Help applying for PIP

[xsammi]

Hi, if you managed to apply for PIP successfully, can you please let me know roughly how much you wrote on the form and how much evidence you attached? I keep reading about people having their claims rejected when they are very obviously entitled to PIP, so I wondered if maybe people usually didn't send in enough evidence the first time and if so, what they are supposed to include? I don't want to write so little that my claim gets rejected and so much that I really annoy the assessor.

Would be grateful for any tips/guidance as I'm new to all this. x

PS I saw you can buy a guide for £20 but I didn't know if this would be helpful or if it would just be £20 down the drain for stuff that I've already read online.

Benefits and work produce an excellent guide. It’s well worth it. https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk

Have you or someone you know used this yourself to make a successful claim?

I have made a successful claim.

I was part of a trial the used an online form so no limits in how much I could write to answer each question.

The questions are very open, but the scoring system is not. So I looked at the scoring system and tried to evidence that rather than answering the question some of which are very wide. (" how does your condition affect you?)

I submitted over 100 pages of medical evidence that documented the initial accident and treatments I have had since then.

I’ve never sent in any evidence whatsoever- just filled in the forms. Never had any problems getting DLA/PIP/ADP.

My friend got help filling in her form with someone from the CAB. You could try that?

Oh, this makes me feel better about wanting to send in lots of stuff! So basically write as much as I want and attach as much I want for each question as long as it's all relevant to the scoring system? I can pull together a lot that I think helps explain why I meet the criteria, but I was worried about going too far.

Did you still have to attend an assessment after sending in all that information?

Thanks, that's quite reassuring. You see all these horror stories about people being turned down, but it sounds like your claim was just processed.

Did they ask for evidence at assessment instead then?

My assessment was over the phone.

I believe they do a mix of phone and face to face.

They picked up on some stuff I hadn't put on the form because I hadn't thought about it.

I didn’t have an assessment. Which was a big surprise but a huge relief. I had been psyching myself up for it for months!

Yes I used this guide to successfully claim for my daughter.

How long after your assessment did you get a decision?

You can ask for help from your local Citizens Advice and if they can help (most can) it's completely free.

If they can't help or you prefer to do it yourself, these guides are helpful and free:
https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/adult-social-services/money-and-benefits-advice/financial-information/money-advice-unit.aspx?searchInput=PIP&page=1&resultsPerPage=10&view=list

i had help from the council filling in my form, or more like they gave me pointers on what to say and not say.

Even when i had my assessment over the telephone the lady i was speaking too was actually really helpful too.

I did not submit one jot of evidence! i assume they already looked at my medical records, even though i had a full 25 year copy to hand ready to send in, but my award was granted.

i only get the lower rate, i do have mobility issues but not enough to warrant more than i got!

to be honest, it was actually almost too easy?

"i assume they already looked at my medical records"

This is quite a common misconception. They don't look at your medical records. It's important to send in relevant and recent medical evidence (quality over quantity!) It's possible to get PIP without it, but definitely helps if you can include some.

As a minimum, you can ask your GP surgery receptionist to give you a copy of your Patient Summary Record. A letter from a specialist doctor or nurse can be helpful too, if you have or can get one.

Look at Charlie Anderson on YouTube. Loads of helpful videos & links.

it seems a little unfair that one person, like me is awarded it almost too easily and then others, suffering way worse than i am and do, is turned down?

To give you an idea of how long the wait is, my daughter submitted her application renewal 17 weeks ago, apparently they are snowed under, or latterly don’t have enough staff. She has a neurological condition and brain tumour, she’s sent them a shed load of medical evidence, always better to do this, belt and braces approach 🤷‍♀️

If awarded it is always backdated to the time of application. Thankfully I no longer have to reapply as M.S is now classed as a degenerative illness with no chance of getting better, I can certainly vouch for that.

Definitely get help filling it in, they are quite lengthy and it’s based on how many points you score on each question. Good luck with it, 🤗

I used the £20 guide and found it really helpful. I got the award and it paid for itself many times over.

I applied for my daughter and she has been awarded PIP (had previously received DLA for around 5 years).

I went to Citizens Advice. I had always done the DLA forms myself but I knew PIP was quite different and I felt I needed help.

The Citizens Advice person was very experienced in filling out PIP forms and she actually wrote very very little. Literally just a couple of bullet points on the relevant sections. I'd always written loads on my DLA applications.

I had about 40 pages of evidence including a recent Educational Psychologist report and EHCP. My written evidence would have been a bit limited without those documents though because CAMHS don't really issue anything in writing (or provide much support).

Anything older than 12 months she discarded.

I then had a telephone call with an assessor. They spoke to me as my daughter's appointee. It lasted a very exhausting 2 hours and was very thorough. I don't have any disability but my goodness, the telephone consultation was very intense and I cried a little bit during it. It's hard highlighting everything your child can't do that other children can.

My DD was awarded exactly the award I felt she was eligible for.

Or maybe you knew how to frame your answers to the questions that were asked, as you say so yourself, from the help that you received from your Council!

I asked the citizens advice bureau for help with my forms, they are very good and helpful

I've got my telephone assessment, very nervous about it
I got DLA for my child no issues, they struggle with life much less than I do because of my disabilities, but I get the sense PIP is harder to obtain?

I paid the £20 for the help sheets & got help from CAB to help me with the form, i definitely feel I meet the criteria, otherwise I wouldn't have applied, but I have no idea if I'll be successful but at least I feel I've given it my best shot because it took a long of my time & energy to complete the form so I wanted to get it right first time and be really clear how my disabilities affect me

I had a successful first time approval although just basic daily living.
They ask how doing tasks effect you , so just write the answer truthfully , i.e you have an by a supplied percing stool in the kitchen to complete tasks as you cannot stand. Someone has to take thinks in / out of oven because you cannot bend / lift heavy things ext .

That should read an NHS supplied percing stool !