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Pip Review

PaganLady
PaganLady Community member Posts: 33 Connected
Hi all, I am new to this site - hello! 
I have read lot's on here but still feel somewhat conflicted and of course worried because I am going through my first review process so any help/guidance would be most appreciated please, thank you! 
I filled out my review form detailing as much as I could about the worsening of my conditions and the effect they are having on me in both aspects - Daily Living and Mobility - but in hindsight, there are so many other things that I didn't think to mention but I think when you get so used to being in constant pain the mind can go awol, I know mine does. Plus, I have acquired a new disease of which I'm struggling to manage and is already having a detrimental effect on my capabilities since first claiming PIP two years ago so I added that to my review form but didn't name my new specialist, they only gave me an option of the best contact so I named the one that is a specialist of my longest problem as I'm currently awaiting a new medicine for it of which he can verify (I was worried incase they mistook my previous missing medicine on my prescription list as an improvement in my illness). I provided a letter of this as supporting evidence along with a copy of my prescriptions, an Occupational Therapists report (I have had to call on one this year for adaptions to my home so it's new to PIP) and a supporting letter from my Son whom I live with and is an unpaid carer of me. Should I call PIP to tell them about the difficulties I forgot to mention - will they even take them into consideration or is it too late and would they be interested in the new specialists details? Or, should I wait to see if I have another face to face and submit everything then? How does this work? I'm worried that they may even stop my payments due to insufficient evidence from me as there was only really mostly details of a worsening of things they already know about. I realise this may have been done to death already so I thank you in advance for your patience. 
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Comments

  • renee
    renee Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    Hi Pagan lady, I too am new to this site and also just sent away my review questionnaire for PIP. Its horrible isnt it! To be honest, Iv always found them very nice and helpful when Iv phoned....which I have done twice since sending my forms away 10 days ago! I would give them a call on Monday and explain your concerns, they will let you know whats best to do. Iv also had the dreaded review through from ESA, just 3 days ago so now Iv got both to worry about. I found the PIP form alot easier to fill out than the ESA so Iv requested the help of Citizens Advice who have kindly gave me an appointment at my local surgery. Must admit, its a horrible time doing benefit reviews. ??
  • PaganLady
    PaganLady Community member Posts: 33 Connected
    Hi Renee, 
    Thanks so much for your reply  :) I know, it really is horrible - I had both interviews close together when I first made my claim (two years ago) and that was daunting enough. I may yet be called in for my first ESA review now too even though I have been awarded that indefinitely but I know they can and do still review as and when. I only posted my PIP review form back last Thursday, took me ages to fill in and I STILL forgot to mention lot's! I called them to say I'd sent it and he added an extra week on the due date even though it has a good couple of weeks to arrive as it is, lovely of him but kinda worrying at the same time if you get what I mean. I must say that I too have only had nice experiences when I've had to call them and had lovely assessors at my face to face meetings as well so that's encouraging in itself I guess - just a worrying time these reviews huh? Still, I will ring them Monday to be sure, thank you! 
    I hope everything goes smoothly for you with your reviews and CAB help, let me know how you get on (if you're happy to of course  ;)
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi,

    No, there's no need to ring them to mention any of this. If you do this then they could class it as a change of circumstances and send you yet another form.

    Most people have face to face assessments as it's rare to have a paper based one. During your assessment you'll be able to tell them anything you haven't mentioned in the PIP form, providing there's time of course.

    I know what you mean about forgetting to tell them things. Most people just "manage" the best way they can and our disabilities become part of our life so most of the time we don't think about the affect they have on us.

    Once you've had the face to face assessment then you'll be able to ring DWP to request a copy of the assessment report, this will give you some idea what the decision will be.
    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.
  • PaganLady
    PaganLady Community member Posts: 33 Connected
    Hi Poppy,
    Thanks for your reply and advice  :) I've just dug out my award letter from when I first claimed which has the initial report and reason's given from the Medical Examiner and have found lot's of inaccuracies. I just skimmed over them at the time because frankly, I was glad to be done with it and grateful to have been awarded but I wished I'd paid better attention now. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis which, as most know, is a degenerative disease so will never get better and also have slipped discs, Sciatica (down both legs) and nerve damage - these are the things which gave me no option but to claim ( I have since developed Type 1 Diabetes which is another Autoimmune disease but that's another story). Anyway, as I'm sure you can well understand, being in constant pain, restless nights of sleeping and even trying to do most kinds of activities causes extreme fatigue/exhaustion and often memory difficulties and it's part & parcel of RA anyway and I remember clearly having to ask her to repeat herself several times and struggled to remember some of the simplest of things and yet she had written that there was nothing wrong with my memory and concentration! I also told her my Son helped me with preparing/reminding me to take my meds because I was often too spaced out to remember and sometimes forget I haven't eaten, yet she said I managed this unaided and without prompting. I did and still do get spaced out on my meds as they are strong and I told her that but this wasn't mentioned?! She also said my grip was normal (it definitely wasn't) and it's a whole lot worse now and she wrote, 'I cannot consider you for any help you may need not covered by the activities for daily living, including ability to work, stairs and weather conditions' ALL kinds of Arthritis is affected by weather and she didn't even ask about that! I then went on to have my ESA assessment and they put me in the support group. I'm really concerned now because I have mentioned all of those things in my recent review and I fear they might wonder what the hey I'm talking about! I realise it's too late to make a complaint now and it seems to me like I will have to have another f2f as you say but I'm going to raise these things while I'm there or is there something I can do about it now would you think? Sorry for the long reply and yes, you're so right about the remembering things - I'm exhausted now!!
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    PIP has nothing to do with your ability to work so this being mentioned in the report is correct. People claim PIP and work. As i said most people have a face to face assessment, it's the process of a claim. Very few people manage to have the paper based assessment.

    There would be no point making a complaint not regarding the last assessment, just concentrate on this review. 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.
  • PaganLady
    PaganLady Community member Posts: 33 Connected
    AH! I get the meaning of that statement now, makes perfect sense thank you!! I only remember parts of that interview clearly because I was having one of my worst days (I nearly fell over in the office) and felt so embarrassed  :'( I think the lesson in this for me is take better notice! Thanks again Poppy, I truly appreciate your help. 
  • renee
    renee Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    PaganLady if you need to have an assessment for PIP, ask for a home one. I did twice and felt so relieved to be in my own home with that kind of interview. I didnt get dressed, my pjs on and all my aids and bits around me. Meds at hand, my daily enviroment. Be the same for you. X
  • PaganLady
    PaganLady Community member Posts: 33 Connected
    Yes I've heard about that -  thank you Renee, am considering it but don't you have to get your Dr or Medical professional to apply on your behalf? That wouldn't be a problem if so but wouldn't that take a while to arrange? I really have no clue. Have also been told they can refuse a home visit but it would definitely be worth asking if I can x
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    If you go out to other appointments such as hospital and GP then they can refuse based on 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.
  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    You will usually need a very specific letter from your GP stating that you cannot attend for whatever reason. If it is vague then it will likely be refused
    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • renee
    renee Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    I just phoned and explained why I would prefer this....because of one of my illnesses and it was never refused. X
  • PaganLady
    PaganLady Community member Posts: 33 Connected
    Got'cha! Thanks Poppy & CockneyRebel - Silly really 'cos hospital & Drs appointments are usually quite local, unlike where they expect you to travel to for a f2f the majority of the time x
  • PaganLady
    PaganLady Community member Posts: 33 Connected
    Oh and thank you too Renee - so sorry! Yeah I will try to protest against it if it's too far (nicely of course), I'll have to so we will see x 
  • renee
    renee Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    Theres no harm in asking...if thats better for you. Xx
  • PaganLady
    PaganLady Community member Posts: 33 Connected
    yeah - it certainly would be because I'm unable to walk or stand for very long. I need to use a walker but I can't grip it safely at the moment (fell over it while trying about a month ago because the wheel got caught on an uneven pavement and have tried to avoid going out since unless I absolutely have to (I have had many falls - balance isn't my strong point) x
  • renee
    renee Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    You can say that to them. Your just being honest and as I say, your not doing anything wrong in asking. Give them a phone on Monday to ask the bits that you would like x
  • PaganLady
    PaganLady Community member Posts: 33 Connected
    Hi all,
    Guess what happened to me today?! After umming & ahhing about contacting the DWP about details I'd forgotten to add to my review, I came across other supporting evidence which backs up part of what I said on the form and decided to phone them yesterday on the best way to submit. I also had a drs appointment this morning where he decided to add another drug to my already extensive list (oh joy - not!) and thought best to keep them informed so I called again today - both times I was advised to take the relevant pieces of evidence down to my local Job Center where they would fax it over to them so after having depleted energy from my Drs visit, decided to get a cab to drop it in. Got all the way down there only to be told that they don't do that and haven't done for a few years!! The nice people from the Job Center couldn't believe I had been advised to go there. I'm so annoyed, surely the DWP would know this but I can't believe they deliberately misinformed me because that doesn't make sense. The one good thing I guess is I was told during the phone call to PIP is that my review form and previously sent supporting evidence had been received and passed over for assessment (Atos).
  • renee
    renee Community member Posts: 7 Listener
    Thats such a pest!! I have new meds to add to my application so I phoned them yesterday and the guy said If I have any new meds or extra info then show it to the person who does my assessment. Hopefully wont be long now ??
  • PaganLady
    PaganLady Community member Posts: 33 Connected
    Yeah that's what I'm going to have to do too I think. 1 good thing is the man at the JC photocopied and stamped my papers for me so at least I can show I tried to submit it beforehand. Do you have an assessment date yet? x
  • PaganLady
    PaganLady Community member Posts: 33 Connected
    Oh sorry!! You said 'hopefully won't be long now' silly me x

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