PIP Home Assessment Advice Please

[Sam_160812]

Hi all, I care for my wife who has Chiari Malformation. This means her brain is falling out of her skull into her spinal column and causes quite a few different symptoms. I recently had a carers assessment and I was told it would be reasonable to request a home visit for my wifes PIP assessment.

When sending the PIP forms back we requested a home visit and stated why but all we received was an appointment letter for us to go and see them. I called them the day we received the letter and explained why we were requesting a home visit. The person I spoke to cancelled the appointment that had been booked and said my wife's case would be passed to a health professional to assess for a home visit. 2 days later we received a letter that was literally a few lines long saying the health professional had determined the assessment needed to take place at their assessment centre.

My wife pretty much spends all her time lieing down as sitting up is just too difficult for her, she falls multiple times a day where her side gives away without warning, she can't even always safely make it to the bathroom which is literally the room next to our bedroom, without multiple falls sometimes. Travelling causes her a great deal of pain and discomfort and makes her feel very ill. She is also very anxious about going out, partly due to the falls and partly due to the fact she just struggles when there are too many people around or too much noise etc.

I don't feel we're being at all unreasonable in our request, but I'm not sure where to go from here, if anyone can offer any advice, I'd really appreciate it!

Many thanks
Sam

[bowlingbun]

I'd ring up and ask to speak to a senior officer. When the first person says "No", just say politely but firmly "Please may I speak to your Line Manager" if they say No, do the same again. Just be really firm/assertive. This works regularly for me now, call centre staff are not employed to think, just to follow the computer programme in front of them. If they ask "Why" ignore the question, ask for their name, and then ask again to speak to their supervisor. Good luck.
PS Go to the loo and make a coffee before you start, the call could take some time!!!

[susieq]

Hello Sam and welcome to the forum

Regretfully I don't have the answer to your question but, as the old saying goes, "I know a man who can" !

Contact the Carers UK Adviceline team, they are the experts on all matters relating to benefits and caring in general.

Need expert advice? You can talk to the Carers UK Adviceline five days a week, no matter where you are in the UK or how complex your query is. We do benefits checks and advise on financial and practical matters related to caring.

0808 808 7777
advice@carersuk.org
Open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm

The Carers UK Adviceline also includes a listening service, there for you to talk through your caring situation with a trained volunteer who understands what you are going through. Available Mondays and Tuesdays, from 9am to 7pm.

the telephone lines are generally over subscribed so it's often better to email them first (they usually get back to you within a couple of days).

I googled "pip home assessment" and got quite a few hits with advice on how to apply and how to appeal when they refuse a home visit. There is also this topic on the forum from earlier this year regarding members own experiences
https://www.carersuk.org/forum/support- ... ease-24802

[lonewolf]

I second the suggestion to call back and keep going up the ladder until you speak to someone senior enough to make a sensible decision.

I was told recently that as most private sector firms (not sure about public sector) record their calls the staff are not allowed to hang up on you. My friend said that that thing to do was to ask to speak to the next person up the ladder, and even if the person you're speaking to refuses to do so don't hang up. Just stay on the line, no need to talk and eventually they'll give in. I haven't tried it myself, but my friend assures me it works.

[bowlingbun]

My best friend used to work for DWP, at one time in charge of the telephone team. They have strict rules about complaints. It's always a good idea to ask for someone's name at the beginning of the call, and write it down, just in cast they realise that they are going to be in trouble if their supervisor realises they've been less than helpful, and "accidentally on purpose" cut you off.

[Annemarie_1608]

Contact your local mp citizens advice and anyone else to help they maybe able to put pressure on them to get a home visit. I hope it all goes well if not contact the above again they will help you one way or another. Good luck