PIP - Any tips?

[Minushabens]

Hi all

I know a few people have posted on here before about PIP but thought I'd post this.

I currently work, but this has become harder & I suspect that long-term I'm going to find it harder to find & keep work & have started to think about a PIP claim to give me a bit more flexibility.

The problem is that on a good day, you'd barely know there was anything wrong, but on a bad day I can't even make it to the kitchen. The steroids I take give me 'jelly legs' all the time, so I can't run, nor can I climb steps ever without difficulty, but I can walk reasonable distances when I'm well.

I've looked at online tests & they seem to imply that you have to be unable to walk suggested distances all of the time - is that correct? Or can you talk to them about the long-term or overall picture?

I am genuinely starting to feel that my health is on a bit of a steady decline & the pressure of needing to work full-time, all the time is becoming a burden. But if I turn up for an assessment on a day when I'm reasonably well, I imagine they would laugh me out of the room!

Any thoughts or experiences, or suggestions of a way forward are welcome.

[Seb1]

Yeah i wana go for this bcos of im gettin older and seem to be struggling more but unsure of what they will make you do. You have to have so many hospital admissions etc... but you can also ask ur cons to help with this or advice. Its not right we have to suffer in silence.

[Smoggy1990Boggy in reply to Seb1]

That is incorrect Seb 1 you don’t have to have hospital admissions to get PIP. It’s aboot how asthma affects your day to day life and whether you can do things reliably, repeatedly and safely. If you look at Benefits and Work or Fightback’s page they are both excellent. Fightback have a Facebook page and messenger option, free helpline, email address, VIP level one and two £4.99 and £11.99 a month respectively (people keep this as long as they want) which has lots of documents in the vaults, access to messenging service, they prioritise VIP members when they email in and have a VIP phone line too. Fightback do a free drop in first Wednesday of the month and fill in benefit forms all the time. PIP is supposed to help people in work too and most people are not aware of the lengths and how they adapt their lives to remain in work. Sadly it seems unless you get people who know what to write in theee forms many people are unsuccessful no matter how unwell they are. I know a lot of people who have used Fightback and they have a high success rate and in huge demand. And no despite all that I’m not affiliated in any way to them I just see the good they do.

[strongmouse in reply to Smoggy1990Boggy]

Benefits and Work website is very useful. Although they cover any diability, health problem, there advice and information explains how the system works. It is not about your diagnosis but how it impacts on your ability day to day and to work. The system does take accoung of variable illness so you need to work out how often you can or can't do a certain activity. Generally if you can't do something 50% of the time then it is considered as not being able to do it.

It helps to get your GP to write a useful support letter. I did this by going through the list of descriptors of activities for PIP and then writing to my GP to tell her which ones applied to me and why. She had known me for quite sometime and was supportive. I have more that one diagnosis so it wasn't just on the effect of asthma for me. Citizens Advice Bureau do have some useful information as a starting point. If you are working and become too ill to work then ESA is the benefit which replaces paid work. It is complicated and you need to understand that they use a computer system and so you need to write the right key words to ensure your illness is fully taken account of. All the best with it.

[Seb1 in reply to Smoggy1990Boggy]

Oh right thanks for that i didnt know that. Ive started a new job and already had time off with it. Im worried about money etc..

[Smoggy1990Boggy in reply to Seb1]

Hi Seb1 please contact Fightback they have a free helpline on 0161 672 7444. Check out their fb page, they are online too. Asthma is considered a protected chartetistic under the Equality Act 2010.

[Seb1 in reply to Smoggy1990Boggy]

Ok thanks its taking its toll now but i did think it went on how many hospital admissons u have.

[Smoggy1990Boggy in reply to Seb1]

Hi Seb 1. Exactly the same happened to me I was working full time and trying to cope with two severe chronic illnesses and dropped to 30 hours then the following year 22.5. Get advice now from Fightback they are excellent. They have an email address and messenger service on fb and a drop in the first Wednesday of the month at their office in Bury.,

[Seb1 in reply to Smoggy1990Boggy]

Aww thanks. I have to keep going from hot air to cold air and ive never been so bad n i know its triggering me.

[Smoggy1990Boggy in reply to Seb1]

Where are you working.

[Seb1 in reply to Smoggy1990Boggy]

Delivery driver

[Smoggy1990Boggy in reply to Seb1]

That won’t be good for you no Seb 1. I think Asthma U.K. needs to have more information on benefits so that people know what’s out there if they are struggling

[Seb1 in reply to Smoggy1990Boggy]

Iknow they will prob say get another job. Like its that easy

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

Hi

I don’t claim PIP myself, but have in the past looked into it.

My advice when doing the questionnaire is to fill it out as if you’re at your worst, then hope’l for a bad day when you’re called for interview etc. It’s similar to applying for a blue badge (which I do have), and for access to work (which I’ve just done).

There are several charities about that can help you fill out the forms correctly, especially aimed at those of us who have ‘intermittent’ diseases. When I last spoke to them (Oct at a conference) they still thought I was eligible because of my history despite feeling a lot better (I seem to average 10-12 a&e trips a year, with most leading to admission, whereas in the past I seemed to live more at hosp than at home 🙄). CAB also offer advice and help i filling out the forms!

If you’re under a specialist hosp, they usually have a someone who can go through things with you and help/support the application.

Hope that helps and you get through the process quickly, without any of the issues a lot of people face!

Ps here’s a sample of a pip form I found - it always leaves a space to explain how things actually affect you when the questions don’t supply the option you need! assets.publishing.service.g...

[starveycat]

I know it's different but when we applied for disability living allowance for hubby we asked for one of their reps to call and fill in the form I had copied all his consultants letters and his prescription so he could have copies and see the originals .we had to wait months but got it in the end. Do hope this might be of some help.

[Minushabens]

Thanks folks for the replies. All really helpful. I don’t have a consultant appointment due until April but might mention it to my GP. Part of my worry is that they both come across as people who think I should be working so I might have to try & explain to them first just how hard day-to-day life gets sometimes.

[strongmouse in reply to Minushabens]

I kept a diary for a week explaining how my illness effected me and what I could and couldn't do. This was quite helpful in highlighting that even if I could do something one day I needed then to recuperate for a couple of days. I wrote a letter to my GP explaining how my ill health effected me day to day and how that matched up with the PIP. You can get PIP even if you are working. It isn't means tested but is to help people with long term illness/ disabilities cope with additional needs. There are two components to it, care and mobility. You don't have to be having care help in order to qualify. For the PIP you can also ask anyone who knows you to write a statement explaining how your illness impacts you.

[johnsmith]

You have to read the definitions of what is assessed. This changed on 5th November 2018. I got 9 points on pre November 5th definitions and then zero points on November 5th definitions. I am in the process of chasing a mandatory reconsideration on the advice of the local advice agency,

It is important to read 2.2.2 and 2.2.3 in the 5th November proposals, Worst day no longer applies. It must be over 50%.

See someone who specialises in benefit advice and going to tribunals.

[Sparkles70]

I receive PIP I have brittle asthma plus arthritis and aspergillosis I have good days and then I have absolutely rubbish weeks!!! Use the worse day (s) as your guide. Even if you’re having a good day on Assesment day tell them that, they will contact your doctor who should let them know that the bad day outweigh the good ones, plus the amount of medication you take and the last time you saw your GP and or consultant gets taken into consideration. If you need any more info just message me xx

[Minushabens in reply to Sparkles70]

Thanks - I know your health conditions are quite similar to mine...when I get my backside in gear to start the process I'll drop you a line

[Sparkles70 in reply to Minushabens]

We are the sickly twins 😂

[Minushabens in reply to Sparkles70]

Very sad. That’s my aspiration to be a Chuckle Brother down the pan.

[Sparkles70 in reply to Minushabens]

Hehe!!! Well I laugh a lot so we could be the chuckle twins 😉

[omahjoa]

Hi I have had to retire due to my health. I applied for pip and only got the mobility part which is £90 per month and I have a?disabled badge. It is very hard. At my assessment all they asked me to do was raise my arms and stand up. It was ridiculous. Now I have finished work I am going to apply again. I also have good and bad days. Hope you have better luck than me xx

[Minushabens in reply to omahjoa]

In a way I don't mind too much if it's not a great amount; it's partly about just giving me a bit of breathing space (if you'll excuse the pun) to take occasional days off when I feel rough. I'm a teacher & I've dropped out of FT work & am now on supply, but I still need an income...& don't get paid for days I don't work. Today is a case in point really, my breathing was very bad over the weekend but I still had to go in today.

[Smoggy1990Boggy in reply to omahjoa]

Please go via either benefits and work or Fightback. I’ve posted on here what Fightback offer and sadly it’s using key words. The assessments I feel are set up to fail so many people. The film #idanielblake aptly depicts how appalling the ESA work capability assessment and their form is.

[AimeeCardiff]

I wonder if you might be confused about PIP and ESA (employment and support allowance, formerly known as incapacity benefit). PIP is for extra costs if being disabled and mobility - it isn't enough to live on (I think it's around £5k max a year) - you can be in or out of work, as its assessed on your disability (but poorly assessed, so I would get advice with the forms). It unlocks help from the council with expensive adaptations to your home in my area (Cardiff), but small adaptations like shower seats and hand rails are free to all.

ESA is a payment for people who can't work because of their health,it also unlocks council tax benefit and housing benefit and is just about enough to live on.

[Smoggy1990Boggy]

Yes PIP is non means tested David Cameron got it for his late son which although entitled seemed bizzare to many of the public due to his wealth.

[Hidden]

You will have support of gp report as well as the assessment you are expected to complete. So good luck