Not sure where to put this, so placing it in familliar stomping ground for traffic...DLA to PIP.

[OrangeIsTheNewPop]

So...The Dreaded Letter came through.

I was awarded indefinite DLA about 1000 years ago. Now it's our postcode's turn for The Big Swap.

That 40 page form is horrendous! Also feeling crappy because I'm so independent, and it was headfucking to document- especially in front of DH (he filled it out for me) exactly how much help I need... we usually take the piss out of it (Oh, Orange could get lost in an alleyway, etc). Mentally draining.

Anyway, that's the "woe is me" shite over. Is anyone else in limbo atm? Can anyone give me positive stories about the process? And a ballpark timeline, please? I have all documentation to send off today- how long before the ball starts rolling? (Need to know so I don't trip up over it 😂😂).

What happens now?

Ps, I'm an absolute SWINE for unintentionally drip-feeding, so feel free to flame. Happy to give details etc.

Are children being moved from dla to pip or not until they're 18?

I feel your pain, op. That pip form is overwhelming and I took several days to fill it out.

I found the benefits and work website had some useful advice about filling in the form and recommend looking at their advice if you haven't already done so. It's important to provide evidence and to keep copies of everything.

I had my ftf assessment a month ago and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The best way to answer questions is to explain everything with quite detailed answers and to assume that the assessor knows nothing about your condition. Be aware that you are being observed the whole time that you are in the appointment so if, for example, they see you walking unaided they see that as evidence that you can do that all the time. Make sure that you take someone with you who can assist you with answering the questions.

My assessor said that my condition was obviously causing severe disability (which it is!) and I will continue to get an award of some sort which reassured me a lot. I haven't heard anything yet but I'm hopeful.

Good luck!

VI here too OP. There's no set format really for how things will go.

I haven't yet had mine and contrary to popular belief there is no set protocol such as postcode etc. I know of people within my area who had theirs over a year ago, similarly I know a couple who had theirs six months apart despite living at the same address and with the same surname.

Equally re face to face assessments, most VI's I know have had to attend an assessment, again there's no set format. Some have had to go to a location, others have had theirs at home.

The RNIB have very comprehensive notes on the process which I am told are very good (and I don't rate the RNIB for anything else...)

If you e.g. Use a guide dog or a cane you should automatically qualify for higher rate mobility. Use of braille will give you eight points towards daily living and the rest is made up of other elements which I'm not sure of at this stage...

Good luck....

@WannaBe thank you for your insight.

Stupid question, but, should I include as "evidence" all my trips to a and e after trips and falls etc?

It's 16 blondie but will soon be 18 in Scotland.

I changed over in 2014. Nearly didn't fill the form in. Went from low rate care on DLA to enhanced care and mobility. Got a home visit. Assessors we're lovely and they got me a 20 year award.

I've a membership for the work and benefits site. If anyone can't afford the membership I'm happy to send the members only guides over to them.

It's actually a relief to hear some positive stories- all I've heard so far while researching are nightmares and horror stories!

I've had DLA since 2000 and I sent my PIP form off a few weeks ago.
I found the process so stressful that it set of my ibs and I got diverticulitis and ended up on antibiotics.
My condition has worsened significantly in the past few years but I'm so scared they will decline my application. This means my car will have to go back and I will be homebound. I have no idea how I'd get the kids to nursery and school or me to gp and hospital appts. I couldn't even write out the answers for the damn form, just holding the pen was too much.
The system sucks monkey balls.

Brain

Oranges, I was exactly like you! When I was applying for PIP I was kind of obsessed with DLA/PIP type forums where people were talking about some dreadful experiences. So that had me thinking 'that's going to happen to me!'
I applied, didn't provide any evidence because I didn't have any, had the f2f (which wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be), got my award a few weeks later and to my surprise, was given enhanced rate mobility and standard care. That was from high rate mobility on DLA, no care.

Trouble is, when reading through the forums, you only really hear about the bad experiences and not many good ones. But they are out there!
Good luck 😉

Muffin I hear you! It doesn't help that, when the changeover started I was volunteering for Action for Blind People, and every day someone else would come through the door, having got a raw deal and losing their DLA. They (well, "we" at the time) were campaigning for a change that would recognize a white cane in the same way as a guide dog (can't remember the exact details). Anyway, they were dealing with at least 2 appeals a week- and that was just in Stoke. So yup- horror story after horror story, and people don't seem to share the good results!

I've read that their can be a six month wait sometimes. Will I still get my DLA during that time? I have (had?) an indefinite award, so it wasn't due to run out.

Yes Orange. You will still get DLA until your award switches to PIP.

I've just done my daughters (17 year old, autistic with learning disability).
The good news was that the form was much easier to understand and fill in. She is now receiving more money than she did on DLA, and she was been awarded it for 10 years.
The bad news was that it took 14 weeks whereas it used to take 6 weeks. Which was a problem for me as I got confused and thought she was still on DLA for another year.
Don't get stressed OP, just take your time and make sure you understand everything.
And just to add, all the advisors and the home assessor I spoke to were lovely and helpful.

Orange do include details of A&E trips as your ability to do things safely is very important to the criteria. For the cooking section make sure that you mention if you are prone to cutting yourself when preparing veg, burning yourself and/or if you struggle to see if meat and fish are properly cooked as this is what lots of VI people get the points for.

For the dressing question mention of you can't see whether there are stains on clothes.

Anecdotally many VI people are doing much better on PIP than DLA but it's all about getting the forms right.

Absolutely. I found a toolkit online tailored for VI people. I would have never thought that the fact that DH has to check clothes to see if they're stained/torn could be worth a point! And cooking-wise, because I do things by touch/smell, I would have put that as "can cook a simple meal" etc, forgetting the fact that I buy ready chopped onions, etc.

I had to get out of my comfort zone while filling out the form. Those of you who knoe me- either from here or in RL, know that I'm fiercely independant, and the words "can't do" eould be met with a sarky giggle and a "watch me!" So, for those who are filling out the form, sod the pride- just for this one time. It's fucking hard, but necessary.

Oh...and DH read through the toolkit too. He said, in all seriousness, "we need to mention that you need help removing bones from fish/meat.

I'm vegan! 😂😂😂😂

Ignore the bit on the forms which tell you that it is not necessary for you to ask your GP or consultant to write a letter of support because they will ask for more information from these people if they need it. The hell they will.

I paid for my GP to write a letter which was specific to each relevant descriptor and highly supportive of my PIP renewal. I was still downgraded. CAB helped me to appeal successfully.

Orange I presumed VI would be automatic, sorry your having to go through all the forms and shit, they are really hard going.

I do have that benefit and work membership, I can see if there's anything about vision on it , if that would be any help?

Matilda that bit I was smart about.

My optic nerves never developed- they look white, apparantly, not red. Because it's never going to change (despite looking in B&Q for an Optic Nerve Growbag 😂😂😂) I haven't seen anyone about it for nearly 20 years!

As soon as I got the letter through, I was making an appointment with the opricians within two minutes, in within two days, and came away with a nice bit of paperwork. He has a full report on my condition- having insisted on doing a full check up there and then (those fucking drops sting like hell!).

If I'm honest, there's a bit of relief in there too. I've been waiting for The Dreaded Letter since 2013. I do a yearly budget in January, and I always assume that DLA will stop come April: I work around that. I always get stressed around March time. This year, at least I'll know- one way or the other.

My PIP f2f is today. I've hardly slept.
I've been disabled since 1996, the 'evidence'
part has defeated me, I don't have any letters
etc after all this time. I've just been left to get
on with it.

Fingers crossed for you OP, I think you'll be ok.
Wish me luck.

Unborn yes please!

And, although "having to go through it" is in no way pleasant, I can see ehy it's necessary. Shit happens! The ones we SHOULD feel sorry for are those who are having to go through it without the hand-holdinf and rantspace which is Mumsnet! 😂

I sent my forms back as late as possible because if they don't decide to award you PIP (or downgrade your award) then the DLA stops straight away. So it was one way to hang on to my DLA award for as long as I could. They will allow you to extend the deadline for returning the PIP2 by two weeks if you call them, plus if you need a f2f you can rearrange that once as well.

In my case I ended up losing out, because my PIP rate was higher than my DLA rate, but they wouldn't backdate the PIP from the start of the application. But I still think it's sensible to stretch out the PIP process in case you are left with no award or have to appeal.

nackle handholsing here. Keep us posted! Do you have copies of prescriptions, or even pill bottles etc? Take them.

Strawberry I called up yesterday for an extention as, if we hadn't finished it yesterday, DH wouldn't have been able to help until next weekend.