Claiming pip and working

RoxyC

Hello all, does anyone know if working hinders your chances of claiming PIP? I put in a claim on 18th of feb 2021, my claim is now with the assessment team but no assessment done as yet. The company I work for have made huge changes and allowances for me to remain in employment. Does being employed go against you when claiming pip? 

cristobal

@RoxyC - working and claiming PIP is allowed. Whether it 'goes against you'  will depend on which areas you have difficulty with and what your job is - but as long as these aren't contradictory then that's fine AFAIK.

Karawen

Hi @RoxyC I'm not sure I can answer your question but am interested I the response.

I had my assessment last Thursday so waiting on the outcome but I work full time, from home.  I was asked whether or not work supplied me with a special chair etc (they offered, but I bought one instead so I could choose the style etc).  Based on being asked that, I'd say no but I'd also suspect that it would depend on why you were claiming - mine's a physical disability so I don't have issues with communication, anxiety, social interaction etc. and my disability doesn't affect my ability to do my job, nor do I see it affecting PIP.

Good luck with your claim x

RoxyC

cristobal said:

@RoxyC - working and claiming PIP is allowed. Whether it 'goes against you'  will depend on which areas you have difficulty with and what your job is - but as long as these aren't contradictory then that's fine AFAIK.

Hey, thanx for your response. I work in healthcare. I contracted covid 19 in December and its had a long term affect. I've lost most of my hearing, suffer continuous tinnitus that just never turns off... I also have severe vertigo that includes random drop attacks. All this has meant that I've had to have my duties at work adapted... can no longer use the stairs at work due to the dangers of me falling, cannot assist residents when walking or even offer them a hot drink or food due to the high risk of scalding them. My firm has been great and are trying to support me to maintain my employment but I feel it's getting to a point that this job is becoming untenable. I dont want to give up my job but I think there isnt much more my boss can do to support me. 

RoxyC

Karawen said:

Hi @RoxyC I'm not sure I can answer your question but am interested I the response.

I had my assessment last Thursday so waiting on the outcome but I work full time, from home.  I was asked whether or not work supplied me with a special chair etc (they offered, but I bought one instead so I could choose the style etc).  Based on being asked that, I'd say no but I'd also suspect that it would depend on why you were claiming - mine's a physical disability so I don't have issues with communication, anxiety, social interaction etc. and my disability doesn't affect my ability to do my job, nor do I see it affecting PIP.

Good luck with your claim x

Hey Karawen, 

Can I ask when you applied for pip? I know that my claim is with the assessment team since May 28th, now in July and I've still not had a response to organise the assessment. 

janer1967

Hi @RoxyC

There are people who applied in Dec and they are still waiting for assessments 

There is a massive backlogs in most areas 

RoxyC

@janer1967

Yh i know theres a huge back log. Apparently the assessments are done in date order. A friend of mine applied in March and had her assessment last week. I applied in February and am still waiting... we live in the same borough so I'm not really sure how this process actually works... it seems to be completely random 

janer1967

It is random it depends on who your case has been assigned to and their backlogs and availability 

Karawen

RoxyC said:

Karawen said:

Hi @RoxyC I'm not sure I can answer your question but am interested I the response.

I had my assessment last Thursday so waiting on the outcome but I work full time, from home.  I was asked whether or not work supplied me with a special chair etc (they offered, but I bought one instead so I could choose the style etc).  Based on being asked that, I'd say no but I'd also suspect that it would depend on why you were claiming - mine's a physical disability so I don't have issues with communication, anxiety, social interaction etc. and my disability doesn't affect my ability to do my job, nor do I see it affecting PIP.

Good luck with your claim x

Hey Karawen, 

Can I ask when you applied for pip? I know that my claim is with the assessment team since May 28th, now in July and I've still not had a response to organise the assessment. 

Of course!  I made my application on 11th Feb, submitted the end of March.  Had the text saying they had what they needed and would be in touch, assessment was 1st July.

It's a long old process and can vary depending on where you are, I'm S.Wales and Capita did the assessment.

Karawen

Forgot to say, the text was received 9th April and letter for assessment is dated 18th June x

RoxyC

@Karawen

Oh ok, I applied on 18th of Feb, received letter in march for an appointee, got pip form at beginning of April, sent them back on the 6th of May, paperwork was sent to IAS on 28th of May. My mum just received the appointeeship letter today confirming shes my appointee. It's a very long winded drawn out process so it seems. No date for assessment just yet. 

Good luck with your claim fingers crossed they are fair. 

How did you find the assessor 

RoxyC

I've never had a text from pip or any other confirmation of anything... just 2 forms sent to myself and an appointee letter sent to my mum 

Karawen

I see, I didn't have an appointee so maybe that's slowed yours down a bit getting that in place?  🤷🏼‍♀️

She was lovely!  Was really clear and concise in what she was asking, put me at ease straight away.

Karawen

I posted about my assessment straight after the assessment with the questions I was asked and just generally about the assessment itself if that helps (not sure how to add a link to it).

Posted on the 1st July...

Karawen

RoxyC said:

I've never had a text from pip or any other confirmation of anything... just 2 forms sent to myself and an appointee letter sent to my mum 

Tbh, I don't think that really means much.  I'm not convinced their admin is up to scratch as some people seem to have received communication in some form or another, some have had nothing at all but their claims still progressed.

Personally, I had 4 identical letters (same date) about the assessment, 1 letter reminder plus 3 identical texts and a text reminder.  All received within days of each other.

If your concerned about the lack of communication just give them a ring to check progress x

RoxyC

@Karawen

I just found your post about your assessment. Thankfully you had a nice assessor which helps. 

My mum currently makes all my calls as I lost most of my hearing after contracting covid at work. If this was all done face to face and via letter I could manage it myself so I rely heavily on correspondence which, I'm not currently getting any for my pip application. That's why I've had to have my mum as my appointee. She rang them on Friday just gone and they hadn't even sorted the appointee acknowledgement properly even though I sent the form back to them in March and they had received it. My mum received a letter today confirming shes my appointee so that was done in record time I would imagine 🤦🏼‍♀️ hopefully now the process will begin to move faster. 

I just need enough to subsidise what I'm losing from work. I have a feeling this will be going to a MR and probably Tribunal as I've not actually been diagnosed with anything just yet and all my problems stem from contracting Covid. 

RoxyC

I'm currently losing around £400 a month from lost days and hours at work so it's been really financially  impacting me. 

Emilyb81

Hi @RoxyC have you not had anything from pip saying they received your forms even?

Emilyb81

Definitely not done in order of dates etc? Because some have been waiting since last year for assessment like @janer1967 said above? I have no idea how they work out who gets what when it really must come down to the person's workload etc? 🤷
 Sorry you haven't heard about assessment yet but if you haven't already it may be worth giving them a call to check they have received everything because I got text messages all the way through process letting me know they got things I'd sent in and when? Just to set your mind at rest I mean? 👍😊

RoxyC

@Emilyb81

Hey, yh I've not received anything except the forms themselves and my mum got her appointee confirmation letter today. My mum rang pip on friday and at the beginning of June. They have confirmed over the phone that everything has been received. The only thing that isnt on their system is the accident reports from work that I only sent in 2 weeks ago. 

Emilyb81

Oh ok at least you know they haven't got lost in the post or anything! 👍😊

foryoureyesonly

Back in the days of dla  i got both benfits and wen't to work still getting dla bou i don't know what the new goverments are doing

RoxyC

@foryoureyesonly

I would say the new government's are doing everything to make it harder to get any help at all 🤦🏼‍♀️

woodbine

RoxyC said:

@foryoureyesonly

I would say the new government's are doing everything to make it harder to get any help at all 🤦🏼‍♀️

I would have to disagree with that, yes waiting times have in some cases been horrific, but the DWP has been flooded with work at a time when they have been short staffed due to covid and many of them have been working from home.
Apart from that very little has changed on the benefits front since the 2019 election.

RoxyC

I work in a care home, with societies most vulnerable people... many of whome cant itch their own nose, feed themselves or clean their own bums.... every month we are dealing with residents that have had their funding pulled as apparently they no longer require it... like they miraculously became mobile. The system is completely flawed... as soon as all the money from a residents home has been swallowed up in care fees the resident somehow no longer requires the highest level of support. I have no doubt that the DWP has worked tirelessly these past 18 months but as for the government.... the problem is exactly that... nothing has changed.... only 43% of pip claims are actually successful without going to an MR. The other 57% have an uphill battle to try to prove their case after already suffering from what ever problems they already have. The system isnt designed for us... it's designed for them and to keep as much cash in their coffers as possible. Unfortunately the people on the other end of the DWP phones bare the brunt of it.