To give up PIP / ESA due to the stress

[LovelyBath77]

of claiming it? I qualify, (although had to appeal the PIP). It's just so stressful. They constantly reassess you even when you have long term conditions. With PIP they do it a whole year before the award ends. As they often give short awards, this can mean as soon as one thing finishes, they start on the other. Neither 'talk' to one another either. (Atos did PIP, Maximus for ESA). It even seems to make things worse health wise. Does anyone else feel like this I wonder.

I have never had a bad experience yet with applying for PIP, touch wood.

First applied 3 years ago, about 8 months later had my first assessment heavily pregnant (about 37 weeks if I remember rightly). Got notification about 6 weeks later that I had been awarded for 3 years, big back payment.

Was due renewed this year, so they started renewal last year. Award has now been extended until 2025.

I found the assessors lovely both times. The renewal assessment just seemed to be talking about how my condition had changed since last time. I have Crohn's and in between my first and second assessments I'd had 3 lots of emergency surgery, lost my bowel and gained an ileostomy. I got a bit upset at the end of the renewal assessment, and the lady was lovely about it. Said she saw it a lot, people don't realise how ill they actually are until they sit and talk it through.

I joined an ESA/PIP support group on facebook and had to leave as the stories on there just made me anxious and paranoid about my renewal assessment. People saying don't do you hair or nails etc they hold everything against you. I left the group, forgot all that, just went as myself and was completely honest.

I still work so don't have to worry about ESA yet thank goodness

Depend on which is greater - the stress or the financial need/benefit.

If the stress of claiming is higher than the benefit of having the extra money YANBU.

If you are in financial need then YABU

Gudgy that's good to hear- I too have had several ops for bowel resection and a sigmoid colectomy- I have bowel obstructions so on a low fibre diet and trying to manage with no further surgery. also have MH condition, so those are my two main ones. DH has Crohns, but had no surgery yet, he's on humour and methotrexate atm which seem to help. Kind thoughts and again, glad to hear it went well for you. Gives me hope for if I need to have another home visit.

Stick with it - I think it gets easier as you get used to it. I'm on PIP and I was on DLA for years before - my first DLA award was for 2 years, then for 5 years, and when I switched to PIP they gave me an ongoing award (with no f2f and no appeal needed). So I think as you build up the mountains of evidence it adds to your case and they can see how serious/long term the disability is. There is a lot of help out there for applying these days, I'd be lost without the Benefits and Work website. It's not nice to know that my condition is so hopeless that even the DWP recognise it, but then again I have met people who complained of being turned down and they did seem to have applied inappropriately, they just didn't have any care or mobility needs and were very independent.

I am lucky that we could cope without the money as we have DH's wage, but I also feel I need to claim it out of principle, to recognise that I have these extra needs due to my disability and also that I have clear reasons for not working, it's not just that I don't want to. Also, I should have been claiming for DLA for at least ten years before I even first applied, and I feel angry that I missed out getting it for all those years (when I didn't have DH to support me and really needed the money).

Yes Gravity I think that's true, for example I know ESA is a different benefit but when it changed from IB they had that info and then sent the ESA info in for PIP..you can do a SAR and get the info they hold on you as well. And it does build up a picture. I find from experience the ESA assessors seemed to refer to previous reports and info more, whereas in my last PIP they seemed to just go by the second form and not refer back even though I asked them to. So now I try and enclose everything and DH and I fill it in fully each time, referring to previous paperwork. This seems to help the assessors I guess. It does get easier as well, as you cans the points they have given you and it starts to make sense more where you need the support.

Bairnsmum not sure if you can help with this, but ESA (Maximus) has recently asked GP for a form 113 which has been sent back, not waiting on an assessor to look at it. What is the next step - I think they can possibly do it on paper as they have in the past, depending on the form. Do they have to ring the GP to check? Also i think the GP has sent in a copy of the form I did some notes in saying he verifies the info. This was I think to save time as I mentioned they were waiting for it. Do you think this will go against me? thanks.

Yes we use benefits and Work site, they are good and the forum is easier to use, less drama.

lonely sorry I've no experience with ESA, it's a different benefit and in my area a different provider manages the service.

Yes I think ESA is maximus and PIP atos near me. It seems it is a good sign as they ask for this form when they may not need a F2F. so hopefully all will be OK.

Re PIP, I have been with 3 people with physical problems over the years for PIP and years before for DLA the whole thing is a farce. Re DLA all 3 have the same conditions from Birth, will not get better, need the same amount of help. I will just mention the care component, The eldest was given high DLA the middle one given medium care the youngest low care, when phoned to appeal the low care award given, they were told, after less than a minute she had reviewed his notes from the assessor and the decision stands and she said if you appeal most people lose everything so stick with what you were given, your a young person you have time to inform them you've got worse a few years down the line #DISGUSTING to be judged not as needing help because of ones young age. The questions had been a farce for the youngest like have you ever been in the kitchen and just fallen flat on your face or back? if not then your safe enough to cook....
now RE the PIP! the middle one had a really nice assessor who actually said do not worry, people with your conditions are not denied help and said as you would not be able to prepare or cook a meal because of your problems and fatigue it would cause. that will be 8 points right away and you only need 4 more and you will get those easily. The decision came and the DWP had reduced cooking part to 4 points. saying they only needed help to prepare and cook a meal, but they still got more than enough points for high rate care to be awarded.
The youngest person had a terrible assessor, who asked and repeated ridiculous questions, it dragged on for app 2 hours. Despite saying they need help with washing dressing upper and lower body, when the award letter came the points had been knocked down to 4 re cooking section, and only got points for needs help to dress lower half and needs help to get into the shower SO lower points than the other person got with the same needs.... If you need help to dress the lower half then you need help to wash the lower half,,,, that's common sense..

But despite needing help for the upper half that was not awarded ,,,,which proves many assessors might not write down or phrase correct info and or decision makers at DWP do not care or read the notes or listen to what is said but are intent on getting your points down to try to stop you getting the right amount of benefit. Despite that they still got more than enough points for high rate care as well showing they both had been on the wrong low awards for DLA.
I also tried to help someone with an inoperable brain tumor who has blackouts seizures causing himself harm and a danger to be in the kitchen he forgets what he has gone out for or where he lives and has had to stay out on the street many times till someone recognizes him or he comes round. His brain sometimes doesn't send the signals to tell his legs what to do so cannot stand or walk. His social worker must have been told not to accompany him as at the last minute backed out so he went alone and forgot what he was supposed to be doing he got denied any care or mobility. They used to call the DWP the madhouse and it truly is they are trying to get him to start his own business when he actually needs a carer as even the ambulance crew say he could kill himself if he falls down the stairs alone or scalds or burns himself.
My advice is take someone with you and emphasize what help you need and ask have you written that down? that I NEED x help or y help etc.. ?