Applied for PIP, AIBU to be scared of being laughed out the place?

[someoneneededyoubree]

I have debilitating Fibromyalgia.

I cannot raise my arms above my shoulders most of the time. Someone is now having to wash my hair and style it for me.

I now need help to get in and out of my bath/shower, of which I'm soon going to be renovating to fit my needs.

Apologies for being vulgar, but there are times where I cannot bend or move enough to change a bloody sanitary product. Yesterday I was in tears to my DMum because I was leaking but physically couldn't change myself. She couldn't get to me quickly so an amazing friend came over just to help me sort myself out. That wasn't just due to pain, for that I might've been able to bite through. But physically, I cannot do much when I'm at my worst because of muscle weakness/stiffness.

I recently dropped a pan of boiling water that wasn't even that heavy. Luckily enough I missed my own body and it dropped on the floor entirely.

If I'm visiting someone or out and about, I need to now visit disabled loos at times just so there's something there I can hold onto to lower myself onto the toilet.

I can no longer attend work and I'm on long term sick, I have been for a few weeks. Luckily they have been brilliant and are a huge company that support me to the max. However, it means I can no longer afford my old car and I'm now left stranded without, unless I have my DMum to help me get from A to B.

I have had to get shoes I can slip on as there are some days I cannot pull shoes on, and most days I can't bend for long enough to tye laces

I have applied for PIP and just waiting for the form. I'm so worried about what the assessor at the face to face will be like. I'm so worried she/he will tell a pack of lies, which seems to be the case for so many genuine people.

AIBU to be scared?

I just don't know what to do anymore. I really need the financial assistance. My DMum is a God send and I'm lucky to bloody have her. I'd be gone for if I didn't, I'm not sure what I'd do. From the outside I look fine, just very sore if I try and walk on good days. On bad days, I cannot walk more than a few steps and need my wheelchair. On other days, I have crutches. I have a DS who I'm tremendously lucky to have so much help with. He is an amazing little boy and I feel like I'm letting him down. But I know I'm not, he's bright and happy.

I have been told to include with the form -

•GP letter explaining how my condition impacts me
• A diary (a week's worth), explaining how I've been each day and how my condition has impacted me
• Letter from a consultant (fingers crossed I can get this in time)
•Letter from my DMum explaining how she thinks my condition impacts me, and how she helps me, such as helping me prepare a basic meal, washing my hair, on bad days, dressing my lower half

I am 20 years old and I feel so devastated that this seems to be my life, for now. The condition has been with me since the age of 14. It gradually gets worse as I get older, it seems.

Some times I go through stages where I'm feeling fantastic but I'm then slowly but surely back to square one, often worse off.

It can be a tricky process getting disability benefits but if you can provide all of the information that you've supplied in your post and medical evidence to support this then that will really help.

Some of it comes down to luck- you could have a horrible health assessor or a helpful one. Some people have terrible experiences whilst other people get the allowance that they deserve.

One other thing- have you seen a Neurologist to rule out M.S. or other neurological conditions? It's just that Fibromyalgia is a catch all term for medically unexplained pain and fatigue but you are suffering from really severe symptoms that really need further medical investigation.

Having said that about DLA though, that does not mean I think PIP is a fair system at all either.

There are a few Facebook sites that give advice about what seemingly innocuous questions they ask so at least you can be prepared. I got asked as we walked down the corridor if I had a pet and what films I had seen recently. Seem like icebreaker questions but they aren't. I wouldn't hav realised if I hadn't been forewarned. I got lost points as I looked directly at the assessor all the time - I have no choice as my neck is fixed in one position. Think about every question they ask and how your answer can be misinterpreted. Take someone with you and make sure they look as though they are taking notes or ask for it to be recorded. Good luck.

joangray38

Yes to this. I lost points "for making perfect eye context through out the assessment"

I wonder how I managed that when I was busy looking at her mouth to lip-read.

Don't panic at the horror stories though, even if the result isn't what you want, appeal success rates are through the roof. Do get proper help filling in the forms though and whatever you do don't go alone.

Thank you

As I say, I'm currently waiting to get an appointment from a Rheumatologist because my GP is suspicious it could be something like arthritis.

But I myself think it is just Fibro. It just seems to get worse every year or so. I should also add that I'm always having countless blood tests during flares (previously), and they're all fine, apart from low iron which is brought up again via iron tablets. Strangely enough though, I'm not all that fatigued in the sense that I want to sleep. I'm grateful for that, I was like a zombie at times and occasionally I get like it. It's like taking a sedative.

The majority of my issues stem from mobility and not being able to move my joints quickly enough, without pain or stiffness.

I'm wondering, if I am having a bad/quite bad day like usual these days, will I be asked to attend anyway even if there isn't wheelchair access? Will I be asked to attend on crutches? Somebody on the FB group I'm apart of was incredibly upset a few days ago because that exact scenario happened. She called ahead of time and asked if there was wheelchair access (she has one leg missing due to amputation from a car accident). She was asked if she could attend on crutches, apparently. She declined and is waiting to hear if she's being given a home visit, but they want to ask her GP first, to see what he thinks is suitable

Remember your mum might be able to apply for carers allowance too.

Good luck, the system is a joke.

I forgot to ask up thread, what do you do if you can't afford evidence from your GP? Or even consultant, if they charge too?

I'm not sure how much my GP charges, if they charge etc. It's something I'm ringing to find out today from the receptionist.

But what do people who can't afford evidence do?

I should have whatever means I'll need there, no issues. But what about people who can't afford to pay out for letters?

The system screws then over there, doesn't it?

*them

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip/pip-self-test

This might help.

You could try asking for copies of outpatient letters. You're not asking them to write something specifically then, just to print off a copy of something they already have.

I'm a CPN, neither myself or our consultants charge for PIP or esa letters and we tend to write them specially for that purpose.

I do sometimes have forms sent to me from the DWP if someone is claiming. I may have already written a letter or I may not be aware that they've applied. I don't always get a form sent to me, seems to be down to the individual assessor to do that.

You could ask for a home visit...

@someoneneededyoubree I work in a gp surgery.
Pip usually send the gps detailed forms to fill out and sign.
We send them back to pip directly with all supporting evidence we have and the gp details all known information and clinic dates ect. There's a lot of info included so I wouldn't recommend paying for evidence to send yourself.
If it helps I also claim pip as I have a spinal cord injury and sent no supporting evidence knowing it worked like that, I was awarded mine without any argument

It was ridiculously easy to get and open to abuse.
What utter tosh.
The fraud rate was below 0.05%. The forms were some 50 pages long and you still needed evidence. PiP was deliberately designed to be even more difficult, the result is that more people who need it aren't getting it, it's costing the government so much more in appeals (75% of which are won by the claimant) that said government is thinking of stopping the appeals process. It's not about fraud, it's a money saving and demonising gambit and it's working.

The way I feel with pip is, it's fine for anyone to apply, but they have to be totally honest (I know that doesn't happen all the time). If you've been totally honest and you are awarded it, then you are entitled to it.

backstreet your surgery is quite unusual, most surgeries don't fill in the forms, and in fact PiP don't send out forms in all cases.

I know someone who works as a PIP assessor, she's a nurse (so am I but I will never work for the DWP, not even for 38k) and told me she has to leave her conscience at the door when she goes to work. This actually goes against the NMC's Code of Conduct for nurses.

Good luck with your assessment, OP. Watch out for those trick questions and remember you are being assessed from the minute you arrive at the assessment centre.

Insist the assessment is recorded. They need to arrange this with a machine that records two copies. Will make it much easier to challenge any lies.

DW gets PIP (higher rate) and ESA support group.

I did the applications. It's a bureaucratic process, not a medical or welfare process.

You need documentary evidence - and lots of it. Every time DW sees anyone - GP, consultant, specialist, nurse, therapist - she gets a written summary of the visit which documents the reason for the visit, plus the outcome (a recommendation for treatment, or note on lifestyle changes, or request for additional support). These are religiously scanned and indexed with a reference number.

When the form was filled out (I created an electronic copy to make it easier) every single answer was cross referenced to a letter concerning that condition, or facet which applied to the question.

Then it was all printed out with a header with Name, DOB and NI number, and a footer with "Page x of y" on it. (makes it very hard to "lose" pages).

Then the whole lot was posted back recorded delivery (or whatever they call it these days).

Following advice on the B&W forum (well worth the £20 fee), when the PIP assessment was sent (despite the supporting evidence that DW was unable to travel to a centre) we cancelled it, which prompted them to rebook a home visit. High risk strategy, but it seems to work.

When the assessor came, they didn't have a copy of the submitted form. (Apparently they aren't allowed). This was no issue as I had a printed copy which I gave to the assessor. Who was forced to decline as they're "not allowed" to take it with them. The assessor then managed to put her foot in it (again ....) having claimed to have read the submission, but not notice the certificate of visual impairment which was enclosed. Because this was at home, and because I am deeply distrustful, I had the original (along with all the originals that had been scanned) in a folder.

The whole process is deliberately divisive, draining, dehumanising, degrading, deceitful and disgusting. It's not "flawed", since that suggests that it is somehow not doing what it's supposed to. It's doing exactly what it was intended to (which is why - despite the publicity, it remains unchanged). Along with the bedroom tax, and entire "benefit scrounger" narrative so beloved of the mainstream media, it's another measure to teach people not to dare to be ill or poor or vulnerable while the Tories are in power. Just don't you dare. Want to choose to be ill, or disabled, or disadvantaged ? The Tories are double-daring you.

The way I feel with pip is, it's fine for anyone to apply, but they have to be totally honest (I know that doesn't happen all the time). If you've been totally honest and you are awarded it, then you are entitled to it.

And the award for the most naive response of the day goes to...

Your local council should have welfare rights staff who will help you complete the form - they should have a book that explains what dwp is looking for so they will help you tailor answers to what they are looking for. Good luck

.

I got my PIP form today. And coincidentally, my consultant appointment came through the door too.

The consultant isn't due to see me until late October but the PIP form needs to be returned by September time. So I won't be able to include the consultant letter in my original claim, and possibly not in my claim at all if things move quickly

Don’t worry, things won’t move quickly!! If you return your form in September you’ll then have to wait for an assessment date. You can send in additional evidence before your assessment or take it with you.

Hi OP,

It won't hurt even if you include just your consultant appointment as supporting information because it shows that your condition is (a) real and (b) ongoing. Very best of luck.

@AnotherEmma high five to you - Citizens Advice solidarity!

@CatMint 🙌

op You can ring your consultants secretary and ask for a supporting letter.