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Worsening condition-Change of circumstances,

lily1920

Hello,

If a mental illness has worsened since an award has been made (around 6 months ago), should a change of circumstances be triggered and a new assessment be carried out? I realize with physical conditions it may be easier to prove that it has worsened.
I have standard rate for care (1 point away from higher rate) and standard rate for mobility. When the award was made, I was able to leave the house with 'prompting' and was able to go out. As things stand, I've not left the house in months apart from my weekly therapy due to how difficult I find it in terms of my anxiety/panic attacks. I feel that I meet the descriptor for planning and following journeys, Cannot undertake any journey because it would cause overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant 10 points.

I also was given 4 points for the moving around aspect due to a genetic muscular condition which affects walking, which hasn't and will not get any better (I don't know if degenerative is the word, but it worsens with age).

Do you think this would meet the criteria for being awarded higher rate mobility? My award is for three years, and I know all aspects will be looked at again.

Thank you,

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Comments

CockneyRebel

Hi lily

Have you got any medical evidence that can back up what you are claiming ?

As you have noted MH conditions are harder to prove than physical ones. If you do enter a change of circumstance, you will have a new assessment which could lower your current award or even remove it

The decision is yours of course, but please think very carefully about whether you can prove your claim

CR

atlas46

Hi Lily

I would suggest you gather evidence first and arrange appt with welfare rights caseworker.

As CR has rightly

atlas46

Sorry about message iPad playing up.

CR has rightly pointed out, there is risk, without good evidence.

Have you got a support worker?

Have you got a CPN?

How often has you seen your treating consultant in past six months?

How often seen GP in same periods?

Any change of meds over this period.

Have you got a friend or family who could explain your daily problems.

Don't worry if you don't have some of these.

Best wihes

Atlas46

lily1920

Hello, thank you so much for your replit's.

I don't have a CPN or support worker, and I am on the same medication as I was, which is the maximum dose of a specific antidepressant. This is the only one I can take, due to trials of numerous others, all of which caused scary side effects. I see my psychiatrist every 3 months.

Ive not been to see the gp in months due to my OCD as I am too scared to physically go there. My mum had to force me to go to an out of hours walk in clinic for a throat infection that I needed antibiotics for, as it wasn't clearing up after 2 weeks of me being unable to go to the gp.

My parents can support everything, but i live with them, so don't know if this is allowed? My sister can support this too, however she has been abroad for the last few months, but was staying with us for a few weeks this Feb/March. So I think she compare how I was before to how I am now.

Thank you very much for your advise.

lily1920

CockneyRebel said:

Hi lily

Have you got any medical evidence that can back up what you are claiming ?

As you have noted MH conditions are harder to prove than physical ones. If you do enter a change of circumstance, you will have a new assessment which could lower your current award or even remove it

The decision is yours of course, but please think very carefully about whether you can prove your claim

CR

atlas46 said:

Sorry about message iPad playing up.

CR has rightly pointed out, there is risk, without good evidence.

Have you got a support worker?

Have you got a CPN?

How often has you seen your treating consultant in past six months?

How often seen GP in same periods?

Any change of meds over this period.

Have you got a friend or family who could explain your daily problems.

Don't worry if you don't have some of these.

Best wihes

Atlas46

Hello, thank you so much for your replies.

I don't have a CPN or support worker, and I am on the same medication as I was, which is the maximum dose of a specific antidepressant. This is the only one I can take, due to trials of numerous others, all of which caused scary side effects. I see my psychiatrist every 3 months.

Ive not been to see the gp in months due to my OCD as I am too scared to physically go there. My mum had to force me to go to an out of hours walk in clinic for a throat infection that I needed antibiotics for, as it wasn't clearing up after 2 weeks of me being unable to go to the gp.

My parents can support everything, but i live with them, so don't know if this is allowed? My sister can support this too, however she has been abroad for the last few months, but was staying with us for a few weeks this Feb/March. So I think she compare how I was before to how I am now.

Thank you very much for your advice.

CockneyRebel

Certainly friends and family can write testamonials ( more formal than just letters ) for you, but without medical evidence to back up your worstened condition, I would think hard about how long your current award is for. CoC's have no time limits on them and you would need to prove that your condition change at least three months ago for it to be consudered

CR

lily1920

CockneyRebel said:

Certainly friends and family can write testamonials ( more formal than just letters ) for you, but without medical evidence to back up your worstened condition, I would think hard about how long your current award is for. CoC's have no time limits on them and you would need to prove that your condition change at least three months ago for it to be consudered

CR

Thank you for your reply.

Do you think that having letters written by both my GP and Psychiatrist will be enough medical evidence? If they were to state that I have been unable to go out, and have missed appointments etc. due to this? My award was for four years.

Thank you.

CockneyRebel

Hi lily

With medical evidence to back your claim you do stand a chance but you must explain exactly how you are affected, it would be a good idea for you to keep a diary and if your parents keep one as well that would help to show from another point of view. The more you can do to show how you are affected the better.

The decision has to be yours but don't be put off if you think you deserve it and meet the criteria

Good luck and please let me know if I can help in any way

CR

lily1920

Thank you CockneyRebel, you have been very helpful and it is much appreciated. I am going to think about it for a while. Thank for for the suggestion about the diaries, that sounds like a good plan I will definitely start keeping one, even if its not for pip it still may be useful.

Many thanks,
Lily.

atlas46

Lily

Might I suggest that you seek the help of a local mental health charity, that has specialist benefit advisors, for people who has mental health problems, that can assist you at this stage.

They will be able to advise you on the actual evidence you have and give help gathering more that might be needed.

I just think you need assistance at the onset, rather than when you have reported a COC.

In the end it is your decision on how to proceed.

best wishes

Atlas46