My PIP journey

BandB

Hello all,

I just wanted to drop in and say I’ve been following all the PIP threads avidly over the last few months . I’ve looked for advice and reassurance and found threads that have covered everything in detail. I’d like to share my PIP journey as I know I found them both informative and reassuring.

i 1st applied for PIP in September 2020 , I received only a couple of points in each category so was refused !! Not happy but I left it at that .

December 2022 I had another really bad fall which completely changed the way I live . After a lot of consideration I reapplied for PIP in March 2023. My initial worry was the DWP will frown on the fact that I last applied 6 months ago and was refused. Below are my timelines.

1. Applied for PIP March 15th 2023
2. April 20th received text that they had received all my paperwork.
3. June 15th was my telephone assessment ( May I add that I think I was very lucky the HP was kind and I felt like she really listened)- duration of assessment was 2 hours and 5 minutes 
4. June 27th HP called me back just to clarify a couple of questions 
5,By July 14th I had heard nothing from DWP to say they’ve received my report , so I call them they advise me to call Capita. I called Capita and they told me my assessment was in audit 😡. 

6. July 21st called Capita again, still in Audit ( can I just say if it hadn’t been for this group I would have spiralled, however I understood an audit was nothing to do with me. 

7. July 26th - Had a text from DWP to say they’d received my assessment. It was held in audit 5 weeks and 6 days !!
8. I requested a copy of my report on June 20th , it never arrived !! Requested again on August 16th , received August 21st . Went through it all but understood it was just a guide . 

9. This morning , august 23rd at 08.05 I got the text telling me I’d been awarded !!! Exactly 23 weeks from my initial application. 

I’m not sure what I’ve been awarded yet but will try the automated system later and see if I’m any clearer . 

Just a few things to mention , I’ve seen a lot that requesting your report can be a godsend and a curse at the same time . Although my HP was lovely IMO she’d scored me incorrectly on a few points , she also put in her notes that I was ‘well presented’ !!! How she saw that down the phone I’ll never know !! ( was actually sat on my bathroom floor in my PJ’s).
My health problems are depression, anxiety and currently awaiting 2 new knees plus back pain from an accident way back in 2001.

I apologise for this being a long post but as I said these helped me lots and even if it just helps one more person it’ll be worth it . 

BandB

Sorry my initial application was in 2022, not 2020

Albus_Scope

Heya @BandB! Firstly, a very late welcome to the community and thanks loads for sharing your story.  Sometimes seeing what others have been through and the eventual successes can really help give a little boost, which everyone needs!

How're you getting on now?  I was going to ask about your award, but you don't need to divulge that information unless you really wanted to. 

(And might I say, you sound very 'well presented' from that post haha)