My Successful PIP Appeal – What I Learned & How I Prepared and how £20 helped me win!
Hi everyone,
I wanted to share my PIP tribunal experience to help others who might be going through the same thing. I was initially awarded 0 points for both daily living and mobility, but after appealing, I was awarded Enhanced Daily Living and Standard Mobility for 5 years. The process was frustrating and exhausting, but I hope my experience can help others.
🔹 My Situation & Why I Appealed
- I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, chronic fatigue, and mobility difficulties.
- My original PIP assessment ignored key evidence, misrepresented things I said, and even included completely incorrect information (e.g., they claimed I was a keen fisherman when I had actually said I used to keep aquariums but had to stop due to my condition).
- The DWP also argued that because I drive, I must be able to walk long distances, which is legally incorrect and contradicted by case law.
- I knew I had to challenge the decision because it did not reflect my reality.
🔹 How I Prepared for My Tribunal & What Worked Best
✅ I Took My Time & Prepared a Detailed Written Response
- The biggest piece of advice I can give is prepare a written response to the DWP’s arguments before your hearing.
- I systematically went through their decision and explained what was incorrect, what they ignored, and how my condition actually affects me.
- This meant that when my brain fog was bad during the hearing, I could ask them to refer to my responseinstead of struggling to recall everything.
✅ I Used Case Law to Challenge the DWP’s Arguments
- I found out that the Upper Tribunal had already ruled that driving does NOT prove someone can walk long distances (MH v SSWP [2020]).
- By mentioning this in my response, I was able to counter one of the DWP’s key arguments before the tribunal even had to ask me about it.
✅ I Used ChatGPT Plus to Help Structure My Response & Prepare for Questions
- I paid for a 1-month subscription to ChatGPT Plus and used it to help structure my written response, refine my arguments, and anticipate tribunal questions.
- I still made sure everything was in my own words and that it reflected my experience honestly.
- The tribunal clearly read my submission carefully, which helped them make their decision more easily.
✅ I Reviewed the DWP’s Bundle in Detail & Found Their Mistakes
- I discovered that the DWP claimed they called me twice during my Mandatory Reconsideration, but I had no missed calls or voicemails.
- I took a screenshot of my call history and submitted this as evidence.
- This showed the tribunal that the DWP did not properly review my case before rejecting my appeal.
✅ I Stayed Honest & Fair About My Limitations
- I was fully prepared to argue for Enhanced Mobility, but on reflection, I felt that Standard Mobility was actually fair because I can still walk short distances, even with pain and instability.
- I think this honesty helped me come across as credible.
🔹 What Happened at the Tribunal?
- The panel had clearly read my response—the doctor on the panel even made a lighthearted joke referencing my previous job as an intelligence analyst, which was only mentioned in my written submission.
- They thanked me for being so well-prepared, saying it made their jobs easier.
- I struggled with brain fog during the hearing, but because I had a structured response, I could refer them back to my written arguments rather than panicking.
- They awarded me Enhanced Daily Living (13 points) and Standard Mobility (8 points) for 5 years.
🔹 My Advice to Others Appealing PIP
1️⃣ Prepare a Written Response – Go through the DWP’s reasoning and explain exactly where they got it wrong. If you struggle with brain fog or anxiety, this will be your safety net in the hearing.
2️⃣ Use Case Law & DWP Guidelines Against Them – The tribunal will respect legal precedent more than DWP assumptions (e.g., driving ≠ mobility).
3️⃣ Call Out Mistakes in Your Mandatory Reconsideration – If the DWP ignored evidence or mishandled your MR, make it known to the tribunal.
4️⃣ Be Honest About Your Limitations – Stick to what is true for you, rather than what you think will get you the most points.
5️⃣ Consider Getting Support – Whether it’s ChatGPT, a benefits advisor, or just someone to help organize your thoughts, don’t feel like you have to do it all alone.
🔹 Final Thoughts
The PIP system is frustrating, and the DWP makes far too many mistakes, but the tribunal process CAN be fairif you go in prepared. If you’re in the middle of your appeal, don’t give up! If you have any questions, I’m happy to share more about my experience.
Comments
-
@Angelmaker30 thank you for sharing your experience, I can't reply fully right now but just wanted to say that and pleased that you were so rightfully awarded, I have been through the Tribunal process too (was awarded). Your comment regarding fisherman vs having an aquarium...... what can I say, like saying I ran Crufts because I have a dog. Dear me. I know very well the frustration and exhaustion and commend very highly how you've articulated and handled it in a non-emotive manner.
2 -
Thanks for sharing such a detailed account of your experience @Angelmaker30 I know lots of people will find this useful to read 😊
2 -
Thank you, I hope it might give others a few ideas and maybe some hope.
0 -
Thank you. If it helps one person it was totally worth it.
2 -
To defeat the DWP now, a disabled person will need to be an intelligence analyst; when the next Prime Minister comes, a disabled person will probably have to be James Bond))
Congratulations on your victory!
5 -
@Angelmaker30 thank you so much for sharing this - really insightful.
1 -
PIP might be changing into a new/different benefit, which might be a lot harder to apply and claim.
I am having great difficulty with tribunals.
I have not been heard, and my health and disabilities are getting a lot worse.
0 -
excellent post …
i think they got me on the driving, saying i can drive a manual car (i actually had an automatic).
1 -
This is a great post @Angelmaker30. Thank you for sharing your experience!
1 -
Please, do not give up. Keep looking for people who can help you. Call Scope Helpline? Find local Charity? I get so unwell, and struggle to speak and think. So I go to doctors with pre-written statements about my health. This makes them to include more details in their letters. Ask for fresh re-referrals and discuss with the consultants your health deterioration… Ask this community for help and ideas, too. Keep writing down, all that comes to your mind about your health, and slowly, you will be able, to turn it into more clear statements, to use in the future.
All the best!
1 -
Just a note to those not capable of doing the work on the tribunal that the poster has I had no external evidence except my autism diagnosis except a submission from a friend who helps me because I am unable to cope with doctors appointments or anything like that. I didn't even read the tribunal package because I wouldn't have been able to go through with it. I just filled in the form saying where I should have been awarded points and why and then put the whole thing out of my mind.
We got to the tribunal and they immediately said they were awarding full PIP for the reasons outlined on my form. They noted that sufficient weight had not been given to the range of my difficulties.
So if you can't get evidence it doesn't preclude success. Don't give up. PIP was designed to take the emphasis off diagnosis and onto function Of course the law on that may change but for now that's the focus and given the state of the health service and the back logs for medical assessments I can't see it changing. They don't even get evidence from GPs because they are too busy.
Of course if you are capable of submitting evidence you should, I am just talking to those who really can't like me. I have been disabled all my life and yet it has taken me until I am 60 to get it acknowledged because I couldn't jump through the necessary hoops and didn't have anyone to do it for me.
0 -
Dear Angelmaker30,
Firstly, congratulations on being assessed fairly at tribunal. Secondly, thank you for being so generous to share this clear information. That is kind and decent of you. An incredibly exhausting, thorough and correct approach, honesty and facts. Wishing you very well.
0 -
Well done!
0 -
Congatulations on your victory! Thank you for the detailed post, it is very useful.
I am suffering with fibromyalgia and brain fog is part of it, lol. I am now waiting forthe decision and may have to reappeal as well and if you don't mind i may reach you for an advise.
Take care.
0 -
Brilliant advice Angelmaker, thanks so much for sharing this with us. The way they tried to dismiss your claim was disgraceful, it just goes to show how inept some of them are, and what lengths they'll go to, to strike someone off. You've shown a lot of guts fighting them, they'll think twice next time!
2 -
thank you for this! I’ve got my tribunal in April! I’ve been going through my tribunal pack and just noticed they have included some incorrect information in the paragraph they have written for their decision. Can I ask how much detail did you go into for each description you thought was wrong?
1 -
following for same reason . My packs on its way .
0 -
Congratulations @Angelmaker30 , I’m so glad to hear that you stood up for your rights, used the tools available to you, and won your appeal! Your story is truly inspiring and empowering-not just for me but for so many others facing similar challenges.
I’m currently going through a Universal Credit benefits decision appeal myself, and I will certainly take your advice and experiences into account.
Wishing you all the best!
Best wishes !
0
Categories
- All Categories
- 14.7K Start here and say hello!
- 7K Coffee lounge
- 78 Games den
- 1.7K People power
- 89 Announcements and information
- 22.9K Talk about life
- 5.3K Everyday life
- 206 Current affairs
- 2.3K Families and carers
- 850 Education and skills
- 1.8K Work
- 485 Money and bills
- 3.5K Housing and independent living
- 971 Transport and travel
- 679 Relationships
- 71 Sex and intimacy
- 1.4K Mental health and wellbeing
- 2.4K Talk about your impairment
- 853 Rare, invisible, and undiagnosed conditions
- 909 Neurological impairments and pain
- 2K Cerebral Palsy Network
- 1.2K Autism and neurodiversity
- 37.5K Talk about your benefits
- 5.8K Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- 19K PIP, DLA, ADP and AA
- 7.3K Universal Credit (UC)
- 5.4K Benefits and income