 weeks!
I called again on 8th April and was given a cancellation for the following week 17th April for medical assessment. Eight months so far, I won't be holding my breath for the outcome. Its all a sham, absolutely disgusting.
I applied for PIP in November…I've waited over 4 and a half months. Me and my husband are living mainly off what's left of our life savings with his jobseekers and housing benefit to top it up (because of a preexisting loan we have no money to live on). He was made redundant after 12 years in October; then we were evicted 3 weeks later after we notified the management company about leaking windows. I am housebound and unable to do much at all. The job market seems dead and my husband is still out of work. Atos told me that there is 'no timeframe for assessments' and that home visits take even longer.
Re: PIP assessment, please disregard my comment and don't print, as it is for an ATOS assessment only, which is for ESA. I didn't know there was a difference until reading up on it. Whilst everything I said is correct, it is not for a PIP. Sorry about that. Thanks, sorry.
I was diagnosed in november with a brain tumour and had emergency surgery to remove it also in november , i also had a shunt fitted in the left side of my head as well as contracting blood clots during surgery after 2 .5 years of being misdiagnosed by a gp i was hoping that my pips assement would bd a speedy one , god how wrong am i its nos nesrly easter and i still have not got a assessment from atos let alone a date ….this whole process is disgusting i have teo kids and i am unsble to work and feelmtotally let down
My Partner filled out and sent the claim form in in July 2013 heard nothing for weeks so wrote to D W P at the end of September 2013 got no reply so she rang them in the Middle of December 2013 and was told that she was on the waiting list for an assessment but they had no idea when this will happen they are absolutely hopeless this has now been going on for 8 months and she hasn't even had the assessment yet
Applied june/july 2013 had assessment end of november still waiting for a decision. I've got multiple sclerosis plus mental health issues, I've had to miss important hospital appointments because i cant afford the travel expenses & I'm basically stuck in the house 24/7. My sister is the only family I've got & she helps me as much as she can but she's a single mum & works full time. I'm relying on this pip to reclaim some of my independence. I'm only 26. Almost a year I've been waiting for a decision its completely unacceptable.
Faye Have you tried applying for a disabled persons travel pass? Look up on the net about it. You can get one for up two years . 'buses and trains' You might have to have a quick medical but as long as you have a letter off your doctor stating how your disabilites effect your health and you must get to appointments You will probably get a card in the post within six weeks without even a medical ok Hope this helps you out Good luck sweetheart x
I applied for PPI 7 Months ago On January24th I received a letter telling me I will be having a home visit between 6th – 11th January. YES dates before the letter was typed.
I lost my hearing around 2 years ago and have not fully adjusted I suffer with panic attacks and depression as I really am scared going out as I can not hear what is going on around me and am intimidated.
I got a friend to call up and was given an appointment today, He asked if he could attend as he can sign and was told no, it has to be one of their interpreters. I had to travel from Birmingham to Walsall on my own and I was scared but I got there.
I had been sat down about 30 mins when the receptionist came up talking to me I had no Idea what she was saying she pointed to the door and waved bye bye.
I was scared to death I was in the middle of a strange city alone. I text my friend and he came to me ( a 21 mile drive) he signs so he went in to the assessment centre and was told they had not booked an interpreter for some reason.
My friend rand Capita and they did not care at all he explained he has lost an afternoons work and cost me money and distress. He was told that there are no appointments in Birmingham or Walsall for around 5 months. In some situations I have to book an Interpreter and I have to pay for it and I just don't have the money so I am getting more and more isolated my depression is kicking in and I am scared and just don't want to be here anymore no one cares !
waited from July 2013 for assessment had one in January was told don't hold breath for answer and seen as i had waited since July theres no rush and then she laughed .
I reapplied for ESA back in Sept 2013, I sent the form back to Atos, they wanted it back by the 5th October and it was sent back to them on the 18th Sept 2014, We're now in April 2014 and I've not heard a thing from ATOS or DWP, I have written to my MP (Sir Alan Hasselhurst Saffron Walden, Essex) and he replied with an accompanying letter from the DWP saying that my application was in a queue and would be dealt with.
I think it's disgusting that disabled people are having to wait so long..!
Or even the 18th Sept 2013 🙂
I made a claim may2013 for esa and went for the medical jan 22nd 2014 got a reply in march 2014
, I applied for Personal Independance Payment in July 2013, I suffer with post-traumatic stress disorder, and I have agoraphobia. I need a full time carer as I am prone to suicide attempts. In October 2013, I had to go for an assessment with Capita, by the time I arrived with my carer, I was already in full panic mode, the assessment began, and I found that I was being asked to repeat my answers as the assessor couldn't hear me, so my carer spoke for me. The assessor accidently set her panic button off, and I went into a full hyperventilation, the assessor did not stop the interview, despite the fact that I was shaking, hyperventilating, and so desperate to leave, after what was about an hour, I collapsed in the foyer of the building, a paramedic was called, and he said that I had passed out because of extreme anxiety. In January, February, and March 2014, I have contacted Capita to find out when the report of my assessment will be sent to DWP, in every instance both mty carer and myself has been told that the report is just about to be sent off, and that they have prioritised it due to my mental health. Now in April, there is no decision, and the report is still with Capita.
Applied for PIP, in July 2013, like most have been waiting ever since, recieved a letter from ATOS in December 2013 saying, they had contacted my Dr. etc for evidence. Still waiting for assessment. Cant understand why they ask for you to send evidence, if they still gonna request it from your Dr. Is this a delaying tactic?
I recieved a form to fill in in December, a new claim for ESA?, had the assessment in March 2014, taken out the work related group and put in Support Group.
Have contacted my MP, via e mail, but no reply as yet. Although funny enough, got my ESA assessment, a week after contacting him.
I wait with baited breath
Hi, I've been waiting since July/Aug 2013. I have bipolar, have a long history of depression anxiety and been hospitalised twice in 2013, my first being in 2008. To be honest I am not relying on it as desperately as others (say with cancer) or mobility problems my heart goes out to them. Surely they must be priority. My mother has stage four arthritis in both knees is working full time so she's not as desperate I suppose as others. But she applied 1 month after myself and has not been assessed yet. What this means to her is she can't have a blue disabled parking badge. Walking is painful for her.
Anyway I don't want to complain as it's a bit of a long shot that I would qualify.
I just posted to impart I rang dwp this year who had passed it to atos and gave me their number. I rang and was told the problem is there are no appointments available, the helpful customer service assistant did check the diary for a fortnight and there was nothing available.
Thankfully I receive my ESA currently but have no idea when I will be granted a work capability assessment, seeing that atos are now not processing these.
I got an email address off atos to complain about the length of time and that every time I rang they said no appointments had been released. Hey presto an email came back the next day with an appointment the very next week.
I did mention that I believed their target was 30 days and as mine had been 96 what they proposed to do about it.
had face to face 10 days ago so not sure how long it will be before I get a reply – maybe a nice xmas present !!
That's the good thing if you do get it it would be a lump sum I suppose. I'm easy about it all though and found out and was kindly emailed by a fellow poster to point out mum can apply for the blue badge through the council 🙂
It is worth applying for the blue badge separately. I did this and within 2-3 weeks – last month – I received my blue badge. A huge relief and worth doing. West Berkshire Council were fabulous and efficient in sorting this out.
been waiting for my face to face assessment since end of oct still none offerd this is so unfair on people
Ive been waiting since October too and nothing
Please…. Does anyone know what is happening with our claims. Am still waiting for an assesment. Has been seven months. Have tried to speak to DWP and atos with no joy. So very stressful. Surely someone can help us all. I would just like to know what is happening. Please help.
The DWP forwarded my application to ATOS on 22/08/13. Over 7 calendar months and still waiting for an assessment appointment. I've made 5 phone calls and they can't tell me anything.
My partner was diagnosed last August with Cancer, this came as a massive shock, we were told to make a claim for PIP and waited for a reply, Nothing!! we called ATOS who said they hadn't received our application. We made it again and waited!! Nothing again so we called and were told even with all the treatment and stress we were going through that we would have to attend an interview. We arrived to find an physiotherapist not a trained doctor that knows nothing about my partners condition, who was in a really bad mood, because she had damaged her car that morning and was waiting for the tow truck,her phone constantly ringing and rushing us to get through the applicaton. My partner was made to feel like a criminal, he has worked for 32 years without one day of sickness to be told he really should have taken out private insurance then he wouldn't need to make a claim. She wanted to know why I had given up work, I told her because hes so sick from the chemo, we have to travel 40 miles for treatment on a regular basis most days he struggles to get out of bed but she said he should be capable of taking public transport!! 7 hours of chemo is bad enough then to make a 40 mile train journey and make 2 changes is incredible, We have been treated terribly and 7 months later and weekly phone calls we are told everytime 7-10 days we are really downhearted that the system has let us down.,
I applied for PIP in August 2013, it's now March 2014 and I still have not had an assessment.
I was offered an appointment in Birmingham (I live in Worcestershire), I called to say I could not travel and was too poorly to attend and then asked for a home appointment, at first I was told they would find out, but then they came back to phone and said my appointment had been cancelled, they could not offer me another appointment and that I would have to call back.
I called back every week, eventually they gave me another appointment, I arranged a lift, just before I left home I had a phone call from CAPITA saying my appointment had been given in error and they cancelled it.
That was last year, then this year they offered me an appointment in Cardiff (because it was accessible by train from Worcester. I called to say that I could not afford to pay the train or taxi fares, that I am a divorced single Mother struggling to make ends meet. They cancelled my appointment.
I was told by CAPITA that it the system runs on a first come – first served basis and that I should call every Monday morning, the first people to get through are the ones who get appointments. They said they know the system is flawed , but they can do nothing about it.
I have; Fibromyalgia, Hypothyroidism and Angina, I also have spinal injuries and arthritis. My conditions have been worsened due to GP's not carrying out correct tests or treating in time, for example my hypothyroidism was untreated for approx 15 years (minimum apparently) due to this my body was unable to break down cholesterol, which can be a contributory cause of Angina. GP's don't even apologise, in fact won't even admit mistakes were made, they say they can only discuss one symptom at a time and that this is why it can take so long to diagnose 'complex' illnesses. This has led to me being unable to live 'normally' and has left me incapable of many things, I have always worked, used to be very active (until health worsened so much). My only hope of employment now is self-employment, I cannot guarantee my health is going to be okay day-to-day, so I am trying to build a small business working from home making craft work and simple jewellery. I have no funding and cannot obtain any, but although it's a daily struggle and heartbreakingly difficult I refuse to sit on the scrap heap that Government departments appear to be trying to throw me onto. Is this why our tourist offices removed the word Great so that it just reads Britain now?
I made my claim early July 2013,I had my assessment by Capita on September 13th 2013,I was told there was a bit of a backlog. I have phoned and got the usual reply that I'm in a queue that is in its final stages,my claim looks as though its running smoothly with no problems'call again in about 4 days,that was November and still I haven't heard a thing,subsequent phonecalls have had similar replies. This is my first claim for any kind of disability benefits in the past year my mobility has decreased due to rapid degenerative osteoarthritis to both knees.Having had a full time job understandably my financial situation has changed a lot plus the stress of coming to terms with being disabled has been hard enough as it is. I think it is the not knowing that gets to me the most. My self esteem is very low,there is no respect for the claimants of PIP.
was on dla but forgot to reapply, lost all help in August, applied for pip in early September, had my face to face with atos on 13 January, still not had anynews, I have had 2 hip rplacements , which one has medicaly failed, I have a heart condition, depression and severe anxiety problems , diabetes which needs a daily injection, high blood pressure , and have just recently had the results of an mri scan which reveals I have a thing called a cerebbelar atrophy on the brain, this leaves me confused and in some instances unable to form words and think when under stress, im 49 years old , worked hard as a farmer[tenant] for most of my working life now am being supported by my wife , as my esa money has also been stopped, if I or the health workers at the dwp and atos were aware of my condition im sure I would still be getting my dla and esa support group benefit, I am a proud man and sometimes say and think I can do more than I can, which unfortunately has left me feeling quite ill and worthless im confused at the best of times but , really don't know whats coming next , it wont be good news , anyway rant over ………….
do still get paid until they make a dcession?
I have applied in November and have heard absolutely nothing yet. Called DWP and was advised that my case has been handed to ATOS for an assessment. I am very limited with regards to finance, health and moving about and I feel that this Government picks on the weakest links in order to save money they waste elsewhere. This whole situation makes me feel very vulnerable. Is this Government and their henchmen dragging their heels so badly, hoping that many applicants die during the long assessment process?
I applied for pip August 2013 , had my ftf January
2014 . Have had no decision as yet the dwp keep
Saying it's with the DM and in its final stages , that's the way it's been
For the last 8 wks, had a phone call Monday of last week
Saying I would have a decision in 7 to 10 days , s that's been and gone
Don't think I'm going to phone again as I get so upset
When I hear the same words no not done yet
I can't understand how ESA can get your claim done assessment
Form and f t f done and dusted within 13 wks ( I'm in the support
Group) but pip can't do the same , it's the same company
That are doing both medicals . Oh well I will just have to try
And keep paying my bills ect out of not much until it's sorted
I had a prolaped disk and had a spinal fusion at 20 years old and claimed dla for around 8 months after having 4 children and various problems including servere back pain my condition got to the stage were I cannot walk and need to be hoist transfered capita are aware ,my husband has been on ssp since November we get esa but only a top up of 25 a week so we live on the money we get for the kids I am in hospital at the moment I had an assessment for the end of February but due to me been in they won't come my husband only has 7 weeks left on sick pay hope things will get sorted soon he cannot work now I cannot work it out how people seem to live a comfortable life on benerfits but we just feel that it's a brick wall in front of us
Was on ESA IN 2012 DUE TO SUFFERING FROM SEVERE BACK PAIN AND TRYING TO GET A MRI SCAN FROM DR TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG,HAD BEEN IN PAIN FOOR SIX YEARS PREVIOUS AND KEPT BEING GIVEN MEDICATIONS TO TRY AND SORT PAIN,MEANWHILE I HAD TO HAVE A MEDICAL WITH ATOS,HAD MEDICAL AND RECEIVED LETTER TO SAY THAT THEY FELT I WAS FIT ENOUGH TO RETURN TO WORK,I CERTAINLY WASNT AS HAD WORKED 25 YEARS IN THE NHS AND WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT MY JOB WHICH I HAD TO GIVE UP DUE TO DEBILITATING PAIN,MYV FRIEND SUGGESTED THAT I CHANGE MY DR WHICH I DID BECAUSE HAD WORSENING SYMPTOMS,I DID THIS AND 6 WEEKS LATER HAD AN MRI SCAN,WHICH SHOWED SEVERE SPONDLOSIS,ALL MY DISCS IN MY BACK HAVE PROLAPSED,HAVE A FEMERAL ACCETABULAR INPINGEMENT IN MY RIGHT HIP,AND OSTEOARTHRITIS IN ,MY HIPS AND BACK,ALSO A LARGE OVARIAN CYST WAS NOTED NO WONDER I WAS IN PAIN,AND STILL AM,AM CURRENTLY AWAITING TO HEAR IF I WILL BE GETTING PIP AS MY BEING ABLE TO WALK DISTANCES NOW IS NOT AT ALL POSSIBLE,AT LEAST I HAVE A DIAGNOSIS AT LAST EVEN THOUGH IT HAS TAKEN ME 7 YEARS TO GET ANYBODY TO LISTEN TO ME I FEEL VERY UPSET THAT I WORKED SO HARD TO CARE FOR OTHERS THEN NOBODY CARED ABOUT ME,I HOPE THAT THIS TIME I GET LISTENED TO,HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 1 MONTH NOW TO HEAR FROM PIP PEOPLE.
Applied for PIP 1st week in july 2013 and had a face to face assessment in september 2013. I call once a week to hear its still in the final stages as it has been since november. I was told by one person that claims were being processed much quicker now than when they started working there in december. I live in hope it wont be much longer but i`m not optimistic.
Our letters worked…Keep sending them people…Dont suffer in silence ,let your MP know what your going through, it seems to be working.
I applied in Sept 2013 for ESA/PIP…Heard nothing until I got my MP involved 3 weeks ago, now have PIP assessment on 18th March ,40 min drive away so taxi paid for by Atos…then 3 days later ESA medical assessment only 5 min drive away…I am grateful to finaly get these assessment dates but my fear is…A physiopherapist will not give me physio until I am diagnosed, a Pain Management team will not help me until I am diagnosed…My neuro-surgeon who I get the results from 2 recent mri scans from,thinks i may have further spinal problems…He also says it is not his position to diagnose me,just operate,I am still recovering from ACDF 0n C6-C7 (spinal surgery)…I do after 2 years of suffering finaly see a neuroligist who will start the diagnostic procedure on the 24th of march…So how the elll is Atos going to assess me…they will cause me pain and discomfort, as any activity does…I will be on maximum dose of tramadol and codiene for it…and if it turns out I still have compression on my spine then they may cause me permanent nerve damage,more than i already have…I dont believe any medicaly trained person has looked at my file ,if they had then they would not ask this of me…If i was not so desperate for the benfits i am entitled to i would ask for a home visit.And as for BlueBadge…lol I asked months ago and have never heard anything back, just had to beg and borrow the tax disc money yet again,otherwise i am housebound,well am anyway as cannot afford diesel what with only £71 a week assessment rate.
Applied for PIP the first day it was rolled out in Wales on 1 July 2013, had a home visit assessment from Capita on 14 August. No decision yet some 10 months on. Call centre are just telling us it's now a priority, it will be done soon, apologies for delay, we are doing everything we can, etc. Manager has returned my call twice but told me the same thing. Filled a complaint direct with Capita and told to wait 20 days for a response. MP queried on my behalf this month and was told they are waiting for the visiting officer's report which was completed 7 months ago.
tracy you can apply for a blue badge even though u are not in receipt of pip. if you go to your local council they will send you to an assesment and then decide if u qualify :: its the same way in which i got mine : also applied for pip in oct 2013 still have not heard anything as of yet .. so from other comments no point in ringing them as i wont be none the wiser ..
Thats brilliant. Shall tell my mum too.
i have waited up to now 5 months for pip assessment still no appointment made loads of phone calls same answer appointment soon sick to death of it no one should be treated like this im so low i feel i dont want to be here anymore at least i would not have the worry and stress that has made my condition worse atos is disgusting for the way they treat vunerable people and something needs to be done to this company like put out of action for good never to return
I called atos up about my pip face to face a few weeks ago had put on my form would like hone vistit as due to health and ppl thinking im being abusive and agressive got call back and told if they could get a report from my social worker i may not need a face to face called theface am on friday and told i dont need a face to and a report is being made up applied back in nov so just have to wait now to see what happens as not sure if thats a good thing or not not to have a face to face
I have waited 5 months almost with no assessment date yet the DWP have told me my forms and stuff used to apply for pip has been dated at the 25th of October I phone atos and the reply I get is I should have an appointment soon . It is so annoying as I lost my car can't walk or use public transport and don't get out of the house at all as taxis are too expensive the whole impact this is having on me is horrible I'm getting a lot more unwell due to stress
Hello, just thought I would give an update! I had my assessment yesterday 7/3 which was ok but have no idea how it went, I just told the truth on how I struggle on a daily basis with uncontrolled RA munching away at my joints. I only got the assessment because I rang up to chase yet again and asked if there were any cancellations, which there were, I took the first one even though it was on the other side of town because I'm sick and fed up of waiting to hear something!! I just hate the way us disabled people or people with chronic health conditions have to justify why we deserve help…..does anyone else claiming a benefit have to do this…NO!!! I do appreciate that there has to be evidence as anyone could claim but really it's just so stressful wondering if you have been "believed" or scored enough points. I've paid into the system for years and not asked for anything and I didn't ask for this condition but I do ask to be believed!! I was told I should hear back within 2-3 weeks…..we'll see!!! Something seriously needs to be done though how these PIP Applications are being handled as it's just causing further stress and angst to already sick and vulnerable people.
I waited eight months before my atos appointment. during this eight months of help I found the assessment circumstances to be discriminltory against mental heath patients.I'm now dismayed to be told after only a few weeks I have to go through the whole procedure again for was ,docs note, social report and assessment..talk about wasting tax payers money including the time of my social worker and doctor 🙁
I applied for PIP in November 2013. In December 2013, a Nurse Practitioner from the DWP, contacted my Mental Health Coordinator, to ascertain about my capability to attend for an assessment appointment. I contacted ATOS on 6th March 2014, to enquire as to what was happening about my PIP application. I was informed by ATOS that they were waiting for me to attend the assessment appointment. My obvious thoughts were that they would be waiting until hell freezes over waiting for me to attend an assessment appointment until they had the common sense / professional working practice of actually sending me a letter inviting me to attend for one. I have now got an appointment to attend on the 26th March, a wait of some 4 months.
I applied for pip on 18/07/13 on my 8th month now still no decision dwp said they sent my form to atos on 30/07/13 had my assessment 3 months later in October almost 5 months later I still don't have any news the waiting time is a joke
I've been receiving DLA since 2010 but then got told I have to apply for PIP now, I've only been waiting over a month so not as long as you guys who have commented but I'm disgusted with them and the waiting time, they clearly don't realise that some people live of this money that they receive of them and it helps them a lot,if they know that such a large amount of people is applying for this they should have more people working and trying to help us, maybe they'll understand when they're in our shoes one day.
…surely your DLA money will continue to be paid as per usual until any decision to either stop or increase it is made.
Any extra that you may be entitled to will be backdated and paid from the date of your making the new claim.
Applied 19/9 still waiting for an assessment, you ring to chase and get told something different each time you ring! I wanted to make a complaint they couldn't even get my name right….it's disgusting the way they are treating people and even worse how you have to justify why you deserve this help when there are many others getting something for nothing!
I had a accident on sept 6th and my heel horizontally snapped in half and the hercules ten dent came through the bck of my heel causing a opened wound fracture which went septic and lead to my calf being used as my heel tissue n 5cm screw 2 hold the heel down. Thankfully I should make a recovery in a year or so and I can not wear shoes the same size as ive now got a heel with a heel above it and all the skin is new skin thats developed. l applied for pip because it affects my walkin bathing ect n constant pain relief. Now reading all these I wonder if I will ever hear from atos again,i did phone them and they say its with the health care assessment team and theres a back log so to wait for a appointment. What gd is that I need help now ive paid tax n ni and am entitled to help to aid me through this horrific time. Ive sent pics all docs names physio names surgeons names what more do they need for it to viewed and a decision made
Hello. I applied for PIP on september24th. I started to call in January to check status.I called again on monday24th February and DWP gave me the number for atos. I called them and they told me they were in process of getting an appointment for an assessment but there is a shortage of assessors for my area!!!! Am so very distressed and anxious. I spent seven weeks in a psychiatric bospital last year. Am still under psychiatrist and CPN. I know my CPN sent supporting evidence on 2nd january. This is just terrible and am so worried. Surely our doctors and health workers can assess us. They can make an honest decision because they have been treating us for so long. I am so worried and just dont know what to do. I feel like i am going backwards with my illness instead of moving forward. Sorry.
i totally agree with elaine youngs comment doctors should decide they know better than anyone and they are honest
I applied in over 7 months ago. Still on stage 2 awaiting a assesment, no date yet.
applied 1st sep 2013. today been for medical assesment 17/2/14. after it was cancelled on the 23/01/14 was told the day i got there it was cancelled
. funny thing is im amazed how many cancellations people get when looking through help forums on line
I applied in June 2013 had assessment on 30th august and still have had NO decision… I am at my wits ends.. I ring every week to be told the same thing.. Your report is still with our senior advisor (it's been there for 5mths) we are understaffed.. I have made several official complaints a manager will ring me back and say the same thing.. All I want is decision… 🙁
I applied for pip in august 2013, had my face to face in February 6th 2014 rang pip severals times, they told me was with a case manager after another 10 days was told the hard copy of report hadnt been received there waiting for another …. Discuiting ….
I applied for PIP first week of July 2013. I received an appointment for an assessment for 2nd December. Atos then cancelled it and sent me another appointment for 14th January 2014. Their completed assessment has still to be sent to the DWP.
My assessment is still in the audit stage with Atos (7th April)
Applied start of August 2013, had letter from DWP requesting details, all sent and received by DWP before end August 2013 and have heard nothing since. Phoned Atos who said they received the deails from DWP in August 2013 but still no appointment or letter of acknowledgement from Atos.
Have phoned Atos twice (last conversation was Feb 7th) was told not to phone as it was a waste of time, I was in a queue, not near the top for an appointment and would have to wait my turn.
The lady I spoke to also was very abrupt and not inthe slightest helpful. I have also seen report that after the assesment it could take atleast a 2 months for Atos to complete / audit there report, then DWP has to decide
So it seems like to whole process could take over 1 year to get a decision…. seems like the whole thing is not fit for purpose
Or maybe it's another way of not paying anybody new
I applied 29 th Aug 2013 still waiting for home visit
had my home visit last week
DWP sent my form to ATOS on 21/10/13. Still waiting for an appointment.
I applied at the start of august 2013 had my assesment 2nd of January 2014 and they still as of today's date 6th of February 2014 have NOT sent the report back to the DWP !
The place for the assesment had no parking so had to pay and display so also ended up with a parking ticket … also still as yet have not had the travel expenses repaid.
Should add here. After the assessment I was left in severe pain due to the woman not listening to a word i said about my walking or the use of my hands and arms. Because i said i can put a microwave meal in a microwave that means i can cook for myself i did try to explain there is no way i could take it out again safely and take it to a tale to actually eat the food but that didnt count. Because i can get a taxi from my house to a destination that also means i am able to use public transport again wouldnt listen when i said thats all well and good what do i do at the destination sit on the pavement and hope a random stranger will push my wheelchair for me ………. but hey they know best i guess !!!
I have no blue badge ( as i cant get one without having pips)
I have no help besides ESA which atos also did the assessment for and i had to appeal and won my appeal. My health is deteriorating by the day due to not been able to leave the house as i can no longer drive the manual car i have, depression is setting in I wait daily for the post man with the news from DWP.
The link at the bottom of this post provides details of what my son expereinced on the day of his assessment, which we only took because they could not provide a home assessment in our area. A formal compliant was made with them on the day of the assessment (17/01). They claim to have written what they refer to as an 'aknowledgement and apology' letter which they say is dated 31/01 yet it has still not arrived. I have written to my local MP and he has written to Paul Pindar the Chief Exec of Capita.
I have spoken with one of the Capita Health Professional's today and they have confirmed that they do have sufficient evidence to confirm my son's diagnosis (letter from Neurologist and outcome of most recent MRI) but according to them they do not have sufficient information to establish the functional impact the disease has on my son's day to day living. I responded with the fact that they do have this as this is what is described in the questionnaire, but irrespective of diagnosis, they are unable to take the claimants word for it, even though the PIP literature says that face to face assessments may not be necessary if they have been sent sufficient information. What they are telling me on the phone appears to be in conflict with the literature.
My arguement is that there are certain medical diagnosis such as chronic, incurable diseases and those that are terminal, where the medical diagnosis itself and the words of the person battling to deal with the disease should be sufficient for Capita to complete a paper based assessment without the trauma of putting someone through the ordeal of having to prove what they can no longer do when what they should be doing is putting aside what they've lost to start focusing on what they can do.
I have got Capita to 'agree' that what they want is reassurance that the claimant (my son) is not lying. It is their policy to have this validated (through interviews) and they have an approach where one size fits all. This is what I have a problem with. The approach they take to weed out the benefits cheats is not the approach they shoudl be applying to people that are clearly vulnerable and facing life challenges that most healthy people would not understand.
A serious medical diagnosis should be sufficient to reassure the Capita Heath Professionals that the claimant is likely to be telling the truth. However, I am going to get my son's MS Nurse and GP to sign a letter stating that the functional impacts my son describes in his questionnaire are line line with his medical diagnosis. This should be sufficient and if it is, should be adopted as the standard approach for a specific list of conditions.
This approach would be in line with the existing government approach to Medical Exemption Certificates, whereby the claimant describes how his / her condition affects him / her in an official form and the GP signs it. This is what I did for my son and he now holds a Medical Exemption Certificate which I got for him without the need for a stressful assessment.
I feel really strongly about protecting vulnerable people from being put through the stress of these assessments. I have seen first hand how much harm they can do and want to do everything possible to prevent people who do not have Mum's, Partners, Siblings or Good Friends to fight their corner for them as I have for my son. It breaks my heart when I witness the stress this is causing my son and makes me weant to cry when I continually read similar stories from people in desperate need of support.
It's worth mentioning that my son was registered as disabled without the need for an assessment and was approved for a blue badge without the need for an assessment.
In both cases, I described how James is functionally impacted by his disease and provided copies of the Medical Diagnosis from his Neurologist, his latest scan results and a timeline of events back to the date when he was first referred to a Neurologist (in July 2013) and they accepted this as being sufficient evidence of his need for help being a genuine one.
PIP should be the same!
I dread to think how much of our taxes are being wasted putting people through these assessments unecessarily.
Still waiting I rang DWP to be told ATOS have 6 weeks to return the "hard copy" of the assessment. Ye when I rang ATOS they told me They had no right to tell me that !!!
Lies lies n more lies while people suffer
Tracy – you can get a blue badge without waiting for PIP, apply to your council
Applied for pip end of august had a face to face assessment
on the 15th November. Dwp have still not received the report
from capita.I have a movement disorder dystonia which effects my whole
body,I sometimes can not speak,walk, or see due to spasms. My life is on hold can not go out due to parking getting in to a wheelchair or using my walking aid in a normal parking space is a joke! I have called capita on several occasions to be told that there is a back log. My report is in the process of seniors waiting to be checked. I feel sorry for all the people waiting for assessments and decisions atos, capita to get there act together.
Waited from July till end of August for assessment