PIP

[newaccountwhodis]

Hi. New to the forum and PIP and am hoping some of the forum members can help me understand the claim process a little better, I applied for PIP in early December 2022. DWP told me that Capita had received my forms on December 9th. But i have not had a phone assessment scheduled yet. So i called Capita just to make sure everything was fine with my claim. They told me this morning that my claim "is in initial review" and that they "are requesting info from my medical contacts so they can do a Paper assessment". Is this a good/bad sign that my claim will be successful?

And @Tiredmum1223 the MR took about a month for me. I've done two. The first one awarded me nothing. I took it to a tribunal and got PIP but that took nearly a year. It was all backdated though so it was worth it.

Three years later I had a reassessment and they gave me nothing again. This time, at the MR, I pointed out that I would certainly go to a tribunal anyway, and that nothing had changed...........so they backtracked and gave me back my PIP.

I am not surprised that you've received the typical Made-Up Bollocks Report from the DWP. Most people on this thread have had this.

Don't give up. They want you to give up. If you get as far as a tribunal you are 70% likely to make them give you an award of PIP. In other words, most appeals succeed.

But get a welfare rights adviser involved. Good luck!

Thank you @TheShellBeach, I've got to wait for my letter to come through to be bale to do the MR and then I'll do that.
I'm so annoyed that the assessor has written bollocks but I'm also not surprised after reading this thread and how many other people it has happened to. I'm going to get my Occupational Therapist for my arthritis to write a report to send off with the MR and Hope that'll help with more evidence as to why I do need this.
I'm not going to give up though and I'll just keep fighting for it. Thank you for all the help and advice. X

Hi all its me again ☺️ my DH is awaiting his pip review decision and was sent this message today and i am confused for him as iv never hered anyone getting this txt before saying he can't ring up to see what the decision is??? any advice please he is currently on standard for care and mobility TY

Your PIP review is complete. You should receive your decision letter in 2 weeks. Once you receive your letter, contact us if you have any questions. Do not call before you get the letter as we will not be able to tell you the decision. Please remember to contact us if your circumstances change.

He just called them anyway and they seid a decision has been made and he has to wait for the letter , i don't raily understand that as i was told my decision way before letter came and i don't think its bad news as they did tell him its favorable 🤷‍♀️

Well, I hope it is favourable, Mamma. After all this time and with all their silly letters, none of which make much sense.

What I find a bit odd is the way there seems to be different rules for different parts of the country. You'd think the DWP regulations were inviolable.

@TheShellBeach He rang again this morning spoke to a lovely lady who told him his decision witch is enhanced for both witch is great news but why they couldn't of just told him that yesterday i don't no 🙄🤨 ridiculous.

Oh wow!
Amazing news!
You must both be so relieved.

@TheShellBeach we raily are , all in all its taken years to be on what we should be but finally there and i raily hope everyone new on here isn't waiting two long and to also get the award they are waiting for 🤞

Congrats at @mammaov3 I can only imagine your relief. It's really horrible how we have to prove our struggle, and then some random person who either got up out of the wrong side of the bed, or has no personal experience (or ability to emphasise) gets to judge or make a decision that will potentially horribly impact the life of the claimant

Does anyone know what happens if your condition worsens before your up for review? I got awarded standard for both earlier this year but my mobility has got worse and I now can't drive and need to get adaptations to my car. I spoke to a local disability charity and the woman I spoke to thought that I might be able to get a review done with a view to seeing if they would increase my mobility element to enhanced.

Yes, that's called a change of circumstances.
Ring them up and tell them your condition is worse.

You can do a change of circumstances but you have just been given a 5 year award, unless you have really solid evidence to support the change I would be cautious of risking the award you have tbh.

I could get a letter from my neurologist saying the weakness in my legs has got worse and would also have a report from the Disability charity that does DVLA assessments recommending the hand controls.

Check that 'is worse' actually will score you more points, often it doesn't. Needing hand controls might not score you anything if you have already got points re your hands already. Im not trying to put you off but you need to be absolutely sure before you risk a brand new 5 year award.

I think you're right, looking at the descriptors again, I don't think it will make a difference.

I'd forgotten that you only just got your award.
I wouldn't risk them changing it to less! You know what they're like!

Great result, @mammaov3 !

I hope it's okay to ask for advice on this thread. I've just received my PIP letter, I was scored 0 in all categories. I'm surprised at all zeros as I can only go to new places with my Assistance Dog, don't socialise due to anxiety, wash only twice a week due to anxiety, only eat when prompted etc. They said things like I cooked four times a week for my kids and did the school run so I was okay. I had said that I'm fine with this familiar route and that I do things for my kids that I can't do for myself. They said my Assistance Dog wasn't medically prescribed and that because it's owner trained they wouldn't count it.
Is it worth appealing when you've got zeros? Thanks for any advice.

Yes, I got all zeros and had a Mandatory Reconsideration (which you have to do) and also got zeros for that, so I went on to have a tribunal, which reversed the decision and I was finally awarded PIP (and it was backdated to when I'd claimed).

Your best next move would be to find a welfare rights officer and ask them for help. You have to ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration before anything else.

The Made-Up Bollocks Report from the DWP is very common, unfortunately.

You'll also get a lot of advice from this website: And this very thread, actually - read through it - I know it's long, but a lot of us have been where you are now, and we got our awards eventually.

So go to: https://www.benefitsandwork.org.uk

Thank you so much @TheShellBeach. It took my so long to realise that I was disabled and still feel an imposter with the label that I worry that they're right and that I shouldn't claim. 😔 But thank you, I'll look at all that info and see what I can do.
I mean is it right that if I can take my kids to school and cook their dinner that I'm fine? I did say that it's only because it's routine and because I wouldn't let my kids come to harm.

What you need to say to them, on all the descriptors, is that you can only do them reliably less than 50% of the time.
Well, as long as that's true.

Explain how difficult you find cooking.
Tell them that you have little motivation but you do your best, and often resort to ready meals because you can't face cooking from scratch.

You need guidance from a welfare rights officer.

Thanks all. Good advice and I'll talk to a welfare officer.

Any news from anyone??

I got my report back on Monday. A lot of stuff written that seems to have been dreamed up
Having children seems to work against you clearly 🤦🏽‍♀️