Find out how to let us know if you're concerned about another member's safety.
PIP tips

Dee78
Member Posts: 19 Connected
Hi,
Just wanted to share some tips from my experience- though know it is very different for each person! I have Ehrlers Danlos , POTS and ASD. Just got awarded PIP after my assessment, though may contest the time period of only 2 years, plus the mobility level!.
My tips- record the interview. The assessor will be more careful in their accuracy. Use two separate tape recorders as they insist( ridiculous, I know!) I know it's very hard to find tape recorders. Try buy them online if you can, and come armed with cassettes and batteries. Don't forget to get permission to record, according to their guidelines.
Pre- pip form: try to get as much proof as you can. Think about all the situations you struggle with, and tell a healthcare professional so it is recorded. Even better, address all the issues if possible- eg if you struggle or dont feel safe in the kitchen, ring social services- even if they recommend small equipment and you can't afford to buy, it is recorded in their report. Or another example, if you are forgetting to take medication, or confused by a complex meds regime, your doctor might suggest a dosette box. All this is good evidence which you can add to your PIP form.
Sorry if this is really obvious! Though it wasn't for me. I realised that I had to address all these things pre-pip and it wasn't the time to bravely and haphazardly soldier on!
Lastly, be prepared ( especially if you have a variable condition) that they ask you to quantify everything! Eg- on how many days a week are you able to cook? This is very hard to do- we don't count these things. Just remember, if it's more than 50% of the time, that qualifies as an impairment.
They may ask you for how many minutes you can walk ( even though the form asks how many meters!) This can be a tricky question to see if what you put down on the form matches with what they see! Eg they are most likely trying to do a calculation using the time you gave and speed they saw you walking into the appointment. So again, think of your worst case scenario, and don't be brave.
.
Just wanted to share some tips from my experience- though know it is very different for each person! I have Ehrlers Danlos , POTS and ASD. Just got awarded PIP after my assessment, though may contest the time period of only 2 years, plus the mobility level!.
My tips- record the interview. The assessor will be more careful in their accuracy. Use two separate tape recorders as they insist( ridiculous, I know!) I know it's very hard to find tape recorders. Try buy them online if you can, and come armed with cassettes and batteries. Don't forget to get permission to record, according to their guidelines.
Pre- pip form: try to get as much proof as you can. Think about all the situations you struggle with, and tell a healthcare professional so it is recorded. Even better, address all the issues if possible- eg if you struggle or dont feel safe in the kitchen, ring social services- even if they recommend small equipment and you can't afford to buy, it is recorded in their report. Or another example, if you are forgetting to take medication, or confused by a complex meds regime, your doctor might suggest a dosette box. All this is good evidence which you can add to your PIP form.
Sorry if this is really obvious! Though it wasn't for me. I realised that I had to address all these things pre-pip and it wasn't the time to bravely and haphazardly soldier on!
Lastly, be prepared ( especially if you have a variable condition) that they ask you to quantify everything! Eg- on how many days a week are you able to cook? This is very hard to do- we don't count these things. Just remember, if it's more than 50% of the time, that qualifies as an impairment.
They may ask you for how many minutes you can walk ( even though the form asks how many meters!) This can be a tricky question to see if what you put down on the form matches with what they see! Eg they are most likely trying to do a calculation using the time you gave and speed they saw you walking into the appointment. So again, think of your worst case scenario, and don't be brave.
.
Comments
-
Welcome to the community @Dee78, and thanks for sharing this with us!
-
Many thanks for your post.
-
Welcome
-
Welcome Dee78
-
Thanks very much all!
Brightness
Categories
- 53.1K All Categories
- 10.4K Start here and say hello!
- 4.8K Coffee lounge
- 4K Disability rights and campaigning
- 1.5K Research and opportunities to get involved in
- 149 Community updates
- 12K Talk about your situation
- 1.8K Children, parents, and families
- 760 Work and employment
- 578 Education
- 1.1K Housing, transport, and independent living
- 1K Aids, adaptations, and equipment
- 277 Dating, sex, and relationships
- 264 Exercise and accessible facilities
- 21.2K Talk about money
- 2.1K Benefits and financial support
- 4.4K Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- 12.3K PIP, DLA, and AA
- 2.5K Universal Credit (UC)
- 4K Talk about your impairment
- 1.3K Cerebral palsy
- 676 Chronic pain and pain management
- 700 Rare, invisible, and undiagnosed conditions
- 751 Autism and neurodiversity
- 929 Mental health and wellbeing
- 298 Sensory impairments
Complete our feedback form and tell us how we can make the community better.
Do you need advice on your energy costs?
Scope’s Disability Energy Support service is open to any disabled household in England or Wales in which one or more disabled people live. You can get free advice from an expert adviser on managing energy debt, switching tariffs, contacting your supplier and more. Find out more information by visiting our
Disability Energy Support webpage.