Upcoming Pip Review

caroline1976
caroline1976 Online Community Member Posts: 8 Listener

Hi everyone,

I hope someone can shed some light on my current situation. I have just been sent my pip review papers, I was awarded PIP from April 2022 to April 2025. I have suffered from Psoriatic arthritis/psoriasis and depression for the past 15 years.

Before I won my pip claim in 2022 I had always worked but was forced to stop work for due to the severity of my condition.

Last October my older brother offered me self employment ordering materials for his company from his office. I approximately work 30 hours per week but sometimes less depending on how my condition affects me. I informed ESA and universal credit immediately, my universal credit claim is still active as my wages fluctuate from month to month due to taking time off with my illness. I informed ESA at that time and my claim was cancelled.

I'm feel very apprehensive about the pip review. I would like to ask the forum will I be punished by the DWP for going back into work for the benefit of my mental health?

I currently take weekly Benepali injections which is an anti-inflammatory medicine. It is used for the treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (an immune-system disease causing inflammation of the joints. I still suffer flare-ups from the arthritis and I'm taking exactly the same meds when I won my pip claim two years ago. (Naproxen, Sleeping tablet's).

I also received aids from an occupational therapist who visited my home last year (perching stool, high toilet seat, bed stand).

My question, is it even worth my while sending this review form back to the dwp as I feel I they will ridicule me for going back to work? I fought for over two years to receive pip which was mentally exhausting, I don't know if I can put myself through that again.

If someone could please advise me I would be very grateful.

Best regards

Caroline

Comments

  • caroline1976
    caroline1976 Online Community Member Posts: 8 Listener

    Thank you for your reply AKR, my inabilities in relation to the descriptors have not changed so I'm I hoping my reward will stay the same.

  • Rosie_Scope
    Rosie_Scope Posts: 4,753 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Hi @caroline1976, as AKR mentioned, it will be decided based on how your conditions affect your ability to carry out the descriptors. What might affect your review is if they feel that your work shows you have some more capability with certain descriptors. If your conditions haven't changed, then hopefully it'll all go through okay 😊 Many people do work and claim PIP at the same time.

    Is this your first review? Lots of members have said that they find it useful to treat their reviews like a whole new claim rather than putting 'no change', so provide all the relevant examples for how their conditions affect their ability to carry out the descriptors like they did when first applying.

    If you have any more questions please feel free to ask. We've got lots of people who have been through it all before, so I'm sure you'd get some good advice here.

  • Dianaf
    Dianaf Online Community Member Posts: 55 Contributor

    Hi just to let you know my pip was cut last year because I had given up work due to worsening conditions. I was awarded the higher rates when I was working and cut when I gave up work. This all happened after a review. So basically I don't trust Any assessors. Good luck x

  • caroline1976
    caroline1976 Online Community Member Posts: 8 Listener

    Thank you Dianaf for your message, it's absolutely absurd that your pip award was cut when you had to stop working because your conditions got worse. Yet when working you received the higher rate, it's very strange how the DWP made that decision. I'm going to send the review form back next week and hope for the best. Once again thanks for your reply.

    Caroline x