Depression & PIP

bluefox

Hello,

My friend has been told you can’t claim PIP for Depression/Anxiety unless you have Bipolar. This isn’t true, is it?

poppy123456

Based on a diagnosis, no. Whether they are entitled will totally depend on how their conditions affect them. Lots of people claim PIP because of the way their mental health affects them.

MrsCactus9

I have depression and anxiety, my main issue is anxiety and I am now getting lower rate daily living PIP. It’s how the condition affects the person, not what the condition is. I’d advise them to apply regardless of what others have said they can or can’t get. Everyone is different and every decision maker is different so it’ll all boil down to that. 

bluefox

MrsCactus9 said:

I have depression and anxiety, my main issue is anxiety and I am now getting lower rate daily living PIP. It’s how the condition affects the person, not what the condition is. I’d advise them to apply regardless of what others have said they can or can’t get. Everyone is different and every decision maker is different so it’ll all boil down to that. 

You get lower rate daily living for anxiety?

MrsCactus9

@bluefox yea, I’ve struggled with it for years and my mum told me to apply about 4 years ago, but my anxiety is so bad I couldn’t get myself to do it. In the end my dads gf phoned for me and I was able to do the phone assessment fairly well, my only conditions on my medical records since I was about 17 (now 25) are depression and anxiety. 

bluefox

Yeah I tend to find my depression fluctuates between depression and low mood, low mood being less severe than depression. But I’d definitely say my anxiety is my most disabling condition. 

Both together can stop you from eating properly, washing, brushing your teeth, meeting others and leaving the house. 

I’m guessing you have the same problems. 

MrsCactus9

@bluefox sounds like what I go through! It’s worth applying, i was very upset with my decision letter however because they said I upped my meds for my anxiety and a few sentences later said I didn’t take any medication for my anxiety. My dads gf was sure that if I took it to a tribunal I would have been awarded more because they did downplay a lot of what I told them. But because of the anxiety I was happy to leave it as it was so that I didn’t have to stress myself out with taking it further

bluefox

I am already in receipt of PIP for this & non epileptic attack disorder but also have other diagnoses now: PTSD (from adverse childhood experiences), ADHD and suspected Aspergers. 

They’re going to love me at review. My entire mental health history will be on display. Not sure what evidence I’m going to gather. 

MrsCactus9

@bluefox I didn’t gather any medical evidence apart from letting them contact my GP for my medical records. And they also wrote something in my decision about my ability to tell them about my medical history which they made out to be a bad thing, good luck at your review! I’ve only just been accepted in October so I’m mentally better that I don’t have to do anything PIP wise for the next 3 years! A huge stress off my shoulders

bluefox

MrsCactus9 said:

@bluefox I didn’t gather any medical evidence apart from letting them contact my GP for my medical records. And they also wrote something in my decision about my ability to tell them about my medical history which they made out to be a bad thing, good luck at your review! I’ve only just been accepted in October so I’m mentally better that I don’t have to do anything PIP wise for the next 3 years! A huge stress off my shoulders

Was your review in October? Or have you only just received your very 1st PIP award. 

MrsCactus9

@bluefox only just got my first award, been awarded for 3 years 

bluefox

MrsCactus9 said:

@bluefox only just got my first award, been awarded for 3 years 

Yeah mine was for 4 years with a review midway. When’s your review 

MrsCactus9

@bluefox I don’t know exactly, I feel like (if I remember correctly) they said they will contact me a year before my award ends, but I didn’t see anything about a review as such

bluefox

MrsCactus9 said:

@bluefox I don’t know exactly, I feel like (if I remember correctly) they said they will contact me a year before my award ends, but I didn’t see anything about a review as such

I think that’s the review. Do you work?

I used to be able to work with my anxiety and moods but now with my seizures in the mix too I’m pretty much housebound. 

poppy123456

MrsCactus9 said:

@bluefox I didn’t gather any medical evidence apart from letting them contact my GP for my medical records.

They almost never contact any GP for any medical records. The most they may do is to send a GP a questionaire. Although yes you agree to them contacting people but it's rare they do this.

bluefox

poppy123456 said:

MrsCactus9 said:

@bluefox I didn’t gather any medical evidence apart from letting them contact my GP for my medical records.

They almost never contact any GP for any medical records. The most they may do is to send a GP a questionaire. Although yes you agree to them contacting people but it's rare they do this.

Questionnaire to the GP?

what if the GP disagreed with how you perceive your own medical condition?

They’re going to believe the GP over Joe Bloggs

poppy123456

Yup it has been known but it's tick box questions. It doesn't mean they will believe the GP over anything else. If they do contact them then that's just one piece of evidence. like i said they very rarely contact them anyway.

bluefox

What if they contacted the GP retrospectively in respect to your claim? So you had an award and they wanted to know about the past. 

How would my GP know I can’t cook a meal by myself or can’t be bothered changing my clothes for 4 days?

I’m scratching my head. 

poppy123456

You're making this more complicated than it is. It's one piece of evidence but they rarely contact them anyway. I've been claiming PIP for 9 years and had 3 reviews in that time and they've never contacted any GP.

bluefox

poppy123456 said:

You're making this more complicated than it is. It's one piece of evidence but they rarely contact them anyway. I've been claiming PIP for 9 years and had 3 reviews in that time and they've never contacted any GP.

Do you use your GP for medical evidence for PIP?

poppy123456

Never. My GP doesn't know how my conditions affect me.