PIP review paperwork - less is more or more the better

JonnycJonny

When it comes to submitting evidence regarding how your condition affects your 'daily living' is it a case of 'less is more' or 'more the better' ? By this I mean, do the DMs actually pay close attention and read everything or do they just take a cursory look ? Any views ? Thank you.

janer1967

You only need to send relevant evidence that explains how your affected day to day 

Things like OT reports , carers report , , prescription list statements from people who see how you live 

chiarieds

Hi @JonnycJonny - it's usually the case that less is more. Look through any medical evidence you have. Perhaps the most recent you have might be the best; now look at the rest. If they're all just repeating the same diagnosis, & don't give any insight into how your daily life is affected, then they're not of much use. Often consultant's letters will give little or no evidence about difficulties you might have dressing, bathing, cooking, budgeting, or using the bathroom for example.

Everything will be looked at, but you can see that if they don't have much relevance, less is definitely more. Also you would need to check that any evidence doesn't contradict what another has said, & is it accurately describing you.

What may be helpful instead is a short 'diary' of up to a week, where you would highlight the key functional problems you have each day. Or, get someone who knows you well to write a supporting letter.

With a review, treat it just as if it was an initial claim form, & give a couple of detailed examples for each applicable descriptor/activity. Say when it happened, why, who witnessed it , what exactly happened, & how did it leave you feeling afterwards, if that also applies. Just add extra pages at the end (with your name & National Insurance number on each page). Hope that helps.

JonnycJonny

Thank you for your reply. I guess OT/PT reports are invaluable along with prescription lists  - personal statements from a carer or partner useful but clearly open to bias or exaggeration.
Best wishes to you.

JonnycJonny

It does seem to me that, though personal statements from a carer / partner or diaries are undoubtedly useful - no medic is there to watch you bathe - they clearly lack 'verification' and thereby make the whole process open to abuse. No system is perfect but I think I would rather lean on OT reports that explicitly point out inabilities or at least imply an inability.

Thank you all for some very helpful information - I guess the result of the review will ultimately depend on the professional insight / judgement of the DM.