Pip advice

ceecee45

Just wondered if anyone could give me some info. So 2 yrs ago I had a health assessment at home for pip. Prior to that I was on high rate mobility and mid rate care DLA for ten yrs, I have fibromyalgia, fowlers syndrome, plus slipped discs in back and neck plus joint degeneration. After pip asses I was awarded low rate for both. I appealed mandatory as I found the report to be unfair and contradictory and didn't state how it affects my daily life. My adult daughter has been my carer for years but at the time of my pip asses she was having mental health issues and couldn't engage in meeting. I was suffering even more and did t ha e the strength to appeal further. I also am on esa and at the time of asses was in the wrag group. Well March this yr I had an esa assess and was put in the support group as my health had deteriorated. I have a friend who's a health care professional and she has said that I should either get them to look at my pip decision again?! (Which I don't think they will) or do I need to apply for it again? I'm only awarded pip til Apr next yr. my health has got worse and have had more Mir scans, treatment, that didnt help and tablets for neuropathic pain. I know it's a lot I've wrote down, but there's a lit to it and I wondered if anyone could give me some advice please?!

Adrian_Scope

Hello @ceecee45. 
If you want them to look at your award again because your condition has worsened, you would contact them to let them know it's worsened which may trigger a reassessment.
As your award runs out in April 2020, it's very likely you'll be contacted soon about this so could use that opportunity to update them.
Hopefully some of our members will be along shortly with some more information for you.

ceecee45

Thank you Adrian I shall see what other advice comes up but I shall bear that in mind about advising them my condition has got worse, appreciated.

poppy123456

HI,

As your award is due to end in April 2020 then you'll be contacted 6 months before that, so it will be October when you'll receive the review forms. As that's just a couple of months away then it maybe better to wait for that, rather than put in a worsening of condition. Only you can really decide what you want to do.

Either way, when you do receive the forms you should make sure you put as much information as possible about how your conditions affect you. Adding a couple of real life examples of what happened the last time you attempted that activity for each descriptor that applies to you.

You could start to gather your evidence now, so that you'll have it ready when the time comes. Spend some time doing some research online to try to understand the descriptors more because this will also help.

There's a lot to read here but well worth it. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-the-assessment-criteria

ceecee45

Many thanks all replies appreciated

April2018mom

Start preparing evidence now. In October they will most likely contact you on the phone. Do some research on PIP descriptors as this will also help. Read the descriptors carefully and list examples. Also ensure you understand everything. Do you have a social worker or not? Give as much detail as possible on the forms. If you make a mistake, rub it out. Be honest with them. 

poppy123456

When it's review time DWP don't contact anyone by phone, they send the review forms in the post. You won't know what that will be until the dreaded brown envelope drops through the letter box.

Not everyone has a social worker. My daughter does but we have very little contact with her.

I must admit that when i first applied for PIP for my daughter in 2017 i asked her for some help and she looked at me as if i had horns in my head and replied " i have almost no knowledge of the benefit system and you'll probably find that most social workers don't" she also told me that they don't have the time to assist people with claiming a benefit. You must have been very lucky. In my opinion they are as much use as a chocolate teapot with benefits, at least