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Recently claimed PIP

julesthomo
julesthomo Community member Posts: 4 Listener
edited August 2019 in PIP, DLA, and AA
Good afternoon,

I have recently sent off a new PIP claim and now in the stage of the dreaded wait. I havnt claimed for pip before but have been in the support group of ESA since 2015. I have recently had a ESA assessment and have been placed in the support group again and have been advised to claim for PIP. 

A little about myself, I have bipolar type 2, cyclothymia, borderline personality disorder, anxiety, insomnia, fibromyalgia, palindromic rheumatism, hypermobility syndrome and bowel incontinence caused by severe IBS. 

I am under a care plan with mental health services and have weekly support with a CPN, I have weekly stabalisation sessions and have a start date for bipolar physcoeducation, and have regular appointments with a mental health consultant. I am under the care of a rheumatologist for my physical conditions and have 3 weekly physio appointments and 3 weekly occupational therapist appointments. 

At my recent ESA assessment the assessor was shocked that I hadn't claimed for PIP. She was really supportive and took her time with me as I struggled tremendously at the appointment which had to be stopped twice. Her report which I received a copy of reflects the assessment and was full of truth. 

A week after my assessment I was summoned to my doctors as the assessor had wrote to him to Express her concerns about the state of my mental health and that I needed urgent intervention, which I am now recieving. 

As well as my mental health I struggle on a daily basis with my physical conditions and some days I am left completely bed bound. 

Now with my claim I have sent a copy of my ESA report, Letters from my consultants confirming my conditions and how they affect me, a copy of my prescription list and a patient summary which my GP provided. 

Is there anything else I can send?
Also what is the likelyhood of them using my ESA report as evidence? 

The assessor specifically wrote in the report that extreme disabilities prevent me from completing all daily activities, repeatedly and reliably and therefore has a limited capability of daily functioning. 

Can I hear some of your experiences please 



Comments

  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger
    edited August 2019
    Hello @julesthomo   Pleased to meet you welcome.

    Thank you for joining and sharing.

    Sorry to hear that your not too good. You come to the right place for support, information and most important of all friendship.

    Understand what your going through.

    I am one of the team of community champions. We guide, advise and help new members who join the community.

    Please can I advise you need to talk to your support team. They should be advising, support you with your claims for benefits.

    Also should be supporting you with your mental health.  Including may I add be in attendance any assessments.

    I have mental health issues myself. Can identify every thing you are saying.

    I would suggest if this helps you. If you feel you are not getting the right help and support from your team consider other options and choices.

    No one should be suffering. You are entitled to good mental health.

    I used mental health charities.

    Used this one :

    https://www.richmondfellowship.org.uk.

    Get help with floating support and an outreach workers. Well being and mental health support. Advice and guidance on your benefit situation.

    Including attending with you any assessments.

    Might not be in all areas.

    ESA and PIP are two separate benefits.

    I would always seek the help and guidance with your mental health and benefits. This is something I do recommend.

    Thank you for sharing your experiences with the assessor.

    Please if I can help with anything further always happy to listen and be supportive.

    Please take care.

    @thespiceman






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  • Chloe_Scope
    Chloe_Scope Posts: 10,586 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @julesthomo and a very warm welcome to the community! Thank you for taking the time to share this with us all. 

    I'm sorry you have been struggling with your mental and physical health but I'm glad to hear it has been taken seriously and that you do have that network of support.

    The evidence that you have sent seems to be a pretty comprehensive picture of your current situation.

    I hope others are able to share their experiences with you soon. :)
    Scope

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 144 Pioneering
    I had to claim pips instead of dla some weeks ago, still waiting to hear, I got a text message from them saying it takes approximately 6 weeks from date of first claim to let me know if I get pips or not?
    Good luck with your claim . All the best.
    Alan

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    givingup said:
    I had to claim pips instead of dla some weeks ago, still waiting to hear, I got a text message from them saying it takes approximately 6 weeks from date of first claim to let me know if I get pips or not?
    Good luck with your claim . All the best.
    Alan

    When claiming PIP most people have a face to face assessment because it's rare to have a paper based one. Waiting times for these depend on backlog in your area and can be anything from a couple of weeks to several months.

    Once the assessment is complete a report is written and returned to DWP. In this report will be recommendations given to the decision maker who will them make a decision based on the report.

    Once a decision's been made they will send you a decision letter. If you're successfully awarded PIP then your payments will start approximately 7 weeks after the decision's been made.

    If you're not successfully awarded then your DLA will end 3 weeks after the decision is made.

    Do be aware that DLA and PIP are different with different criteria.

    If you disagree with the decision the you can challenge that decision by first requesting the MR within 1 month of the date of the decision.

    In total the whole process and take at least 4 months possibly more.
    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: 144 Pioneering
    Thank you, alot longer than I thought!
    Sounds like I'll have money problems paying rent, bills etc etc.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,330 Disability Gamechanger
    Your DLA will continue until a decision's been made on the PIP claim.
    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.
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @julesthomo . Although I'm new here I thought I'd say 'hello' as I have the hypermobile type of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) which is very similar to your hypermobility spectrum disorder. Gastrointestinal problems such as the IBS you mention certainly occur in both disorders: https://www.ehlers-danlos.org/information/gastrointestinal-problems-in-hypermobile-ehlers-danlos-syndrome-and-hypermobility-spectrum-disorders/ You might find browsing some of the rest of the Ehlers-Danlos Support UK's website also of interest. See: https://www.ehlers-danlos.org/. I'm sorry you have so many other problems going on as I have some understanding of your physical problems, which are bad enough. I do hope that your PIP claim goes well; consultants writing how your conditions affect you & your GP's info should most certainly help. I could only rely upon the information I sent & a supportive letter from my GP....got there in the end, but you have so much more credible information. The only other thing I did was send in a short 8 day diary. Good luck.



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