COPD

[Arina]

Hi have copd pip have refused my appeal so its the next step I've recieved 187 pages from HM Courts and Tribunals need help any suggestions

[annienell]

Hi Arina, I suggest you call Biddy, who is the benefits advisor on the BLF Helpline. See her post here: - healthunlocked.com/blf/post........ where she gives details of when she is available.

Good luck!

[Festie]

Hi Arina. I am in the same position as you. I have stage 4 COPD and applied for PIP. Got zero points on every descriptor. I applied for mandatory reconsideration and decision did not change. I have applied for a tribunal hearing and have been waiting for a few months for a date. In my area it can take up to a year to get a court date. I have been to a pip tribunal hearing before as support for somebody and am not worried about the hearing. The judge and health professionals were very friendly and sympathetic.

[sheila1kerry]

I was in a similar situation. Although i had been diagnosed with COPD, they said they were not interested in my diagnosis, they just wanted to know how the symptoms affected me. After two years of filling in forms and getting rejected, someone told me to join “ benefits and work” website. I did, it was the best £15 i ever spent. I downloaded their booklets and followed their advice. I was now at tribunal stage and had almost given up. In fact the only reason i did not give up ,was that i was desperate for help. When i attended my tribunal the adjudicators could not believe how i had been treated. I went from 12 points to the maximum during my tribunal. They asked if i wanted to wait for the decision or go home. I waited, when they called me back in and told me i had won my appeal, i broke down crying, when i looked up, they were emotional as well and said they were disgusted at my treatment, i believed them as well. My award was backdated to my first application two years prior. My advice to you is - DO NOT GIVE UP - join “ benefits and work” website, follow their advice to the letter.

PS. If you go for an appeal , i hope and pray that you get the same people as me.

Wishing you all the very best.

[Arina in reply to sheila1kerry]

hi Sheila l have severe copd but not on oxygen what can't understand it a nurse that decided l didn't realise that I should of dressed like a tramp no disrespect to tramp that my hair was clean and that l can plan a trip when l go in my car I thought it was my lungs not my brain that was being assessed shame they don't spend a day at home and just see how you do have to plan your day thanks for your reply on with it now

[ginachron in reply to Arina]

Hi, I agree with Sheila1Kerry about the Benefits and Works website. Their guides to the whole form filling process and point system were very helpful for me. Try this link benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/...

Hope everything works out.

[maggiewhiteley in reply to Arina]

you have to stress how copd effects your day to day, you cant have a good day. They are not interested in your diagnosis,just the effect on your life. And I have to disagree with your nurse they must see people in all states of personal care.

[Spacecat1 in reply to maggiewhiteley]

They want to know how far you can walk without having to stop to use inhaler. How long it takes to het upstairs do you need help with washing/ showering do you need oxygen in the house as well as out and about.just keep pushing took me several attempts before it came good.

[Spacecat1 in reply to Spacecat1]

They don't rush so sometimes worth a call just to jog their memory you do exist. Did you give up work you will probably be entitled to universal credit which helps if you have no income anymore. Once you get pip( thinking positive) ring council about blue badge did mine in line just need passport photo and pip details hope it goes well. But never give in. It can get you down but then I start yo get angry about people who have benefits for no reason. Yet people like us who worked hard and need a bit f help often get turned down. Nut can and age concern can help you with the forms.

[Lizadam in reply to Arina]

That's the thing hun that's the sort of thing you must show, as it's not what you have, it's how it affects you that you must prove ,for ex do you use an aid??? Most people say No as they don't use a waking stick but if you have to sit on the bed to get dressed that a using an aid, holding the rails going up stairs etc

[sheila1kerry in reply to Lizadam]

Great point about using aids, people often donot realise that even a box for your tablets ,because you sometimes forget , can becalled an aid. That is where the benefits and work booklets help, they explain everything in real detail, questionby question. I must admit when i first applied i did not have a clue how the system worked. I just tried to tell the truth but that was useless, they don’t want to hear it, all they want is their questions answered, even if the questions make no sense to us.

Get help from somewhere or it is a minefield.

[flo1]

For those at stage 4 were you on oxygen? Interested in hearing as I have an assessment going through now, I have genetic emphysema. Its a total disgrace putting everyone through this and it should of been stopped a long time ago. Welcome to the Tory leadership! .

[sheila1kerry in reply to flo1]

Yes it should be stopped. I understand that they have to weed out the fraudsters, sadly i think far more really sick people get turned down whilst the fraudsters get paid. They know the system inside out, people who suddenly get sick often do not have a clue.

[CarolCT]

Got the local CAB benefits person to help me fill mine in this week. Just waiting now for the assessment appointment.

[Arina in reply to CarolCT]

thanks

[sheila1kerry in reply to CarolCT]

I hope all goes well for you. Fingers crossed.

[Spacecat1]

Make sure you always mention your bad days how far you can walk wether or not you can get up stairs. I had to pay to have a chair lift in couldn't get upstairs. ( if you have to have chair lift I can recommend someone and they were recommended to me they are refurbished ones so half the cost and it has been a godsend. If you are getting to stage of problems with stairs put that down and mention you are waiting for someone to come in to talk to you about them. Good luck. I got full pip in the end.

[Arina in reply to Spacecat1]

hi l moved into a bungalow December 2017 bit confused about what stage I am l have servere copd so what do they class that ?

[Lizadam in reply to Arina]

Stage 3 is severe 1 mild 2 moderate 4 very severe

[sheila1kerry]

Hi Arina, thanks for replying to me. I notice someone else said to join benefits and work. I cannot stress how important this is. I , like you, had it all wrong. I thought it was about my illness, it is not ! They have a very narrow framework of questions, how you answer is really important. Someone else mentioned bad days - this is also very important - focus on your worst days only. It is so sad, it is like they aretrying to trap you. I was told ( not sure if true, but would not be suprised) they watch people turning up from outside. It is as if everyone is a scammer, NO. We are sick, very sick. I hope you get what you deserve. Just do not give up.

Best of luck.

[Spacecat1 in reply to sheila1kerry]

You are right Sheila only interested in bad days the asseoer wanted me to walk up and downstairs managed first step and my anxiety came into play.i had to sit down and use inhaler to get my breathing back . If you really bad get them to come to your house especially if on oxygen.

[sheila1kerry in reply to Spacecat1]

Hi lizzric, funnily enough, i got them to come to my home for the first assessment ( i have agoraphobia as well as copd) . The guy seemed nice and polite but he stitched me up. Asked me if i could prepare food, i answered no as i cannot get to the kitchen area, then stand etc. He said what if i brought you a chopping board with carrots on, could you chop them. I answered , it would take me ages to do. He put down “ Yes she can prepare a meal!!!” Just stitched me up on every question. I was shocked, he blatently lied. That is when i got on Benefits and work

Website. Thank goodness I did it in time for my appeal. Where he scored me zero they gave me top points on everything, they were really really nice. Strange how one person can either destroy or make your life. Without getting pip i was trying to live on £70 a week. I still cannot understand why he did that,unless there was a bonus system in place

Or they had targets that had to be reached.

Sorry for waffling on but it still makes me angry when i think of how devastated i was when i saw his assessment of me.

Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit ... sorry

[Festie]

Anyone I have spoken to who have won tribunals always say there is nothing to fear. The judge and health professionals know exactly what the DWP are up to. They are using the application and rejection process as a filtering system. They hope people will give up!

[Spacecat1 in reply to Festie]

They take their time we applied beginning of March husband was ok he is my carer. So didn't go through any questions. Me had to go through letters from consultants and doctor's. Even then took time I ended up ringing the department that universal credit send it to for assessment to see I can work. I worked all my life from home with children. And that department said it's all gone back to universal credit who had it since 16th April was not impressed and my coach at universal credit did admit she missed it on her computer we could have been paid out weeks ago. Got another 6 days to go for first payment.

[sheila1kerry in reply to Festie]

You are so right ! The whole atmosphere is different, they really are trying to help in the tribunals. I agree that they know what the DWP are doing, also that it is a weeding out system. They make it difficult hoping we will give up. I almost did a few times. I got so stressed out over it, i would spend hours writing out all my issues, nearly drove myself crazy. Tha answer is DO NOT GIVE UP.

[Spacecat1 in reply to sheila1kerry]

Totally agree don't give up preserve. My hubby helped me kept me calm.