A few questions about PIP

pinktwinkle321

Hope you are all well on this cold night 🥶

I have a PIP related Q if that’s ok.
I was refused pip (missed out by 2 points) about 2 years ago on depression and anxiety and tbh I didn’t have it in me to appeal the decision. If anything I am worse now, on top of that I’m going through assessments with neurologists for CFS. I am a civil servant and work have been amazing with reasonable adjustments and office attendance. My Qs are -

1)Is there any point in trying again? My anxiety is through the roof and don’t want to put myself through it if it’s pointless.
2) can I get PIP if I work?
3) will they look at my old refused claim with my new claim?

Thanks for reading apologies for the long message.

pinktwinkle321

apologies again I think I posted this in the wrong part but don’t know how to move it 😂

Jimm_Alumni

Hey @pinktwinkle321, welcome to the community 😊 I moved this over to our PIP section for you!

I have to say I have past experiences with PIP very similar to yours, I was too mentally unwell to consider appealing and continuing the battle. If your conditions are affecting you more now than those few years ago and you were only 2 points off back then I certainly think it would be worth trying again now. It does depend on how you fill in your form and how the assessment goes but you have the appeals processes to help you with those if needs be. We'll help as much as we can or there are also benefits advisers you can reach out to for more 1-to-1 support 🙂

You can get PIP if you work, PIP is not means-tested. They may ask about what you do to work, and whether it contradicts what you say about your condition. If there are things you normally struggle to do that you have to do with work you should make it clear how doing those things affects your day to day life. Any distress it causes etc. There are many people that work and get PIP, it is not a means-tested benefit.

They will very likely not look at your old claim, if you do a new claim you will need to put down everything and how it affects you now. PIP claims have a required period of 12 months that the conditions affect your life, 3 months before the claim starts and 9 months after it. Your previous claim doesn't fall within that, so it shouldn't be considered at all.

Please do let us know if you have any other questions or if there is anything you aren't sure about.