Pip - good experiences?

[Cavycavaprosecco]

Waiting on a decision. Any good stories? Or is it all bad?

I assist people to apply for PIP. Some decisions take me by surprise. Some have me banging my head off of a wall. How does your condition affect your ability to do things on a day to day basis? We’re you able to convey that to the Assessor?

Yes I feel I did but keep thinking of things I forgot To say. Assessment was 3 weeks ago come sat.

I don’t know whEther to phone for the report or not.

I help a lot of people to apply for PIP and to be honest there seems to be no logic to who gets it and who doesn't. I think a lot of it boils down to what medical evidence you send with the form to back up what you are saying. I mainly help people with cancer to do the forms and they mainly get awarded it if even only for a year or so whilst going through treatment which is good but to be honest many don't meet the descriptors. Then there are others that I think will definitely get it and they get turned down and have to appeal. It's a crazy system. I actually think it should be awarded automatically for cancer patients whilst undergoing chemo or Radiotherapy as the extra costs are huge and that is basically what PIP is for - to help with the extra costs of a disability.

That’s interesting baby, i was awarded DLA when in treatment for cancer but it’s left me with a lot of pain, hearing loss and constant fatigue. I didn’t apply for pip when my dla ran out because I’d heard so many horror stories. The process for this is dehumanising to say the least.

I expected my DS21 (ASD) to get nothing after the face to face meeting. At most, I expected that he would get the lower rate for mobility. He was chatty to the assessor and talked about how was going to University soon.

I was very surprised that he got the lower rate for care and nothing for mobility. It was less than he was getting for DLA, but I had expected a fight to get anything at all.

I saw Mobility is being reviewed - will that affect him?

Currently filling out PIP form for DH! He has Parkinson's I don't know what to put. Keep repeating the same information for each section. Also don't have much paperwork at the moment - think we should have waited a couple of weeks! Just don't want to mess it up!!

Shannaratiger - You can always send extra evidence separately just make sure you put his name and NI number on anything you send separately. Alternatively you can ring PIP and ask for an extension on sending the form back.

Shanna that sounds tough. Do you have a CAB, money matters or similar near you? They’ll help you fill it in.

Tanks Babyroobs didn't realise could send in more later. Also do I write the worst symptons or the average?

Yes went to CAB just before phoned for the form. Have found a really good site which offered lots of help. Reminds me of filling out the DLA form for my Dd who has Autism and learning delay!

I think it's best to describe a bad day and explain how many days a week are bad days . I think then you are being completely honest. Lots of people advise to only describe a worst day but it's important to explain if not every day is that bad because if you say you can't walk 5 metres ( because that is a bad day ) and then on assessment day you are having a less bad day and walk 20 metres to the assessment centre then it's not going to add up. It's not uncommon for them to ask how you got there or to send you for an assessment miles form home to see how well you cope with travelling !

They say problems/ difficulties need to affect you for more than 50% of the time to be awarded points for that particular descriptor.

Please could you link to the website that has help to fill in the form?

We had a good experience was completely honest on form and in assesment expected the worse and got more points that on DLA.

ive phoned for the report so it might give me a half idea.

I have virtually no evidence as it’s an ongoing condition - Most of my letters date back to diagnosis and they don’t get automatically sent to me. I thought they asked for info in gp etc because they wrote to them - it also said they’d contacted them already in my appointment letter.

DH has CRPS and was awarded standard rate daily care. Luckily it's an upper limb as opposed to a lower so mobility in that sense, isn't affected (yet)

You can only describe a bad day really, all the problems you have faced and needed help for. You can't say which days will be good so have to be prepared for the bad days. Some people let their pride get in the way but you have to paint the darker picture. All my visually impaired friends had no issues getting pip and all ended up with more than DLA they had been getting. A couple of them didn't even have assessments.

You can work out by looking at what the assesor has ticked if you've got the report if you look online it will tell you the points that relate to the boxes ticked.
Also is the assessors report accurate? I'm awaiting my outcome at moment having asked for a reassessment due to a decline in health and the report has lots of inaccuracies but also less points I think than last time in care section (same assessor gave me 2 points for medication last time none this time in this area no notable changes). I've got to hope overall that the points she has awarded will be enough to give me the award or the person looking at the report realises the inaccuracies.
The report did give us a laugh though it says I've had several kitchen fires (never had one) and that I need prompting to get dressed - I don't but my 10year old has taken to prompting me!
Overall I have faired OK - I was amazed when I got my first award. I should have appealed because I didn't get the mobility but I was worried about potentially losing care element so didn't. I've always had an award notice sooner than the assessors said and you usually know you've got an award sooner as you seem to get the back payment before the letter.
I was told when I had mine (1st October) Currently waiting time is 6 weeks for an outcome.

My first assessment was so stressful that when I was turned down I didn't even bother trying to appeal. There was several inaccuracies and a few downright lies by the assessor.
This time I used CAB to help me apply, took my support worker with me to the assessment, provided dozens of pages of evidence, and got zero points lol. Again there were several innaccuracies. My support worker wrote asking for a mandatory reconsideration and I was awarded lower rate for daily living. Took 8.5 months. So although I did get it, it was bad because I thought the assessor (this time) was really nice and understanding and that it went well, so when I received the report it was a big shock and really set off my mental health issues. I've learned not to ever trust their friendly, understanding manner, it's just a way to get people to let their guard down. I really hope you don't have the same issues but in my experience it's true for at least 80% of people who apply.

Link to free help to fill in the form @SubtitlesOn

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/help-with-your-claim/fill-in-form/

Benefits and Work website publish a guide but you have to join for a year to access it, worthwhile IMO.
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip

Both CAB and B+W guides cover every step from filling in the form to all the appeals you may need to go through.

For everyone advising you to exaggerate and say that every day your symptoms are like your worst day - don't. Don't lie. Be truthful.

I thought they asked for info in gp etc because they wrote to them - it also said they’d contacted them already in my appointment

Hmm, 'contacted' your GP could have only been to confirm you are a patient at that surgery, the DWP rarely (if ever) ask for all your notes so they can sit and read them and work out which apply to which points.

If you think there's something in your GP records which would support your claim, ask for a copy, then submit the relevant details.

Ditto Hospital records which are different.

You always wrote the very very worst days/times that you have. Good luck with the form and the assessments!