Re: Worrying news for ESA claimants converting from DLA to PIP.
 

Hope you manage to resolve it. Seems grossly unfair and stressful. :(

Re: Worrying news for ESA claimants converting from DLA to PIP.
 

With ESA, if you get the mandatory reconsideration out of the way, you can appeal to a Tribunal as long as you can get sick notes from your GP. If you do that, you will get assessment rate of ESA until the Tribunal hearing. Make sure that the GP sets the start date of the sick note to the day ESA stopped. That will leave no gaps in entitlement and payment.

Re: Worrying news for ESA claimants converting from DLA to PIP.
 

The lad hasn't seen a GP for his disabilities ever, and no specialist has seen him since he entered "Adult Service" (budget cuts). The last time he saw a GP was over a year ago for a minor ailment. Plus our GP has changed so often in the past few years that there is no continuity of "personal Knowledge" at all.

Still waiting on the DWP phone to answer.

---------- Post added at 12:45 ---------- Previous post was at 12:36 ----------

The PIP letter has a write up (by a male despite his being interviewed by a very young woman) that reads like it was written by a 10 year old.

The report says they cannot consider his problems with shopping, shaving or walking on uneven surfaces and slopes. And because he moved 10 paces from the waiting area to the interview room he is considered fully mobile!

Re: Worrying news for ESA claimants converting from DLA to PIP.
 

Sorry to hear this, you need to get some advice on this Taf. There are various charities which would be able to help even if they're not in your area. We found Mencap very helpful but there will be others possibly more relevant to your son's particular issues.

Re: Worrying news for ESA claimants converting from DLA to PIP.
 

Mencap said they "couldn't help in individual cases". Ditto 2 Aspergers charities.

His ex-consultant said that they should carefully read his last letter to them, but DWP said the letter is " out of date", and they will accept nothing from him as he hasn't seen our son for over a year.

The local health service said that they are unable to give him an appointment to see an Aspergers consultant as they don't have one! For neither children or adults.

I think my wife is going into shock, and I haven't explained the situation to our lad yet.

Re: Worrying news for ESA claimants converting from DLA to PIP.
 

Mencap were happy to help us so I guess that must be a local issue. :shrug:

I think I'd be finding the nearest decent sized CAB office ASAP to see if they can assist or point you in the direction of those who can.

Re: Worrying news for ESA claimants converting from DLA to PIP.
 

I know it may cost but could you see his ex consultant privately ? I know you should not have to but it may well be worthwhile. If he is unavailable he may be able to suggest someone.

Re: Worrying news for ESA claimants converting from DLA to PIP.
 

Yes, I can see where they're coming from re the absence of recent reports but if it weren't for Osem Jnr medical conditions, he'd never see a medic either. I think there'll be help out there re an appeal if you carry on looking but part of that might involve obtaining a private medical (or other) report to support your claim.

Sadly for us Jnr #2 has copious medical files (we still see is consultant 3-4 times a year even though he's 'progressed' into adult services) and there's no doubt that this helps even though some of his major issues aren't health related at all, they're more to do with a lack of understanding re day to day situations, limited communication/social awareness and vulnerability.

Re: Worrying news for ESA claimants converting from DLA to PIP.
 

I spent most of the night half awake going over-and-over the decision they made, and trying to make sense of it.

Knackered and stressed, but I'm trying to concentrate on the letter I must write to demand a mandatory reconsideration.

The rules say it must be received by them within a month of the decision date, not the day you receive it. I see possible skulldduggery at work as it was dated 16th January but only arrived on the 27th January.

Re: Worrying news for ESA claimants converting from DLA to PIP.
 

Just get the letter done and send it special delivery then ring to check they've got it. I can understand how you're feeling but nobody's appeal is going to be rejected down to an argument over a couple of days here/there when everyone knows how slowly DSS stuff takes to be sent out and delivered. You should cover yourself by contacting them ASAP and explaining when you received the letter to buy yourself a bit more time if you need it.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/be...consideration/

Re: Worrying news for ESA claimants converting from DLA to PIP.
 

So sorry to hear your troubles Taf my thoughts and best wishes are with you and your family and hope you find help to get this stupidity reversed get to your nearest citizens advice as even if they don't have the staff to help they usually have a list of resources.

Re: Worrying news for ESA claimants converting from DLA to PIP.
 

Definitely. That's why I'd contact a large CAB rather than just the closest one which may be staffed by a man and his dog and open every second Tuesday in the month. It seems there may not be much help available to Taf but there are loads of local/regional/national charities around who may be able to help him.
Frankly I'd try another Mencap office for sure.

Re: Worrying news for ESA claimants converting from DLA to PIP.
 

All CAB offered me were internet links.

"It (PIP) is using so much of our resources that it's all we can offer. Updates will be made as they appear".

Re: Worrying news for ESA claimants converting from DLA to PIP.
 

I'd be ringing Mencap and other autism related charity groups then even if they're outside your area. Just because one branch said they can't help dpesn't mean none of them can or will be able to. :tu: Sooner or later you're bound to be able to get hold of someone who can help. There's also the question of the medical report from the doctor which I'd have thought would be critical now even if you have to pay for it. You're clearly going to need some 'expert' opinion to back up your appeal but I appreciate getting that might take longer than you have at this stage. Bear in mind that if your appeal is turned down you still have the right to go to a tribunal up to a year later so you'd have more time to prepare your case if you have to go down that route.

Re: Worrying news for ESA claimants converting from DLA to PIP.
 

I'm really sorry to hear that Taf, it is a horrible situation to be in and to get out of when it comes to these crazy decisions. My brother has just been through it and only got 2 points from the assessment interview, but then went through the appeal process and won it, so don't give up hope.

For others going through it or about to I know from experience that it doesn't matter what you put on the forms, if you can't back it up with evidence then you will get called up for an assessment and most probably fail it just because you turn up. And likewise if you can supply as much evidence as possible there's a chance you won't need an assessment.

I don't know if it is a standard procedure but I get a copy of the report every time I see one of my specialists / consultants. These are vital when supplying evidence. So if you don't get reports, then just ask for them. If you see your GP a lot then you can pay to get a copy of your medical records / reports and you can pick out and send them the relevant info as well to help your case.

As already been said, make sure you get everything dated so if and when you do get it sorted, you should get everything backdated without losing out too much.

The hardest part is that there is only one telephone number for ESA etc now, so you never get to speak to the same person twice, and to actually get through to someone ends up costing a small fortune and they don't seem to be very helpful either.

Good luck with it, do not give up.