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Review

[Deleted User]
[Deleted User] Posts: 587 Listener
edited November 2018 in PIP, DLA, and AA
Hello,

I've received a review letter/form a year early which I've read is normal. I'm going to ask Welfare Rights to help me with the form but what I wanted to know is, if they try and say I don't need PIP do they stop your money right away or is it stopped when your award notice ends? Mine ends in November 2019. I'm assuming they review it earlier just in case there are problems and you need to appeal? 

This has now made me feel ten times worse, I have anxiety, depression and fibromyalgia, I already have a pending assessment for ESA and now they are sending me forms for PIP.

Thanks in advance

Kerrie
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Comments

  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    Your current award will cease when a new decision is made
    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 587 Listener
    Thanks.

    I feel worse now tbh, I have severe anxiety, depression and fibro and this has flared them all up. Yes, I do worry too much but with the amount of stuff I see on forums like this where people either aren't awarded pip or it's taken off them after a review... I really can't help but worry.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    You and thousands of others worry when it's review time. Even if you don't suffer from anxiety, you still worry, it's perfectly normal.

    Fill that form out with as much information as possible and send evidence to support your claim that states how your conditions affect you. Letters for future appointment dates, aren't classed as evidence. Expect another face to face assessment as most people have them, it's rare to have a paper based assessment.

    There's no timescales, for decisions/assessment waiting times etc. It depends on backlog in your area. For the PIP form, you can ask for 14 day extension to return the form. Good luck.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 587 Listener
    Thanks @poppy123456 I was hoping you'd post here, I've seen your other posts on here and you seem pretty knowledgeable.

    The problem I'm having evidence wise is that I've not really got any up to date evidence as all of my problems are ongoing, so for my mental health, the last proper evidence I have would be from around 2012 and maybe a couple of things after but nothing in the last two years. For the fibromyalgia I have been diagnosed 3 times with it, but again no written evidence because none of the Dr's bothered to refer me anywhere and I understand why, the first Dr said I'd tried everything that'd recommended for FM and the last Dr said that she'd done what a Rheumatologist would do and that's to have blood tests done and rule out other things.

    I mean it should all be on my patient summary but is that enough?

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    Send what ever evidence you have. If it states how your conditions affect you then it should help your claim. I've always sent all of my evidence to them and most of it is dated more than 2 years ago.

    I suffer with fibromyalgia too, as well as many other conditions. The only person i see now is my GP. I very recently had another ESA assessment, have been in the Support Group for 6 years. I didn't have any recent evidence and all i had was dated 2014 and before. I had no choice but to send it. I filled the form out with as much information as possible and i really went into a huge amount of detail. I also wrote a letter telling them how i'm affect by all of my conditions, giving examples of the difficulties i've recently experienced.

    Got called for a face to face assessment and seen a really lovely nurse who was extremely nice, helpful and very friendly. She even helped me get off my chair and let me hold her arm as she walked me out of the room. It was amazing. She could clearly see the difficulties i have. I had a copy of the assessment report and everything in the report is word for word of what happened. I've never seen a report like it, it was amazing. I really do wish all HCPs were like her. I'm just waiting for the decision but the report recommends to stay in the Support Group.

    Both of my past PIP assessments were the same.  Please don't be put off by all the bad stories you read because it really does scare you even more than you already are. Yes, people do have bad experiences but people also claim successfully without any problems at all. Looking on internet forums when you're going through a review is probably the worst thing you can do but we all do it.

    It's a stressful time for sure when having reviews, even more so when you have 2. I had PIP and ESA 2 years ago so i can relate to the stress you're going through.

    Add a letter explaining in full all of your conditions and how they affect you. Ask someone that knows you well to write a supporting letter. The evidence you send doesn't have to be medical evidence because unless it states how you're affect it doesn't help. Good luck and please ask any further questions you have and i'm sure someone will answer you.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 587 Listener
    Thank you for taking the time to type all of that out @poppy123456 I really appreciated it. I think part of my worry is that I was deemed fit for work twice in regards to ESA, the tribunal services overturned it both times, but while I was waiting it caused me a lot of distress, partly because when I won the first tribunal, around 2 months after they sent me another form, then an assessment and again deemed me fit.. so now I have no confidence in assessors.

    The PIP assessor was a bit better and even though I was awarded PIP she still told lies in her report, but she went off of my medical info.

    Do I send info that I sent previously or do I send anything that I've dug up since my last award? I have a psychiatrist report from 2012 which I never sent as I've only had it for a couple of years (after asking for medical info from the Dr's) but nothing has changed apart from my depression being worse, I have assessment letters and such done by the council when they assessed me for a ground floor property (I now live in a bungalow), also I recently went to a sleep clinic and the professor there has stated that I no longer have sleep aponea due to weight loss and pretty much said that my fatigue is because of me having FM, would this also be ok? and of course, I'll ask my Son if he can pick up a Patient summary for me, he's also my carer and I would imagine he'd write me a letter, he did one for ESA.

    I'll try and stop myself from looking at negative posts.

    I've had a call from Welfare Rights, they'll be calling tomorrow to speak to either myself or my Son about the form.

    Thanks again.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    If the evidence states how your conditions affect you then yes send what you have. The assessment letters from Social services for when you were assessed i'd definitely send as i'm sure they're very detailed about your conditions and the help/aids and adaptions you need to help you.

    One thing i forgot to say, for my ESA review i sent my PIP award and PIP assessment report because i claim Enhanced mobility for moving around. This was taken into consideration when writing the report and the reason for staying in the Support Group is mobilising, not being able to walk the 50 metres requirement for Support Group. I filled my form out myself this time.

    You have welfare rights helping you and that's a very good thing. Not many people are lucky enough to have any help like this.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 587 Listener
    edited November 2018
    The psychiatrist report is pretty in depth. I'll see what Welfare Rights say :)

    I can't remember if I sent mine in with the ESA50 or not, I've been waiting for a year for them to make an appointment for a home assessment, I'm in no hurry though.

    Thanks again! 
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 587 Listener
    edited November 2018
    Hi again @poppy123456 I'm still very anxious about my PIP and ESA and it's flaring up my fibro and mental health a fair bit, still very worried about my medical evidence, would it be ok to send a patient summary? That has my ongoing health problems on there, although a few of them only going from a certain date to 2015 because that's when I changed my Dr's surgery but the fibro and mental health problems are "ongoing" on the summary, also, one of the other Dr's I saw said she'd "code" the record properly in regards to my FM and then another Dr did blood tests to rule out other issues but my worry is, I've never been referred to anywhere else because the first one told me I'd tried everything that they'd offer for FM and the third one said that she'd pretty much done what a rheumatologist would and that's to rule out other problems with blood tests. I really don't have much faith in my Dr's because when I start seeing one, they end up leaving the surgery :/

    Welfare Rights called yesterday, there's a two week waiting list, they advised us to ask for an extension which my Son did, 2 weeks as you said in one of your posts, problem is, that takes us to the 26th of December and the person my Son spoke to obviously said to have it in before Christmas so really it's only given us around 4 weeks and then with the 2 week waiting list for Welfare Rights, that gives us 2 weeks, will that be enough time and do you think Welfare Rights would look at my medical evidence if we asked?

    Something good did come out of the call with Welfare Rights, she was speaking to my Son and asked if we get housing benefits, he said we do but I (my Son) pays some of the rent and she was a bit puzzled, he explained what they had told me when I had called to dispute him paying rent and she said she had never heard of that, so she said she would give the council a call about it, when my Son put the phone down to PIP she calls back, she said she'd challenged it and they are crediting my rent account with £200+ credit and that we are to ask for the money that my Son's paid, back.... I wouldn't mind but the council have him disregarded for council tax, however, I also had to sort this out myself and point out that he should be disregarded.. I just hope they give him his money back, my housing has a habit of keeping money that doesn't belong to them, they've done it to my Mum, they owe her £200+ and won't give it to her back.

    Sorry if I've repeated myself and for the long message, I hardly got any sleep last night due to the pain in my neck being a lot worse than usual. I tried starting a "diary" yesterday, I couldn't do it, my concentration and attention span are so bad and I feel so tired most of the time that when I started to fill it I started to feel irritated. I even use Grammarly for typing out these messages because I typo a lot and sometimes put words I don't need to.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    The evidence should state how your conditions affect you against the PIP descriptors. They do advise it to be within the last 2 years but i've sent evidence older than that many times and it's always been used.

    The most important thing is filling the form in with as much information as possible about how your conditions affect you. Giving 2-3 examples of the difficulties you had the last time you did that activity.

    Time scales for returning the PIP form. Make sure you take into consideration the time it takes to arrive at the department it's going to, the DWP mail sorting process can be slow. Then you'll need to add on the closing days for Xmas holidays and the delays with the post. If it was me then i'd send the form back well over 1 week before the deadline.

    For ESA there's no extension of time to return the form.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • Heidi415
    Heidi415 Community member Posts: 32 Courageous
    Hi @WF2k when you are in receipt of pip, it affects deductions for non-dependent adult children on your housing benefit claim. I know this because my mum was overpaying her rent and council tax for a long time and about 2 years ago received it all back. It was a lot of money. 

    This only came about because she applied for the warm home discount for the first time and one of the criteria was to be in receipt of pip. Obviously they checked she was and it triggered something with the council/housing benefit who weren't previously aware she was receiving pip.

    I am unsure what it is called but @poppy123456 is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. She may be able to help. If I was you I would check it out because you too could have been paying extra rent unessessarily.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 587 Listener
    Thanks for your response @poppy123456

    The ESA50 was done over a year ago and sent back, they've allowed me to have a home assessment after getting a letter from my Dr but I've been waiting almost a year, which is fine.

    Ok, I'll email Welfare Rights about it and see if there will be enough time to wait for them to do it and get the form sent back, I'll also ask if they can look at my evidence for me and see if it's ok. I will let them know what you've said as well. I'll try and make sure it's sent via recorded delivery so we have proof that it's been sent etc. I'm assuming they will know what to write on the form when I've spoken to them about my health problems. When someone else filled it in for me the last time (Advice centre) they hardly put any info on the form but I still managed to get PIP on the higher rate for both and my medical evidence wasn't exactly brilliant, I guess what I did provide was good enough for them to read and take notice of.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    @Heidi415 thanks. You are correct being in receipt of DLA care or PIP daily living will exclude you from any non dependent deductions for housing benefit.

    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    Yes, i would speak to welfare rights and they will assist you. Just be aware of the time frames. Also sending post to DWP by recorded delivery is pointless, it's not proof at all that it's arrived. All it means is that it's been signed for by someone from the mail sorting office. It doesn't mean it's arrived with DWP. Pointless and a waste of money in my opinion.

    Good luck with the review!

    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 587 Listener
    Thank you @Heidi415 I've only just seen your post, thanks for the info, I only found out about my council tax because I looked it up, they sorted that out but then when my Son hit 25 they tried to claim he had to pay rent, I tried to dispute it but was told it was correct. It's a good job we spoke to Welfare Rights. I hope my housing who are a company that manages house for the council here gives my Son his money back, they refused to give my Mum all of her back.

    Thanks @poppy123456

    They did exactly the same with my council tax and I had to dispute that as well, they credited my council tax account.

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 587 Listener
    edited November 2018
    Ahh ok thanks @poppy123456 it's what I was advised to do with my forms previously so that's why I've always done it. I'll remember this with my PIP forms :)

    I hope you get a good outcome from your assessments.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 587 Listener
    @poppy123456 sorry to bother you again.

    I had a call from PIP because I had emailed and asked about an extension and how I go about getting one but my Son sorted that yesterday, not sure how they figured out it was me lol but anyway, she suggested that I get a report from the GP to go with the evidence? Does it just need to confirm that I have FM, anxiety and depression and that they are ongoing or does it need to be more in depth?

    The surgery I'm with atm isn't exactly great, it took my Son half of his time to sort a letter out for a home visit for ESA, so I really didn't want to start asking the GP for reports, not only that, I've not had the same Dr the whole time so the GP's don't exactly know me, both the ones I saw previously left the surgery :/

    She also said the same as you and to send whatever evidence I have that might help but said to get it ready before my appointment with Welfare Rights.

    My anxiety is in overload atm which is flaring my FM up.

    She tried to tell me I sounded ok on the phone, I wasn't though, my chest was hurting and my Son said I sounded nervous. I've asked my Son if I get any calls like that in future then he needs to take them for me. She was updating my Dr's info as well.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    Any evidence you send should really say how your conditions affect you and a GP wouldn't know anything about that. I'm not saying don't send the evidence you have but to give yourself the best chance of an award then evidence should be related to your conditions and how they affect you.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 587 Listener
    Yeah that's the problem I'm having, as I think I've said further up, I've never been referred for FM even when the sleep professor suggested the GP refer me to an FM service, they haven't, I told her that the GP's hadn't been very helpful in regards to Fibromyalgia, I went not too long back about a swelling I have on my side, which causes pain, all the GP said after checking it was that it was an FM flare up, I haven't spoken to the GP's about how FM affects me and yet I have PIP suggesting I get a report from a GP and there's also advice on the internet saying to get GP reports, the only other person really that knows how my FM and mental health affects me (to an extent) is my Son who is also my carer. 

    However, when I had the more in-depth sleep test the professor did say I no longer have sleep aponea and that my fatigue was probably due to FM.

    I tried emailing Welfare Rights for advice and all I got was a load of rubbish from the person answering the email who's not very good at English, I believe it was the same person that called me the other day after I'd said I'm not very good on the phone. She pretty much said to wait until I get an appointment with them which I think it a little bit silly because if I do need to get evidence from say the GP then I'm not going to have long enough.


  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 587 Listener
    Welfare Rights called, he's coming on the 3rd and has said I don't need any medical evidence because it's just a review and that all they need to say is nothing has really changed and stated that I now have a diagnosis of FM. Which tbf is true in regards to my mental health, it's just my physical health that has gotten a bit worse but I'll speak to him about that when he comes.

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