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advice please

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SpiritualOcean65
SpiritualOcean65 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
edited April 2019 in PIP, DLA, and AA
:# hello everyone hope everyone is having a lovely wed, anyway I would like to ask you all a question, and I am not to sure what to do ?
 
I get PIP and ESA and UNIVERSAL CREDIT …. Since dec last year, I have fibromyalgia, thyroid issues obesity, waiting to have a op. and last week I had a MRI, they said I have spinal stenosis secondary bulging disc 2 3 4 5 .. do I have to update PIP of this, if so am trying to get a blue badge as I cant walk that far, I think my spinal was caused years ago from a near miss at work. but anyway any advice would be grateful, will this affect what am getting ?

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  • Antonia_Alumni
    Antonia_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 1,780 Pioneering
    edited April 2019
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    Hi @SpiritualOcean65 how are you doing today? Thanks for sharing this with us. There's some information on Changes that affect your PIP from the Citizen Advice website. It mentions:

    You need to tell the DWP as soon as possible if your condition changes because this can affect your Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

    Examples of things that may change how your condition affects you include:

    • your condition gets better or worse

    • the level of help you need changes

    • you go into hospital or a care home for more than 28 days (if you’re under 18 on the day you go into hospital your PIP won’t be affected)

    You can apply for a blue badge from the GOV.UK website and we have some information on driving and motability
  • SpiritualOcean65
    SpiritualOcean65 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
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    thank you Antonia x
  • Antonia_Alumni
    Antonia_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 1,780 Pioneering
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  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
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    Hi @SpiritualOcean65 and welcome

    Whilst you should inform DWP as to any change of circumstance, this is always a risky undertaking. The DWP are really only interested if your condition has improved. You will more than likely have a new f2f in which your whole award will be reviewed. Any review carries the risk of losing the award you already have. If you new condition might qualify you for a higher award then, before taking any action please get advice from an agency near you.

    You can apply to your local council for a blue badge, you do not need a PIP award to apply
    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 10,938 Scope online community team
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    Hi @SpiritualOcean65

    You can apply online for a Blue Badge  and the Citizens Advice Bureau have information about eligibility here.
    Community Manager
    Scope
  • Topkitten
    Topkitten Community member Posts: 1,285 Pioneering
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    Personally I would never volunteer to giving them a chance to mess things up as the evaluation system and especially staff are not up to scratch. The exception to this would be if I was certain it would increase the benefits I would receive.

    From memory (which isn't particularly good at the moment) disability is split into mobility and support. Mobility is sub-divided into low rate and high rate depending on walking and getting about. Getting high rate is difficult now so only try for it if you don't already have it and are certain of being able to prove it. Support is split into 3 sections (low, middle and high). You can only get high rate if you need overnight care. The difference between low and middle depends on carer support (not quite that simple) so if you need carers you are likely to get middle if not but still need assistance to go out then low is most likely.

    ESA is dependent on your PIP award plus some other factors as is a Blue Badge. For the badge you must have high rate mobility award, afaik there are no exceptions to this.

    Hope this helps.

    TK

    ps. I am Paranoid hence my feelings of distrust of the system but many others have been treated badly as well.
    "I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell" - from Wrong side of heaven by Five Finger Death Punch.
  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
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    Sorry TK you are a little behind the times

    Mobility has two parts, 1 planning and following journeys and 2  moving around. There are two award levels standard and enhanced. 8 points across the two will give you a standard award and 12 points the enhanced. For PIP to award a blue badge you need to score 8 points in the moving around catagory.

    Daily living, as it is now called, is also split into 2 award levels, standard and enhanced. There is no overnight requirement but your condition must meet the descriptors for the majority of time
    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • Topkitten
    Topkitten Community member Posts: 1,285 Pioneering
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    @CockneyRebel, I think you are confusing 2 separate issues there. I believe that local councils issue Blue Badges. PIP merely award high level mobility. If you get the PIP award then you can apply to the council for a Blue Badge. It isn't automatically awarded with PIP (though obviously linked). Also, I believe that it is possible (or at least used to be) to get a Blue Badge with any award level IF you have special needs and/or requirements and which may apply to specific areas and councils..

    TK
    "I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell" - from Wrong side of heaven by Five Finger Death Punch.
  • CockneyRebel
    CockneyRebel Community member Posts: 5,209 Disability Gamechanger
    edited April 2019
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    Yes my apologise you are correct local councils do issue BB's but if a claimant is in receipt of 8 points in the moving around catagory this is accepted by most LC's. Without a PIP award it is possible to apply to LC
    Be all you can be, make  every day count. Namaste
  • madquasimodo
    madquasimodo Community member Posts: 140 Pioneering
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    I am pretty sure if you tell them "it has got worse" you will be called in for a F2F this will probably be a "new claim" as such, if your paperwork and medical reports are up to date, and you have got worse, not just a diagnosis of your existing problem.

    You do take a chance everytime you have a assessment , if the assessor is having a bad day or just dislikes you, they may well score you lower than you are now, its a risk you must take into account.

    Just to add I have been through the same PIP, Universal credit and ESA, the Universal credit was paper only claim, and after having PIP and then again for ESA I thought I was done for at least a year, only for UC to send assessment forms, sadly this year has been a rough one. I know each one is in effect a different agency they all go to the DWP, not much taking between departments.  
  • SpiritualOcean65
    SpiritualOcean65 Community member Posts: 9 Listener
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    hello thank you for your advice on this, lucky for me I had to have assessment with UC before I got ESA. so I didn't have to go in a second time. I so needed the money, and my sister was helping me with cash for almost a year. so from nov onward I got awarded. I find it so sad ready going from being a manager of a bank to just being at home, anyway must stop. thank you once again.

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