Hi everyone. Hope you’re ok. So as expected my PIP application has been rejected. Most of the relevant information for my claim was not included by the assessor. Misinformation was also included and some outright false information was given by the assessor! So I now need to go down the mandatory reconsideration route…..any suggestions with the appeal please? I have Asthma, COPD, Crohn’s Disease and Generalised Anxiety Disorder. …. The assessment itself caused me distress and trauma but because I did the assessment without being accompanied I was deemed to have no anxiety! I know, it’s unbelievable. Apparently because I don’t get breathless when sitting still I have no breathing issues!! I can’t use public transport because of my anxiety but apparently I can! …. The list is endless with regards to all the discrepancies between my actual assessment and the report….,look forward to your advice……and thank you for listening x
PIP rejected…..Advice needed please 🙏 - Lung Conditions C...
PIP rejected…..Advice needed please 🙏
I would suggest you go to citizens advise or contact a welfare rights officer. A large percentage of applications are declined but are successful on appeal so try and stay positive.
Thank you teddyh, I did expect it as the assessors report did not reflect what had been discussed in the assessment. I will contact CAB next week, thank you for the advice. It’s very hard not to feel deflated but I will try stay positive, thank you again
unfortunatly it's not our diagnosis but how it affects our lives that counts with pips.
I think you can't have good day
ever !
Hi. Thank you. I’ve had to leave a msg on answerphone for CAB as they’re inundated, and taking 7 working days to respond to queries. Age concern are only helping age over 60 at the moment due to high demand for the services. So am struggling to get an organisation to help at moment x
This is so awful 💔, I'm waiting for my claim to assesd and hopefully get a face to face appointment. I have been rejected a few times but this time I will fight the descion if they choose not to award me pip. They wrote some awful things in my report so I know how you feel 😣🫤 x
I don’t understand how the assessors can get away with it. They said I don’t have anxiety! I have generalised anxiety disorder diagnosed by GP and am starting counselling in a weeks time. I am now on anti depressants following the assessment as I found it so distressing that it tipped me over the edge! How can they say I do not have anxiety! I hope you get a good result this time around as we don’t deserve to be treated like this. We don’t choose to have these conditions. These are lifelong conditions that we have, not a lifestyle choice. Good luck with your application, I really hope you are successful xx
Yeah i know it's awful what they can get away with saying 😥. One of them said I showed overwhelming signs of phycological distress! Basically telling it was all in my head I mean how dare they! This time it needs to be face to face so they can see me and not just assume because of my age I dont have every day struggles. Health has just been so bad this year 💔. It's so bad how they treated you!! Please tell me your gona fight there descion x
Even if problems are all in someone's head, they are still problems. I hope you can do your best to block out this insulting and inaccurate report and get more rational people dealing with your appeal. Very best of luck. xxx
If you’ve got any letters from the specialist or Doctor stating your condition (you can get copies fron your surgery) anything to include with the forms when sending them back. As much information as you can get. Go to CAB there very good in filling in forms. Good luck. XrossStitch
It’s not about your conditions rather how your conditions affect you. For example, you can be anxious but still put the kettle on.
Assessors ask questions which catch people out.
Thank you, writing notes to prepare to do mandatory reconsideration…,Get this….,on my decision letter they have stated .that because I can make a cup of tea that means I can prepare and cook a meal 🤦🏼♀️
Exactly how I felt when I first tried, can you make a cup of tea? erm YES can you eat unaided ? You you need assistance going to the toilet ? How far can you walk and so many other questions ... you lose all your dignity and any pride you may have had in yourself... I not only have bronchiectasis and asthma, epilepsy, IBS, diverticulitis disease and chronic nerve pain.. but that wasn't enough,,,,Refused!! Apparently so we're most people refused... was advised it doesn't matter what you have .. its how your day is..
I'm sure they enjoy making you cringer at telling them how pathetic you are ...
Don't let them get to you .. I'd love every one of them to go through what some of us do just to make them understand how degraded they make us feel
is it possible to get your GP to reiterate their diagnoses - especially your mental health changes as a result of the assessment - to your appeal? How utterly frustrating for you and how do these assessors sleep at night .One can only hope in the "what goes around comes around " belief and maybe one day theyll be in your position 🙂
Appeal GP consultant has to document it.
Don't get disheartened as most people it would seem get turned down on the first application, anyone would think the assessors remit is to reject a certain percentage regardless of the medical evidence
Thank you, it’s so hard not to get disheartened but I am going to try fight this. I think you have a good point, I think they do probably have a rejection target to hit. Especially since they miss important information out of their reports
The mandatory reconsideration will probably be turned down too but when you get to the appeal stage it's with 3 independent people one being a doctor so if you have your medical proof up-to-date they will no doubt authorise your PIP application. Good luck and stick with it
sounds like the standard initial assessment, they expect genuine people to appeal and go through the process again, those who are not so genuine give up and don’t both to appeal
Try not to let this get you down. I think I told you that my daughter and I were so disheartened when her application was rejected that it took us several months to think of appealing. (I didn't realise at first that you could appeal.) Same story as yours -misinformation and grossly underestimating her problems. Contact the Cit's Advice -they have plenty of experience in dealing with PIP problems. And the best ofluck.
Hi any doctors hospital letters you have ,test results etc and I would certainly recommend using the COPD as your primary condition as that is the most likely long term condition that's a permanent focus for you,how it makes your day go when you are breathless what is your worst days rather than what you are able to do.a list of repeat prescription list also and have a back up person with you .I wish you good 🤞 luck.
Thank you! I have already supplied consultant letters, test results, hospital discharge letters, copies of prescriptions etc…..I don’t think they take any notice of these. I do think I need someone to be with me next time. I’m going to speak with CAB next week, thank you
I cannot believe how cruel they can be. Sorry you have had to go through this, it really doesn't help anxiety or self worth does it?
There's been lots of great advice, I would definitely get CAB or Age Concern to help, it's such a mire on your own.
Good luck and go back fighting the injustice!😘 xx
Thank you, you hit the nail on the head there. After the assessment I broke down and could not recover from it for several days….so I have had to go on anti depressants…….that assessment was one of the most distressing things I have ever been through. I was so upset and distressed throughout the assessment but the report said there was nothing wrong with my mental health 🤷🏼♀️. Yet I’m under GP for it and start counselling in a weeks time. Also it was stated that I have no breathlessness yet I was coughing throughout the assessment and constantly clearing my throat. I will definitely try CAB and Age Concern, thank you for your advice and best wishes xx
I mentioned how distressing it was in both my written application and in my (phone) assessment. I cried and made her wait until I had got myself together! I also told them that I was prescribed Oramorph for anxiety and a letter from my respiratory team backed this up, but they said I had no anxiety!
I wish you well in your battle with them! Let us know how you get on 😘 xx
as an ex volunteer with CAB.The one thing I learned with PiP and other similar claims. The section where you are asked to name someone who knows you best. Most people make the obvious and natural mistake of naming husband, wife, or sibling. This is a mistake and will invariably lead to your claim being refused. You need to put your GP or hospital consultant in that section. I know, I know, what you are going to say. But.Believe me, if you don't name a medic, a professional, it will fail.
Hi Topgunele, the first thing I would do is contact PIP (contact details on your letter and probs a long wait) and ask for an extension to your Mandatory Reconsideration deadline date, preferably a month which will give you more time to get advice from Citizens advice and then try to get any documentation, reports and care plans from Doctors, Consultants, care teams and even ask family and friends to write letters if they help or support you with anything. Hope this helps!
Thank you. I will be contacting PIP and CAB and age concern. I’ve already supplied all hospital and consultant letters but these don’t appear to have helped. I know this is going to take a lot of hard work. I just got so distressed in the assessment, was so anxious and didn’t cope well at all. Thank you for your advice, really appreciated
Appeal
Focus on how you feel on your worst days
Give names AND phone numbers of every consultant, doctor, nurse, support worker you have been in contact with
Describe everything that you need help with.
Ie breathlessness on climbing stairs, and on inclines/ hills. Unable to stand for long periods, instability and forgetfulness in kitchen is highly dangerous.
we are brought up to make the best of things
Applying for financial help requires you to focus on what you cannot do.
Download and complete the CAB daily diary. It will help focus your mind on what you need help with, in order to complete the form.
Don’t give up!!
Hi Topgunele,
How very frustrating and humiliating!
In addition to others' advice, I would go through the assessor's information with a fine tooth comb, ensuring that any false information from the assessor is clarified. You have to remember, when doing this to express how your ailments interfere with everyday activities and mobility. Do not try and do this when you are cross. You need to be very calm and detached or it will come across as too emotional and be rejected. I failed my initial PIP application and mandatory reconsideration. I took it to the appeal court and did it all by paper. Getting evidence, even if it is just printing out medical notes is extremely helpful!
Do get some help, if this is difficult for you to do. Wish you the best of luck and hoping you succeed!
Hi anng18, thank you so much for your advice, really appreciate it. I got a copy of the assessor’s report before I received my rejection letter so I sort of knew it was coming. But seeing it on paper with misinformation and important missing information and harsh rejection really hit hard. Any idea how I can print out my medical records please? The NHS app doesn’t seem to have a print option. I want to be able to give as much info as possible to fight this! Thank you again x
Hi Topgunele,
Can you access your medical records, if you are registered, via online services, directly from your dr.s? If so, you should be able to print them, However, if not, contact the administration team (secretaries) at your doctors and ask for a print out of your medical notes, including test results, and a health summary. By law, you are entitled to this request and normally the secretaries are quite helpful, as you are not requesting an appointment. You do not have to give a reason as to why you are requesting these notes, but it may help to say that you are appealing against a decision, regarding your health.
Please let me know how you get on. It is very stressful mixed in with the emotions of anger, as they have more or less said you've lied - so insulting!
Some surgeries give you your records for free and others charge £50. Good luck. Times may have moved on and it might be all online now so a button pressing exercise. However they tend not to be overjoyed at having to print a 3 inch thick pile of reports and letters and test results .
On a serious note there are correct answers to all the Questions on the PIP form in accepted legal speak do your homework be prepared take a welfare rights officer to any tribunals or interviews👍👍
As well as getting someone from an organisation like the Citizens Advice Bureau or Age Concern, check out the website Benefits and Work who do some great guides and have a forum for helping people claim benefits: benefitsandwork.co.uk/
Also, remember why you are claiming pip, i.e. your illness causes extra expenses such as a cleaner because you can't do house work or taxis because you can't use public transport etc, then focus on explaining this in the relevant sections. I've just had to apply for a renewal of my pip and now it's an anxious wait till, probably, next February. Don't lose heart. Good luck.
I just had my PIP renewed for another 10 years..... although the chap was a bit lippy on the phone he did pull through for me.
Unfortunately, I am 72 and although my condition is far worse than it was at the tome of the original assessment, I could not get an increase in my disability award but kept my full award for daily living.
I do not feel hard done by by the decision I feel grateful for a little bit of paper saying this is what is wrong with this gentleman and it is a lifelong worsening ailment.
PS I am not happy with the lifelong deteriorating condition but, hayho!!!
These forms really rub our noses in the worse things about our conditions. We would much rather concentrate on what we can do, but after looking at one of these forms i feel quite an old has been.
Get help with the forms from a young has been !
That's what I done for the initial form filling and the people I found also chased up the decision, can`t remember now their name as it was such a long time ago (I mean, I am not just ancient, but also decrepit) 🤣
Alberta 56.................... RUBBISH your only as old as you let your imagination tells you.... I am 72 but I feel 22 MOST TIMES good imagination and Laughter Is as good as any medication a doctor prescribes BUT... Keep on taking your Meds as well.
Here`s to your well being and a will day a Scotty dance fir ye. OK maybe no a jig...🤣👍
Hi Karenanne61, thank you for your advice, I hadn’t taken into account the expenses side of things. That’s a long wait for a review isn’t it. Hope it goes ok, good luck 🤞 x
Hello Topgunele , sorry to hear your claim was refused . Now you must put in straight away for review and appeal so you don't loose your chance. Next step you need a local group that deals with these things like citizens advice , Age Uk does it for people over 50 , and mind for the anxiety part , some local churches have benefits advisers and the local council. But you need someone on yourside and may eventually need to take it on a point of law. I could not tell you without all your paperwork and personal details. The breathless bit is not what the regulations say, however I would say have you had a breathing test done at hospital to prove your lung capaclty because that could help. You may need more medically specific details even though its supposed to be based on how the diagnosis effects your ability to do daily tasks. Previously I explained to you that the assessor has to take into account the multiple effects of more than one illness i.e Asthma & COPD both affect your respiration , which causes anxiety at double strength in most people, when having an asthma attack you could need help to bring you back to normal breathing and no one having an asthma attack can do much till it is over and breathing back to normal. You need a full report on how your health issues effect you when they do occur. I have three inhalers to control my COPD/asthma but I still get severe coughing attacks and breathlessness doing normal daily tasks. I cannot walk at normal pace for my age these are ideas of what proving your right involves, its not just saying I have this illness . So you need someone who can rephrase how your symptoms effect your ability to lead a normal daily life. Sometimes quite simple things can sway it. Sorry I can't do your case for you . But every best wish for finding an advisor who is on your side and elequent with words. Good luck with the next phase, please keep us updated.
Hi Katie. Good to hear from you again. And thank you for your great advice as always. I did send spiro results, consultant letters, appointment letters, hospital discharge letters, copies of prescriptions etc but I don’t think any of these were taken into consideration. I felt so intimidated by the assessor as he constantly interrupted me and I felt backed into a corner and so anxious and distressed. But when I saw the assessor report I couldn’t believe it, it totally floored me, it has so much misinformation and missing information, hence I now on anti depressants on top of everything else. You’re right that COPD and asthma makes you more anxious, then of course the anxiety makes your breathing and heart rate faster so it’s vicious circle. Having had an asthma attack a year ago scared me so much…..even though I told the assessor about the asthma attack and it’s on my application form this was ignored! The assessor did not include this in his report! So he noted that I had only had 1 x exacerbation in 12 months, which is not true. I have had 2 in 12 months but was diagnosed less that 12 months ago so he tried tripping me up on that. He said I wasn’t breathless during the assessment but I was as I was constantly coughing and clearing throat as my Asthma COPD was not good on that day, probably exacerbated by the anxiety and distress! He said my mental health was fine despite me being very upset and distressed throughout the assessment. I think the assessor was purely doing a tick box assessment and not actually paying attention to my answers, because he interrupted me on numerous occasions. I also think that because he admitted to having had COPD for several years that he compared symptoms to his own which is very wrong! The assessor was a nurse of some kind, not a doctor, not a consultant so he should not have been in a position to claim anything about my mental or physical health. I believe this is why claims are being rejected, because it is a tick box exercise that is being done. I am going to appeal and speak with CAB and Age UK. I have just received a letter from my Respiratory consultant today following my appointment in July, who has advised in the letter that I remain symptomatic with concerns including breathlessness and fatigue. It also has a lot of medical jargon in it but I wonder if it’s worth showing this letter to PIP? I am also now on anti depressants, would it be worth providing copy of the box of antidepressants with my name on it? I really want to fight this now, even if I can help other people too. Thank you again for taking time to reply xx
I am very pleased to hear from you and that you will appeal. I forgot you can't be ill unless you have had a certain amount of exacberations in a year and one is not enough sorry but that's my sarcasm coming through as with Asthma & other lung conditions we take drugs to prevent flare ups. Some patients do have flare ups regularly. I had COVID 19 but did not go to the GP, but it is recorded. Any evidence you have supply to them but keep proof for yourself also. Send a copy of the latest consultant report sounds good evidence to me. Go through you refusal letter bit by bit and pick out the incorrect facts, not sure about the depression tablets think you have to be a long term user. You need an appointment with CAB or AgeUK but Age UK will come to the house. By the way if you read my letters recently from doctors or Physio you would be forgiven for thinking I was well and I have lung cancer diagnosed in both lungs besides my other chronic long term illnesses and growing old. As my family say there are loads of seriously ill patients out there leading restricted lifes but surviving none the less and don't necessarily seem ill to an onlooker. You surprise me it was only a nurse who did your appraisel. Actually I think it should be someone who deals with the effects of disability in normal living circumstances. The first assessment I had was at a remploy unit who specialise in disability in the workplace, long before these benefits existed. Stay strong xx
I have heard of things like this B4,
I would always suggest you have someone with with a recorder to record your interview, your inhalers and use it throughout your interview.
Also find the citizens advice group and arrange an appointment with one of their assessors who can help you throughout the form filling and also submit you with a formulated submission.
Your hospital consultant also would be able to provide information on you overall condition, Like, if you have other problems that exasperate your breathing and any other info on your condition/ health.
Finally you GP My GP was an enormous help and missed NO areas of my multiple health issues.
GO FOR MANDATORY RECONSIDERATION well prepared with both guns smoking.
PS. whether you need to use your inhaler at interview or not....... USE IT AT THE INTERVIEW .
Good luck.
Hi Topgunele. I went through Age Concern for mine. Citizens advice would help you just the same. They don’t do it for you. They advise you how to go about it. My Sister had to go through a tribunal to get hers and there are others I know that have had to go down the long road of fighting it. Maybe get letters from any Drs or Consults as to how you are. Good luck! If it was made easy there would be many more people getting it.
Hi Mavary. Thank you for your advice. I am certainly going to try CAB and Age Concern. The more I read about how many people on here have been rejected, the more determined I am, but I’m also shocked at how the system is still treating invisible disabilities! I have been told that apparently people with drug abuse and alcohol abuse are more likely to get PIP than people with invisible disabilities, how can that be fair or right? Sounds like discrimination towards people with invisible disabilities to me. We do not self inflict our illnesses! We do not choose to have these conditions yet we are discriminated against because of having these lifelong, chronic illnesses. There must be something in the disability Act or Equality Act to protect us surely? Aren’t we supposed to be treated equally to those with physical disabilities? Sorry for rant, just infuriating that this is happening to so many people that are already struggling and suffering enough x
I assume you sent in lots of medical information with your initial application. Now send them information written by family and friends. I know several people who have done this and it HAS made a difference.
If you look on CAB website they will give tips for mandatory appeal which are helpful. Unfortunately with this appeal there is a time limit so any actions you want to take have to be quick.
I'm sorry to hear about your situation. Here are some steps you can take for your mandatory reconsideration:
Gather Evidence: Collect all the medical evidence you have, including letters from your GP, specialists, and any other healthcare providers. Make sure this evidence clearly explains how your conditions impact your daily life and mobility.
Write a Detailed Letter: In your request for mandatory reconsideration, address each point in the assessor's report where you believe there was a mistake or misinformation. Be clear and specific about how your conditions affect you.
Get Support: Consider seeking help from a welfare rights advisor, a local Citizens Advice Bureau, or a charity that supports people with your conditions. They can offer advice and sometimes help you draft your reconsideration request.
Mention the Impact: Highlight how the assessment itself affected your mental health, especially since it caused distress and trauma. Mention that you weren’t accompanied during the assessment due to your condition, not because you lack anxiety.
Deadline: Remember, you have one month from the date of your decision letter to request a mandatory reconsideration.
For more detailed advice, you can check out The Geek Insights. url : thegeekinsights.com/
Taking these steps should strengthen your appeal. Good luck, and I hope you get the outcome you deserve.
Just noticed this in the news flashes Topgunele, the criteria for PIP assessments as changed, thought you would want to know asap . The new way is about helping to get disabled back into work , so that might explain some of the comments in your refusal report. Think you will need help to appeal. Apparently they are attempting to streamline all assessment criteria to be the same no matter which benefit you are claiming. Not sure it will work so you may need to fight harder including new claiments . Good Night. xx
Sorry to hear of all these problems. I've had same issue twice. I have asthma, bronchiectasis, epilepsy, gastric reflux, anxiety also.I too can't use public transport due to anxiety/ panic attacks and can't drive due to epilepsy. Blatant lies were told, I take 18 pills daily, but was told not Ill enough....I was told another time bronchiectasis not diagnosed!!! All lies, stick with mandatory reconciliation and if no luck go to tribunal... I did twice and twice they reversed decision. It's very stressful applying for pip, but we owe it too ourselves to fight the injustice. Good Luck
Don't let the bastards grind you down. Try to have a good life and find things to enjoy ; forget about it when you're not actually working on the appeal.
have you tried for Attendance Allowance?
Attendance allowance is for people of state pension age. I would assume that the original poster is not at that stage yet if they are making a claim for PIP.
Please try the advice centre or money matters if in scotland and please appeal the system is not right if you have all those health issues. Good luck with it dont give up
Hi, I’m sorry you were denied pip as it sounds like you’re definitely entitled to it. I had to appeal my daughter’s pip. It was scary as I didn’t know what to expect or what they would ask etc. I have to say there were 4 people on the panel and one just glared at me but the others were lovely. It was stressful but after I started talking I felt calmer. I took my time to answer so I gave them the information they asked for. No extra. At the end they asked if there was anything I wanted to say. And I did. Things that were part of our journey that weren’t in the questions . About my daughter’s day to day struggles and how amazing she is but with a bit more help her world could be made slightly easier. And they did make the decision to give her pip. I definitely say be honest be calm and let them know your worst day. Good luck
So sorry you have had such a bad experience, and you are not alone. However, many people do have the decision changed with a mandatory reconsideration. Write down all the points you disagree with and say why, or explain what happens. Go through the checklist which tells you what you get points for and make sure that you explain against these how your illnesses affect you and stop you from doing things.
It is easy to want to write an angry reply - you can do this in a first draft if it helps you feel better. Then edit out your feeling of anger as your goal is to get the points you deserve.
All the best with this and remember there will be a deadline for responding so keep that in mind. When I fist applied for disability benefit I had a similar experience but I was successful in getting in. At that time I had to go to a Tribunal as they didn't do reconsideration, so it is good that you have the opportunity to have it looked at by a different person.
The assessors do lie. Experienced this with my PIP claim. But get yourself some good representation, take it to the Tribunal and you should, hopefully, win the appeal. Good luck.
I was refused ESA because "I could lift Empty boxes?" So was deemed fit for work! I have never found an empty box lifters Job in all the time I was on it? After Appeal.
I can recommend Age Concern they helped my husband (now sadly passed) with AA and myself with AA, I have IPF & bronchiecstsis
Hi, sorry to hear this has happened.
As the members have advised, it is always best to get specialist help when filling in the forms or conducting an appeal. The CAB can help and AGE UK if you are over 55. If you are struggling to find support, as these often get very busy, give us a call at the helpline, we may be able to signpost you to other organisations who can help.
citizensadvice.org.uk/benef...
Take care
Helpline Team
Age uk won’t help as I’m under 60 🙁
I'm sorry to hear that but don't be put keep at it
how awful!! I know many through my work trying to get pip and it’s been like this for years goodness me I have no idea how you put in for a re assess but there’s some good advice in the comments
I would contact fightback 4 justice their very good.
yes I have
Contact them by phone or email and explain the stage your at.
The good nees is Topgunele than most winn on appeal. Before that ask them to look at it again - Remember it is not what illness you have, it's how it affects you.Example can't get down to over, cant lift hot pams. Microwave is what I mainly have to use. This is just an example, you may need help dressing. yo may need help in the shower, or getting into and out of the bath. I am not saying do as I have wrote but you have to explane why YOU NEED HELP. good luck lots get turned down first time.
What do the readings mean that the PIP assessor takes with the thing you breathe in to?
Finally got the dreaded brown letter PIP
advice needed please
PIP assessment advice required
