Not really an AIBU but.. Was utterly terrified before my recent PIP assessment (particularly having read the post by the ex-PIP assessor!), as in not eating, feeling suicidal, utterly hopeless as I have an 'invisible' illness caused by a very serious life threatening illness and massively botched treatment/repeated mis-diagnosis/shite treatment by the NHS (and also amazing treatment by the NHS - I am here! I am alive albeit a fucked up version. I swore I wouldn't claim PIP as couldn't deal with the stress (wouldn't sue the NHS as I don't think that's on) unless I was ever harassed over my ESA claim by the DWP, which happened after I was maliciously reported for benefit fraud amongst other things, by some vile ex-neighbours. As such, I put my claim in and was duly assessed. My assessor was absolutely lovely, not scripted at all, completely put me at my ease, so much so that I was slightly worried it was 'a trick!', I wasn't asked to perform anything I couldn't physically achieve and assessor was actually really insightful about my condition and future prognosis, telling me things I was previously unaware of and leaving me feeling genuinely more positive than I have since I fell ill.
I still doubted whether my claim would be successful having read the horror stories but found out last week that I have been awarded PIP which will make my life basically worth living and more than just existing, in constant pain and in a lesser form as the days and weeks and years progress. That is all really Not all assessors are horrendous and it isn't all doom and gloom though my assessor said that there are too many reports of mistreatment/lies and a broken system for them not to be true and confirmed what we know; that the system is extremely unfair and screwed, rotten to the core. But there is hope and who knows perhaps the reforms this system so desperately needs will take place one day soon.
Apologies if this is a bit garbled, I just needed to thank the Ex assessor and show that there are positive PIP application experiences out there, however few and far between.