PIP

offalot

I'm 69, have COPD, can't walk now and having recently had the call to switch from DLA to PIP,  I'm currently waiting to hear what the assessors made of my application! With DLA I had Higher Mobility for many years and Middle rate Care for 4 or 5 years. 

When I lost the ability to walk a couple of years ago I reckoned I'd qualify for Higher Rate Care, but that would have meant switching to PIP, and given the reputation that process had, I felt it wasn't worth the risk. I might end up worse off, and didn't feel up to coping with all the stress and anxiety of rejection,  appealing, maybe tribunal - and still getting nowhere.  So I did nothing.

Now, after 6 weeks (I got two extensions) of struggling with their carefully worded and misleading form, I'm angry. Angry at the tricks they pull to cheat people, the debilitating fear and panic they create in people, angry at the stress and anxiety they caused me for 2 months of my life, and I'm livid at the government's and the oft-replaced minister's statements that everything is working perfectly. If that is so, then they planned to bully claimants, to lie, cheat and cause so much stress and anxiety as to make already vulnerable people more Ill than they already were - and beyond, as suicides have proved.  

The relief I felt when my form went in was enormous. Now it's invigorating, and I'm spoiling for a fight, so if they reject my claim I'm ready for them. I'll enjoy appealing, a tribunal, whatever it takes.  I'm angry at myself too, for allowing their practices to intimidate me into foregoing 2 years of higher benefits. 

Well, that's me - I think that's enough for an introduction

mossycow

@offalot

Nice intro! You word the process so beautifully  I recognised so much of what you were saying. 

So pleased you are spoiling for the fight! 

thespiceman

Hello @offalot   Pleased to meet you welcome.

Thank you for joining and sharing.

I am one of the team of community champions who advise and help new members who join.

Please ask if we can help and advise with anything.   We are here to support you we are friendly.

Please have a look around the website.

Take care.

@thespiceman

Antonia_Scope

Welcome to the community @offalot
Thank you for sharing this with us. Unfortunately a lot of our members will be able to relate you, but please do not be angry at yourself. I wish you all the best with your form. Hopefully it doesn't get to this, but if so you may be interested in the following pages: 
- Appealing a DWP decision  
- Further appeal to the Upper Tribunal

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Yadnad

offalot said:

I'm 69, have COPD, can't walk now and having recently had the call to switch from DLA to PIP,  I'm currently waiting to hear what the assessors made of my application! With DLA I had Higher Mobility for many years and Middle rate Care for 4 or 5 years. 

When I lost the ability to walk a couple of years ago I reckoned I'd qualify for Higher Rate Care, but that would have meant switching to PIP, and given the reputation that process had, I felt it wasn't worth the risk. I might end up worse off, and didn't feel up to coping with all the stress and anxiety of rejection,  appealing, maybe tribunal - and still getting nowhere.  So I did nothing.

Now, after 6 weeks (I got two extensions) of struggling with their carefully worded and misleading form, I'm angry. Angry at the tricks they pull to cheat people, the debilitating fear and panic they create in people, angry at the stress and anxiety they caused me for 2 months of my life, and I'm livid at the government's and the oft-replaced minister's statements that everything is working perfectly. If that is so, then they planned to bully claimants, to lie, cheat and cause so much stress and anxiety as to make already vulnerable people more Ill than they already were - and beyond, as suicides have proved.  

The relief I felt when my form went in was enormous. Now it's invigorating, and I'm spoiling for a fight, so if they reject my claim I'm ready for them. I'll enjoy appealing, a tribunal, whatever it takes.  I'm angry at myself too, for allowing their practices to intimidate me into foregoing 2 years of higher benefits. 

Well, that's me - I think that's enough for an introduction

It's good that you are prepared to take on the DWP. But with PIP, even though you had a reasonably good DLA award, there are no guarantees. Yes the vast majority are awarded PIP first time around and at the right level, but there is a minority that don't get any award.
The worst part of PIP that I found when I was claiming it, was the constant re-assessment every couple of years. I was 70 when I lost my PIP early last year and the thought that I was to be re-assessed every other year until I die.

I had 3 face to face assessments since 2013 and every one came back with no points. I had to appeal all three of them.

Previously up to 2013 I had DLA from 1995 at the High rate of both care and mobility.

Good luck

CockneyRebel

Hi @offalot and welcome

As this is your change from DLA to PIP, this assessment will set the level of your mobility component going forward.