Pip Question

WB21

Hi, I asked for M/R after being refused pip the first time , was also refused , at the time I was in a bad place didn’t have the fight in me to take it further, this time it’s for health condition I didn’t know I could apply for, will the fact I have applied and been refused go against me ?

chiarieds

No, there's no reason why you couldn't make a new claim, but remember PIP isn't about any diagnosis or health condition, rather on how any problems you have impact on being able to 'reliably' do any applicable activity/descriptor that is looked at with PIP. Have a look again here: https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/asset-library/personal-independence-payment-descriptors-and-scores-april-2023.pdf

poppy123456

It’s not always the best idea to constantly reapply using the same evidence you previously used because you could see another refusal. 

PIP isn’t awarded based on any diagnosis or any particular health conditions. When filling out the form you should tell them about all your conditions and how they affect you and not just some of them. 

WB21

Hi, yes I know that , last time I applied it was for depression and anxiety, but I have arthritis which has gotten much worse in the last couple of years , which obviously affects all aspects of life , but I didn’t know at the time , that I could apply for pip for that

L_Volunteer

As Poppy said @WB21, you absolutely can apply for PIP for any condition - it depends on how it affects you more than what the diagnosis itself is. Please do not hesitate to let us know if you have any questions or if there's anything else we can do to support you 

WB21

Thanks, but like everyone else awaiting decision, it’s torture, and because my claim this time , from start to assessment, has been fairly quick , then received text message “we haven’t made a decision “ a week ago, feel really negative now.

WB21

Has anyone received the text saying “we haven’t yet made a decision “ then been refused ?

poppy123456

WB21 said:

Has anyone received the text saying “we haven’t yet made a decision “ then been refused ?

It's a standard text. Some are awarded after this and some are refused. You can't speculate anything other than what the text says. Not everyone has a decision straight away after that text either. Some wait a few days and other wait weeks.

WB21

Ok, thanks , the not knowing is really getting to me , because this award would be a lifeline, can only work part- time , because of arthritis, which is getting worse month by month.

poppy123456

It affects most people when waiting for a decision.

WB21

Got my decision letter , it’s a negative!! , waiting for assessment report , then M/R. 

chiarieds

Sorry to hear this. It's not always the best to get your assessment report as your MR should rather concentrate on where you feel you should have got points, & exactly why.

Do please put your MR in writing, with your name & National Insurance number on each page.

Give a couple of recent, detailed examples (for at the time when you had your assessment) as to the difficulty you face for each applicable descriptor, i.e. when did it happen, where, what happened, did anyone see this, & were there any consequences to attempting/doing an activity?
Say if you can do each applicable activity '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.

Look again here too: https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/asset-library/personal-independence-payment-descriptors-and-scores-april-2023.pdf

poppy123456

WB21 said:

Got my decision letter , it’s a negative!! , waiting for assessment report , then M/R. 

This is the issue when you reapply using the same evidence. I realise you said you applied for a different condition the last time but it’s not about the conditions itself, it’s how they affect you. 

The most likely outcome of the MR will be the decision doesn’t change. If this happens you can proceed to Tribunal which I’d advise you to do. 

 Chiarieds gives some great advice above and if you didn’t give those real world examples when filling out the form you should do that now. 

I agree that the assessment report isn’t needed. 

WB21

Hi all , confused now , I have noticed on reply’s to other posts dealing with pip issues, that the general advice is to get copy of assessors report to check for any points you feel were missed , or not mentioned, or even wrong ??

WB21

And , sorry , yes I know it’s not about condition/ conditions, it’s about how they affect you, I gave detailed examples on disability affects you form , and also on phone assessment, the assessor really focused on me working , and the fact I have a dog.

poppy123456

WB21 said:

Hi all , confused now , I have noticed on reply’s to other posts dealing with pip issues, that the general advice is to get copy of assessors report to check for any points you feel were missed , or not mentioned, or even wrong ??

The general advice is not to request the report because 1/ it causes a lot of extra needless stress before a decision is made. 

2/ once a decision is made you don't need it to request the MR because all it causes is a distraction to what you should be concentrating on. Concentrating on the report will not get you a PIP award.

If you take it to Tribunal then you will receive a copy of the report and everything else you sent in the bundle, although it's still not needed.

WB21

Ok thanks for advice, all.

WB21

Can I ask for advice on one more thing, when I received the decision letter it stated that the assessor said , I didn’t sound depressed or anxious during the phone assessment, do I answer , offer any explanation , mention it as part of M/R .

nasturtium

Hello WB21

WB21 said:

Can I ask for advice on one more thing, when I received the decision letter it stated that the assessor said , I didn’t sound depressed or anxious during the phone assessment, do I answer , offer any explanation , mention it as part of M/R .

In short No!

Do not focus on the descision letter.

Use the excellent advice you have been given above to write a detailed MR Letter and focus on explaining your problems.

What you need to do is to write a detailed MR Letter giving your own detailed written verbal evidence of the impact your Arthritis has on your completing the 12 PIP activities "Reliably" according to the descriptor that applies to you.

So think about the daily living activities and the problems you would have completing the activities safely, repeatedly, in a timely manor and to an acceptable standard because of the problems with your arthritis.

I do not know your condition or how it affects you for the majority of days only you know that but bellow I will give you a few examples to help you think about what you need to include in your MR Letter.

Let's look at a few examples to show you how the point scoring system works. You could score points for the use of aids for daiy living activities. For example:-

Preparing a meal:- Would you need to use an aid of a perching stool to help you to prepare a meal to an aceptable standard because of your Arthritis problems? This could score you 2 points for needing to use an aid.

Washing and Bathing:- Would you need to use the aid of the sink for support or would the aid of a grab rail help you to get into and out of an unadapted bath because of your Arthritis problems (you do not have to have grab rails installed but if you think they would help then mention them and the problems you have now getting into and out of an unadapted bath because you do not have them installed) Again you could score 2 points for needing to use an aid.

Dressing and undressing:- Do you have problems putting on your socks or other items of clothing in the morning because of your Arthritis? For example if you cannot bend your leg then you would need help with putting on your socks. You could us a sock aid to help you to put on your socks and to help prevent you bending your knee. Again you do not have to have this aid but if the aid would help then explain how it would help and the problems you have now dressing without the aid. Again this could score you 2 points.

Using the Toilet:- Do you need help getting on and off a toilet because of the impact of your Arthritis? If you do then you might use the aid of grab rails to help support you getting on and off a toilet. Again 2 points.

So if you add up all of those points then you could score 8 points for daily living to help you because of your arthritis problems entitling you to the standard rate of daily living allowance.

If you use an aid you need to explain:-

How you use the aid

What function the aid replaces

What would happen if you did not use the aid

If you cannot use aids and need assistance then you need to explain:-

Why you need assistance

Who gives the assistance (ask them for a supporting letter to explain your problems and how they help you and why)

What would happen if you did not get assistance

The above is just something for you to think about and to show how the point scoring system works. The above is to point out and give examples on how you could score points because of your arthritis problems if for the majority of days you need help or use aids to help you complete the daily living activities safely, repeatedly, in a timely manor and to an acceptable standard.

If you have medical evidence or diagnosis letters for your arthritis then include them with your MR Letter and quote/reference the letters and the evidence in each of the PIP activities in your MR letter.

More advice on what you can include in your MR Letter to explain the problems you have https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/help-with-your-claim/fill-in-form-pip/

Hope that helps
Nasturtium

jamieboy1985

If you can walk a dog and work then it's highly unlikely your get awarded . I got rejected almost 3 years ago with 3 herniated discs in constant pain. 2 years on I have fibromyalgia can hardly walk and use arms and got awarded finally. 

poppy123456

jamieboy1985 said:

If you can walk a dog and work then it's highly unlikely your get awarded .

I’m not sure why you’re being so negative here. What you’re saying is not correct. Lots of people claim PIP and work because it’s not about your ability to work. 

The most likely reasons for people being refused are poorly completed claim forms and not understanding the descriptors and what they mean.