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New claim

Chillyboy7

I have been claiming PIP since 2016 for Bipolar and anxiety and had to complete an over the phone assessment last month to carry on with the claim, I was also involved in a serious road traffic accident in 2018 and now have serious physical problems aswell and although I was awarded pip again I have only been given it for 2 years until my physical injuries have improved which I am happy with but i wasn't given it for my mental health issues which is my main problem, even though I found the whole process of the interview extremely harrowing I was refused the disability benefit that I had before because he assessor said that because I was able to talk over the phone i don't qualify, it is a catch 22 situation because if I had refused to agree to the interview and believe me I didn't want to do it because of the stress, anxiety and consequent depression it has caused and I haven't got anyone to help me) then I would have lost my benefit . Now I will have to appeal and no doubt have to go to a tribunal which I find terrifying. What can I do ?.

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Comments

Awesomelorenzo

Really? So you are okay because you can talk over the phone?
Wow, that is stupid.
Maybe you should've ignored the phone...

poppy123456

Awesomelorenzo said:

Maybe you should've ignored the phone...

If you know you're expecting a phone assessment why on earth would you choose to ignore the call? That's not the best advice to give because a person can lose their benefits if they did that.

poppy123456

Chillyboy7 said:

I have been claiming PIP since 2016 for Bipolar and anxiety and had to complete an over the phone assessment last month to carry on with the claim, I was also involved in a serious road traffic accident in 2018 and now have serious physical problems aswell and although I was awarded pip again I have only been given it for 2 years until my physical injuries have improved which I am happy with but i wasn't given it for my mental health issues which is my main problem, even though I found the whole process of the interview extremely harrowing I was refused the disability benefit that I had before because he assessor said that because I was able to talk over the phone i don't qualify, it is a catch 22 situation because if I had refused to agree to the interview and believe me I didn't want to do it because of the stress, anxiety and consequent depression it has caused and I haven't got anyone to help me) then I would have lost my benefit . Now I will have to appeal and no doubt have to go to a tribunal which I find terrifying. What can I do ?.

Hi,

Sorry but i'm a little confused here because you state you've been given a a 2 year award and then go on to say that you've been refused the disability benefit. May i ask whether you were awarded or refused completely? If you were awarded what award have you got and what were you previously awarded before the review?

Awesomelorenzo

Okay. I shouldn't have said that, but the reason to refuse is because you can answer the phone? I did read that right?.

janer1967

Hi @Chillyboy7 Welcome on board. Do you think you would have been awarded more points if they had taken your other issues into account and got a higher award ?

If so then like you said you will have to submit MR and if this isnt successful go to tribunal

If you need any help with the MR process then please ask and we will assist

Awesomelorenzo

Being able to talk over the phone doesn't mean you don't have what you say you have.
You can't tell what anyone has over the phone. I don't see how they can say that.

Chloe_Alumni

Welcome to the community @Chillyboy7, how have things been?

cupcake88

Its stories like this thats making me scared of my phone assessment on monday Im worried if I dont say enough I wont get it and if I say alot then I will be marked down . Im feeling so anxious I have a feeling Im gonna end up making 0 sense on monday

katho31

Oh try to not get too worked up, i was the same but got good advice here from scope members, just remember its the actual way your condition [dla is very different to PIP] affects you on a daily basis, ie; the tasks, how long/difficult are they for you and any aids you need, pickers/perching stool/raised toilet seat/meds/are you a danger to yourself cooking/use microwave for easier cooking/delivery of shopping/how you feel/act when in supermarket/shop/crowds, best wishes

poppy123456

cupcake88 said:

Its stories like this thats making me scared of my phone assessment on monday Im worried if I dont say enough I wont get it and if I say alot then I will be marked down . Im feeling so anxious I have a feeling Im gonna end up making 0 sense on monday

Which is why one of the worst things to do is continue to read all the stories on the internet because the majority of them will be bad. Those that are successfully awarded rarely post their story.

When you filled out the form if you added as much information as possible about how your conditions affect you, then there will be less to ask on the day of the assessment, so you won't have to say much.

If you're not awarded then there's the MR and Tribunal.

I know you're feeling stressed but that's perfectly normal. Even those that doesn't suffer from anxiety and stress feel this way when waiting for an assessment and the decision.