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Epilepsy and PIP

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Comments

  • michfinch
    michfinch Community member Posts: 173 Pioneering
    Let’s keep in touch :-) Let’s fight! 

  • justg72
    justg72 Community member Posts: 173 Pioneering
    Hi michfinch
    Yes I will let you know how I get on, however mine isn't clear cut. Errors from start to finish and I have put a complaint in to the Independent, Case, Examiner (I.C.E.) so lets see what happens with this. Epileptic people are the ones out of every other disabilities which in my opinion are been discriminated against, even the epileptic specialists and charities are in agreement with this. I am currently waiting for an adviser to look over my tribunal bundle because if he thinks there's a strong case of winning he is contacting the DWP to ask them to re-look at their decision again. I am fighting all the way.
    I will let you know if I have any news.
  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,521 Disability Gamechanger
    I have had epilepsy now for 21 years I'm 60 next month but what I want to say is that I am NOT an elipeltic I am a person with epilepsy, the condition does not define me. I think when applying for PIP what you have to get across is how the epilepsy affects your life, how you need to be supervised in the home and when you go out, what the side effects of the medications are, and the effects of the epilepsy e.g not just the seizures but the incontinence, the migraines, the depression it also is a good idea to send a 2 week diary with the application outlying when you have seizures and if you do absences.
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

  • affii1993
    affii1993 Community member Posts: 103 Courageous
    @justg72 hello how did you complain via phone or email
  • michfinch
    michfinch Community member Posts: 173 Pioneering
    Yes, I’ve had my MP involved about the fact that Epiletics are being discriminated against. When I wasn’t having so many auras and seizures as I do now, I was running a successful company employing 20 people. I had to leave that to my family to run since 2014 when I had a huge Epileptic fit and a neat Nervous Breakdown, so all mental, not physical disabilities, but my brain doesn’t work properly now.
  • lindaloo1964
    lindaloo1964 Community member Posts: 3 Listener
    Hi a young man who lodged at our house and was a family friend developed tonic clonic epilepsy and I filled his forms in and because we saw how his illness severely affected him I wrote all that down and he got lower rate on one component and higher rate on another. Actually with other severe illnesses we could have fought for high rate on both mobility and daily living but he was happy he got what he did, that really 
    helps him so we just left it that way plus he in esa support group. He didn't have to go to tribunal. Hope this helps. Regards L
  • michfinch
    michfinch Community member Posts: 173 Pioneering
    Unfortunately, there are fraudsters who appear to know how to work their way through the system. Switch off if you like... 
    I’ve had help filling in forms, reports attached from my Specialist, my Dr and the Psycologist (appointed by the DWP). 
    I shall look at the links sent, take all advice on board. 
    Believe you me I don’t want to be going through this process, however, I’ve worked and paid my National Insurance, Tax etc non-stop for 45 years, and, when I genuinely do need help and assistance from a System I have contributed to for 45 years, I really had expectations, now my Epilepsy, Memory Loss and Depression have worsened, that at this juncture I would not have to be asking for handouts from my family because my form-filling skills aren’t adequate enough to describe my Disability to claim PIP.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,348 Disability Gamechanger
    I'm sorry but there's very few people that claim PIP fraudulently. Invisible conditions do exist for many people and you can't judge a book by it's cover.

    Paying your NI contributions doesn't mean you're automatically entitled to PIP.
    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.
  • michfinch
    michfinch Community member Posts: 173 Pioneering
    So, as a previous Businesswoman who “left” because my brain couldn’t function to it’s normal 125 mph pace, instead it became muddled and fuddled and I became a bit of an embarrassment.  I’ve had reports from Professional people attached to my PIP claim, but I sailed through the stand up, sit down, remember this and that routine - what more can be done? My hips are now hurting through all the walking I now do through not driving. Maybe I need a walking aid?
    The whole process winds me up so much I end up having auras. So I’ll leave it there and take my medication (which has been doubled). Thank you for all advice offered. I shall read and absorb and I’ll keep you posted. 
  • Yadnad
    Yadnad Posts: 2,856 Disability Gamechanger
    I wonder where in all of this fits the claimant that regular as clockwork asks for their monthly supply of drugs from the GP and who then puts the whole lot in the rubbish bin. For them the drugs aren't important in themselves, it's the 5 pages of the monthly repeat prescription list that gets sent to the DWP.
    The GP genuinely believes that the patient is really in a bad way and obviously that would be recorded on his medical records.

    Don't say that this never happens - it does on a regular basis - I have factual evidence. It's simply that what you see may not be actually the case.

    As with DLA claimants who fought for their assertation that they could not walk more than 50 metres and now maybe only months later they argue that they can't walk 20 metres if they want to retain the highest mobility award. 

    Of course there is and always will be the 'hidden' applicant that will 'try it on' - it's human nature. However for the majority of claimants they should forget what others do or might do and concentrate on their own claim keeping it totally honest.
  • justg72
    justg72 Community member Posts: 173 Pioneering
    Hiaffii1993 said:
    @justg72 hello how did you complain via phone or email
    When you have a complaint the first step is to phone DWP they then will log the complaint and they then send a complaint leaflet to you through the post.
    The leaflet itself may not be big enough because it is really small, so I had to use more paper.

     You then wait for a response from DWP. If you are still unhappy with the outcome you then can write again stating why you are not happy with the decision.
     Once again you have to wait for a response from DWP which will be in writing.

     Then if you are still unhappy about the outcome, you can then take your complaint to the Independent, Case, Examiner (I.C.E.). You can only take your complaint to (I.C.E.) if you have followed the complaints procedure by how I have explained above.

    I then wrote to I.C.E. and explained my complaint and provided evidence of all the errors which were made.

    I.C.E. will then look at your complaint and see if you have a case for them to deal with.

    The contact details if you need them are:
    The Independent Case Examiner,
    P.O. Box 209
    Bootle
    L20 7WA
    Phone number:0345 6060777
    Email address: ice@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

    Just to let you know that there is a backlog of complaints and I was informed in summer they were dealing with cases from 2017.
    Take care  
     

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