PIP

[CleoKitten]

My doctor told me.i could claim PIP. After struggling with debilitating anxiety and OCD for a long time as well as agoraphobia and health anxiety. As well as chronic pain, tiredness, mental and physical exhaustion. Other physical symptoms that cannot be explained. I've had loads of tests and my GP suspects it is likely fibromyalgia. I worked part time as a HCA but I've recently had to give this up and I just cannot do it anymore. Physically and mentally. My anxiety rules every aspect of my life and some days I can't function. I'm always in so much pain that even pottering or getting out of bed is a huge struggle for me. I've applied for it but I just feel like a fraud. I genuinely done see how I would even be entitled to it and feel bad and cheeky for even thinking I could claim it. I feel like I bungled up the claim form and probably could have provided a lot more in depth info on how my life is affected. Iv had a text to say my form is with a healthcare professional. Is this a good sign or is this the standard procedure? I'm worrying sick that I've made a fool of myself to even dare put a claim in. Anyone know how it works? Or anyone claimed successfully for their mental health or fibromyalgia? At the time of claiming I didn't not know my doctor was suspecting fibro so I used the term chronic pain. I feel like because I just look very normal and I don't have to hav any aids to help me that they'll turn me down straight away. I do have my partner have to help me alot with even just cooking a meal or going out. I can't go out alone without someone due to the severity of my anxiety.

Every form goes to a health professional then you are invited to an assessment where you'll be asked questions based on what you wrote on the form so they can decide if you meet the criteria. yes lots of people get it for mental health and fibromyalgia. Virtually half the clients I help with the forms have fibro. it helps if you have a proper diagnosis form a Rheumatologist but I have seen people get a PIP award ( on appeal ) without one. I don't understand how you can say you don't feel you would be awarded it if you can't get out of bed without pain. However the difficulties you have are only really related to the PIP descriptors. they do need to consider whether you can do an activity reliably, within a reasonable timeframe etc. The main thing is to make sure you provide excellent relevant medical evidence with your form including prescription list showing what painkillers, ant-anxiety meds you take etc. It certainly helps to score points if you use aids or have adaptions or have an OT report etc but not essential. I think fibro is one of those things that can be hard to claim for without medical evidence to back it up.

Sorry that should say the difficulties you have have to be related to the PIP descriptors ( the activities they look at ) to score points. So they look at whether you can cook a simple meal, wash and dress yourself, manage your medications, communicate with others etc. They look at whether you can do these things as often as needed, reliably, within a reasonable timeframe, what help you need ( if any ) to do them. PIP is not an easy benefit to get. There are a lot of other threads running at the moment from others with claims at various stages. many people get turned down at first assessment and have to ask for the DWP to look at the claim again or take it to appeal. Recently I had one client awarded it very easily for MH but she was under the care of a psychiatrist and on a lot of meds, I have had another got it easily for fibro/ chronic fatigue but was having loads of therapies/ seeing a nutritionalist etc and had loads of medical reports etc. I also helped someone who said he had agraphobia, could not leave the house etc but had absolutely nothing to back this up and was awarded zero points . Evidence is so important .It seems like some people get awarded very easily and others have a major battle to get an award.

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip/pip-points-system

Have a look at this website. This was really useful for having the assessment for my son with asd.