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Hi, my name is craftyK!

craftyK

Hi all, first time on here

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craftyK

Feel uncomfortable asking about benefits on here but I don't know where else to ask for advice

chiarieds

Hi @craftyK - & welcome to the community. Please don't worry; many people ask about benefits on here. What would you like to know?

craftyK

ok here goes, I have been getting UC for around 3 years now and am really grateful for anything I am paid, I have emphysema, blood clots in my leg (awaiting surgery) hypothyroidism, high blood pressure and depression, I have been advised by friends a few times to apply for PIP, not really sure what it is, apart from extra money or whether I would qualify and have avoided looking into it properly as am not sure I could cope with the stress of it all, anyway I got a UC50 capability for work questionnaire in the last few days and it made me consider the possibility of applying for PIP and tried searching online to try and get some info into whether I would qualify but I don't seem to be able to pin any of the information down to a straight answer, I hope it's ok to ask on here as this site popped up when I was searching, must be feeling cocky today to ask the question, anyway enough waffling, any questions please ask, and am hoping that somebody can help me decide if it is worth the stress, thanks in advance.

chiarieds

As far as PIP goes, it's not about any diagnoses, but rather how your disability affects certain activities of daily living &/mobility. You can see the activities/descriptors that are looked at with PIP: https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/asset-library/personal-independence-payment-descriptors-and-scores-april-2023.pdf

This is a longer read explaining it all. The concept of 'Reliability' is especially important:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-the-assessment-criteria

You can also see more info, & how to claim here: https://www.gov.uk/pip/how-to-claim

craftyK

Thank you I will look at those

Jimm_Alumni

Hi @craftyK, welcome to the community

I understand being uncomfortable asking for help. Took me a long time to feel okay with asking for help. We all need help sometimes. Your questions were all perfectly fine, please feel free to ask anything you're unsure about. Our members try to help each other

What Chia has posted makes for good reading about PIP. It's indeed not about diagnoses but about how your conditions affect your day to day living. I'd recommend sitting down with a close friend, perhaps one of those who recommended PIP to you? And going through it. That really helped me, sometimes we're so used to what is normal to us that we don't realise when our condition has changed how we live. An outside perspective can help with that.

How are you doing with the UC50 questionnaire? I know all these forms can be quite a lot to deal with.

craftyK

I have completed the UC50 but I find it quite emotional having to focus on my health problems, it's something I just try to live with rather than focus on as it just makes me feel worse, I hate it when I have appointments and clinics and questionnaires but I get it, I have to do it and I do appreciate the financial help that I get

Jimm_Alumni

craftyK said:

I have completed the UC50 but I find it quite emotional having to focus on my health problems, it's something I just try to live with rather than focus on as it just makes me feel worse, I hate it when I have appointments and clinics and questionnaires but I get it, I have to do it and I do appreciate the financial help that I get

Glad to hear you managed to sort it out. I understand how you feel, I was in a place where I tried to avoid anything to do with my medical issues.

We can also talk about other topics here if you'd prefer to take a break from your health. How's this wonderful weather treating you today? Or any other topic if you'd like ^^ I'm always happy to hear other peoples hobbies or interests if they're okay talking about them

craftyK

The weather here is pretty bad, It's cold and raining and the wind is so bad something just banged again the kitchen window but I won't be going to see what it was, I am an avid crafter and painter not of any acclaim I just find it good therapy, I also enjoy beautiful old architecture, what about you ??

Jimm_Alumni

Weather here isn't great either @craftyK, I just had to go outside and pick up our wheelie bin as well as a few neighbours bins!

I wish I could paint. I was always awful at it in my own opinion. I was bottom set for Art at school. I do like writing though, mostly for video games or roleplaying games.

Oh, old architecture! I do love seeing lovely architecture too. I'm not a religious person but the detail, craftsmanship and work put into old churches/temples/cathedrals amazes me. Whenever I go anywhere with my partner I'm always just looking at the buildings while she wants to "go find something fun"

craftyK

I went to a convent grammar school and it was the only subject I enjoyed and was any good at, as my teacher told me, I wanted to go to art school after leaving school but it wasn't an option unfortunately, I got back into it as part of an online art therapy course, have to be honest I had always poo pooed 'art therapy' whilst I didn't do it long term it did get me back into the arts and crafts. I agree about old churches etc I was lucky enough to finally go to Barcelona a few years back to see Gaudi's architecture, his cathedral the Sagrada Famillia was breathtaking worth the travel and expense, I am that person that will sit watching something on TV and lose track of the story cos' am too busy looking at the beautiful vintage tiles in the background ha, so I can sympathise with your partner ( :

craftyK

Going to go now and get some tea together, thanks for conversing with me, it's been a pleasure

Jimm_Alumni

Ah, my parents visited Barcelona a few years ago. I saw the pictures they took of the Sagrada Famillia. I really want to go see it in person. It's meant to be one of the most astonishing buildings in the world.

I'm happy you managed to find your way back into art again

I fell out of a lot of my interests that I enjoyed when I was really struggling. It makes it more difficult to break out of it, because your interests give you motivation, but you need that initial bit of motivation to keep up with them in the first place.