ESA/PIP

Funkydad

Hello.
I have been on ESA (Support Group) for many years.
I have Bipolar 2 which in many occasions I am not able to interact with my family, and tend to stay in the spare bedroom for many days, only coming down to eat, when I feel like it, when everyone has gone to bed.
I also go through spending sprees, with no regard to money (due to my bipolar), unless my wife keeps an eye on me.
I cannot answer the door to anyone or answer the phone, I don't own a mobile due to this.
I only leave the house if my wife is with me, and that tends to be just to my GP.
I also suffer from extensive anxiety.
I have Essential tremor, which doesn't all ow me to hold small things like screws etc, and find it difficult to write, the more anxious I am, the worse it gets.
Eating soup is fun.
After all that, my question is, after all these years, I am thinking of applying for PIP.
It would be based on the above, I also suffered from PTSD, I still get flashbacks, but not as bad.
I have always been afraid of applying for PIP, because of my ESA.
If I applied for it, and was turned down, would this effect my ESA?
My other thing, is, I don't know how I will be from one day to the next, my wife says it's still like walking on eggshells.
If I wake up and are in a very dark hole, but it would be a day of an assessment, how would this effect me.
Many thanks for anyone taking the time to read this War and Piece post.
Sorry if it's in the wrong section.

Albus_Scope

Heya @Funkydad and welcome to the community from me too.

I'm sorry to read about your bipolar, I understand from friends and relatives how much it can really put a stop on your daily life. You don't need to worry, ESA and PIP are different benefits, so you can claim one, none or both without interference from the other. 
  And if you are turned down for PIP, you can ask for a mandatory reconsideration and after that a tribunal. Which sound a lot scarier than they actually are. 
  You can also ask for a phone assessment, so if you can't get to the assessment with your wife, you can do it from the safety of your room with your wife speaking on your behalf, as long as this is told to the PIP people beforehand. 

Funkydad

Albus_Scope said:

Heya @Funkydad and welcome to the community from me too.

I'm sorry to read about your bipolar, I understand from friends and relatives how much it can really put a stop on your daily life. You don't need to worry, ESA and PIP are different benefits, so you can claim one, none or both without interference from the other. 
  And if you are turned down for PIP, you can ask for a mandatory reconsideration and after that a tribunal. Which sound a lot scarier than they actually are. 
  You can also ask for a phone assessment, so if you can't get to the assessment with your wife, you can do it from the safety of your room with your wife speaking on your behalf, as long as this is told to the PIP people beforehand. 

Many thanks for taking the time to reply.
That was very helpful.
I need to talk it over with my wife, but will probably be back with a lot more questions 
It feels like all these years we have missed out on this extra payment.

poppy123456

You haven't really missed out on any payments because the majority of people are not automatically entitled to PIP, unless you have 12 months or less left to live.

Before applying i would spend a little time with your wife to try to have some understanding of the descriptors. It's always more helpful if you start a claim when you have some knowledge, rather than going into it without knowing anything. This may help, though i appreciate that it's a long read but well worth taking some time do so. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-the-assessment-criteria

Funkydad

poppy123456 said:

You haven't really missed out on any payments because the majority of people are not automatically entitled to PIP, unless you have 12 months or less left to live.

Before applying i would spend a little time with your wife to try to have some understanding of the descriptors. It's always more helpful if you start a claim when you have some knowledge, rather than going into it without knowing anything. This may help, though i appreciate that it's a long read but well worth taking some time do so. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-the-assessment-criteria

I have had bipolar for over 25 years, but was only diagnosed 14 years ago when an incident happened, and I was put into the ESA support group after a letter from my Psychiatrist and Psychologist.
I was also diagnosed with PTSD at the same time, then another incident two years ago which again resulted on PTSD.
This is what I meant when I mentioned about missing out. I should have try and applied years ago.
My symptoms were even worse then, being sick, knowing the postman was due, basically anyone knocking on the door.
I have never had a reassessment in all these years (touch wood).