PIP assessment next week

[VillyCazalet]

Is this the right place for advice on this? DH has finally got an appointment after about a years wait. Does anyone have any experience to share, we've heard awful things about it and he's quite stressed.

We could really use some extra money to help with reducing his hours at work and maybe some help with cleaning and gardening. He can't help and I struggle with young DCs and work. Are they interested in what we want the benefits for? Tia.

Pip is like the old dla, it's about what your dh needs helps with, whether or not he gets help. It's not means tested and you can work and claim.

So focus on what dh can't do, just be honest and tell it like it is.

I understand the need for help with cleaning and gardening but it sounds like you need that help. By all means say that your dh can't do cleaning or gardening but I wouldn't say that you need help with it because the benefit is about what dh can't do and needs help with. So say he needs help to garden or clean not that you do. Yes mention that he needs to reduce work hours.

They are only interested in help that dh needs, whether he gets help or not, they won't be bothered about what you want to spend the benefit on.

Have a look at the CAB guidance on the Pip assessment particularly the pdf with the descriptors on it. This is what they'll assess him against. However you may also want to have a look at the special rules for terminal illness.

Thank you, I meant he (we) need help with it. We live together and he is unable to do a normal share of chores so he needs help to cover some of it. It's just semantics really, as otherwise I am effectively his unpaid PA. Good to have it pointed out though, that we need to word it carefully. Likewise, he can't cook a meal or clear up afterwards, so that's something I do but we need to say he needs help with it! I don't want it to look like I'm looking to spend his benefits but in fact I'll be the one for whom things change if he gets some help. He will just have someone different doing some things for him.

I'll look at that link, thank you.