PIP medical report - making sense of it?

Mark8699
Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
I recently got my PIP medical report and I'm confused by it.

It doesn't mention the different seizures I get, just seizures in general and loss of consciousness and harm.

So I checked where I scored and the evidence used. It says recommendation and evidence used. And other descriptor supported? Which one counts, or do both count?

Do I wait for my review or do I tell them I need to make a new claim?


Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    The report is a recommendation, not the decision. In the report will be activities/descriptors with dots next to the chosen descriptor and this is what counts. Underneath that will be the justification for why they've chosen that descriptor.
    Mark8699 said:

    Do I wait for my review or do I tell them I need to make a new claim?

    If you already have an award in place then you can't make a new claim. Is the report you're asking about from a recent assesment?  Sorry but it's not clear why you're asking this question.

  • Mark8699
    Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
    Okay so I’m totally confused. 

    I asked for my medical report so I could see how I would score now compared to 12 months ago. 

    But it says recommendation and evidence used. Reported restrictions not supported and other descriptors supported. 

    So I don’t know what to do if it’s a change of circumstances or wait till review which is in 2023. 

    I am still having seizures but not episodes of loss of consciousness. But most of my recommendations are related to mental health rather than the seizures themselves. 

    It’s confusing me


  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,000 Championing
    If you have an existing award your decision letter will tell you where you scored points.

    if the impact of your health condition has changed you should only consider reporting this if the changes could increase your point score and thereby change the level of your award. 

    Some changes will make no difference to PIP. In other cases you might, for example get 2 extra points but if you only had 8 points before ( assuming they were researched), that would only get you to 10 which doesn’t change the level of award.

    It is sensible to get advice before reporting a change. https://advicelocal.uk/

  • Mark8699
    Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
    I was told they need to know if you are having different treatment to what was originally said to. 

    So if having counselling moving to cbt and so forth
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    Mark8699 said:
    I was told they need to know if you are having different treatment to what was originally said to. 

    So if having counselling moving to cbt and so forth

    That is not classed as a change of circumstances that needs to be reported. As advised by calcotti, some changes will make no difference to your award.
  • Mark8699
    Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
    Also. Cannot undertake any journey due to overwhelming psychological distress. I said I can leave house 2-3 times a week but I have panic attacks and fear having seizures. 

    Does that mean I’m now stuck in my house?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    edited July 2022
    Mark8699 said:
    Also. Cannot undertake any journey due to overwhelming psychological distress. I said I can leave house 2-3 times a week but I have panic attacks and fear having seizures. 

    Does that mean I’m now stuck in my house?

    No, that's not what it means. When you score points in activity 1E it means for the majority of the time you're unable to leave your house. Going out sometime means nothing.
  • Mark8699
    Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
    What is classed as Majority of the time btw 
  • Mark8699
    Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
    Can I also ask

    i scored 2 points for washing/bathing. Because I need prompting but also supervision. But I told them I’ve never had a seizure in shower. So they have awarded me 2 points for the prompting and the supervision side. 

    But if I don’t need the supervision now does that mean I need to ring them up? But I still need prompting. 

    That’s what I find confusing 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    Mark8699 said:
    What is classed as Majority of the time btw 

    For example if you only go out a few days a month then the majority of the time you're unable to go out.
    Mark8699 said:
    Can I also ask

    i scored 2 points for washing/bathing. Because I need prompting but also supervision. But I told them I’ve never had a seizure in shower. So they have awarded me 2 points for the prompting and the supervision side. 

    But if I don’t need the supervision now does that mean I need to ring them up? But I still need prompting. 

    That’s what I find confusing 

    Needing prompting still scores 2 points.
    I think you're overthinking all this and worrying needlessly.
  • Mark8699
    Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
    Are you allowed to go out a few times a week?

    I said I can go out 2-3 times but not last long in shops
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    That would still mean the majority of the time you’re unable to go out.
  • Mark8699
    Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
    You can see why I’m confused by it. Makes you feel like you can’t go out at all. I had some cbt and I’m still working on that. But majorly of time and in some weeks, I can’t leave at all
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,471 Championing
    It can certainly all feel a bit confusing @mark8699! Benefits and Work have a good page on PIP. If you scroll down to 'additional information', you can read about some of the key concepts you've mentioned. 

    Perhaps you could take a look, and let us know if it puts your mind at ease at all? 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    Mark8699 said:
    Makes you feel like you can’t go out at all.
    That's not what it means at all.

    Mark8699 said:
    But majorly of time and in some weeks, I can’t leave at all

    Which is the reason why 1E applies to you and not 1F.
  • Mark8699
    Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
    Does it matter about the frequency of my LOC if the descriptors are more for my anxiety and depression rather than that?

    or is that a change of circumstances. 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    That’s not a change of circumstances that needs to be reported.
  • Mark8699
    Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
    I guess they review whether your condition has got better or worse at the reviews too?

    It can be very confusing 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,456 Championing
    Yes, that’s the reason for the reviews. 
  • Mark8699
    Mark8699 Online Community Member Posts: 79 Listener
    Only two of my descriptors mention loss of consciousness. But I haven’t experienced that for ages. Is it still something that could happen? Maybe. 

    I was investigated for seizures and fainting spells. I am still getting seizures. 

    Is the lack of loss of consciousness a problem? Or is it included for harm reasons. I’m not so sure. 

    Is it a change of circumstances? I will get citizens advice to help.