Pip help. I'm panicking about my telephone assessment, and am feeling lost and hopeless — Scope | Disability forum
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Pip help. I'm panicking about my telephone assessment, and am feeling lost and hopeless

loulou_85
loulou_85 Community member Posts: 12 Listener
edited May 2021 in PIP, DLA, and AA
Hi, I need some guidance re PIP assessment. Basically I’ve suffered from severe anxiety panic attacks and depression for years it’s got worse past 4 years, this has led to other health problems last year re stomach and bowels I’ve been through so many tests for bowel cancer etc and the are basically saying the pain and increased bowel movements (which I’ve no control over) is due to my severe anxiety causing IBS C. I haven’t left my house in months due to bowel issues. It’s been a rough 4 years tbh recently through CBT I’ve realised stuff happened as a child that I’ve been blacking out. I got terminated on ill health grounds last week from and now I feel I can’t take much more. I have a telephone pip assessment on Tuesday and I’m panicking I have no support on the day my husband is working and my friends kids are self isolating. Feeling so lost and hopeless right now 

Comments

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi and welcome to the community 

    Easy to say as I know how stressful the pip process is but try and not get stressed as it won't help on the day 

    Read through your form before so you are familiar with what you put.  Try and prepare examples of what happens when you try and do the tasks who , what   why , where , when , how and consequences eg accidents , tiredness , pain 

    Can you do tasks safely   reliably   repeatedly 

    There is lots of advice on our pip section.
  • loulou_85
    loulou_85 Community member Posts: 12 Listener
    Thanks Janer I have notes made I just feel so sick with thought of it 
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    I understand that but it isn't that bad 

    Lots if people get awarded with no issues me included 

    Don't take in all you read about horror stories as that's what 0eople come on internet to voice 

    Those who have no issues have no reason to tell about it or ask for help 

  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,521 Disability Gamechanger
    Its absolutely true that you only read the bad cases and not the many thousands who find the PIP process quite painless.
    The best advice I can offer for the assessment is try and take your time before answering their questions and try and avoid yes and no answers, be more detailed.
    Fingers crossed all will be ok for you
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @loulou_85 - & welcome to the community. As mentioned above, read through what you put in your claim pack, take your time before answering, & also ask them to repeat a question if you're not sure. It probably won't be as bad as you fear, they just need to ask questions about certain activities of daily living &/mobility. Just be honest, & say how your disability affects you.
    Again, as mentioned above, if you haven't done this with your initial PIP form, try & give a couple of really detailed examples as to the difficulties you face....when did it happen, why, who witnessed it, what exactly happened trying to do an activity, what consequence was there, if any? Also could you do the activity safely, to an acceptable standard, as often as would normally be expected, & did it take you longer than someone without your disability?
    Have a look through the following link to see if it may help, reading the notes at the end too, which explain a little more. See: https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/asset-library/Personal-Independence-Payment-Descriptors-and-Scores-April-2021.pdf
    Kindly let us know how you get on, thank you. My best wishes. :)
  • loulou_85
    loulou_85 Community member Posts: 12 Listener
    @chiarieds ty so much I have read that if you don’t get awarded pip they remove your from ESA support group. I’m hoping this does not happen as I have been terminated in work due to ill health 
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @loulou_85 - ESA & PIP are separate benefits, so don't worry, you wouldn't get removed from your ESA support group.
  • loulou_85
    loulou_85 Community member Posts: 12 Listener
    Hey ? assessment just over lasted 50 mins lady was lovely very reassuring, was reading my form while talking to me. She got me to elaborate on everything and let me take breaks when needed. 
    She said she will send report back today and decision maker will then make a decision on my award?! Not sure if that means I might be entitled to something. Wonder how long it will take to hear? I felt so anxious and nervous, she didn’t rush me and was very sympathetic 
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    Thank you for the update @loulou_85 - I'm pleased the assessment wasn't stressful. The assessor can't really comment, so I would just read that as it will be sent off to the decision maker for them to decide about your claim. It can take quite some time to hear back, the average being about 8 weeks unfortunately. Hope you can relax now. :)
  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,652 Disability Gamechanger
    I'm glad the assessor was pleasant @loulou_85

    Fingers crossed for the outcome. 

    You may have seen yesterday, but we sent you an email in the afternoon from community@scope.org.uk. 
    Online Community Coordinator

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  • loulou_85
    loulou_85 Community member Posts: 12 Listener
    @Ross_Scope yes I did thank you for reaching out, I have replied to your email 
  • Shane39
    Shane39 Community member Posts: 4 Listener
    Have you had your pip
    Assesment I not you can get help from your local cab citizens advice and they can help you on the day as 8 had the same problem and they helped me 
  • lou87
    lou87 Community member Posts: 48 Connected
    Shane39 said:
    Have you had your pip
    Assesment I not you can get help from your local cab citizens advice and they can help you on the day as 8 had the same problem and they helped me 
    Yes I had my assessment 2wks ago this Friday. I rang up today for an update there sending my assessment report out to me said it will take 7-10 days to receive this. I was worried about them not really asking me much about the things I struggle with the most the lady on the phone explained they do have a lot of information regarding my claim so I'm kind of hoping they've spoken to my dr pain consultant and gastro consultant she said i should have a decision in the next 2 weeks. I'm on edge about this but I'm fully prepared to take it to a mandatory reconsideration if it's turned down and I don't get the points I need. It's a horrible thing to go through when i think about it 3yrs ago i was working 60 hrs a week 12hr shifts. I had my gallbladder removed in 2015 and it's been downhill since then for me ? but I'm ok i have a good support network ?
    ?
  • loulou_85
    loulou_85 Community member Posts: 12 Listener
    @Shane39 yes had assessment last week, rang today and they are sending me a copy of report 

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