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PIP and employment issues

Vixen3869
Vixen3869 Community member Posts: 7 Listener
edited March 2018 in PIP, DLA, and AA
Hi, I have been reading about Scope on Facebook, I knew it was a charity but didn' realise just how many people they can advise and help.

I have alot of stuff to sort out and not entirely sure which direction to go. I left my job of 17yrs last December, job title and description changed and in the last 3 yrs my osteoarthritis had become more of an issue, my job now more physical, so when the opportunity was available I left, took redundancy.

I am unemployed, don' know which direction to go in regarding a job, I applied for PIP which was turned down, yes they do turn most applicants away to save money knowing people are unlikely to challenge them but the questionnaire was more about 'ability to cook, dress, able to use and work out times on public transport. Mine is mobility, I have to walk places on my own yes in pain and worn out due to my limp, because I can and do walk I was turned down for PIP.

Now do I return to full time end up calling in sick because of the pain I'm in or do I work part time not knowing if I can pay all my bills??  I have no idea.

PS: sorry for the rant.

Comments

  • steve51
    steve51 Community member Posts: 7,153 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Vixen3869

    Good Morning it’s great to meet you today!!!!

    Please please don’t be “sorry” that’s what we are all here for!!!!!

    Yes I have already been through the same process as you are currently facing.

    Please please let me know if I can help/support you with????
  • JennysDad
    JennysDad Community member Posts: 2,299 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello @Vixen3869 and welcome to the community. I'm very glad you found us, but sorry, of course, that you're in such difficulties.
    I'd immediately second @steve51's advice - don't apologise for ranting. That, among other things, is what we're here for and you are entitled to vent your feelings.

    What you say bears out what I've heard from ATOS and Capita, in that PIP is about calculations based on what (they believe) the individual can do, not about diagnosis, and it is causing no end of problems for a very great many.

    I'm not an expert on your situation, but we have some very expert people here and they will get back to you in due course, so please bear with us :)

    In the meantime it might be useful for you to have a look at the Employment issues, finances and ESA thread here: https://community.scope.org.uk/categories/benefits-and-finances, and you might get some value out of the online disability benefits check here http://https//www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/benefits/check?_ga=2.160977720.405444417.1517054923-1832321402.1513208436
    Stay with us, and I look forward to getting to know you better.
    You are very much among friends here,
    Warmest best wishes to you,
    Richard
  • Vixen3869
    Vixen3869 Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    @JennysDad thank you for your support, I must admit it' so frustrating you feel as though there is no where to turn, very frustrating and upsetting, although my family and friends mean well with their advice from their experiences and close friends of theirs. 
    Most of which have far worse disabilities than me ie: MS and other such disabilities.
    I have had sever wear'n'tear arthritis diagnosed by my knee surgeon in 2000. Which my previous GP of recent will only confirm that I am now showing signs of arthritis, so clearly either I had sever arthritis then it cleared up only to start showing signs again,
     or both my knee surgeons 2000 & 2005 clearly did not know what they were talking about.
    In 2014 for no reason I couldn't fully bear weight on it and my arch collapsed my first doctor said yeah you have plantar fasciitis, I then went back for a steroid injection in the foot, this doctor said I'm not giving you the injection, you clearly slipped or tripped. To which I replied, I know every slip & trip and where it happened!! Due to having a dislocating knee for over 20yrs!! He just said loose weight take paracetamol good day. I returned a 3rd time 6 or 7 months on from that visit still unable to bear weight on the foot. This doctor said what do you expect you have chronic degenerate osteoarthritis it'll be in your knees, feet, fingers and spine. I replied well 3 out of 4 isn' bad.
    For my PIP application I was told to get notes from that GP to send with the PIP. When I read it as I said, it looked like stuff hadn' been put on or had been deleted.
    There was no mention of my chronic degenerate osteoarthritis, or that rude doctors notes you clearly fell!!
    But all through the report pretty much all it says is: lady presents herself with pain to the right knee and is weight++.  My Mother & I read everything in that GP report and we were infuriated !!
    I clearly have imaginary pain, and I have not had a limp on my left foot since 2014. I live alone, top floor flat, I now have a bath bench because I couldn' have a bath unable to get in and out. I have just had a refurb and the association were good enough to fit a shower over the bath so I can sit in the shower. And a hand rail at the bath and toilet. I don' take my rubbish down until I have no choice because it' a struggle with stairs.Cleaning the flat waist high is ok. I cannot squat pain is sever and yes being fat doesn' help, I know this, if on the floor I can' get up due to the pain. I read a report that said she thinks she has problems getting down to do squats from my physio.

    So sorry, I really am going to stop ranting now. It just frustrates and upsets me, I sit here sometimes and start to think I can do full time work this is all in my head. Until I have to go out then I know its not all in my head.

    Love & peace to all.
  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi Vixen and welcome

    When were you turned down for PIP ?
    Did you ask for an MR ?
    Did you appeal to the tribunal ?

    Have a look at the B&W self test

    http://www.mybenefitsandwork.co.uk/pip/indexxx.php

    If you have no award in payment then you can reapply straight away

    CR

    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • JennysDad
    JennysDad Community member Posts: 2,299 Disability Gamechanger
    Love and Peace to you too, @Vixen3869.
    As I said before, rant away when you feel like it. I read your story with interest, am only left wondering if you've ever been referred to a consultant? And I notice that Arthritis Research UK have a phone and email helpline at http://https//www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/helpline.aspx
    It may well be that they've come across instances of failed/mis-diagnoses.
    Don't know that this will be of help much.
    I am happy to see that @CockneyRebel is 'on your case'. Nobody better.
    Still here, still listening,
    Richard
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    Vixen3869Vixen3869,

    As CR says, it may be worth challenging the PIP decision, as long as it wasn't a very long time ago. You'd need to ask for a mandatory reconsideration and then appeal if necessary. 

    Looking at the self-test is a good idea to help you understand how points are scored, and what you should have got if the assessment and your medical evidence had been accurate. If the decision was a long time ago, or you simply want to try again rather than go down the route of MR and appeal, you can apply again (or you can do both, which maximises your changes of getting benefit for a past period as well as for the future).

    As you're not working, you could also think about what other benefits you could claim. You've been working recently, so you may be entitled to contributory ESA (employment and support allowance). Depending on where you live, you may also be entitled to income-related ESA and housing benefit, or if you are in a universal credit area, UC. And you should look into your council tax as well, to see if you can get council tax reduction.

    Just to be clear about your mobility, if you are in pain when walking, or it takes you ages, you should have got points for the mobility component. You need 8 points altogether to get the PIP mobility component though.  ESA also looks at your ability to move about, so it would be relevant there too. ESA has a self-test here
    https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/employment-and-support-allowance/start-the-esa-test

    Good luck!

    Will
    The Benefits Training Co:

  • Vixen3869
    Vixen3869 Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    Thanks for your help and advice Will. I will look into this.
    Thanks to the others for your help and advice as well.

    Regards
    Vixen

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