I’ve given up

Hi,

I can well imagine how the whole process has made you feel….in this day and age it really shouldn’t be so difficult.

I can also appreciate how you might just want to wash your hands of the whole thing, that’s completely understandable.

I can only offer advice, and that would be to continue with the tribunal, you have nothing to lose by doing so and perhaps a lot to gain…..I realise this is easy for myself and others to suggest but you have come this far and I think you may regret not following it through to its natural conclusion, whether that’s a win for you or not.

Try and concentrate on the tribunal process and work a day at a time towards the date you’ve been given, try not to let the whole process get you down and concentrate on your part.

Lots of others on here who I am sure will help with any questions you might have and sometimes it’s just good to vent ( in a friendly manner!!)

Take a bit of time to think about it though.

S

Hi Kami ,

Please don’t give up

Please take care

Kind regards

I’m

Just on the process after putting off for many years . Please don’t give up . From what I can see they do this to most . I’d never of done this years ago I was too scared but now I have fire in my belly. I too get very anxious but I need to use it to fight . I believe you can do phone / video / paper as tribunal also. It’s so sad people are made to feel this bad when they are entitled to it. I hope you change your mind x

At end of the day they are flesh and blood like the rest of us. They are not better than us . X

I ran out of fight to do my tribunal a few years ago but still tried to 'get there' by phone, which was incredibly difficult for me at that stage. But it was changed to paper based at the last minute. (Someone literally phoned me to say they wouldn't need to phone me!) And I was awarded a higher rate than expected without having to say anything more for myself.

I suppose you could call that lucky although the damage to my health had already been done by the process at that point.

I guess the moral of the story though, is that you could now be too close to throw away any chance at the final hurdle.

The DWP responses and rejection letters are always confrontational, there's really no need to take it personally.

I agree with everyone who says don't give up. Believe me, I understand how traumatic the appeal process is. I understand how dehumanising the responses are and the way in which they try and frame your disability can be very very frustrating. I spent a year challenging my decision, and it was absolute hell. People don't understand unless they've been through it (though a lot of people here have been through it and come out the other side).

Some people have good experiences at the tribunal itself. I didn't, I had one very unpleasant person at my tribunal. But I won my case and got awarded PIP. And the feeling when that happened was relief, and the sense that everything I had been put through to get there had been worthwhile.

A large % of people win their tribunals after originally being rejected. The tribunal is not decided by the DWP, it is decided by a judge and, at least in my case, two other people. The DWP may send someone to the tribunal - in my case she just sat and listened to the case and did not intervene.

You have come this far. Only you know what you can deal with, but if you've reached this point, you've nothing to lose by going to the tribunal.