Applying for PIP, hoping for any success stories

[PipPipTallyHo]

Posted hopefully in the right place for relevant advice 🤞🏻

I have seen in the past that this can be a pretty controversial subject here on MN, but I'll preface by stating that I have been advised by a professional that works with myself and my children to apply for PIP. She advised this based on the fact that I have had my issues for a very, very long time, and also because I have absolutely no financial independence and I'm not likely to have any for the foreseeable. She explained it to me and I applied last week. I'm waiting for the form to arrive to fill in. My GP and the lady mentioned above are happy to support my application.

So now I'm just asking, does anybody have any positive stories about claiming PIP for OCD and/ or anxiety? In the past year (pre pandemic) I have become severely agoraphobic. I've been making small steps towards fixing that but there are still so many 'normal person' things that I'm just not doing/don't feel able to do, I honestly sometimes feel paralysed. I have given permission for them to discuss with my healthcare professionals so there will be a very clear track record of the problems I'm having. I'm just so scared that it will fall through and I'll still have nothing. I want to have some hope, I'd very much appreciate anybody who has something to share to help.

Thank you

I am on PIP for severe agoraphobia and anxiety. I won't lie, it's difficult to do and I've had to appeal to the tribunal 3 times after being turned down after assessment and mandatory reconsideration. This time, I was granted higher level mobility following the mandatory reconsideration.

I had to get proof from a medical professional to get a home visit, but these have all been granted with almost no fuss.

A couple of times I have requested help from my MP and he has been helpful. I include a printout of the email in the stuff I send to PIP. The last one included a very frustrated story of what it is like living with an invisible mental health condition that people don't seem to understand, that there is a lot of talk of helping those with MH conditions, but when push comes to shove, if they can't see it, I haven't got it.

It helps to put down things like 'I am unable to walk my children to school except for 2 days a month when my friend can come with me'(change to suit you!!) because if you say 'I can take the kids to school twice a month but no more' they just hear the 'I can' bit.

I included a list of all the feelings/thoughts etc that I experience when I leave my home (and frequently when I'm in) I made sure to explain that what I experienced was not just 'a little bit nervous' but actual 'I have cried in the street because I am 20 steps from my home and feel like I'm actually going to die, not just saying it, but genuinely feeling that I am going to die'. I also got a doctors letter, although, as lovely and helpful she is, the letter wasn't great.

I made an incredibly depressing list of things I am unable to do like take my children to the park, or shops, can't go to school plays, have missed countless weddings and family gatherings etc.

I finished by saying that I realise that all these things sound stupid to someone who has never experienced anxiety on such a level, but don't dismiss the extent of how much it impacts on my life.

Wow!! Sorry, that was really long!!! Hope some of this helps. What I will say is, expect to be turned down and to have to do at least a mandatory reconsideration. they seem to turn most people down at first to see if they can get rid of them!! Same with the MR-horrible to say it, but that's how it seems to work. And it takes a looooonnnggg time. Weeks to get the form, weeks for it to be looked at, months to get an assessment etc etc.

I'm not saying this to scare you off of doing it, just think it's best to be prepared.

Fingers crossed for you, and don't give up!!

@Dolallytats thank you don't worry about putting me off, I'd rather prepare for the worst case scenario and be pleasantly surprised, and it's good to know that it's worth appealing, as knowing myself I would probably give up after one rejection thinking there's no point. I really appreciate your perspective x

Had two totally different experiences on DLA to PIP transfer. For ds (who is the most severely affected) he had had a lifetime award at HR mobility and care on transfer the decision was he had no entitlement so he lost it all. At Tribunal, a year later, the panel re awarded him the rate previously and were very critical of DWP for their bizarre reasoning, lack of knowledge of the case and failing to consider evidence supplied.
For dd the transfer went through with no medical and the rates stayed the same so it appears to be the luck of the draw as to how straight forward it is to make a successful claim.

They will ask for a list of when you have appointments and how often so I recommend having a note and keeping a note going forward of all appointments although you can ask for a print out from the docs and it will tell you every appointment and time you have called the docs etc.
Make a copy of the form before you send it as it's handy for renewals etc.
Push to have your face to face meeting at home!
Don't be disheartened if you don't get it the first time, appeal and reapply! Also your mp might be able to help if they are pushing for disabilities to be helped.

Send in as much supporting info / letters as you can, as early in the process as you can (with your initial form if possible). They ask for permission to contact medical professionals but rarely do so. If your supporting letters can back up what is in your form, this will help. E.g. letter says you struggle to go out alone, you need promoting to wash or you take a really long time to wash etc. Rather than a letter just giving your diagnosis and meds / care needed - this will only help a bit (but useful to include along with the specific examples)

Echoing everyone else but wanted to emphasise 1) talking to CAB who can help you fill out form and 2) if you do get turned down, appeal. It is a ludricous, unfair system that is designed to put off the most vulnerable and in need from getting help they need.

I got awarded the Mobility Component of PIP after Mandatory Reconsideration because I have photosensitive epilepsy that affects my ability to mobilise & travel safely.
So I get £249 a month.

I also applied for the Care Component as well as the Mobility Component as I have Schizoaffective disorder & the negative symptoms affect my ability to carry out daily tasks. But it got turned down.
On reflection really should have gone to appeal,
I can only work part time due to the fact I get breakthrough symptoms of psychosis such as hallucinations & paranoia when I'm tired & stressed etc.

Be really careful during the face to face interview.
The interviewer didn't understand my mental health illness & concentrated on the epilepsy.
The interviewer used the facts that I'd been to university (graduated 12 years prior to my diagnosis!) & worked in a bank (for 6 months prior to uni ffs!) as evidence against me getting the Care Component.
I looked clean & tidy & maintained eye contact which is a bad thing apparently as mentally unwell people are supposed to appear unkempt & rude.

I do really regret accepting the MR & not going to Tribunal as I needed the money but I'm scared I'd lose the money I get now.

@Terralee I'm really sorry, that sounds like such a frustrating and trying process. I appreciate you taking the time to share. I understand what you mean about being afraid to appeal as you're worried about losing the little bit that you did get awarded. Before I created this thread, I assumed that the people who dealt with the MH side of the applications had a deeper understanding of mental illness and the effects it has on people. It's sad to see that that's not the case at all. I know that people who deal with UC are expected to reject a certain number of claims per week. That's quite scary... I'm now guessing it's the same for PIP. I'm sure a PP mentioned it being the luck of the draw and it sounds like that's spot on

@thebiggestmoose

Hi Pip I do some voluntary work for a local advice charity Basically PIP depends on how the illness/disability affects on a day to day basis .There is a bit of an art to filling the forms, because the questions effectively need answering in the correct way ( don't get me started on the fact that some very deserving people miss out...because they don't fill out the form 'correctly')

It would be best if you could speak to someone from something like CAB, or a local advice centre

Also worth speaking to charities that specialise in for eg OCD

If you can't get any help from these people there is a good website called Benefits and Work that explains what they're looking for in answers. I think the main site is free but you have to pay to post on the very helpful forum ( think it's about £20 to register to use it)

Also I have seen many people be awarded PIP for mental health conditions- definately worth a try!

A decision really isn't based just on what you write on the form though. There is usually a face to face assessment where you are quizzed extensively on how your condition affects your everyday life and mobility. The best chance of getting a successful outcome in my opinion is to provide medical evidence to back up what you say on the form and at the assessment.

I have a relative with autism they were turned down for pip and ended going to tribunal.They were awarded pip in the end so if you don't get it first time please think about a tribunal.My relative really struggled but because they spoke to the lady who came to see them the DWP said he was fine.

When I called, I was on hold for quite a while, and the recorded talky man (technical term) said that all face to face assessments are suspended indefinitely due to the pandemic. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing though. On the one hand it could mean simply not having a judgemental misanthrope scrutinising your every word. On the other hand... they could probably think of a lot more reasons to reject applications in the absence of a F2F appointment. Hmm...

I’m a CAB adviser and I do a lot of benefit appeals.

Things I think are important

1. I agree with the PP who said use the wording “I can’t do X unless someone is with me.” or similar rather than “I can do X with someone with me.” If it’s a person being with you, does it have to be a specific person.
2. Try to be specific and say things like “once a week” rather than occasionally or sometimes and “it can take several hours” rather than “a long time.”
3. If you can do things - say take the kids to school and do the shopping for example, can you manage both on the same day? Can you always do them.
4. Think about hidden supports you might have forgotten about because they’re your normal.

Just to warn you, dc2 (when forced to transition from DLA to PIP 5 years ago) was turned down - they have a lifetime disability.
The decision was based on the face to face assessment, which, when we asked for the report, turned out to be a complete pack of lies, completely based on two observations- that dc could sign their name (after having the correct place on the form pointed to), and that they were wearing shoes with laces. You couldn't make it up.
We asked for a mandatory re-consideration, and PIP was awarded.
Recently, they have had a review.
Luckily, the decision maker that looked at their case had more than two brain cells, and it went straight through.
Basically I'm saying if you get turned down, don't give up.
If you have the evidence, as you have, and if you need to, ask for the report and go through it line by line. Refute anything that's incorrect, signposting to your evidence. (I wrote a letter which covered three sides of A4, typewritten.)
I really hope you won't have this problem, but it's worth knowing about.

It's a bit shameful to admit, but I have a myriad of letters telling me off for missing hospital appointments and eventually referring me back to my GP. (I know and understand that missing appointments costs the NHS money and I'm not proud of it at all). Every single one of those missed appointments has been due to anxiety. My GP has been kind enough to work with me to help me continue receiving treatment and most of my appointments are now done over the phone.

I'm just wondering, are the letters telling me that I missed my appointments relevant enough to include along with my application?

@Butterer I'm sorry to hear that your review is not pleasant. Some of the comments here really do make it seem as though the process is deliberately made to be difficult in order to keep claims low.

Mine was a success. I've had to take 2 to court and won, the other times I've won only just before going to court, so I had to appeal against them all to the death almost

You should never just describe a wort day because if on the day of assessment you have a good day you are going to look an idiot. By all means describe a worst day but please make it clear how often they happen. You need to be honest and back up with medical evidence.

Ironically a friend of one of my best mates is a nurse who does assessments for the DWP.
I used to work with her when she was a nurse in the hospital & really don't approve of her doing that job although she was always a nice person & I can't imagine she'd make things up about people, but people can change.
Anyway I heard from my best mate that she is now working from home doing assessments over the telephone instead of face to face.

I didn't ask my best mate to get tips off her friend for how to fill in the forms etc as I felt worried that this woman would remember me when I was well & influence the process of my claim. I guess I was just being paranoid maybe?

@Terralee

Ironically a friend of one of my best mates is a nurse who does assessments for the DWP. I used to work with her when she was a nurse in the hospital & really don't approve of her doing that job although she was always a nice person & I can't imagine she'd make things up about people, but people can change. Anyway I heard from my best mate that she is now working from home doing assessments over the telephone instead of face to face.

I didn't ask my best mate to get tips off her friend for how to fill in the forms etc as I felt worried that this woman would remember me when I was well & influence the process of my claim. I guess I was just being paranoid maybe?

The assessments over the phone is just a temporary thing due to covid.