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Original poster

PIP Assessment please help

18 replies

ItsDisneyBitch · 22/02/2022 15:06

I have to do the PIP Assessment interview for DD next week.

Can you please give me some ideas on what I would need to prepare please! She has ADD and crippling mental health and social communication difficulties.

Thank you

OP posts:
Babyroobs · 22/02/2022 15:22

They will ask you questions based on what you wrote on the form. They may ask about medications/ therapies or interventions she is having. They will ask about what support she needs in relation to the PIP descriptors - can she go out alone, what happens if someone isn't with her, can she make phone calls herself, does she need to be prompted to have a shower or cook a meal, what happens if not prompted etc. It's just all about what support she needs.

Original poster
ItsDisneyBitch · 22/02/2022 15:24

So I should give examples day to day of what she needs.

How successful are the assessments we have been receiving dla up until now. I wonder what the percentage is that successfully switches over.

OP posts:
deepbreath · 22/02/2022 15:31

My dd has a different diagnosis, but had her first PIP assessment days after she turned 16 3 years ago. The assessor that came here was quite efficient/borderline abrupt - and would not deviate at all from her list of questions that she had prepared based on the answers on the PIP form. When she left, I didn't feel very positive but some PIP was awarded. Just at a slightly lower rate than dd's DLA.

Good luck with your dd's assessment.

gogohm · 22/02/2022 15:39

You need to keep truthful but tell it how it is on bad days and keep to the areas that they assess (feelings don't come in to it) they assess on set areas as per the form so go over your answers beforehand.

Warning it is rarely given despite having dla as a child because the criteria are different. Being hospitalised for mental health wasn't even accepted. She also needs to communicate the answers if possible - mothers answering seem to not help, I was told as much, they prefer no answer

Original poster
ItsDisneyBitch · 22/02/2022 16:25

I’ve been accepted as her appointee so I will speak for her.

OP posts:
Clockbookbeast · 22/02/2022 17:32

Dc1 was swapped from dla to pip last year.
I also claim pip.
The biggest thing is always talk about the worst days of the week. Not the one good day.
Dc assessment was over the phone and I'd requested they rang me, he'd given permission they rang him he couldn't answer the questions so eventually she asked to speak to me, we'd had no warning of the phone call and I'd pointed out he could not do things without warning.
For every question give an example of how it's effected dc. Also my dc has to access medical care regularly, and I pointed out how this would not be done without my support, so what would be detrimental if they didn't have support. When she asked a question dc couldn't answer I rephrased it so he could sort of proving what we were saying. It's natural to try and be possitve about how dc lives/its become normal to live how you do but don't paint the worst picture possible. Also I used examples of how living with dc affects the rest of the family negatively.
I couldn't discuss this with dc before appointment as we had no warning but after I would have explained why we need to be honest and not pretend everything is OK as he usually does.

Ilovetommycat · 22/02/2022 17:38

Op, please look at the website Benefits & Work.
They are brilliant and helped me so much with a relative's claim.
Can't recommend them highly enough.
Good luck.

romany4 · 22/02/2022 17:45

DH gets PIP.
Our gp advised us to explain what it's like on the worst day.
DH has chronic pain and mobility problems so we explained what he is like on a very bad day compared to an average day. Still took them 9 months to make a decision though.
Good luck

Bearsinmotion · 22/02/2022 17:55

I have a very different disability but the most useful piece of advice I had was to remember that any of the activities they describe you have to be able to do it safely, regularly and repeatedly. So if she ever needs help getting dressed, tell them that. In my case I can usually walk to school, but occasionally I get crippling muscle spasms that stop me dead, so I can’t cross the road safely and repeatedly. Hope it all goes well.

TheDoveFromAboveCooCoo · 22/02/2022 18:16

This really useful to help prepare for the assessment. www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/PIP%20descriptors.pdf

I had mine in November and they will ask about difficulties and abilities on each of these and assess as appropriate for the points for each section.

TheDoveFromAboveCooCoo · 22/02/2022 18:26

@romany4

DH gets PIP. Our gp advised us to explain what it's like on the worst day. DH has chronic pain and mobility problems so we explained what he is like on a very bad day compared to an average day. Still took them 9 months to make a decision though. Good luck
Same here. I applied in June 2021 and it was awarded 4 weeks ago. Long hard slog but worth it in the end for the additional money to pay for the extra help I need.
earlydoors42 · 22/02/2022 18:28

It's a bit misleading to say you should talk about your worst day. To get PIP it has to be something that affects you over 50% of the time. So yes talk about your bad days but you will also need to say you have more bad days than good days, so the majority of the time you struggle.

And yes as PP said you also need to be able to do things repeatedly, reliably and in a timely manner. If not (for over 50% of the time) you should qualify.

CIaireFraser · 22/02/2022 18:34

Have a look at this thread, OP. It's a few years old but some really good advice on there.

Good luck Flowers

thebakeoffwasntasgoodthisyear · 22/02/2022 18:38

Familiarise yourself with the points system and give examples as to which criteria she meets. Eg for mixing with other people - needing prompting/encouragement gets you 2 points, but needing social support gets you 4. If you know which areas she’s likely to score on, it’ll help you focus on giving the relevant information.

Babyroobs · 22/02/2022 18:44

@romany4

DH gets PIP. Our gp advised us to explain what it's like on the worst day. DH has chronic pain and mobility problems so we explained what he is like on a very bad day compared to an average day. Still took them 9 months to make a decision though. Good luck
Your GP should never be advising that. It is fine to describe a worst day but also explain how many days are bad. You only score points for a descriptor if it affects you more than 50% of the time.
Libertybear80 · 22/02/2022 18:57

I think we got off lightly. DD didn't have to have a face to face assessment and she got the highest rate. A nurse literally spoke to her for 2 mins on the phone.

CrimbleCrumble1 · 22/02/2022 19:49

Don’t worry about repeating the same thing.

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