PIP score 0

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Janeyray

Hi I am new to this group. I have just had my PIP application turned down, My total score was 0
I dont understand, I have an inflammatory arthritis and also have extreme anxiety and depression. I hardly leave the home and have extreme anxiety if I have to meet new people or drive my car anywhere I am not familiar with.
I struggle with so many functional things, washing, dressing and even need help of my husband with personal hygiene when using the toilet. The assessment was completed on the phone by a young man (he sounded young). He was a bit pushy and asked me how far I could walk without having to stop or rest, I kept telling him I found that really difficult to answer as I did not leave the house only for medical appointments. I ended up saying approximately 10 mins as I didnt know what to say. This of course was used in my assessment and I was told if I could walk for 10 mins that was over the 200metres. There was so many other things I found really unfair. The decision was also refused as I drove my car (an automatic) as this proved I had good grip and good upper strength !!
Does anyone think it is worth appealing the decision or just a waste of time ?

nasturtium

Hello Janeyray

Sorry about the long post in advance but I hope it help you to better understand why you have scored 0 on everything and how you can challenge that descision.

Janeyray said:

Hi I am new to this group. I have just had my PIP application turned down, My total score was 0

This is not uncommon and many people who score Zero on everything do go on to get an award either at Mandatory Reconsideration stage (the success rate for MR is about 27%) or at Tribunal stage (Success rate is at about 65% ish) but you need to explain in detail the problems you have with completing the 12 daily living activities reliably (safely, repeatedly, in a timely manor and to an acceptable standard) This mainly happens because the Claimant has not understood the activities or the descriptors and filled there PIP2 Questionnaire form in poorly and did not give detail.

Janeyray said:
Does anyone think it is worth appealing the decision or just a waste of time ?

Yes it is 100% worth appealing the descision because you have nothing to lose because you have no award and only something to gain if your MR Letter is successful. You must put your Mandatory Reconsideration in Letter format and do not telephone to request a MR because after you telephone it starts the clock ticking and they will do the MR without you providing vital and important extra written verbal anacdotal evidence and information to back up your claim.  You have 1 month from the date of your decision letter to write a detailed MR letter explaining all of the problems you have with the activities and why you cannot complete the 12 PIP activities that apply to you Reliably (The word reliably is a very important word in PIP because it is enshrined in law as Regulation 4(2A) of the Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013 read more here https://pipinfo.net/issues/reliably and here https://www.mypipassessment.co.uk/updates/what-are-the-reliability-criteria-that-are-used-during-the-pip-consultation/ ) You also have 13 months to request a MR by Letter if you have a good reason for requesting a late MR for example the effects of your mental health or your disability stopped you form doing your MR or you were waiting for further medical evidence or advice from a welfare rights agency.

Janeyray said:
I dont understand, I have an inflammatory arthritis and also have extreme anxiety and depression. I hardly leave the home and have extreme anxiety if I have to meet new people or drive my car anywhere I am not familiar with.

PIP is not awarded based on your diagnosis it is awarded based on the limitations because of the conditions you have and the help you need according to the descriptors for each of the activities.

Janeyray said:
I struggle with so many functional things, washing, dressing and even need help of my husband with personal hygiene when using the toilet.

I am going to focus on your inflammatory arthritis because you might have medical evidence and a diagnosis to back this up (disclaimer you do not need a diagnisis to claim PIP but you need to be very detailed on the impact of your problems) I do not know your condition or how your inflammatory arthritis effects you but you need to think about the problems you have and the help you need.

For preparing a meal can you use an aid to help you do that activity.

Does the inflammatory arthritis impact your ability to peel vegetables? Could you do this with the aid of a easy grip peeler? If you can then explain the problems you have then explain how that aid replaces the function lost because of your condition. If you cannot use an aid then explain you cannot use that aid?

If you need to use aids even if you do not have them to do the PIP activity safely, repeatedly, in a timely manor and to an acceptable standard for preparing a meal, washing and bathing, using the toilet and derssing and undressing then you could score a posiible 8 points entitling you to Standard daily living.

If you need assistance to prepare a simple meal then explain why you need that assistance and what the impact would be if you did not have the assistance. Has there been any accidents because you have not had assistance? If there has then explain in detail what happened, who witnessed it if anyone did and what the consiquences were. If you have assistance explain who provides the assistance? What do they do to assist you? You can ask them to write you a supporting letter and ask them to explain the troubles you have with doing each activity and the help you need according to the descriptors.

You also need to explain if your condition varies through out the day or week because PIP is based on the peoblems you have for "The majority of days" and that is more than 50% of the time.

You need to do the above in your MR Letter for each PIP activity that applies to you. Be as detailed as possible and do not hold back. If there are any grim details of recent incidents or accidents then include them.

This link will give you advice on what you need to include on your MR letter for each activity. It is about filling in the PIP form but if you did not give detail on your PIP2 Questionnaire form then now is the time to resolve that by giving detail in your MR letter. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/help-with-your-claim/fill-in-form-pip/

If you need further advice then search for your local welfare advice center here https://advicelocal.uk/welfare-benefits

Hope that helps

Nasturtium