I have my PIP telephone on Monday, anyone got any tips?

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: Successful Pip Telephone tribunal.

beverleyorms65w12

hi, 
I have my telephone on monday, anyone got any tips, as i feel as though im starting right at the beginning. thankyoou.

Hannah_Alumni

Hello @beverleyorms65w12

Welcome to the community! I have popped your comment into a separate thread under our PIP, DLA and AA section of the forum, in the hopes more people will see any be able to advise  

My advice for you is to try not to worry, I know it's easier said than done but it will hopefully help you be in the best mindset to remember anything they could ask. It may also be useful to write down any dates or lists of any medications or support in case they ask. We are always here if you want to chat or need to vent. We play games in the Coffee Lounge and have general chats if you wanted to join us and keep your mind off things.

chiarieds

Hi @beverleyorms65w12 - & welcome to the forum.

 - If you have kept a copy of your initial claim form, have a read through it.
 - Ideally you should have given 1 or 2 recent, detailed examples of the difficulty you face doing/attempting each applicable activity/descriptor that is looked at with PIP, i.e. when exactly did this occur, where, what exactly happened, why did you have difficulty, did anyone else see this, & were there any consequences to this, if applicable?
 - have a look at the PIP descriptors in this link, reading the notes at the end. The word 'reliably,' which is so important, isn't mentioned as such, but it's if you can't do an activity safely, to an acceptable standard, if you can't repeat it as often as would normally be expected, or if it takes you longer than a person without your disability. If you can't do an activity 'reliably,' say so, explaining why. Please see:
https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/asset-library/personal-independence-payment-descriptors-and-scores-april-2022.pdf
 - see if there were any gaps where you didn't give those important detailed examples for each applicable PIP activities/descriptors in your initial claim form. Try to include these in your assessment if asked about any
 - you may be asked questions which you feel don't directly address the PIP descriptors, but they will, sometimes looking across a few, e.g. do you drive, do you have a pet?
- if you're unsure about any question, just ask for it to be repeated. Take your time in answering, & don't just answer yes or no.
- make sure your phone is fully charged, & if you'd like someone there to support you, put your phone on speaker phone so they can listen in. Good luck.