pip review evidence

michael_m

Hi everyone

Is there anyone who can offer general advice regarding the following situation, or suggest any evidence I could use, this would have to be at mandatory reconsideration stage or tribunal stage.

I have just returned my pip review form as my pip (enhanced mobility component only, no daily living component) as my pip is due to end at the end of this year.

However I am worried about the fact that I haven't been able to get any medical evidence from my doctor to support my claim, I asked her if she would provide a letter confirming the 'actual effects' that my FND condition has on my mobility, namely that I can only walk for 11 minutes at 32 meters per minute but can go no further and if I have to travel further I GENUINELEY have to continue in a powered wheelchair, she said she will 'consider' writing me a letter verifying specifically how my mobility is severely restricted but in the end she didn't bother to write me such a letter. I did offer to pay the usual fee.

I suffer from FND (Functional Neurological Disorder) which has resulted in Functional limb weakness in all 4 limbs making it such that due to muscle weakness I can only walk for a short distance and then after continue mobilizing in a powered wheelchair (I don't have the physical strength to propel a manual wheelchair in a safe manner due to the weakness in my arms)

I have made a 'statement' in my pip review form confirming that I can only walk a short distance (and not as defined in pip regulations 'reasonable time' criteria) and then after continue in my powered wheelchair.

I have enclosed a flash drive containing video recordings made on a body worn video camera (from oct 2023 to may 2024) of me 'walking' to the shop (340 meters there and back)

The dwp are aware of the following

I have had a official diagnosis of FND made by a neurologist in 2018 and this condition is ongoing

I can only walk a short distance before having to continue in powered wheelchair

I cant 'propel' a manual wheelchair in a 'safe' manner

I have suffered with this FND condition since 2018 and from september 2020 to present day my mobility has gone only from being able to walk at 31 meters per minute in september 2020 to being able to walk at 32 meters per minute today (a increase of 1 meter per minute in 3.5 years), and thus it is, on the balance of probabilities' that I still wont be able to walk as defined by the 'reliabilty/reasonable time' criteria after my current pip claim ends and thus will still be restricted to mobilizing in my powered wheelchair.

My worry is that without medical evidence from my doctor to confirm my mobility is STILL severeley restricted and is likely to be so, long after my pip claim is due to end, that they will decide not to extend my pip beyond december, which means they will treat me has having recovered fully from my FND condition such that I can NOW walk as defined and thus no longer be entitled to pip, and as such treat me as able bodied and not accept that I need to use a wheelchair anymore and consider me to be 'able bodied' and force me to do things that I GENUINELEY don't have the physical capacity to do, and worsen my condition.

All because the doctor didn't provide a letter confirming my severely restricted mobility, and I believe, in my opinion, that this is a result of the dwp now telling GPs to not provide evidence to support a claimants pip evidence, with the intention of reducing a claimants chances of getting/renewing pip.

Is there anyone who can suggest any evidence I could get to support my claim at a mandatory reconsideration stage or tribunal stage, or just general advice regarding this situation.

Any help would be appreciated as I am now GENUINLEY SCARED as to what will happen to me if my pip is not extended

poppy123456

Not being able to propel a manual wheelchair is irrelevant for PIP anyway, This applies for the work capability assessment.

Letters from a GP are never the best evidence to send because they don't spend anytime with you to know how you manage the descriptors. If they know it's because you told them and then it becomes hearsay.

Video footage of you walking to the shops in my opinion also isn't helpful because that could be a video of anyone. (I'm not saying it is) I don't if know if they will have the equipment to be able to watch those videos either.

Medical evidence isn't needed for a successful PIP award and many people claim PIP without medical evidence. What you should concentrate on is your real world examples of exactly what happened the last time you attempted each descriptor that applies to you. Adding detailed information such as where you were, what exactly happened, did anyone see it and what the consequences were.

Don't forget to also include information for the daily living descriptors and don't just concentrate on the mobility part.

There are very long delays for a lot of people with review decisions so you could be waiting as long as a year for a decision. Your current award will continue until a decision is made.

michael_m

Hi poppy, I don't know if you will see this comment but thanks for your reply. This is giving me some serious cause for concern as if my pip review is not successful I am genuinley scared they will treat me as having FULLY recovered from my FND condition, and thus treat me as 'able bodied' and force me to do tasks which I HONESTLY dont have the physical capacity to do, this would be made even worse by the fact that if my pip review is not successful they will also stop my lcwra and treat me as fit for work.

The dwp are aware, obviously, of my severley restricted mobility and the fact that it is ongoing and longterm, but if I cant prove that it is certain to be ongoing even after my pip claim is due to end in december I will be forced to do things beyond my physical capacity which will worsen my condition.

I have know managed to get 2 letters from my doctor but not sure if they will be of any use, the letters do state my condition is ongoing and will be longterm, and has also indicated I can walk only so far and then have to continue in a powered wheelchair.

As for the video evidence on the usb flash drive, they sent it back to me indicating they cant use it because they cant 'plug' usb devices into their systems due to risk of viruses and ALSO dont have the capacity to upload video files to their system anyway. Thats a worry as I was relying on that as my main evidence, (All recordings start with the camera 'pointing' at my face so they would know it's me)

I dont know if my review will go to tribunal but I will present the videos at tribunal if neccasary on my laptop anyway

Any feedback you can give (or anyone else who sees this message) would be appreciated

thanks

poppy123456

If the worst happens and you're refused PIP it will not affect your LCWRA award. LCWRA and PIP are two completely different things and one doesn't affect the other. Reviews for the work capability assessment are currently still suspended for those that have LCWRA anyway.

I am not surprised they returned the video footage. Even though you said you showed your face, no one from DWP would know what you look like anyway. I'm also fairly certain the Tribunal will not be able view that footage either but hopefully, it won't get that far and once a decision is made it will be in your favour.

It does concern me that the videos were your main evidence. What about real world examples? They are important too because the only person that knows exactly how your conditions affect you is yourself. Letters from a GP carry very little weight because they don't spend anytime with you to know how you manage the PIP activities. If they know it's because you told them and then It becomes hearsay.

These reviews are a worry for everyone going through them, myself included but we just have to try to distract ourselves and think about something else while we wait. I'm also in that distracting myself stage but hopefully both of us won't be waiting too much longer.