My PIP payment has been taken away

Lox

Hi,

so I have been on PIP basic living for 3 or 4 years and my case came up for review. I filled out the forms in March of 2024 and had my assessment call on 7th of August 2025. I had my doctors call the week before the assessment and sent a letter from my integrative practitioner the week before too.

The call itself was awful. I had my partner and integrative practitioner with me for the call. The person on the other end of the phone was clearly focus on filling the form and not listening to me. I have no idea what she wrote down or heard. I had to take a break and still had a panic attack on the call. She had to take a break and talk to her supervisor. It was a traumatising experience all round. The assessor threatened to have to do this all again if we couldn't get through the form.

I received a letter on the 21st of August, dated the 13th of August, telling me why they took my pip away. The letter is full of lies and misrepresentation. I know I need to get the ball rolling on mandatory reconsideration and I plan to visit citizens information tomorrow. I'm terrified to get in touch with them myself at this point. I have had to appeal when I originally got my pip so I'm kinda familiar with the process but I'm also aware of how quickly things are changing. I have started making notes on a copy of their letter and have gathered as much of my paperwork as I can. I really struggle mentally and feel I am undiagnosed neurodivergant. I would really appreciate any help, tips or support anyone can provide 🙏 Thanks in advance

bg844

See the link below for expert, independent advice.

https://advicelocal.uk/

Lox

Thank u :) I appreciate it

Holly_Scope

Hi @Lox this might be helpful to have a read through as well 😊 - Appealing a benefits decision | Disability charity Scope UK

Lox

Thank u :) I have been reading thro as much as I can process. I probably will have to try get a time extension as it took a week for the letter to get to me and I need time to gather support and myself xx thank u for the links 🙏 I really appreciate u both

randomlygenerated

Advicelocal is a good shout - I knew I needed the extra support so rather than going with Citizens Advice, I was lucky enough to find a local welfare & benefits advocacy charity that assigned me a case worker who helped me with everything start to finish. They mostly help disabled people and help with appeals - mentioning to give you advice of what you could look for. It's a big load off to have support of someone specialising in this every step of the way.

Also: Did you request that the assessment is recorded? Be aware you have a right to.

Further links:

https://www.turn2us.org.uk/get-support/information-for-your-situation/challenging-a-personal-independence-payment-pip-decision/options-for-challenging-a-pip-decision

There was another site somewhere with a list of local pro-bono solicitors and legal advice charities dealing with cases like this but I can't find it at the moment.

Also hang in there and don't let them get to/bully you. The standard of service when dealing with benefits is completely all over the place - you got unlucky with a bad assessor. Not all of them are like that. You're not in the wrong.

marcia31

I feel your pain. I had my telephone assessment a few weeks ago and I’ve just had a letter to say I am no longer eligible for the care component. My condition hasn’t changed if anything my mobility has got worse. I suffer with depression and anxiety so find it really hard to put pen to paper. 4 years ago they stopped my pip. My mother who was 85 took them to a tribunal and won it back for me. Since then she’s had 2 heart attacks and is getting frail. I can’t expect her to do it again. I have has agoraphobia for over 30 years so am housebound and don’t have the mental strength. I’ve lost my carer and CPN due to government cutbacks. The system can seem very unfair at times. Hope you can appeal and you win your case. Much love to you

Apollo10_

hi,

I’m sorry to hear this has happened to you. How are things moving on for you? I have been told today that I don’t qualify for limited work capability and am appealing this. I sense my pip will also be stopped next year as I feel that’s the way the system is going for a lot of people… although my health has definitely gotten worse not better during the last few years. I’m dreading the renewal forms for pip and would appreciate some advice . I hope everything has worked out for you

Lox

Thanks so much for all the kind words, I really appreciate it.

So today I sent my appeal paperwork to the tribunal. I'm at the point now where I don't really care if they reinstate my pip or not but I need to have my say, and let them know the things I've been through (and so many others) are not OK. I'm sticking to my guns. I have an amazing support system that I couldn't do this with out.

The main bit of advice I can give is to be brutally honest about how bad your bad days are and there is never too much support. My citizens advice have been amazing but I no thats not always the case. Fight as much as u can fight, the system is so broken and causing so much trauma, they need to be held accountable. If that's something you feel you can do, and if you can't that's OK too xxx sending love to @Apollo10_ and @marcia31 and whoever else needs it xxxx we've got this xx

Holly_Scope

Thank you so much for sharing your experience to help others @Lox. I'm really sorry you didn't get a successful outcome.