Not been awarded PIP. Mandatory Reconsideration, is it worth it? Please help

poppy123456

Ah yes of course, my apologies. The real world incidents in that link will give you some idea of what you should be writing for the MR request.

andwhatisnow

In the Mandatory Reconsideration form there is this part
"Details of why you haven’t attached the additional information. For example, you may have asked for a medical report but it hasn’t arrived yet."
Do I need to ask reports from doctors? We've seen that it doesn't matter what condition you have, but only how it affects your daily life. What would you do?

poppy123456

You do not need any reports from your GP for a PIP claim. Letters from a GP aren't helpful because they very rarely know exaclty how your conditions affect you. They don't spend time with you to know how you manage any of the 12 activities.

Focus on those real world incidents and that's all you need to do.

chiarieds

Hi @andwhatisnow - don't worry about it being mentioned with a Mandatory Reconsideration that you can attach additional medical info. As you have correctly realised, this doesn't matter, & is not needed.

As stressed by Poppy, it's those real world/anecdotal examples that matter far more than further medical info. Do also continue to read through the link she provided, as this highlights how, by giving a couple of really detailed examples of the difficulties you face either doing/attempting any of the activities/descriptors that apply to you, you are showing an individual response.....exactly 'How your disability affects you.' As above, that's all you need to do.

andwhatisnow

I have mental health problems, and even if my legs can walk and I could potentially make my own food, or walk outside....I don't do any of these things because my condition makes me almost paralysed in bed, unable to react and live a normal life. And because I don't have any assistance, I could even spend days without eating a proper meal. Every task feels overwhelming. So I won't prepare food, or have a shower, change my clothes, go outside...I don't even go to the bathroom sometimes... So you won't hear accidents like falling down the stairs, or on the street, because I'm in bed. I very rarely go outside the house, and it's generally when all the food is finished. And it takes me days of psychological work to push myself out of the house and reach the supermarket at closing time. It’s overwhelming.

Also when looking at the 12 points, the interviewer/nurse ticked a) for all of the 12. Do I need to say that for instance I'm more represented by e) or f), or explain that a) is not correct because I can't do this and that, and struggle with this and that...

poppy123456

If you don't suffer with any physical conditions then the mobility part "moving around" doesn't apply to you. It will be the following and planning a journey part.

Telling them you can't do X because of Y is an assertion and this isn't helpful. Explain to them what actually happens why you try to prepare food or wash/dress etc and what happens when you try to go out of the house. The more detail you give them the better.

I don't know if this link has been posted on your thread yet but have a look. https://pipinfo.net/ it maybe helpful. You are the only person that knows exactly how your conditions affect you. Remember, it's not about the help you get, it's the help you need.

chiarieds

Another link that may be helpful as you mention Mental Health problems:

https://www.mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org/en/welfare-benefits/pip-mental-health-guide/help-with-your-pip-claim/how-to-fill-in-the-pip-form/

Altho this is about completing an initial PIP claim form, it remains relevant with a Mandatory Reconsideration.

As Poppy says, it's about the help you need, even if you don't get this. Hoping the above link also helps you in doing your Mandatory Reconsideration by highlighting some instances of where you may exactly need help.

andwhatisnow

I do suffer physical conditions, I have pain/fatigue in various parts of my body but not to the point of falling down but to the point of making my mental health even worse.

I will try to explain to them what actually happens when I try to prepare food, wash/dress, and what happens when I try to go out of the house...even though it's hard because again I never even come close at preparing food, wash/dress etc...

If you don't mind me asking again, do I need to go through all the 12 points again and explain why a) is not what represents my situation (with the advices you gave me)....
or also say which one in my opinion should be the right one between the other answers b) c) d) e) f)

poppy123456

You don't need to explain why you think A doesn't apply. You need to say which descriptor you think applies and why.

Just telling them you don't/can't prepare food,wash/dress etc isn't enough, you need to explain why you're unable to complete this activity and what happens if/when you attempt those activities.

andwhatisnow

poppy123456 said:

You don't need to explain why you think A doesn't apply. You need to say which descriptor you think applies and why.

Just telling them you don't/can't prepare food,wash/dress etc isn't enough, you need to explain why you're unable to complete this activity and what happens if/when you attempt those activities.

For example I would write this about making food, but also the many other activities. Does it have to be a different explanation each time? Because this is the main one.

When I try to prepare a meal, my mind is never in the present moment. Fears and traumas of my life constantly invade my mind, and make my anxiety unmanageable. The discomfort is unbearable that I want to end my life. Making food becomes dangerous. It increases my discomfort to live and makes me contemplate suicide more seriously than usual.

poppy123456

Just explain exactly what happens why you attempt to complete the activity, without saying something like... I'm unable to complete this because of X and if i do that, Y happens because that would be an assertion.

In a previous comment you said you gave some real world incidents, can you tell us one of those incidents that you wrote? I asked you this before but you didn't answer my question.

andwhatisnow

poppy123456 said:

Just explain exactly what happens why you attempt to complete the activity, without saying something like... I'm unable to complete this because of X and if i do that, Y happens because that would be an assertion.

In a previous comment you said you gave some real world incidents, can you tell us one of those incidents that you wrote? I asked you this before but you didn't answer my question.

So what I've written above about making food is not acceptable?
Accidents in my room when I can't go to the bathroom. I can't go into details here.

poppy123456

Managing toilet needs considers your ability to get on and off the toilet and clean yourself afterwards. It doesn't consider your ability to mobilise to the bathroom.

Have a read of this link it will help you understand the descriptors and what they mean. https://pipinfo.net/

andwhatisnow said:

poppy123456 said:

You don't need to explain why you think A doesn't apply. You need to say which descriptor you think applies and why.

Just telling them you don't/can't prepare food,wash/dress etc isn't enough, you need to explain why you're unable to complete this activity and what happens if/when you attempt those activities.

When I try to prepare a meal, my mind is never in the present moment. Fears and traumas of my life constantly invade my mind, and make my anxiety unmanageable. The discomfort is unbearable that I want to end my life. Making food becomes dangerous. It increases my discomfort to live and makes me contemplate suicide more seriously than usual.

If you mean is this acceptable here then no because you haven't gone into enough of detail.

andwhatisnow

I'm overwhelmed. It's already too hard for me to do this. Seems like people who are mentally ill have to struggle to prove themselves...I don't even arrive at the stage of doing a task, so how can I explain what happens when I do it...the problem is deeper than that...I hate to say it, but then people die...

Tori_Scope

It can definitely feel a bit overwhelming @andwhatisnow. Do you have a friend or family member who knows you well who could sit with you as you write a few examples? 

Some people also find it helpful to keep a diary outlining how their condition affects them in relation to the activities. Citizens Advice have some information about that here. 

I hate to say it, but then people die...

Would you be able to explain a little more about what you mean by this?

chiarieds

Hi @andwhatisnow - I'm trying to be constructive here, whilst appreciating you feel that your mental health problems make it all feel overwhelming. It might surprise you that some with 'just' physical problems can feel the same.

The illustration you've given highlights some problems, & i'm sorry for what you're going through. If I was another decision maker looking at your Mandatory Reconsideration, however, I'd want to know if you could make a simple meal for one with some help from another, or if you could safely microwave a ready meal? If you can't do this most days, as you seem to have said that it's very difficult for you to go outside, then give a detailed explanation of this......say why, say how often it happens, say what happened the last time you had to go out, say when this was, explain the difficulties you faced, & how it left you feeling afterwards, if this is applicable.

It may very well be that some explanations about what you face may be somewhat repetitive, so don't worry about that, but do try to give examples as to the difficulties you personally face to show exactly what you struggle with.....how often does this happen, why, when was the last time you had difficulty, what exactly happened, etc?

Remember, if you can't do an activity 'reliably,' this needs again a couple of detailed explanations. e.g. if you can't do an activity as often as you'd like/would normally be expected, such as washing or bathing, or dressing/undressing, why...do you lack the motivation to do so, are you unable to do so regularly?

As Poppy has correctly identified, problems in getting to your bathroom, or not getting there in time, are not considered; it's if you can get on & off your toilet, & clean yourself afterwards, so you're unlikely to 'score' points with this activity.

Please do look at all the links we all have given, which give much good info. Please do come back with any questions.

andwhatisnow

@chiarieds As you mentioned it...is motivation a good reason/explanation? So far you've all been mentioning accidents...and lack of motivation, doesn't bring accidents, it just doesn't allow you to do the task...

chiarieds

Hi @andwhatisnow - looking back through this discussion, I can't see that any of us have mentioned 'accidents.' Lack of motivation could be a good reason for explaining some of your difficulties, however, as Mike says, you can simply say that you'd like your PIP decision looked at again as you feel it's incorrect. Then another decision maker will look at it all again.

If the Mandatory Reconsideration doesn't change things, therefore then seek help in finding a representative in helping you with an appeal.

andwhatisnow

@chiarieds Sorry I meant incidents, not accidents.
Is asking for my PIP decision to be looked again (as @Username_removed said), different from MR?
I doubt that anything would change, as the story they wrote was full of inaccuracies. So unless I point out what was incorrect, I doubt that they would change anything.

Lack of motivation, energy, feeling weak, sudden increase of anxiety, which creates terrible discomfort, fear, traumatic thoughts constantly occupying your mind and not allowing you to be in the present, so every activity becomes painful because your brain is not into it, and it becomes really hard.

calcotti

andwhatisnow said:..Is asking for my PIP decision to be looked again (as @Username_removed said), different from MR?

Requesting an MR is the process of asking DWP to look at their decision again. If that fails you then ask the tribunal service to make a decision in place of DWP by appealing to the tribunal service.