you’ve had a lot of good responses about PIP, but here’s my six pennorth! I’ve been a volunteer at Citizens Advice and local foodbank and have helped many people go through the PIP form. PIP is not a work-related or means-tested benefit and your diagnosis is not necessarily the key to it, though it does provide some evidence. The key is to prove that your health means you cannot do activities of everyday life in the same way as a ‘normal’ person (whatever that means!) This could mean you are slower, in more pain, more at risk of accidents, more depressed/anxious, more in need of assistance or aids and adaptations, for example. There is a knack to filling in the form, playing the DWP game and navigating the ‘Mandatory Reconsideration’ stage and the appeal procedure. Citizens Advice website is helpful and local CA workers should be prepared to go through it with you with no cost. Benefits and Work website is my Bible at present - describes the processes and your rights in detail and is well worth the small fee for a claimant or carer.
The process can be a hassle but really you have nothing to lose, except your time and effort! Good luck!
Written by
gkjowett
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Thank you for your kind in site to benefits, especially the Personal Independence Payment, I am sure that anyone trying for this claim will find your information invaluable .
A good contribution! I find posts about wanting PIP and other benefits as you have condition A or condition B slightly puzzling for as you say it depends on how it impacts on the basics of everyday life. When I was pre diabetic I joined the Diabetes UK forum. I was totally bemused by the people wanting to go onto benefits because they had been diagnosed Type 2. Apart from where there are other health issues weight loss, diet and exercise were more appropriate!
I've been a member of Benefits and Work for many many years which have included going through 3 tribunals and having to apply every two years until recently when DWP finally realised my condition's not ever going to improve. The website is a godsend.
I fully support what gjjowett says - having been through the process of applying for a series of benefits the best thing i ever did was get help - the first time i got help from a local disability support charity ( now gone due to funding cuts!!!!!) , since then Benefits and Work have been my lifeline
their guidance got me straight through my PIP claim and helped me win an appeal, and reinstatement of full benefit, when my Incapacity Benefit was slashed during the transfer to Employment Support Allowance
My advice is that no-one should try to do this alone, it is depressing and involves the sort of focus required to sit GCSE level exam (at least), so:
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