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Pip help. URGENT!
chilli50
Member Posts: 5 Listener
Hi. I need you fabulous people to give me some advice. At the end of Oct last year I rang pip to update my current claim as my situation had worsened. They sent out a p2p form for me to fill in which I did and sent back. It wasn't recieved. A second set was sent back and again not received. I should have sent recorded I realise now. My pip was stopped. At the end of Jan I was rushed into hospital with pneumonia and flu at the same time as my mum. I came out still very ill after 4 days but would recover. My mum was told she had lung cancer and had weeks to live. I tried my best to care for her until she died on 14th march. Yet another set of forms were filled in and these were actually recieved on 31 march. I have just spent another 8 days in hospital again with pneumonia and have been told I have severe lung damage which won't repair and very severe copd. I rang pip yesterday and have been told I will need a face to face meeting but I won't get a letter telling me when til mid-late May! I own my own home, have fought off several eviction orders in the last 8 years since becoming I'll and the mortgage company haven't had a payment from me since my pip was stopped. They are getting very impatient with me now. I'm trying to survive on 307 a month. I suffer from fibromyalgia, me, anxiety, depression, arthritis, the copd, damage to my sacro iliac joint in my back, raynauds and several more issues. I'm just so worried. I also have ptsd from my mum's death and my daughter's suicide 3 years ago. I don't know how much more I can take. Can anyone give me any advice as to what I can do? Thanks in advance. This is obviously very urgent as I'm starting to feel like I can't go on much longer
Replies
You could also see if CAB will help but there's usually a long wait. Your claim will probably be with an Assessment company either ATOS or CAPITA. Find out which one if you don't already know and ring them as well. Don't be fobbed off. You've done nothing wrong. It's disgusting that you have been treated like this. If you leave it as it is you will be missing out on having your PIP back dated to when you sent the 1st application which will help pay off your mortgage arrears. When you've phoned try and write 2 letters, one to DWP complaints and one to ATOS/Capita complaints. There will be some benefit advisors around tomorrow so hang on in there. Keep posting and others will be along to help...
Senior online community officer
i called dwp and told them what was going on. They told me that I should give atos a call and see if I can fast track the f2f. They have forms received on 31/03/17. I told them I've emailed my mp and will be sending in a letter of complaint. My last payment was apparently for £32 on 7/2/17. Called atos and they told me that dwp shouldn't have said the f2f date would be around 6 weeks from now as they aren't in a position to tell me that. Atos reiceved my form on 13/04/17 and it needs to be looked at by an assessor who might decide that I don't even need a f2f and to call Friday to see if there's an update. They can fast track a f2f if needed to around 7 days then a decision in around 14 days so the timescale should be roughly around 3 weeks for the assessor to look at my forms, decide if a f2f is needed, have one if it is and send a letter to me with the decision. I told them I've emailed my mp too as I think this is ridiculous. I asked them about sending evidence in to prove my situation has worsened yet again and they said this could trigger even more forms and it might be best to wait and see about the assessment. I'm even more confused than I was before. Do I send the proof in or not? I just don't have a clue! Oh heck! I'm gonna get the letters of complaint in as it seems that nobody can really tell me anything except just to hang on and see what they say on Friday..... Cab have called me back. I need to go to the drop in centre tomorrow with all the information I can so I'm going to see if I can get myself there. It will be a struggle as I'm agoraphobic and only go to any medical appointments and even they are a struggle! Does this sound like a good thing to do or should I hang on and see what they're going to say? From what I can figure, my forms haven't even been looked at yet... The thing is, the new information on my situation seems very relevant to me but I'm TERRIFIED of extending the time it will take. I hope this all makes sense to you....
have you anyone you can take with you to the CAB, that would help you relax a little? I think wildlife also mentioned Samaritans. They don't give advice of course, but they listen. I have used them myself, usually when pacing the floor at 3 am or some other silly o clock. They are great, and one time I got an Irish Lady who had me in fits of laughter, I then couldn't sleep because I kept giggling thinking about what she has said :-)
Keep posting here Chille, let us know how it goes, you have come so far, don't let the B******s grind you down x
Hi @chilli50
Apologies for the delay in response to this! There's been a lot of very useful posts from the community on this in the past few days, and I would like to re-iterate a useful legal point made by @justice ...don't let the b******s grind you down!!
You look like you are already taking all the steps I would advise:-
-complaint to the DWP re losing your forms and the general handling of your claim - be specific in the losses (financial and otherwise) you have suffered as a result.
-get the MP on side, as they are the only people who seem to be able to get the DWP (otherwise a total law unto themselves) to do their bidding.
-get help from the CAB or other local agency not only with the PIP, but crucially also with the debt issues, as if someone is dealing with the mortgage company etc for you it really will take the weight off - if your CAB can't assist, do find another local source - ask at the CAB who you could try if they can't help.
-get on to ATOS to expedite your medical.
As regards letting PIP know about changes in your condition, I'd say yes do so. Bear in mind that at present no decision has been made, so I would drop them a letter together with any relevant medical evidence just explaining what deterioration there has been and how this affects you - doesn't need to be really long, but just means that if they fail to properly account for this in the decision then you could appeal.
Very best of luck and do let us know both if you need any more specific advice, as well as how you get on!
Kind regards,
Mary
Senior online community officer