PIP tribunal - late appeal due to late medical diagnosis

melTy

Hi, I'm new here and feeling very anxious if my PIP appeal for tribunal will be accepted. I put the claim in in June 2022, rejected October 2022.  Just put in for tribunal this week with late reason being only just received a diagnosis as the hospital lost my MRI from last year and only just discovered it and it shows I have a tumour on my spinal cord. I feel this explains why I struggle with doing certain things and I feel if the assessor had known my diagnosis at the time of the assessment she would have understood me more when I was trying to explain. Does anyone have any advice?

poppy123456

PIP isn’t about a diagnosis. What they look at is how your conditions affect you against the 12 PIP activities. 

HMCTS are unlikely to refuse your late appeal. 

Have you chosen to either appear in person or have a telephone/video hearing? Either of those will give you the best chance of a decision in your favour. 

melTy

In person via telephone 

melTy

I have asked my GP to do a letter listing all my illnesses, 8 in total, plus medication and how it affects my daily living and mobility 

poppy123456

Letters from a GP aren't the best evidence to send because they don't spend any time with you to know how you manage the activities related to the PIP descriptors.

melTy

Ok, thanks for the advice