PIP forms - anyone filled them in themselves?

[Greenbutterlfy566]

Has anyone filled in pip forms themselves? Was it successful?

Yes. No. I think very few are successful. Everything rides on the interview where they disregard everything on the form. The DWP have cured my son of autism!

A lot of people are successful; but they aren't the ones who post on Social Media. You need to do your homework. Read the advice on sites such as Citizens Advice or Disability Rights. The criteria is how your condition impacts on your ability to perform the descriptors; not so much as to what your condition is.
Read up on the advice re safety, reliability and repeatedly. You need to explain why you struggle to do something, not simply say I can't do it. Medical evidence needs to be recent. If you struggle with the all the information, get advice. Don't think you can complete the form in 10-15 minutes; you'll miss vital evidence.

I have on every occasion which is three times over 7 years. I know one other person who receives PIP and she also completed the paperwork herself too.

You need written medical or as much evidence as you can physically provide from professionals on test results & diagnosis, hospital appointments and so on.

Letters from consultants or people with recognised qualifications with letters after their name confirming your condition (and what stage you are at with it) & ideally the effect it has on you physically, mentally and/or emotionally.

Lists of repeat medications, aids you use & any support letters from relatives or friends.

You need to tell them what impact it has on everything you do on a daily basis, what you can’t do rather than what you can.

Do a search using the facility on MN and you’ll find loads of useful threads.

You’ll need to allow at least an hour and I always do a draft rough copy first.

Don’t lie - they WILL try & trip you up. No pun intended!

I did and was successful but for learning difficulties rather than physical.

Yes loads I complete them for a living for clients and it's important you give examples to meet the descriptors in each section , also proved medical evidence .. decisions can often be made without a face to face assessment it depends how strong your form is and what medical evidence you provide . Best bet is to go to local advice centre or CAB

Yes, but it is a lot of work.

Download the benefits and work guides which will take you through step by step. You have to pay for them but they are worth every penny.

Read through the points and how they are allocated and where your symptoms fit with them.

Ask for copies of your medical records from the past couple of years. It will list every consultation and consultants letter.

I did it for my son and he got enhanced care and mobility without needing to go to an interview. I'm still amazed that happened. They spoke to teachers at his school (he goes to a special school and they are used to dealing with DLA/PIP claims) so I assume this helped.

I did and I didn’t have to go to an interview and was awarded enhanced for both components for an ongoing period. It was a lot of work though.

I would download the guides from the benefits and work site. You have to pay but I would t have got any award by just using the guide the DWP send with the form, it’s too vague. The one from benefits and work is worth every penny.

My advice as well would be to get the support of your local mp sooner rather than later if you think it might go the way of having to appeal. Mine helped from the moment I was sent the letter to say I was switching from DLA. The MPs involvement was probably the reason I didn’t have to have a face to face.

Yes I did for DS (ASD) and he had to have an interview much to my surprise and dread. It was much better than I expected and he got advanced care and mobility. Good luck

I’ve always filled in my own DLA/PIP forms. I only didn’t get it once due to them using an ESA medical where the woman had lied about everything but took it to court and got better than I was on before

I did with my dad and my sister, then we went to the cab to check if everything was ok, clear and what they wanted. It was REALLY helpful going to the cab, although the man that helped us was really helpful and informed. I got enhanced for both, with an interview at my house.

Thanks everyone your advice. How long should it take roughly to fill in?

Yes.

First step was to get a digital copy (the B&W forums has a link to one a local authority prepared). That way you can keep a copy for yourself and to give to the assessor (who not only won't have one, but isn't allowed to see one ) when they call, or when you go.

Ideally everything - every single letter, follow up letter, appointment, correspondence - should be scanned and indexed, so it can be cross referenced in the main form. So if you are stating you are unable to do something, or find it painful, there are letters from doctors supporting the claim.

I did DWs form - it ran to 56 pages with references. I rendered it exactly as the original printed form, and got a local printshop to run off 3 copies on decent paper. I recreated the QR code too and put DWs NI number and "Page x of y" on the top of every page so that when they received it there was no excuse.

Obviously keeping an electronic copy means that if (when) they lose it (notice how hard it is to prove delivery ...) it's trivial to run off another copy.

Last tip from B&W was to sent a duplicate copy to the "decision maker" - which is the address on the top of the letters you get from DWP. Personally I made it clear in the overall correspondence that they had been "cc'd" in.

As I was filling it in, I roled-played making my way through a minefield, and tried hard not to misstep.

DW was awarded full PIP. At the assessment, the assessor, because they had no copy of the submission had no sight (no pun intended) of DWs certificate of blindness. Since I had a copy with me I offered it to her, but she's not allowed to accept any paperwork from the claimant. I offered to email it to any address, but seeing it for real was sufficient.

I was at a support group meeting for fibromyalgia last week and had two people from CAB there. They talked us through it and said to appeal any denied claim because a lot of the time (I think she said 70% but I could well be wrong) appeals are granted and it's backdated to the original application.

A lot of people in our group have been denied but successfully appealed, one has had her words entirely twisted, she walks with sticks but the assessment stated she walked five miles a day with her dogs. It often appears to be designed to avoid awarding anything unless you're willing to fight, that's all if you're even mentally capable of going through the original paperwork. I've a friend who is the carer for her brother with HFA and she has told me he would never be able to do it himself and stand up to the scrutiny.