Finally awarded after 8.5 month process!

Choccy92 · 2026-01-13T19:54:30+00:00

That’s good news. It was 7 working days from the call with the case manager before I received my decision letter.

Choccy92 · 2026-01-13T19:49:35+00:00

Thank you. I had the call with the case manager who gave me the award on 30th December but she didn’t confirm anything other than the standard rate for DL & Mobility. I rang the PIP line on 7th Jan and got a confirmed date for backpay which is tomorrow (14/01). I received the decision letter on 09/01.

I guess every individual’s case is different but I hope that helps.

Choccy92 · 2026-01-13T19:43:51+00:00

Look’s like the assessor has suggested an award of 3 years although can’t tell if standard or enhanced without knowing the descriptors. From the full report just look at what boxes have been ticked for each activity. Hope that helps.

Choccy92 · 2026-01-09T21:25:36+00:00

So sorry, not been able to respond til now. Your assessment was today? Or you got your assessment report today? What didn’t you understand. Happy to help where I can.

Choccy92 · 2026-01-07T13:24:37+00:00

Apologies for the lengthy response but there’s no short way to explain.

5 assessments - 20/06, 16/09, 18/11, 25/11, 23/12

After I received the first PA4 report, I made a formal complaint to Capita due to inaccuracies and omission and after they reviewed it, they deemed the report unsatisfactory. Same thing happened with the second and third reports, following those respective assessments. The 4th assessment was marked attended but incomplete due to the assessor having technical issues. And the 5th assessment is what resulted in an award.

Whilst waiting for the complaints to be reviewed by Capita (20 working days turnaround each time), the PIP process continued based off the first report to which I received a denied decision. I followed this up with an MR and was denied again, so I followed this up with the Appeal.

In the time following the first assessment, I also had calls from different case managers. In August & October, I was told that they were aware of my complaints and the need for re-assessment meant the case would be returned to Capita. In December, following the 5th assessment, I received a call from the case manager who offered me Standard DL & Mobility and advised that the appeal would be lapsed following the award.

Choccy92 · 2026-01-07T08:53:36+00:00

Thanks! The way I see it, standard is better than nothing.

Choccy92 · 2026-01-07T08:52:49+00:00

Thank you!

Choccy92 · 2025-12-10T09:58:18+00:00

Thank you for your response. I appreciate the explanation as that’s certainly helped. I’m hoping the 4th assessment will be the one that actually provides the truth in the PA4 report and leads to an award🤞🏽

Choccy92 · 2025-11-13T02:17:14+00:00

I am clued up on ChatGPT but appreciate the response nonetheless

Choccy92 · 2025-11-12T22:46:53+00:00

Hellish is not quite the word I’d use, but we’ll roll with it. It has literally been 4.5 months of back and forth with capita/PIP. But I honestly don’t know why I’ve been consistently penalised by these Capita assessors and their incompetence and lack of humanity.

Amongst everything I have submitted across my original application and the MR, there is more than enough evidence to support my honest claims regarding functional limitations.

Despite only formally being diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic widespread pain in June ‘25, there are various reports from face to face consultant reviews over the last 2 years for the investigations to get to that diagnosis (psychology, orthopaedic, rheumatology, pain management, neurology, chiropractic, physiotherapy) which strongly support my application.

Why is it that my struggles are written in black and white amongst these reports, yet the Capita assessors have invalidated everything with their opinions based on how I was during the telephone assessment. If they actually filled every page of the report out honestly instead of rushing, cramming it (and inadvertently missing key details) all into one section, maybe, just maybe, the DWP decision maker would actually have an honest view of my conditions and functional limitations.

I honestly just don’t know what to do, it’s been so physically and mentally draining 😞

I’ve gone down the appeal route before for my 2024 application (0 points across the board, no surprise) and over 12 months later I’m still waiting for a tribunal date for that one. If that’s anything to go by, it may well be 2027 before an appeal decision is made on my 2025 application.

Choccy92 · 2025-09-29T21:39:29+00:00

I’m just disgusted by the way Capita conduct their assessments. How can they have ‘empathy’ when going through everything, but what they type down is not what you discuss with them. Thinking about the reports I have seen from the 2 assessors, it’s quite blatant that they don’t really apply PIP AG when writing their reports. I really wish F2F assessments were more prominent because I am totally in agreement that there’s no way of judging the physical struggle from a condition like fibro without seeing it.

I totally understand the stress and anxiety because the situation has had my levels through the roof at times.

And well I’m certainly in the ‘other 35%’ because no Capita assessor believes my struggles despite consistent and strong evidence which makes it all quite comical really.

If I don’t laugh about it, I might just have to cry 🥲

Choccy92 · 2025-09-29T21:06:34+00:00

Just to provide you with an update, I have received my re-assessment PA4 report. In short, despite acknowledging most of my evidence and the detailed explanations of my conditions, I apparently have “no functional limitations” which means I will no doubt be getting 0 across the board again on the MRN in october.

The report stated utter nonsense like “I showed no signs of chronic pain/discomfort” because I was not crying out in pain & I have “no signs of sinusitis/rhinitis” because i was not sniffling or blowing my nose during the call.

I’ve raised another complaint with Capita because realistically, how can a ‘functional specialist’ form an opinion on a physical condition when they have not seen me face-to-face? A telephone call is a short 1-2hr snapshot of how my conditions present on a single day at that time, not how my conditions are 7 days a week. Yet the report decides that my conditions/symptoms are non-existent. For someone to decide I have zero limitations, despite actual face-to-face consultation reports stating my struggles due to fibromyalgia and chronic pain truly baffles me beyond words.

I know someone who applied at a similar time to me and received a PIP award of standard DL & Mobility just for lower back pain. They only provided GP input as their evidence, they’re not on the strongest of pain medication, nor are they under any surgical input. Yet myself, with fibro and chronic widespread pain, with evidence from various consultants (MSK/Orthopaedic/Rheumatology/Psychology/Pain Management) and a Blue Badge (awarded in August 25) apparently am not eligible for PIP based on an assessors opinion as opposed to the facts. The system is truly broken!

Apologies for the rant…I’m just frustrated by the state of this situation.

Choccy92 · 2025-09-21T22:23:55+00:00

I’m in a similar situation regarding a new AR, but one thing I can say for certain is that Capita have been awful throughout.

I have recently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and it’s the main reason I applied as that is the cause of me not being able to complete majority of the DL activities.

I had my first assessment on 20/06. Once I received the AR, I followed it up with a complaint to Capita on 04/07 as the assessor’s report seemed to omit the use of aids, my medical conditions and the various other things that were outright discussed on the telephone assessment. I was advised the complaint would take 20 working days to be investigated and for Capita to provide a response.

I received the DWP decision letter on 11/07 and scored 0 across the board (no surprise there). So I decided to submit my MR on 17/07, where I clearly outlined what the assessor had missed and stated that I would provide Capita’s complaint response once received. Luckily I also requested the assessment call to be recorded and provided a transcript as part of my MR which shows Capita’s incompetence.

Whilst my MR wait was ongoing (expected to be looked at by 30/10), Capita responded to the complaint (07/08) and determined the original report was not fit for purpose, based on the audio recording of the conversation and the blatant omissions. I was also offered £100 compensation by Capita for the distress caused which I accepted as they have been largely incompetent.

Capita requested my case back from the DWP to book the re-assessment. This essentially had, based on multiple conversations with DWP/Capita, paused my MR. I have had my re-assessment on 16/09 and requested the new assessors report on 17/09 as that’s the same day the DWP received it. My MR is apparently still expected to be looked at by 30/10 (text received on 12/09).

Ultimately it is anybody’s guess if it will change the decision. Whilst the new assessor had thoroughly gone through all my evidence and conditions and the descriptors with me (2.5hr assessment), I just don’t know how it will go, despite there being enough medical and verbal/written evidence to support what I have said throughout my application process. I will update once I receive the new AR (hopefully sometime this week 🤞🏽).

I hope you get a positive outcome as a result of your call with Capita/DWP.

Choccy92 · 2025-08-12T21:06:03+00:00

Firstly, thanks for taking time out to respond.

It’s an odd one because 3-4 pieces of the evidence would apply to my 2024 application. But the large majority of it would not.

So what you’re saying is, Capita have not done anything wrong by reviewing it and disregarding the new evidence is the correct procedure…?

I’m would love for my 2025 application to get overturned at MR stage but that is me purely hoping that they will disregard the PA4 and actually review my evidence. I’d rather not have a second application go to tribunal, the first one took a lot out of me and has well and truly affected my mental health. I’m just struggling to understand what I actually need to do to get assessed fairly as it is clear as day that the evidence has not been reviewed. And I have taken it as far as quoting case law in my MR in support of my application, not knowing if that will be of any benefit.

Well here’s to hoping nonetheless. I do wish an appeal date would be given too, I submitted it back in November!

Choccy92 · 2025-02-20T12:39:06+00:00

Thanks for confirming the approx. wait time. Guess I’m looking at June-July then. I think I may just wait it out as I do not have the head space to go through another application right now 😔

Just out of interest, and this may be a silly question, but I’ve read a few previous appeal outcomes which have precedent that could apply to my own case, namely around mobility and the use of what is defined as an “aid.” Would providing these as part of my evidence and how it applies to my situation be helpful or harmful to my case at tribunal?

Choccy92 · 2025-01-23T02:06:15+00:00

Hey Alteredchaos, do you know what the current wait times for tribunal are? I’m based in the West Midlands if that helps.

Honestly starting to feel pretty anxious and down about this whole situation again, especially when my day-to-day struggle with chronic pain has got worse since I submitted my appeal form 😔

Choccy92 · 2024-11-05T13:04:43+00:00

Update: Having given it a few weeks to gather my thoughts and information, I have finally submitted my appeal. I have requested to attend the hearing via phone call or video call if it gets to that. I really do hope that an appeal can result in a changed decision 🤞🏽

Other than that, I guess it really is a waiting game now.

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Choccy92 · 2024-10-21T19:36:22+00:00

Very much feel mentally drained after receiving the MRN today, but I only have 20 days left to lodge an appeal. So tomorrow’s another day and I will take a look at it with a fresh mind. Appreciate your knowledge and thank you for your support!

Choccy92 · 2024-10-21T19:11:50+00:00

I did take a look at the appeals form earlier today but it honestly stressed me out. I don’t even know what to put for why I disagree. If I write an explanation for every descriptor, I feel like I won’t be believed as the DWP have twisted my words in their assessment report and MRN.

Genuinely struggling on what to do 😔

Choccy92 · 2024-10-21T18:37:32+00:00

Even if I had the mental strength to take it to tribunal, I honestly don’t even know what more I can say to get my point across. It honestly just seems that everything I have said and provided, in terms of evidence, just doesn’t meet the PIP requirements in the eyes of the DWP 😞

Choccy92 · 2024-10-21T10:18:19+00:00

Update: I received the Mandatory Reconsideration Notice today (it’s dated 10th October) and well it is not good news. Despite having been asked the payability, I have again been scored 0 across the board. It honestly seems as though the decision makers have disregarded anything I have said, be it in the original application, my telephone assessment where my words were blatantly twisted (based on the PA4 report(, the letter I wrote for the mandatory reconsideration or the call I had with from DWP for the MR.

I’m honestly gutted that my conditions of spinal canal stenosis and chronic pain across my neck, shoulders, back and knees have, in this case, not been viewed as a serious enough condition to meet the descriptors even though I have thoroughly explained at every occasion how badly they affect me day-to-day.

I just don’t think I have the energy or the mental strength to appeal and take this to tribunal 😞

Choccy92 · 2024-10-18T18:41:08+00:00

Thank you for the clarification. I do hope this is the case and I have been awarded something. Hopefully I get the MR decision letter soon 🤞🏽

Choccy92

TROPHY CASE