Pip telephone tribunal

luW96

hi all,

has anyone else had a tribunal experience like this?

had my telephone pip tribunal today after a year of waiting and feeling pretty disheartened and deflated after it.

I applied for pip as I have anxiety, Haemochromatosis, IBS, Migraines and a bladder condition.

After my mandatory reconsideration in February 2024 I was awarded 4 points after the initial 0 in November 2023.

Some of the questions they asked in the tribunal I felt were irrelevant, such as when did you last use your passport. I do not leave the house alone apart from to go to work and I do not use public transport unless accompanied by someone else. I had said I do not undertake unfamiliar journeys unless accompanied by someone else in my initial claim.

It seems they were trying to imply that if I went on holiday I can leave the house alone? I went on holiday once this year with my partner who I live with and he drove us to and from the airport, I also told them I paid extra for seats so we sit next to one another and I don’t have to sit next to a stranger etc. I also plan everything in great detail about the trip timings what gate we need to be at and when etc, and airports are my idea of hell which I told them. He then went back to so what is it about going on public transport alone that makes you anxious, I explained sitting next to a stranger having to ask a stranger to move so I can get up for my stop, panicking I might miss my stop, asking the bus driver for my fare etc. Then he replied ‘but you went to Greece last month’ I was honestly so confused, he kept reiterating they are only taking into consideration my health as of February 2024 and then kept bringing up a holiday I had a month ago? If I tried to bring any thing about my health up that was after February he kept saying this is only about February but it was okay for them to bring up something that happened a month ago? Also I didn’t go on holiday alone or travel to the airport alone? He then asked before this holiday when was your previous holiday- to which I said it was September 2023- again this was not in February 2024 so completely irrelevant to anything in my eyes?

The judge kept making up imaginary scenarios, such as ‘if your partner had hurt his leg and couldn’t drive to the airport what would you do then’ I said quite simply I would not be driving in his place as I’ve never left my home city alone or unaccompanied whilst I have been the driver as it makes me too anxious to drive somewhere unfamiliar to me.

There was also another fake scenario brought up of if your partner brought a friend into your house how would you interact. I explained that my partner doesn’t actually have friends in this city as he moved here to live with me and all his friends are back home for him, so I’ve never been in that situation. However I did say I most likely would say hello and leave the room and leave them to it to avoid an awkward interaction. The judge then kept pressing saying yes but say he did bring a friend would your partner encourage you to talk to them?? Again what relevance does this have when it never happens? And has no relevance to me leaving the house alone if this imaginary friend is coming into my home??

They also asked when I met my partner. I said nearly 4 years ago, then he asked when was your mental health bad I said 2020 and from 2022-present, to which the judge said so 2020 you met your partner? I said no it was February 2021 we met, again not sure how this is relevant to February this year or any of my health conditions? It was like he was hinting that if I could start a new relationship my social skills/anxiety can’t be as bad as I’ve claimed?

I am not feeling the outcome of the tribunal will be a positive one it felt like a grilling rather than a fair tribunal. They repeatedly tried to trip me up I felt.

If I do get refused which I have a feeling I will, can I bring up the fact they kept referring to things that were recent when it was meant to be judged on February 2024? Or would there be no point even trying to appeal against a tribunal?

Any advice/ other experience would be greatly appreciated!

Meredithshep

I had a tribunal many years ago for a different benefit, had to attend in person. I lost it but I did manage to get another tribunal and that one was disregarded. They allowed another tribunal on a point of law and I did win that one. I did have plenty of medical evidence including scans, consultants letters to back up my case that appeared to be disregarded by the first tribunal. I'm not sure if it is still the case that it has to be a point of law to have it disregarded. I'm not sure that they would disregard everything other than February 24 though as for pip it has to be a longstanding issue

Meredithshep

The scenario about visitors to your home could be to see if you need encouraging to interact with people. I wouldn't try to guess at the outcome of a tribunal or any other assesment, I really felt mine went badly but it hadn't. Keep your chin up x