Tribunal after PIP reconsideration rejected (mental health)

Mil_30

Hi. Need little bit of help as well as hope. I am single mom to my 4 year old son. Been fighting with depression most of my life, after abusive marriage I developed bad anxiety. Recently I had applied for PIP to help with expenses of getting around and most important so I can go and get my theraphy that i really need. My anxiety dont allow me to go on public transport from past 3 years. I have bad panic attacks if I walk into busy place, I didnt been able to go in big shop in past few years either. Only places I went is my gp surgery which is 5min walk (only if my best friend is with me) and nursery which is across street to drop and pick up my son and pip assessment (my friend needed to go with me and drive me there). Find it almost impossible to deal with unknown places. Which i managed to get certain times where is not busy there. Find it almost impossible to talk to strangers. I'm not able to go even to playground with my son, other moms take him with them.. I am on medication, doctors told me i need to self refer for theraphy yet its in city centre, absolutely busy street. To be able to do that I need to get there, I dont have anyone that could help with transport so would need a taxi which would cost £20-£25 one way. I even stopped making home made meals, I'm forgetful and cant concentrate. After few times knocking hot pot over myself I coudnt bring myself to cook. So i buy ready meals fot microwave for me and my son. I have my best friend call me daily to remind me and "make" me take tablets. Thats little bit about how anxiety affect my dialy life. Feel like giving up..

I had scored zero points on every question on the assesment. Apparenlty i wasnt stressed and didn't showed any signs of depression or anxiety. I had wrote letter for reconsideration, explaining every point they made (they even said as I'm not reciving specialist care for my conditions they cant award me points). In reconsideration letter I had added my gp letter. Had phoned yesterday and my reconsideration been unsuccessful. I'm absolutely broken. That with that they think I am okey. I don't need help. Feel like I'm a liar and imagining every struggle i have due to my anxiety and depression. 

I'm still waiting for reconsideration decision letter but I know for my sake and my son sake I need to try and go to tribunal. I have no idea how I will be able to go through that but I need to try. Any pointers of what i need to do and how long those things take?

Does anyone had success in tribunal and had positive outcome with mental health? 

I feel horrible enough I needed ask them for help, now I feel even worst as my mental health is apparently not counting in.. 

Im sorry for long post. Any pointers and anserws would be very appreciated.

Thank you x

poppy123456

HI,

There's only an 18% of of any MR decision changing and most people end up taking it to Tribunal. Appearing in person will give you the best chance of a decision is your favour (71%) paper based decisions for Tribunals only have between 5-8% success rate.

Once you receive the decision letter you have 1 month from that date to request the Tribunal by filling out the SSCS1 form or you can do this online. You'll need to send the MR decision letter with your request. Waiting times for Tribunals are huge across most of the country and some are waiting in excess of 1 year for a hearing date.

If you can get some face to face advice from an agency near you then i'd advise you to do that.

https://advicelocal.uk/

This link will tell you what you need to do for the appeal request. https://www.gov.uk/appeal-benefit-decision/submit-appeal