A question about PIP

[Katinski]

My cleaner's partner is 63, suffers from dyslexia and arthritis.
He'd like a Statement saying that he has these conditions. My cleaner's looked online and it seems he'll have to pay 300-400 for this.
Any thoughts?
I said I'd ask here.
Thanks

I don't think you would get PIP for dyslexia.

I do think it is possible for arthritis, but it's about how it affects day to day life, not necessarily the conditions.

I've never heard of paying for an assessment. I think they would be being ripped off here. If he has a diagnosis and it is recorded with the GP they would write a supporting letter.

No you apply for pip and fill in a form with doctors details etc then they contact them

If it’s already in his medical records, he can request a copy of them in writing from his GP office usually for free.
There is also a website called benefits and work with guides to filling out applications for PIP, gathering evidence.
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/

Also many charities for the disabled can help as well. If he searches for charities for dyslexia and arthritis they might have good advice.

Thanks a lot everyone, I'll save this thread and pass on all your suggestions when S. my cleaner next comes.
for you all

He can just fill in the application and DWP will request the info from his GP.
He needs to be very very clear about how it affects his day to day life. A diagnosis on its own won't get him anything.

Also needs to our pride aside. Eg if he can lift a full kettle, but it hurts to do so he needs to say. Not just that he can lift the kettle.

Yes he needs to call first and they ask questions on the phone to see if it’s worth sending the form out. If they do then that comes and it actually says include any paperwork to support you already have but you don’t need to request anything additional/if you have none. They’ll assess the form, contact people and possibly send you for a face to face assessment. If you’re awarded pip this is backdated to the date you call so worth doing ASAP.

.. just to add to the correct info given so far, if you can , encourage her to get a welfare adviser or CAB person to fill it in for him. It's a bit tricky in that the sort of things they are looking for are 'personal care' .. so bizarrely, not being able to clean windows or hoover doesn't carry much weight but needing someone in the house to make sure he is safe in a bath/shower does..

He will probably be sent for an assessment anyway. Echo what others said. Ditch the pride ! 'I can manage' is not what PIP are looking for. Be honest about how disability affects his day to day living and how much someone else has to help him do things that you and I can do without a thought.

They won’t request information from the gp. He needs to provide the information. You can ask for medical records under GDPR with no charge and send relevant info from them as well as consultants letters etc. They need to have a look at the descriptors and ensure That the information sent matches them.

Sorry to say but I work in this area and it is very, very difficult to obtain PIP. I know many very disabled people who did not qualify for it.

You need at least 8 points for mobility and 8 points for daily living to qualify for the standard rate in either category.

Link of what will get you points

Sausage most do qualify it’s only when they see the assessor who isn’t medically trained to diagnose they don’t get it. It’s decided by someone who isn’t allowed to diagnose in the medical profession but apparently has more knowledge than a consultant or doctor when it comes to pip. The system is bent

It’s also the only profession where bonuses are awarded for a no. In any other profession. That’s illegal but when the government does it it’s ok

This is about me but does relate to the op as it's about arthritis.

On another thread people advised that if you can do the things mentioned in sausagepastapots post, but they cause you a lot of pain, that you record yourself as being unable to do them, but nowhere in that list does it say can do those things pain free, it just says can do them unaided. So do you take pain into consideration when completing the forms?

You have to go as I’d it’s your worse day. Don’t wash don’t do your hair. Make sure you say you need help with washing the toilet. You can’t walk ten metres. Go through the descriptors and make sure you always answer worse case. Oh and the assessors lie make up things you never said. They get paid extra to make sure you get a no. A form of bribery if you like if you worked anywhere else. They are scum the people who assess you. Paid to Fuk you over

You have to go as I’d it’s your worse day. Don’t wash don’t do your hair. Make sure you say you need help with washing the toilet. You can’t walk ten metres.

This will get you rejected for PIP at best and landed with a benefit fraud charge at worst.
The guidance clearly states you respond with how you are for most of the week. So it’s not your worst day or your best day, but how you are usually 4 out of 7 days a week. The assessors know some claimants deliberately not wash, not walk and do all kinds of tricks to appear worse than they are.
It does help to take a carer with you to the F2F assessment or be present if you have a home assessment.

For one thing, It's based on need not diagnosis.

So do you take pain into consideration when completing the forms?

Yes. When ticking that you can do something unaided it is understood that means you are saying you can do the activity unaided to an acceptable standard, safely and can repeat it indefinitely.

So say you can walk 20 metres but in great pain (below standard), at high risk of falling (not safe) or can do it but then need 2hrs rest before repeating(not able to repeat in reasonable time). Any one of those things mean you check you cannot do it unaided. You then explain you specific situation. Say, the pain in my knees and hips due to arthritis mean I cannot walk 20 metres unaided. I can only walk 20 metres if aided by pain medication, a walking stick or carer to prevent falls and if I can rest for 2hrs before attempting to walk further.

You’d need the example I have backed up by medical evidence. Such as a GP or specialist stating that you have limited mobility, scans/xrays showing arthritis in those joints. Prescriptions for pain medication, walking aids. Etc. DWP won’t take your word for it. AND whatever you write must be how you are at least 50% of the time. Not your absolute worst but not your best day either.

I didn’t find it difficult at all to get PIP. I just followed the online guides and a few weeks later there it was.

Bear in mind it's highly unlikely he'll get PIP from the first assessment. He'll have to appeal and its there the assessment gets serious. I would suggest he finds a support agency to support him through the process - around here there is a law firm that represents pro bono, also government support agencies - eg debt agencies, benefit support, CAB etc - that hold your guide you through the process .

He has to really dig for support to fight this battle - and battle it is : DWP are highly invested in people not being awarded PIP.

Although I wouldn't suggest he hams it up, he definitely has to present his worst day. Don't hold back, tell it like it is in full detail. They are looking for absolute evidence, and a wishy washy "some days are worse than others" doesn't cut it.

Blimey, Meerkat, that's unusual!

Oh and the assessors lie make up things you never said.

Absolutely true. Wicked people/process

Pass this website address on: fightback4justice.co.uk
A drs letter confirming his medical condition should cost £15-35
PIP do get infor drs, you do!

There was a wonderful thread on here a while back by a poster who had resigned from the job as PIP accessor because she couldn't hack the flagrant cruelty towards people in need. She outlined how to work the process to get PIP.

I wish I could find the thread because I sent the link to many people at the time..

*assessor!