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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

How’s does PIP work

72 replies

Taylo123 · 16/01/2019 20:26

I have applied for PIP, had f2f assessment, I have SVT which has led to AF, asthma, back problems as well as other health conditions and have been awarded 0 points for both daily living and mobility components, any advise or anyone else had same experience?

OP posts:
Bombardier25966 · 17/01/2019 13:44

What medical evidence do you have to support your claim? For the conditions you mention that would be vital, as they're conditions that would need to be particularly severe in order to qualify.

Have you had any hospital admissions with the asthma?

BlankTimes · 17/01/2019 14:21

My back problems prevent me from doing normal tasks without assistance
Describe the assistance you need on the form and provide medical evidence.

my asthma causes me to be short of breath which affects how I am able to mobilise, cannot walk too far without being severely short of breath

Do you have medical evidence that your asthma is not controlled by medication?
e.g. How many times do you have to have a meds review, attend the GP/asthma Nurse /clinic/hospital to have dosages changed?

Get the documentation from your GP records, you may have to pay.

Do you have a Blue Badge?

How far do you think you could walk without difficulty? How far do you consider to be "too far" ?
One length of a supermarket aisle (not counting walking there from the car park) is not enough to score you enough points for the mobility section.

and palpitations/SVT is an issue which affects how I move around and complete certain tasks,
This is the sort of thing that you need to put on the PIP form.
You need to explain all of this on the form in detail and provide medical evidence to confirm it.

cardiology have advised I have an operation
Again, provide medical evidence, but I hate to say this, be prepared to hear that your current condition is only temporary, so may not be considered, PIP is for permanent disability.

PIP is awarded on how your conditions affect your daily living.
You do need to read the guides, they explain all the questions in detail, but you also need to "convince" the DWP that you cannot do some tasks reliably, repeatedly and in a timely manner (from memory I think that's more than two and a half times longer than a person without difficulties to even be considered.)

It is a horrible system to go through, you must persevere and take it to Tribunal if necessary - and it often is.

Ucangourownwoo · 17/01/2019 14:59

Have you looked at the scoring? It’s really helpful for understanding how you are scored.

As I’ve said, you can work and claim.

Hiphopopotamous · 17/01/2019 15:06

How old are you?
It will be quite miserable for you to be plagued by back problems and shortness of breath on mild exertion your whole life.
Have you seen a respiratory doctor if your asthma is this uncontrolled?
What is wrong with your back? Have you seen a spinal surgeon?

I know it's not really what you asked but uncontrolled asthma is risky.
(Doctor)

Mummylife2018 · 17/01/2019 15:16

@newtlover Utter rubbish!!!!!

Ucangourownwoo · 17/01/2019 15:18

I know it’s not directed at me, but I’m in my 30s and have chronic back pain. A spinal surgeon is not the first step for treating back pain.

MycatsaPirate · 17/01/2019 15:29

I honestly have no clue who they work out who gets what anymore.

Nearly three years ago I had my second f2f (a home visit). After the report was done, I got a call asking me how long my mobility had been so badly reduced. I explained it was about a year. They then backdated high rate mobility for 6 months and put me on a 3 year award. I got standard rate care.

Last year, a year before my award was up, I had my renewal through. Filled it out, went to the f2f and then got my new award which had dropped me down to standard rate mobility. Although she stated that my condition has deteriorated, she claims that because I can drive I do not need high rate.

At the moment I am still waiting for a tribunal date (5 months and counting). My blue badge expires soon and without the ability to use a disability bay I will be stuck at home.

I don't go out much anyway but having the freedom to do that taken away is difficult to cope with.

Missingstreetlife · 17/01/2019 15:31

If there is a charity or support group for your conditions they may help

WhyDontYouComeOnOver · 17/01/2019 15:33

The Fight Back group on Facebook are fantastic too.

MycatsaPirate · 17/01/2019 15:36

@growyourown I agree surgery is not the first option but that's the route you eventually end up when everything else fails. Two ops on the same part of my spine now and they absolutely will not operate again unless things deteriorate drastically. Ironically because I've been discharged from the spinal team now, PIP assessor claims it's proof that I am not actively seeking treatment.

Apparently I should also be doing hydrotherapy, something she listed as me not doing. I'd have loved hydrotherapy. However I was just put on tramadol for about 6 years and left.

Ucangourownwoo · 17/01/2019 15:42

It depends on the cause - I have chronic pain and it’s completely managed by a chronic pain team.

Surgery isn’t always an option and there isn’t always a tangible cause.

BlankTimes · 17/01/2019 15:56

@MycatsaPirate

Re Blue Badge.

Contact the Blue badge Dept at your local Council, explain that your badge needs to be renewed, tell them how long your old PIP award lasted and about this current PIP claim going to tribunal.

Ask the Council Blue Badge dept to do an independent assessment for you.

A relative who was in similar circumstances found the Blue Badge assessment showed her to have much less mobility than the ATOS F2F Assessor, so they included the Blue Badge assessment in with the tribunal documents for consideration.

BlankTimes · 17/01/2019 15:59

Forgot to say - the Council issued a Blue Badge renewal, despite the PIP Tribunal not having taken place.

Ucangourownwoo · 17/01/2019 17:16

It also depends on your council - I got my badge with no interview, pip or evidence being given (no idea how, but I did!). So some are more straight forward than others - I just explained my conditions on the form.

WhyDontYouComeOnOver · 17/01/2019 17:39

It very much depends on your council. I had a blue badge for ten years before I claimed PIP.

emzw12 · 17/01/2019 17:57

It's very strict - my mum can't walk very far at all (from the front door to end of drive really) - very disabled but doesn't use a wheelchair because she's a determined bugger! She's worked all her life, claimed nothing ever until recently. Her PIP was assessed at the lower level, so you must need to be really affected to get the higher rate PIP.

Ucangourownwoo · 17/01/2019 18:35

OP - how does your condition affect things like

-preparing food
-eating
-washing
-dressing
-communicating

I can’t remember the others but those are some of the important ones. So for example if you wore hearing aids you’d get 2 points for communicating, if you have to sit down to cook you’d get another 2 etc.

Ladymargarethall · 17/01/2019 19:18

mycatsapirate You can't be refused PIP because you can drive. People with Motability cars can often drive. DD has high rate Mobility and gives some of this up so she can have an adapted Motability car. She drives it herself. It has hand controls.

nokidshere · 17/01/2019 19:37

If you can walk for more than a couple of steps, and you can take care of yourself in the way of cooking, dressing and understanding things like timetables, then you won't be entitled to PIP

nokidshere · 17/01/2019 19:46

If you can walk for more than a couple of steps, and you can take care of yourself in the way of cooking, dressing and understanding things like timetables, then you won't be entitled to PIP

Sorry pressed wrong button

I can take care of myself on a day to day basis. I have no choice otherwise I would starve and be naked. I can walk a few steps to the car, or maybe a couple of aisles in our small supermarket on a really good day. But I cannot do these things regularly, without pain, without help. I can dress, but wear clothes I can pull on. I can shower sometimes but usually I wait until someone else is here.

I didn't even know I was entitled to Pip until a council worker said she thought I should apply. I was awarded the higher limit because of the struggle I have daily. Thankfully I had a fair assessor and her report was accurate.

I didn't include medical evidence with my claim, but I was very thorough when it came to describing just what I can and cannot do on a daily basis and I included my doctors name etc. My assessment was done at home.

It's a shot system but it shouldn't stop you applying and/or appealing if necessary.

Ucangourownwoo · 17/01/2019 19:55

Agree nokidshere - this is why reading the scoring system is so useful. So as you say, using pull on clothing, having a rail in the bath to assist getting in and out or needing a chair to cook all mean you get points.

You also don’t need to have a carer - you do need to need the care though.

MycatsaPirate · 17/01/2019 20:03

@ladymargarethall I know! It's what's on the report though. That driving is a complicated process which involves considerable strength in the arms and legs. I shit you not.

I have been driving since I was 19 and I have honestly never felt like I've had a workout from driving - not even on the epic drive from Scotland to the South coast of England and back on several occasions.

So this seems to be the main issue for the assessor. I was refused on the MR too so have to go to tribunal. My friend had hers this week after months and months of waiting and thankfully had hers reinstated. The stress she has been under is unbelievable.

Thanks to those who let me know about my blue badge. I'll contact the council but I won't hold my breath.

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