Pip appeals

slimjohn

Hi all
Had my pip letter today giving me standard on both.
Which I'm  really pleased about when they rang i asked for the assesser report. I seem to have missed out on some points because i use a hand rail and can hold amobile phone. So i can manage to get undressed on my own with out help from my wife which i have to do. Also on most answers from them they kept saying i had not got anxiety  or depression as i had not been having therapy . I forot to send them the letters for my councillors. I am greatful of the award. But then i read through her observations  and she stated i was fully dressed and managed to answer all questions with out prompting .showing no signs os sweating.discomfort.  i took the video assesment in only my dressing gown andy wife was sitting opposite  giving me support and help.
I was mot thinking of appealing until i read this. I don't  want to appeal and lose the award. Has anyone lost the award when appealing and should i appeal.
Any help to make the discission would be great i am struggling to sleep worrying whats best to do
Thanks 

bg844

Your first step would be a Mandatory Reconsideration, you have one calendar month from the date of decision to request this. You should put the assessment report away as focusing on that simply will not get you any further points and please remember just because you need a certain aid does not mean any further points should be awarded. Only around 27% of MR’s result in a higher award too, more like over 70% at the appeal stage.

See the PIP descriptors here:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/Migrated_Documents/adviceguide/pip-9-table-of-activities-descriptors-and-points.pdf

Other members will further add although I want to wish you the best with your MR/Appeal.

poppy123456

Before doing anything else you need to get some expert advice. Unless you fully understand the PIP descriptors and criteria then you can look yourself to see where you think you could score more points for a higher award.
Just because you need help with dressing this doesn’t mean it’s possible to score points for needing assistance. If they think an aid can reasonably be used then this is what you will score points for, even if you don’t use an aid for that activity. 

Therefore the question has to be why do you need assistance, what would happen if you didn’t have assistance? Why are you unable to use an aid? I’m not asking you to tell me those answers but that’s what they will want to know. 

The part of the report where it says you’re not having therapy is a classic copy and paste which they often use. 

Although the report says you were fully dressed, you were wearing clothes, even though it was your dressing gown. The tick box exercise they use for things like this have very basic answers.
For expert advice start here https://advicelocal.uk/