Making a PIP claim

nicola456
nicola456 Community member Posts: 1 Listener
After 5 years of living with constant pain and being misdiagnosed by my gp I have finally had a diagnosis of joint hyper mobility, over the last 18 months my health has deteriorated I’ve had to fight for the correct medication to help with pain management.  I’ve had to cut down on my hours at work due to pain and my struggles with moving around as freely as I used to, after a few chats with friends they have finally persuaded me to make a claim for PIP. The thought of doing this is making me so anxious as I’ve heard so many horror stories of the stress it can cause people trying to make a claim, does anyone have any advice or can point me in the right direction to make claiming PIP as smooth and stress free as possible. 

Comments

  • nasturtium
    nasturtium Community member Posts: 373 Empowering
    edited May 2023
    Hello nicola456
    Please do not read to much into the horror stories on the internet about people claiming PIP. The vast majority of people who claim PIP are successful, you only hear the bad stories and not the successful ones.
    The vast majority of times when people are refused PIP is is because they have not understood the PIP activities and the descriptors for those activities.
    You are doing the right thing and asking advise before you make your claim so you have an advantage before you start.
    You do not need a diagnosis to get PIP because PIP is based on the problems you have completing the 12 activities safely, repeatedly, in a timely manor and to an acceptable standard (Reliably) https://pipinfo.net/issues/reliably for more than 50% of the time or the majority of days.
    I wrote a lengthy reply on another forum post that you might find usefull and it can be found here https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/680205/#Comment_680205 It is about Mandatory Reconsideration but the same advice applies for your PIP2 Form Questionnaire. A detailed accurate PIP2 Questionnaire increases your chances of getting the award you require.
    The key is to understand the descriptors and the activities and explain in detail the problems you have and what help you get according to the descriptors. If you have help or care from another person ask them to write you a detailed supporting letter outlining your problems and the help they provide you.
    You can also keep a daily disability diary that will help you to construct your verbal evidence on your PIP2 Questionnaire form (How does your disability affect you). If there is not enough room on the PIP2 Questionnaire form for your detailed verbal evidence then you can include additional sheets and reference to them in the activities on the form.
    I hope this has been of some help.
    Nasturtium
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,005 Championing
  • Hannah_Alumni
    Hannah_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,905 Championing
    Hello @nicola456

    Welcome to the community! :) I'm glad to hear you finally have a diagnosis, I hope you have a lot more support around you for that now?

    I see nasturtium and calcotti have been able to advise you. We have so many members who have gone through the process, with lot's of threads in our PIP, DLA and AA section of the forum. You can always reach out to Scope's Helpline too :)