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Hi, my name is chele67! hoping for some advice please on a pip renewal

chele67

hello im hoping for some advice please on a pip renewal

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poppy123456

What advice would you like?

Alex_Alumni

Hi there @chele67 and welcome

Please feel free to ask if you have something you'd like to know, or head over to our PIP category and make a new discussion if you'd like!

Is there anything we can help with?

chele67

poppy123456 said:

What advice would you like?

Hello i had an awful time 3 years ago with pip, had to go to tribunal then it was 6 months after that i finally got awarded, they applied for sor, the whole thing was so stressful, ive been given a telephone assesment for next week as a renewal and i am soooo worried, i cant go through all that again

ive been reading so many horror stories any help/advise would be so appreciated

Alex_Alumni

Hi @chele67 it's understandable why you're feeling worried, and I'd encourage you to avoid reading horror stories online if you can, because this will only make you feel worse.

For your telephone assessment do you have anyone who can sit with you for support while your on the call? Sometimes people find having notes next to them helps them to remember everything they want to say. You're also allowed to ask for breaks, or for them to repeat questions if you need it.

I know easier said than done, but try not to focus on what's happened before, this is a renewal, so things are different this time.

If you are struggling with feelings of stress and anxiety, chat to your GP about additional support. Do you feel like you're getting enough support at the moment for your mental health?

Let us know if we can support you further

chele67

Alex_Scope said:

Hi @chele67 it's understandable why you're feeling worried, and I'd encourage you to avoid reading horror stories online if you can, because this will only make you feel worse.

For your telephone assessment do you have anyone who can sit with you for support while your on the call? Sometimes people find having notes next to them helps them to remember everything they want to say. You're also allowed to ask for breaks, or for them to repeat questions if you need it.

I know easier said than done, but try not to focus on what's happened before, this is a renewal, so things are different this time.

If you are struggling with feelings of stress and anxiety, chat to your GP about additional support. Do you feel like you're getting enough support at the moment for your mental health?

Let us know if we can support you further

Thankyou for replying

id honestly rather be alone when i have the assessment, il be able to focus better, i was in a facebook group and some people on there with Multiple Sclerosis same as me got their pip stopped after the phone renewal and the assessors kept reffering to their previous claim,

its not so much the appointment as what happens after-it was horrendous last time, i honestly couldnt go through it all again

ive no idea what to expect with the phone appointment? how can they assess your inabilty to stand etc on the phone? any advice i really appreciate

poppy123456

As this is a review, i would hope that when you filled out the forms you treated it as a new claim and included as much information as possible, even if there's been no changes.

If you kept a copy of the form (you should have) have a read of that before the assessment so you cazn remind yourself of what you said. A phone assessment is the same as a face to face, the only difference is they can't see you.

Try not to answer any questions with just a simple yes or no and try to give as much details as possible. They will ask you questions related to your health conditions and how they affect you. The assessment is for them to gather more evidence to support your claim. They then write the report, which is their opinion based on everything you wrote in the form, what you said during the assessment and any additional evidence you sent.

The assessment can last anywhere from 20 to 120 minutes, sometimes longer. Once the report is returned a decision can take up to about 12 weeks.

chele67

poppy123456 said:

As this is a review, i would hope that when you filled out the forms you treated it as a new claim and included as much information as possible, even if there's been no changes.

If you kept a copy of the form (you should have) have a read of that before the assessment so you cazn remind yourself of what you said. A phone assessment is the same as a face to face, the only difference is they can't see you.

Try not to answer any questions with just a simple yes or no and try to give as much details as possible. They will ask you questions related to your health conditions and how they affect you. The assessment is for them to gather more evidence to support your claim. They then write the report, which is their opinion based on everything you wrote in the form, what you said during the assessment and any additional evidence you sent.

The assessment can last anywhere from 20 to 120 minutes, sometimes longer. Once the report is returned a decision can take up to about 12 weeks.

thankyou for replying, i asked citizens advice for help in filling the form in over a year ago now, he told me where there was no change just to put no change so i did, my carer added a sheet of her views. will it go against me putting no change?

poppy123456

That’s terrible advice from citizens advice!! It doesn’t mean it will go against you but you should never put just “no change”

chele67

I wish i hadnt asked cab now

Alex_Alumni

When you do have your phone assessment @chele67 try and focus on explaining as clearly as possible what it's like trying to manage different tasks with your MS, when things are a struggle and what support you need.

I know it's hard, but try not to think about the review form. The community will be here to support you any time, so please ask if you need anything. Wishing you all the best for next week, take it one question at a time

chele67

Alex_Scope said:

When you do have your phone assessment @chele67 try and focus on explaining as clearly as possible what it's like trying to manage different tasks with your MS, when things are a struggle and what support you need.

I know it's hard, but try not to think about the review form. The community will be here to support you any time, so please ask if you need anything. Wishing you all the best for next week, take it one question at a time

Thankyou so much, its on the 10th at 8am which isnt good as im really not am my best so early! Do you know where i can find any advice on what they will likely ask me? x

poppy123456

They'll ask you questions about your health conditions and how they affect you. No one can tell you exactly what they will ask because we don't know anything about your conditions and how they affect you.

If you kept a copy of the form you filled in then have a read of that before the assessment to remind yourself of what you said. Try not to answer the questions with just a year or no.

Some people find it useful to have some notes next to them to have something to refer to. You can have someone with you during the assessment if you want and if it's a telephone assessment you can put the phone onto loud speaker.

The assessment can last anywhere from 20 to 120 minutes, sometimes longer.

chele67

I kept a copy of the renewal form i filled in, i found out that they have written to my GP, do they usually do that with a renewal? also i read that they ask you questions on your first pip application? got my telephone assessment in one day and i feel sick with nerves

any answers really appreciated

poppy123456

It's rare for them to contact anyone but it does happen. I've never known them ask you questions related to your first claim. Sometimes they may mention the previous assessment report when they write the new report for a review.

During the assessment try not to answer any questions with just a yes or no. Try to give as much information as possible. You can have someone with you during the assessment and put your phone onto loud speaker. The assessment can last anywhere from 20 to 120 minutes.

chele67

Thankyou

what happens after the phone assessment please?

poppy123456

The report will be written which will be their opinion based on everything you sent, including the form and what you said during the assessment. Once it's written it will be returned to DWP. A decision make will then look at that as well as any other information you sent and make their decision.

chele67

thankyou

chele67

my worry is that dwp have written to my Gp my GP is clueless about MS

am i allowed to contact my GP beore he ills in the forms?

chele67

poppy123456 said:

The report will be written which will be their opinion based on everything you sent, including the form and what you said during the assessment. Once it's written it will be returned to DWP. A decision make will then look at that as well as any other information you sent and make their decision.

chele67 said:

thankyou

chele67

Alex_Scope said:

When you do have your phone assessment @chele67 try and focus on explaining as clearly as possible what it's like trying to manage different tasks with your MS, when things are a struggle and what support you need.

I know it's hard, but try not to think about the review form. The community will be here to support you any time, so please ask if you need anything. Wishing you all the best for next week, take it one question at a time
my worry is that dwp have written to my Gp my GP is clueless about MS am i allowed to contact my GP beore he ills in the forms?