New PIP Claim

ElleMae

Hi I have recently made my first claim for PIP. I used to work full time 37.5 hours a week but I now only work 24 hours because of my spine condition and mental health. My finances are in dire straits so I am desperate for my claim to be successful. Do you think because I work 3 days a week it will go against me. I also drive which may go against me.

chiarieds

Hi @ElleMae - & welcome to the community. You can get PIP & also work, so long as the work you do doesn't contradict your claim. The driving example is often used showing that you have manual dexterity & good cognitive ability. However that's not always set in stone, & many people both drive & claim PIP. It's up to you to explain any of the PIP activities/descriptors that you may struggle to accomplish 'reliably,' i.e. safely, to an acceptable standard, repeat as often as one would reasonably expect, or if it takes you much longer than someone without a disability.

ElleMae

Thanks for your reply. 

JBS2022

PIP is not a fitness to work benefit, so you can work and claim it.

I'd you want to check your likely of a successful award these are the descriptors

https://www.advicenow.org.uk/know-hows/personal-independence-payment-pip-activities-descriptors-and-points

ElleMae

Thank you. Very helpful 

Cartini

ElleMae said:

Thank you. Very helpful 

Hi,

Just to add to the already good advice you have been given, I claim both elements of PIP and work 3 days a week (Tue, Wed & Thurs - 7.5 hours each day).

Andy

ElleMae

Thanks Cartini I work 3 days. It’s a sitting down job on a computer all day. I suffer with coccyx degeneration and severe cervical stenosis which mainly affects my arms. The pain is excruciating but i have no choice I have to work. Feel hopeless some days.

Cartini

ElleMae said:

Thanks Cartini I work 3 days. It’s a sitting down job on a computer all day. I suffer with coccyx degeneration and severe cervical stenosis which mainly affects my arms. Thle pain is excruciating but i have no choice I have to work. Feel hopeless some days.

I`m a computer systems engineer, so I`m sat down all day too.  I`ve suffered with lumbar and cervical spondylosis since 1997 and lumbar stenosis since 2022. I`m fine when I sit (most of the time) or lie down, it`s when I stand / walk when the stenosis gets me - and I know what you mean about the pain.

There are a few more people on here with spondylosis / degenerative disk disease / arthritis of the spine and stenosis.

I know it`s easier to say, but don`t let it get to you.  When it gets to me, I thank my lucky stars that, compared to other people with bigger challenges, I`m "relatively normal".

ElleMae

Yes I agree. I sometimes feel guilty for moaning because as you said there are a lot of people worse off health wise than me.