PIP and long COVID queries

itspersonal

I have two questions, one relates to me personally and one I just thought of while reading posts here.

One:
Is it possible at all to claim PIP for long Covid? I know it’s not about the condition but the effect of it BUT I notice one of the criteria is that it’s expected to last at least 9 months. No one has any idea how long my symptoms will last so even I have no idea. I hope it doesn’t but it’s been since May already. 

I can’t walk more than a few steps without being breathless and my chest hurting. I have terrible fatigue and now can’t help but sleep 12-15 hours a day. I’ve lost 6 stone in weight because I’m struggling with eating and preparing food. I’ve fallen asleep in the bath countless times, I can’t stand long enough to shower. I’ve developed all over body pain which the doctor said is likely to be myalgia. I have awful brain fog and lose track of what I’m doing constantly. The doctors have basically left me to it and said there’s nothing they can do but my partner has suddenly become my full time carer. 

Has anyone been successful in claiming PIP for long-Covid? I know it effects people differently etc so even if someone has no guarantee I’ll get it but I’m curious about the “expected to last 9 months” criteria, when no one knows how long this could possibly last. I was told a month or two to regain my strength and it’s been 3/4 of a year already. 

janer1967

Hi and welcome 

Sorry to hear how long it is taking you to recover 

As for PIP I haven't heard of anyone applying on this basis but that doesn't mean there are not people who have

I guess all you can do is try and see what the outcome is as you say it isnt the condition that counts but the effect that has on you . But yes there may be queries over how long it will affect you 

Keep us informed as would be interesting to know to advise others 

janer1967

Hi and welcome 

Sorry to hear how long it is taking you to recover 

As for PIP I haven't heard of anyone applying on this basis but that doesn't mean there are not people who have

I guess all you can do is try and see what the outcome is as you say it isnt the condition that counts but the effect that has on you . But yes there may be queries over how long it will affect you 

Keep us informed as would be interesting to know to advise others 

chiarieds

Hi @itspersonal - & welcome to this community from me as well. I'm sorry to read you are suffering from long- Covid & how much of an affect it has had upon you. I would think there is no harm in applying for PIP, & the process can take some time depending on the backlogs in your area, so it could potentially be some months before you would get a phone assessment anyway. Please do kindly let us know how you get on, thank you. 

Lisatho11987777

@chiarieds there is a long covid funding in wales don't know if you have one in England 

calcotti

The problem of trying to predict how long a health impact is not unusual. Cancer patients having chemotherapy/radiotherapy etc often have no idea how long they will be be having treatment for. Often a case of treat, do more tests, review the response to the treatment, treat again with something else etc. Awards are still made but are likely to have shorter award periods because of the uncertainty about how the health impact may change.

chiarieds

I take onboard what has just been mentioned above, as Mike gives great advice, tho I might take issue with describing long Covid as a media construct, when NICE are obviously taking it seriously as I was looking at this earlier on. Please see: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG188    ....remembering NICE was mentioned not so long ago.

Lisatho11987777

Long covid clinics have been set up

Lisatho11987777

@woodbine thank you  for that means alot 

itspersonal

I realised I didn’t ask my second question but I can’t think of the words right now so will ask another time if that’s okay? It wasn’t relevant to this just a curiosity about something pip related.

Thank you all who have answered me so far. The mixed feelings probably shows how difficult it may be because no one knows or can give me answers about my condition. My gp is not supportive at all and is only issuing 2 week fit notes at a time as he believes I could change at any moment. 

I had hope he would be right to begin with but 8 months later I’m beginning to lose hope. 

But with no ... I can’t think of the word ... presinct (?? sorry that doesn’t feel right but the word is escaping me right now, like historical other cases) I think it will be a hard fight to get awarded pip or any financial support.

I like the idea of talking to an advice agency but do any offer advice by email? I’m hard of hearing and don’t do too well on the phone, thank you

calcotti

itspersonal said:... I can’t think of the word ... presinct (?? 

Possibly ‘precedent’.

itspersonal

calcotti said:

itspersonal said:... I can’t think of the word ... presinct (?? 

Possibly ‘precedent’.

That was the word I was trying to think of, thank you! 

Username_removed said:

Yes, I also think you’re thinking about the idea of setting a precedent. Nothing wrong with that. 

Oops I didn’t mean me setting a precedent I’m more of a sheep than a leader, haha. I was wondering that because there isn’t a precedent it’s probably more unlikely that I would be successful.

I searched for some advice in my area and there were quite a few options. Does anyone know if any are more suited than others? 

There is:
Welfare Rights
SUCRC (unemployed and community resource centre, it says they do benefit advice)
Citizens Advice
Mind benefits advice 

Cher_Alumni

@itspersonal The Advice Local website is a great web tool for finding free local independent advice.  If you enter your postcode and select 'Welfare benefits' from the drop-down list, you should be provided with a list of organisations.  Please keep us updated as I think it would help many people who browse our community, and perhaps don't post, who are in the same position.  Good luck  

itspersonal

Cher_Scope said:

@itspersonal The Advice Local website is a great web tool for finding free local independent advice.  If you enter your postcode and select 'Welfare benefits' from the drop-down list, you should be provided with a list of organisations.  Please keep us updated as I think it would help many people who browse our community, and perhaps don't post, who are in the same position.  Good luck  

Thank you it has lots of the same I found. 

Username_removed said:

That sounds like you are perhaps in my area so I’d best not comment further. Entirely your choice. 

Do you have experience of any of them? I went on my council site to request help but the form kept messing up as the buttons are in the wrong place. It said it submitted but I don’t know who it goes to and it didn’t send the confirmation email it said it would. Have you used it before? It asked random questions that I didn’t feel relevant so I left a lot blank too

itspersonal

woodbine said:

My choice would be "welfare rights"

Thank you, I think that is who I picked. 

They didn’t seem to have their own website. I had to apply on a gov website so not sure if I did that right. 

I did get an email to say I had applied for help with benefits but it doesn’t say how long it will take them to get back to me. So it could be 1 day or 100 days 

Hopefully that is right and it is welfare rights 

itspersonal

Hopefully they will be able to help me or at least say if I should bother putting in a claim. Thank you for your help @woodbine

itspersonal

Username_removed said:

If we’re talking about a local authority welfare rights service then there isn’t a public facing one in the country without a web page at minimum. Look within your Councils web site but bear in mind these things are sometimes given odd labels e.g. Stockport Advice is now the Help With Benefit Appeals service.

The only exception to this would be if the service is second tier i.e. the public can’t access it directly. 

I think I got confused as I didn’t know welfare rights was run by authorities, I thought it was it’s own charity or company. 

This is where I did my application which I think is maybe a welfare rights but it could be just they offer advice on a person’s welfare rights maybe? 

https://www.salford.gov.uk/advice-and-support/welfare-rights-and-debt-advice-service/welfare-rights-advice/

itspersonal

I meant to update to say I haven’t heard anything yet but it has only been a few days so that is probably normal 

itspersonal

Hello, to update:

A lovely gentleman from welfare rights messaged me this morning. He said the same about 9 months being difficult and might be problematic to evidence as long Covid is new. 

He wants me to fill in a pretend pip form and then he will see if I need help but they are very long and it would take me a long time to do it once, let alone twice if I have to do it again for the real one. I can’t even focus enough to read the help sheet he gave me so I think I’m going to forget about it for now. May be next year there would be more understanding of long Covid or other people will have claimed for long Covid and hearing loss. 

Or may be I will be better and it won’t matter. I really hope I am, I miss cooking or at least being able to smell my food, haha

Adrian_Scope

Hello @itspersonal. It might be worth you explaining this to the person you spoke with at Welfare Rights as they may have other suggestions of ways they could help you or perhaps your partner could help with the form?

If you feel you may be entitled it would be a shame for you to miss out because of difficulty accessing support. 

Longcovid

I have long covid and it's been 16 months having all long covid symptoms, the GP doesnt help, first they said its deprrssion and gave me wrong medicition like inhalers, etc...

Now i am lost, hopefully they find something for us