any advice for PIP assessment please thank you !?

[TomatoSoup]

hey all
thank you for reading my post
maybe you can help me [please]
i have anxiety and depression so i have applied for PIP
Snr Mental Health Recovery Worker (Employment and Training) at Rethink suggested that i do this
so
if anyone has any advice on attending a PIP assessment that i am going to on Thursday 7th June 2018
i would welcome any advice you may have thank you

[Amethyst]

Kati Hiya xx Just tagging Kati for you as she should be able to give you some support and reading xxx First though I'm not entirely sure - have you applied for a job or for pip ? ( probably me being dense tbh but I couldn't decide which it was )

[TomatoSoup]

Kati Hiya xx Just tagging Kati for you as she should be able to give you some support and reading xxx First though I'm not entirely sure - have you applied for a job or for pip ? ( probably me being dense tbh but I couldn't decide which it was )

hey Amethyst no i have not applied for a job seeing as i am asking for advice on my upcoming Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment funny you ask though!? maybe i was not clear? i could see how it could be taken as me saying i am applying for a job with them but i have tried to apply for a job at the job centre in the past no not easy so would not put my self through it again... well not right now no no no not ready at all right now hence why i applied for Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

[Amethyst]

Ahhh, I was reading it on the phone and the paragraphs weren't there so it read "

i have applied for PIP Snr Mental Health Recovery Worker (Employment and Training) at Rethink

" …. lol, told you it was probably me being dense

There is a really good group on Facebook about PIP assessments which has a lot of experience and are very supportive, I'll find a link for you if you're on FB. I'm sure Kati will pop in at some point too


Link to FB group - you'll have to request to join - https://www.facebook.com/groups/dabsdga/

[TomatoSoup]

Amethyst Kati

also i did already send them my full report from my GP surgery [which is requested in the evidence sheet that will help the DWP to assess my PIP claim], which states in chronological order all my health problems and the treatment i have received for them.

i now have further information regarding support and advice i asked for from my local MP this was after i re booked my PIP assessment appointment should i take that with me as well?

also i have been given the advice by a disability support group on facebook to do the following >>> ''Do not take a bag of any sort, let somebody else carry your paperwork for you if you have any, if you have difficulty walking keep stopping on the way to the room a couple of times, take someone with you in the assessment and if you have a copy of the form then read it before you go as they will be interested in certain questions that they want answered''.

any help much appreciated thank you ox

[Kati]

yes!! take every bit of 'proof' of your health problems that you can lay your hands on (the more you can evidence the issues, the better it is) xx

[TomatoSoup]

thank you Kati

also i am going to record the assessment with 2 portable tape recorders
[because they require a copy of one tape]
the PIP centre already know in advance about me doing this i just feel if it goes to a tribunal it will help
also i dont think you can never have too much evidence especially if you require it as back up/support!?!

so very nervous not a nice thing but if they want to say im ''fit'' and i dont need PIP after the assessment i will go on and fight the decision
otherwise
it will be wasted energy and having a support centre help me fill out the forms and sending them [the DWP] all the info from my GP as well as a local service i use and then going to the assessment will all be for nothing and no way i dont want it to be for nothing!!!

[seduraed]

check on the group and see if anyone can lend you a Neal tape recorder. These are PACE compliant machines and make it much more difficult for the assessor to reject a recording.

[des8]

Another point to bear in mind about recordings is that the assessor needs to speak up.
A friend once recorded their interview on a dual tape recorder and as soon as it was switched on the assessor seemed to lose her voice and continually had to be told to speak up!
Good luck

[TomatoSoup]

seduraed when i rang up to tell them i was going to use 2 portable tape recorders they said that is fine the only thing they would object to was a recording made on a mp3/ipod/phone/tablet and/or laptop i was told those would not be acceptable to use as a device to record during the assessment

also just found this > https://www.mypipassessment.co.uk/faqs/


Can I record my consultation?
Sessions can be recorded. There are a few important points to note if you wish to do so:

You will need to give us 3 working days notice before your assessment.
We will ask you to sign a recording agreement. This tells you how you can later use the recording, and helps us keep your details confidential.
You will need to use your own recording equipment. To protect all parties, DWP restricts approved devices to those that produce two identical recordings simultaneously. Please note that this does not include laptops, tablets, smartphones or MP3 players.


[it is just the same info leaflet they include with the letter about time, date and where the assessment will be]

des8 i dont care if the assessor goes quite me or the person who is coming to support me can repeat the questions they are asking besides the answers i give are what matters they are what should be awarded certain points
+im sure i can get the questions they are asking printed up

[Davman]

I had a Pip assessment a couple of years ago and the health care professional seemed very nice. Boy, was I wrong! she totally shafted me. So my advice would be to never let your guard down, no matter how nice or understanding they appear to be. Also since you have depression don't turn up smartly dressed or clean shaven if you're a man? Also if you have anxiety, get a lift off a relative or friend, but don't use public transport as they will use this against you. Also if its your first apointment, I would phone up and cancel it and say that you are having a panic attack or that you were up all night worrying about your apoinment and cannot face going out today. They once tried to use going to a first appointment against me. Also when you do go to an appointment try to sit out of view of the centres camera as they will be watching you as soon as you go in. I usually sit behind a wall beam so that they cannot see me.

[Davman]

seduraed when i rang up to tell them i was going to use 2 portable tape recorders they said that is fine the only thing they would object to was a recording made on a mp3/ipod/phone/tablet and/or laptop i was told those would not be acceptable to use as a device to record during the assessment

also just found this > https://www.mypipassessment.co.uk/faqs/


Can I record my consultation?
Sessions can be recorded. There are a few important points to note if you wish to do so:

You will need to give us 3 working days notice before your assessment.
We will ask you to sign a recording agreement. This tells you how you can later use the recording, and helps us keep your details confidential.
You will need to use your own recording equipment. To protect all parties, DWP restricts approved devices to those that produce two identical recordings simultaneously. Please note that this does not include laptops, tablets, smartphones or MP3 players.


[it is just the same info leaflet they include with the letter about time, date and where the assessment will be]

des8 i dont care if the assessor goes quite me or the person who is coming to support me can repeat the questions they are asking besides the answers i give are what matters they are what should be awarded certain points
+im sure i can get the questions they are asking printed up

Watch this video 5 minutes 4 seconds in, it covers the law regarding recording conversations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsWCd6heaJU