Is getting PIP a horrible process?

[MumbleCrumbs]

I've had a disability since birth that has become significantly worse the last two years. I now need a walking stick to get around and I'm in a lot of daily discomfort. I've never asked for or been in receipt of any benefit but I'm beginning to think that pip may really help me in my daily life, especially with costs related to my mobility like getting taxis to my uni, etc.
However a close family member went through the process and has told me horrible horror stories about how humiliating it is, and how hard it is to qualify for anything at all, so advice and experiences on the process would be gratefully received!

@Babyroobs

Cricketmum - At the assessment they will ask you questions based on what you wrote on the form and what life is like for you on a daily basis, what you struggle with, what causes you pain etc. the ones I have supported people with , the assessor has asked about medications, how often painkillers are taken, if they have therapy, who supports them, where they go out to etc and if they need someone with them. I have only seen one assessor make people do physical exercises, the lady was crying in pain and I was telling her she did not need to do what the assessor was asking if it was causing her pain. These assesors do not like people like me chipping in, they just want to get the report done. Most of them have been kind, one or two have been very cold and clinical. I have seen some people who are being assessed get into arguments with the assesor about the system, not understanding why they need to be assessed. they are usually the ones who have no medical evidence to back up what they are saying.

Thank you ❤️❤️ I literally struggle with everything and it took so long to do the flipping form! I can't shower or bath without help, I can't tidy round the house as I can't carry things around and hold on to my walker at the same time. I Struggle with cooking as can't stand without holding on so DH makes me a sandwich before he goes to work. I'm really really hoping they don't turn me down as even though I'm able to work from home the money would come in so useful for things like a cleaner and various other aids that would make my life so much easier!!

I apologise for my lack of information in my earlier posts.

Op, when you apply, make sure you have as much information as possible to back up what you're putting. Hospital letters, list of any medications, any specialists you see and reports from them.

I was very lucky that my SIL did not have to go for an assessment interview, she has a lifelong disability, physical, emotionally and developmentally. She had a lifelong award when she claimed DLA, but PIP no longer do lifelong. She was awarded the maximum term, which is 10 years.

@IveGotASongThatllGetOnYNerves

The single most important thing is this - When it comes to the interview - record it! Everyone must record it. It is the only way to ensure that you can prove what you said! Do not ever trust they will record your replies correctly.

You need to make 2 recordings. I suggest buying 2 of those digital dictaphones. You have to inform them in advance that you will be recording it. Set them both in front of you and start recording. At the end you switch them off and ask them to take one. You take the other.

Be honest. If they ask you to do something and it will cause you pain then say I'm sorry, that is too painful, I can't.

Have evidence. Everything you have. Prescriptions, records of medical things, any reports, everything no matter how small.

Give specific examples of things that you cannot or find difficult or painful to do.

Don't leave things out because of embarrassment. You need help. You're entitled to help.

They have recently changed the rules on recording devices and made it easier.

They just forgot to inform everyone else

Why does that not surprise me

My DM found it harrowing. At her meeting to the chairwoman was in a wheelchair. Every single question was related to her. "Do you think you are as disabled as me?" "Why should you get it if you aren't in a wheelchair like me?"
She was evil to my DM. My Dad wasn't allowed to speak.

I’ve helped my a family member recently get high rate pip for both care and mobility and helped get with the forms for ESA which placed her in the support group
She had short telephone interview for PIP and no assessment for ESA just placed straight in the support group
Started in Feb for ESA and she got the full award in July
PIP I started the form in April and she got her award in Sept

If you go to an assessment centre things to be aware of …
For mobility they will be assessing from the waiting room to the interview room
For mobility they will always take the room that is the furthest away from the waiting room
Why - because if you can walk that far they can fail you on this one thing for mobility .
If you drive they will assume you can
Stand up sit down transfer yourself unaided ,use both hands &feet and be able to follow instructions and directions

They look for stuff to contradict what you can do and say you can’t do
So if you say you have problems with using your hands and dexterity
But you are wearing a top with lots of buttons and lace up shoes they will note this or if your nails are painted they will assume you can hold a small item in your hands with no problem

They often ask if you have a dog if you say yes then they assume you can walk the dog , hold on to the dogs lead
bend down pick the Pooh and stand back up .
So no problem with mobility
They will also assume you have no problems in going out on your own and following a route ,
So no mental health problems like anxiety and being in a public place

If they ask you to get up on the medical bed in the room
Its because they are looking to see how well you can transfer yourself from a seated position on a chair and stand up and sit on the medical bed - they really aren’t trying to examine you 😂

@PheasantsNest

My DM found it harrowing. At her meeting to the chairwoman was in a wheelchair. Every single question was related to her. "Do you think you are as disabled as me?" "Why should you get it if you aren't in a wheelchair like me?" She was evil to my DM. My Dad wasn't allowed to speak.

Shocking.

For another friend I helped get her renewal of pip
I put in a copy of her most recent ESA
award
A letter from her doctor confirming that she had a prescribed wheelchair from the enablement center
And a copy of her medication prescription
And just filled out the form
She wasn’t interviewed and got a 5 year renewal

@Wegobshite

For another friend I helped get her renewal of pip I put in a copy of her most recent ESA award A letter from her doctor confirming that she had a prescribed wheelchair from the enablement center And a copy of her medication prescription And just filled out the form She wasn’t interviewed and got a 5 year renewal

That's good. I have a letter from neuro rehab physio that says what I can do and can't do plus the equipment they have given me and a letter from neurologist confirming my diagnosis.

I totally get that they have to do these assessments to stop potential fraud but I just feel like it would be so humiliating explaining to a stranger what my DH has to do to help me.

Bagelsandbrie I agree with you. I dreaded it and put off completing the forms, missed the deadline. They couldn't have been more helpful and understanding.

I found this advice helpful:

• You get about 4 weeks to do it. Don’t put it off - do a bit each day. If you still aren’t going to be able to get it done, contact them and let them know.
• When I did it the form was paper, not electronic. It’s ok to type out your answers, number the pages of your typed answer then on the handwritten form write ‘See page 3’ or whatever.
• Include a diary of a bad day and a better day. I did this by writing down each of the descriptors (preparing food, moving around etc) and writing down what I did for each day. And say how often days are like that.
• Get someone who knows about PIP to help you, or at least read over your application. Someone who knows what the assessors are looking for will be able to steer you towards the areas the assessors are looking for so you give them the best information for assessing your claim.

I found it time consuming and a bit stressful, but the assessment I had was very fair and I got the outcome I was looking for.

@Davros

Bagelsandbrie I agree with you. I dreaded it and put off completing the forms, missed the deadline. They couldn't have been more helpful and understanding.

Cricketmum - At the assessment they will ask you questions based on what you wrote on the form

DWs assessor didn't have a copy and told us she wasn't allowed to take the copy I had ready in case she'd "forgotten" it. This was Capita.

I've just applied for the first time, I'm currently waiting on a decision. It's difficult, I found it very hard to fill in the form, it caused me a lot of anxiety. I gave up a couple of times and had to reapply as ran out of time for submitting the form. I've helped other people with applications in a professional capacity but it's very difficult when you are doing it for yourself. I've had a number of different health problems for the last 20 years but have put it off until now, a friend helped me a lot with the form and also attended the assessment with me which really helped (all assessments are currently on the phone) The assessor was actually quite nice but I have no idea as yet whether their assessment accurately reflects my difficulties so we shall see.

All the advice above is really excellent but one thing I would add that I don't think has been mentioned; make a copy of the form you fill in. You're generally asked to assess yourself on a scale of 1 - 10 and when I had to do a renewal I couldn't remember what I'd put on my first form. As my condition had deteriorated I was really conscious of not wanting to put the same or 'better' than I had on my first form and it not looking like my condition had got worse. I've not had an assessment since but kept a copy of my last form for reference when I have to do one again.
Good luck, there's lots of help out there and my experience has only been positive but I am aware of all the horror stories.

www.ucas.com/student-finance-england/disabled-students-allowances

Don't know where the rest of my post went there

make a copy of the form you fill in.

Plus all the supporting documents. Over 100 pages for DW. All scanned and reprinted onto an electronic version of the form I had to create.With name, NI number and DOB plus "page x of y" on every page. One copy for Capita, and one for the decision maker. Just in case there are any "losses".

The trick is to make sure the application that comes after yours is easier to fail than yours.

Balls. I wish I had seen all of this before I sent mine off. I didn't think to make any copies of anything!

I had a text when they started processing it about 9 weeks ago saying to expect a response within 10 weeks. I'm a nervous wreck every time the postman comes!

I didn't think to make any copies of anything!

I cease to be amazed by the capacity of any organisation to lose important documents. Or even more amusingly pages of documents.

I have a thrice backed up folder of scans and documents for DW going back to 2003.

@SommerTen

It's when you have a Mental illness that being assessed for PIP can be a nightmare as I found. I have Schizoaffective disorder & the assessor said oh, you have Schizophrenia, & when I said no she wasn't interested. Because I presented well and looked ok she made a lot of incorrect assumptions. Also as I manage (just) to work part time that didn't help.

I got turned down but on Mandatory Reconsideration I got the Mobility award for my epilepsy.
I was too scared to appeal.
So I get £255 a month.

The joke is that I was offered a Motability car - when I said I don't have a driving license due to seizures!! Omg how stupid are they??

They are terrible with mental health, I was told as I had Facebook and looked clean I clearly wasn’t depressed at all - and as I wasn’t covered in scars as I obviously wasn’t self harming ‘properly’ . Said I couldn’t have OCD as they hadn’t seen me wash my hands too . I haven’t applied again funnily enough !

ESA for DM was worse though, she had four dissociative seizures after and I’ll never forget the GP assessing her who looked down at her on the floor and said, ‘Well that’s awful but it’s not 24/7 is it? Surely she could work in an office between seizures?’

@wouldyoudothistoo

ESA for DM was worse though, she had four dissociative seizures after and I’ll never forget the GP assessing her who looked down at her on the floor and said, ‘Well that’s awful but it’s not 24/7 is it? Surely she could work in an office between seizures?’

If you have physical disabilities, the process is pretty straight forward as the questions relate to physical needs.

Anyone applying for mental health reasons consequently will find it tricky to apply using the form's questions criteria (I assisted a friend on this, she has huge problems - schizophrenia, anxiety and others things). She's very well educated and her default is to try to present as normal - so at interview she indeed tried to be helpful and answer positively eg was asked can you do x and she said well only if my friend was here yes I could, but she'd have to come with me (as if that's practical when I live 200 miles away!) - assessor put it down as 'yes she can', and as a result was turned down. She got higher level on mandatory reconsideration (ie they actually looked at the paper trail and read doctor's report)

Anyone trying to claim on mental health grounds I strongly recommend get advice from a specialist or charity associated with your disability who knows how to prepare for your claim, as the questions asked are not relevant to mental health issues.

Bitcoin but esa,I assume the assessment is similar. My husband has problems with his left hand which is his dominant one,. He was asked to take off his coat, which he did using his right hand, asked loads of questions and in the report said he was able to dress and undress himself using his right hand. He went to appeal and was given it. Some assessors don't listen or it seems even look at what they're supposed to be assessing