Hi me again ,Has anyone appealed pip and been awarded it .I've been off work 5 months now had occupational health involved who have said not fit for work for the forseable future and work have now carried out capability of work meeting .
Off with unstable angina / microvascular angina and is not undercontrol can't walk far or stand for long .
Just got pip refused .symptoms have changed since starting claim. Can I appeal ?
Any advice appreciated
Thanks
I applied for pip for my daughter (different illness) and was turned down. Then I went to Citizens’s Advice Bureau who helped me appeal. Appeal was turned down. Citizens Advice then helped me with the next stage (which is to apply to a tribunal). Magic! Within five days the appeal was allowed.
I believe that some Citizens advice bureaux have a waiting list, so get on to them straight away for help. Remember that they are a charity and can only do whatever their funds allow. And I don’t know enough of your circumstances to say whether your appeal will be allowed or not. Yes, it’s time-consuming and frustrating, but so are many things in life. I wish you well.
I am sorry you have been turned down for your PIP.I used this organisation to help me when I successfully applied for a PIP.
I was given an enchanced award for both sections, indefinitely, following my confirmed diagnosis of vasospastic angina.
You have to pay a small fee.
Alternatively try this charity.
Good luck!
Thanks for your advice
I was off work for over a year, couldn't wash myself properly couldn't get in and out of a bath without help and couldn't dress myself .
What I could do was make myself toast and a cup of tea and could just about manage to do the breakfast washing up in the morning and walk for about 100 yards and for these reasons I was refused PIP.
I received ESA, both were applied for at roughly the same time and a year later I was ill health retired. I didn't appeal the PIP decision but if the applicant could do the basics and was honest about their capabilities they wouldn't get PIP.
I believe the process has changed somewhat in the last 4 years so you might get it depending on your appeal and how you describe your new symptoms/disabilities.
I think it’s commonplace to be rejected. Then reapply, ideally with help from a professional, such as citizens advice.
That’s apparently the game you have to play
Good luck
Sooty
hello all good advice above - from personal experience don’t appeal over phone - I didn’t realise I said I wanted to appeal but they started asking me what disagreed with and I started answering as they went through each of the points and noted THAT as my appeal 😩 I did get PIP on appeal though.
Just check what it says how to appeal, I can’t remember the mistake I made and how, just ensure you appeal in writing. Don’t answer on the phone why you want to appeal / which bits you disagree with.
Maybe someone else might be able to advise, my memory is not what it used to be.
But I don’t want anyone else to fall into this trap like I did.
👍
I am thinking of applying for pip tomorrow and I will appeal as many times as it takes because I'm struggling so much doing every day things my health is really letting me down this year been ill on and off since November been the worst year for me 💔. I hope your successful with your claim x.
Thanks and good luck with yours x
take a look at the Benefits and Work site - they provide exellent advice and guides to the main benefits - it costs £20 to join and gain full access to the really thoruogh guides but it is money well spent
I got my PIP approved on the first application and got through a successful ESA appeal with their help
Oh wow thanks hun just saw this x Im not sure if you can claim ESA and universal credit? I really hope I'm successful with this claim. x
Universal Credit (UC) replaced ESA, you can not put in a new claim for ESA any more, and people on ESA are gradually being moved (migrated) to UC
i was claiming ESA, but am not any more because i reached the age of 67 and now get my pension
Ok that's helpful thank you x I get carers allowance and universal credit and hopefully pip soon.
A person can still claim contributory ESA (they either pay you direct benefit once SSP finishes and / or they pay your national insurance contributions till complete fulls years to be eligible for full state pension when the time comes). It’s income related ESA that can’t claim now I.e. no new claims.
Yumz199725 it’s contributory esa that can still be applied for (as well as UC) subject to your circumstances.
thank you for the clarification, I was not aware of that
Yes you can apply for both - contributory esa and UC - they just deduct the esa (as it’s a source of income) from your universal credit award. This ESA is payable once statutory sick pay finishes.
I used fightback4justice for my benefits applications , pip being the last two years ago, they aren’t free but two other close friends have used them too and both were very relieved on how professional and supportive they were. Also positive outcomes. They are worth a phone call to see if they could help, pretty sure the phone call is free and if you send them all your paperwork and then book a phone call for them to chat over the forms, they fill them in send them to you to check and you send them off. They have a very good success rate, a lawyer who knows the law and how it is applied to your application. My friend had them do her pip forms and she said it was £105. You can follow them on Facebook or they have a website too. I would recommend at least phoning them…. Good luck
Thanks 😊
Hi Milliemoopink,
I'm sorry to hear you have been turned down for PIP. It's doesn't seem right that you have been turned down when you are unable to walk or stand for long. Should you decide to appeal, Citizen's Advice are very helpful. I hope you get it sorted out.
I Appealed my PIP claim when i was going through all my Heart stuff , unless you know how to really work the system getting financial help is a Nightmare . As soon as you get it in my case they go all out to try raking it back off you . Good luck i really hope you're situation os different .
Yessssss !!!! Appeal appeal appeal!!! The appeal goes to a judge, where you should win. They make it so hard because most people give up but you paid into this system, and this system should be supporting you !!!! I'm sorry they make it so degrading and difficult. I appealed and won !!! I was awarded on the grounds of my mental health. 6 months no income, you and your health and work have done the best you can by the sounds of it. Amd your entitlement to support whilst ill should be ruled in your favour in court. Please appeal appeal appeal, has the hospital provider any carer or social worker? Have you had people care for you because they can write cover letters for you, your work can write cover letters. Please please please appeal. Fight for your entitlement!!!! Send strength and healing energy go get em !!
Go to citizens advice as yes you can appeal,my hubby applied and was refused( he had cancer!) But got it on 2nd try,they know how to word it,good luckI have unstable angina and have been put on Diltiazem and haven't had any heart pain since- they are long acting gtn
Thanks 😊 seems everyone has to appeal ,I have just been dismissed from job last night due to ill health now .I keep trying all different medication with little effect as yet.
Sorry to hear you and husband not well xx
Hi Milliemoopink, so very sorry to hear this. You can definitely appeal. Best of luckx
After 35 years of trying to get disability benefits before and after my husband died. My health got worse in 1988 when then limb jerks and pain got worse. I always turned down as they said no diagnosis not money.
2022 finally had my diagnosis as I have been disabled since birth and fell and in constant pain. My parents where told it was growing pains and I was clumsy. My new neurologist put me on Clonazepam which I started March 2020 with in 2 weeks after 32 years my limbs where still and no seizures . He sent my blood to have my whole genome genetically tested. Didn't get the results until March 2022. When he sent me an appointment saying he knew what I was born with. So I asked for the PIP forms.
1st April 2022 I saw him and he told me I was born with the rare hereditary Hyperekplexia gene mutation SLC6A5 type 3. He nor his colleagues ever had a patient with it.
My daughter filled in the PIP forms and I sent 45 pages of medical evidence from my GP, neurologist and cardiologist as I was found in 2020 to have been born with a hole in the side of my heart and have PAF.
PIP phone assessment. They turned me down giving me zero on everything. I appeal for MRN again decision upheld.
Found out the Braun Charity they got me a solicitor pro bono in July 2022 and she put in an appeal for me to go too PIP tribunal. She told me to apply for UC and my caseworker at the job centre said after seeing me phone appointments only and she would be sending off for the health forms. A friend filled them in for me. And after my treatment at the hands of PIP had face to face assessment which I was awarded.
August 29th 2023 when to PIP tribunal with a support worker from the Brain Charity to give me moral support. The tribunal was lovely . It's a real court as it comes from the crown judicial service. Panel of 3 judge ,doctor and a disabled man. They where very kind and asked all the right questions. After 50 mins they asked us to wait outside. Less than 10 mins they gave me their decision I was awarded enhanced PIP for living and enhanced PIP for mobility indefinitely and back dated until 7th March 2022 when I asked for the forms.. Finally I got justice and finally stopped worrying about money as I had since my husband Nick died in 2004.
I was given 13 points for living and 12 for mobility.
PIP people are mindless robots who treat people like crap. UC people treated you with kindness and understanding.
Without the help from the Brain Charity I wouldn't have got it.
But citizens advice will help you so contact them and they will make sure you get everything you are entitled to. I received full stated pension this year as I am 66. Both UC stopped but as it's paid in arrears they paid me what they owed. CA helped me fill in the online form for pension credit which was logged and Lynsey who helped me wrote down what I had to say when I phoned DWP pension credit on my birthday and much to my delight was given pension credit.
Finally I was able to have my first holiday for 19 years in May and booked for September. I can't travel abroad but just have holidays here . Just go Monday to Friday and travel by train with travel assistance. I stay in premier Inn as they have accessible rooms for the disabled .
So fight for your rights took me 35 years. But I won in the end . But get help filling in the forms from CA or any other charity that will help you. And don't be frightened if you have to go too tribunal.
Good luck and don't give up.
Wow so sorry for your loss and to hear whst a hard time you had through it all. You fought and fought and won and rightly so .can't believe they treated you like that .Thanks fir giving others hope to and to fight on .
Good luck to you and enjoy your well deserved holiday x
Thank you . Did you know there is a green paper wanting to replace PIP cash payments with vouchers , catalogues and grants. We need cash no vouchers. There is a link on the Brain Charity Facebook page to fill in the form objecting to the change . If you feel able please fill it in . We need to be heard.
Until disabled people write the forms and assess people no matter your disability we won't get a fair hearing. Also remember heart conditions and other physical health problems can impact on your mental health . Took me to finding my Hereditary Hyperekplexia society Facebook page to realise how I feel in certain circumstances is caused by anxiety which is part of my disability. I always thought I was weird but I have HPX and everything my body and mind does is normal for HPX . Plus what my heart does is normal for PAF.
Every government gives away millions abroad every year . People who live here and pay taxes and NI contributions are treated like second class citizens when we need help. And people who come to this country and not pay anything get help.
The Ukrainian war is awful but did you know those that came here with heath conditions got PIP. I know this for a fact I was on hold with PIP for a hour every few minutes it says Ukrainian nationals don't worry your PIP payments won't stop.🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬.
I hope you have claimed everything you are entitled to.
Why do you need cash? Why not vouchers?
Cash is just vouchers ,so why waste money and print them again.
cash give the freedom to choose and to buy from the supplier you choose - vouchers limit that because they are not accepted everywhere or for all products, so they can lead to all sorts of bad practice
How am I to pay my bills and things I need. Do you think a gardener ,or taxi driver will take vouchers? Of course they won't. If I needed a care worker do you think they would accept a voucher.
I funded all the adaptions to my bungalow because the council would not help me because of not having PIP or any other benefits. Plus they wouldn't fund how I needed things done .
If you where a tradesman would you accept vouchers for payment ? Of course you wouldn't. It's insulting plus how long would you wait for vouchers and how much would they be for.
Took me 35 years to finally get cash benefits.
My husband died when he was 47 from cancer in 2004. When he was diagnosed as terminal we where told to apply for DLA and carers allowance in October 2003. He had a question on the form. He phoned up and the woman asked how long he had been given 4 months to 2 years she told him no point applying as he had years and put the phone down on him. My husband didn't live 4 months. The only reason we got the allowances for the short time was because our McMillan nurse filled in the forms . Which she had to do for every new patient . She hated as it cut down time for her patients . Luckily McMillan have a department to help people now.
I had my mom live with me the last 18 months of her life she had cancer and dementia I was allowed only 6 months carers allowance as I was told by DWP that my mom would get better. Mom died in 2017 aged 90. My mom died long before her body did. And the last 4 months of her life she became violent but it wasn't my mom . And the violence is out of fear she didn't know who she was ,where or who I was she thought I was her mom. But I couldn't put my mom in a home . I looked after her by myself even thought I was born disabled. But I am proud when my mom died she didn't have a sore on her body. Unlike friends who had parents in homes and were bedridden like my mom . Because of the pressure on staff patients didn't get the attention they needed. And got bed sores .
And you query why not vouchers ? Sorry but you saying that makes my blood boil.
You are a very brave and courageous lady and are to be commended for your strength of character to have the stamina to fight your corner. Great work - I salute you and the folk that backed you and advised you.
That's very kind of you thank you. But I am stubborn and have a temper but haven't lost my temper since my husband Nick died. Even if I have to complain I am always nice as it's a waste of energy. Without the Brain Charity I wouldn't have been able to carry on as I couldn't have afforded a solicitor. Plus my caseworker at the job centre was very kind and helpful. And the CA helped me get pension credit.
Charlie Anderson on you tube has really useful videos on claiming pip, appealing when you are rejected and how to manage a tribunal. She has successfully helped many people.
Yes go for it. My disabled son got turned down but we appealed and won.
Appeal! I was in the same situation. I appealed and 5 months later reviewed and their decision was reversed. In my opinion, DWP don’t like appeals as they would have to go to court and it’s too much of a hassle for them. So, do it. It’s lengthy and time consuming but when your back is against the wall, what else is there.
Wishing you love and luck
An appeal can only hear the case based on how you were at the time of the decision. If you have a deterioration in condition or new needs then you really need to make a new claim. The problem with this is if you still appeal the original decision and make new claim also then the if successful the first appeal would only be to award up to the date of the new decision.
It's always best to seek representation and advice as stated by others - CAB, some charities and many local authorities will have a Welfare Rights team, also if you are a Housing Association tenant your HA my have a financial inclusion/welfare rights team who can help
If anyone here has been in the Armed Forces, then the Welfare Department of the Veterans Agency will take up your referral to be heard in court. I am still awaiting my most recent rejection from the forms I submitted in March,
typical DWP, un qualified interviewers who say you sre fit for work when you obviously aren’t.
Is work paying you sick pay? If so that is income from employment. You wont get pip.
Do you fall under any of PIP criteria.
If yes then appeal. It may involve taking them to court.
No sick pay now and just been dismissed due to ill health following occupational health involved
People who are working can get PIP, it isn't based on income.
its based on criteria. If you don't fall within it you get bugger all.
Simply walking from the disabled bay outside the job centre to your appointment they will refuse it.
Yes I know, I applied and was refused so the rigged system is familiar to me. But it is still the case that it isn't based on income.
I gave 3 Stents in 2022, i don’t qualify for disability or anything else.
Wife has copd is never got pip and yet is getting the over 65 equivalent.
It's awful to find that the help isn't there when you need it 😢
Give em hell. I might add my daughter has fibromyalgia and sever depression.
A friend with diabetics both are appealing.
DWP , aka the joke shop don’t want to pay out funds until they are threatened by court action.
Benefits and work or Turn to us both found on line. Have you asked for a mandatory appeal on being turned down yet. if you do make sure you have a copy of your assessment look at every answer the assessor has given points for and if you don't agree write down exactly how you feel in detail with this in mind. can you do it safely, repeatedly, throughout the day to an acceptable standard and in a timely manner Eg does it take you much longer to tii say get washed and dressed and are you exhausted by the time you have it Annwer evenrquestion on these lines even the ones about the bathing and dressing and provide copies of your medical letters to support They will do their best to make you fail so don't give up definitely look at those websites for help
Focus on getting your angina stable? Have you had a recent aginagram, put your e grey in to rehab 👍
Saying try getting your angina stable is a little simplistic to those of us who live with microvascular or vasospastic angina.
We live with an unpredictable and often debilitating type of angina that many healthcare professionals have limited knowledge about. Microvascular and vasospastic angina are challenging to diagnose, treat and live with.
With respect your comment maybe well meant however it is misplaced.
It’s not misplaced, I’ve had 3 over years of ongoing diagnosis with one local hospital and one London one. 82 appointments so far and quite a few trips in the taxi with sirens and blue lights flashing. I’ve had angiograms (most recently last month) stress tests PET scans etc. Each one I get a little more information.
I still have no working diagnosis, only diagnosis of what I “haven’t got” I’d love to know why my heart is scared and my respiratory system is still busted. 3 years ago I had no problems pre (unmentionable) virus but there you go.
My misplaced point is you have to keep pushing to get answers, I’ve met so many people who “just put up with it” on my travels. To the OP keep asking 👍
I am sorry you have had problems accessing the care and the answers to what is causing your symptoms.
However how is it relevant to applying for a PIP?
I agree you have to be persistent. I was first admitted to hospital nearly 12 years ago with a suspected heart attack and incorrectly told I couldn't have angina or a heart attack because my coronary arteries are unobstructed.
I had to work very hard to get my diagnosis confirmed and then accepted by Cardiologists which sadly is still happening to other patients living with microvascular and vasospastic angina.
It's difficult to get a confirmed diagnosis if the Cardiologist you encounter has no knowledge of your heart condition.
you can find details of the descriptors and points awarded for PIP on Citizens Advice website - making sure you go into the appopriate area depending on where you live. For example, England Scotland Wales or Ireland. Points are awarded for the two parts of PIP daily living and mobility. There are descriptors on the CAB website that will tell you how many points you are likely to be awarded based on what you can and cannot do. This should help you when filling in the PIP form. For assistance with appealing Citizens Advice will advise on the process again depending where you live.
take a look at the Benefits and Work site -benefitsandwork.co.uk/, as suggested by Milkfairy , they provide exellent advice and guides to the main benefits - it costs £20 to join and gain full access to the really thorough guides but it is money well spentI got my PIP approved on the first application and got through a successful ESA appeal with their help - they forms need to be completed in cosiderable relevant detail for a successful claim and many people don't realise that just ticking the boxes is not enough
Hi, my understanding is that most people that appeal actually win, it seems as if rejecting a claim is the default action then when the decision is appealed then they look at the actual information.
So appeal and include your different symptoms.
If this is a first refusal on your application, you can ask for a mandatory reconsideration, if still turned down then appeal. Never answer a question with -'yes' always 'no, not without pain, breathlessness, help, aids, rests, very slowly etc etc'.
I also recommend following the guides given in benefitsandwork.co.uk
70% of appeals are allowed I believe. Good luck!
Hi I would say you appeal .it may get rejected then you go to tribunal and 90% of appeals are won. My mum was dying and she had to go to appeal before she got at awarded
I do voluntary work and this is what I do (disability applications and appeals). Absolutely, do put in your Mandatory Reconsideration (first step), and if the DWP still say no, then put in an appeal. The DWP rejects almost everybody the first time -- they work to targets, so their brief is to reject as many people as possible, and hope that most people are too ill and demoralised to challenge it. They also have people assessing medical conditions that they are not qualified to assess, e.g. a physiotherapist assessing a patient with Crohn's disease or a mental health condition.
It helps to spell everything out as if explaining to someone from another planet how your condition affects you and why you cannot work. Never assume that the assessor knows and understands. Under current policy it's their job to say No.
Tribunals are completely independent from the DWP, so you're more likely to get a sensible decision. The DWP often settle out of court at the last minute if you have a solid case and they know they are likely to lose.
Get help from the CAB (which is free) and make sure you have all the medical evidence. Appointment letters don't count; you need copies of letters that state your diagnosis and current treatment or prognosis.
I've heard ancedotally that face to face cases (heard in court) have a higher success rate than telephone hearings, and both of those have more success than a case that's solely judged on paper.
Go for it. Good luck.
Appeal. Happy Rose reply seems really helpful. I have never applied due to the fear of forms. But one day I will have too. Good luck and keep us informed of your journey
Absolutely appeal. They turn down almost every first claim but watch your time limit and please do sign up for the benefits and work website which has the very best advice on how to word things. There's a small charge but trust me it's more than worth it. It's not about what's wrong with you but how it affects what you can or can't do. You really cannot do those forms without help .
The golden rule when making a PIP Claim - When filling out the PIP Application Forms / Appeal Forms, remember to enter the information when you are at your worse. Not a good day. Only you know how you feel and how your ailments affect you xx
I've never gone through an appeal so can't really comment on that aspect as my first claim went through, albeit at the standard rate for both parts.For anyone starting afresh I would recommend filling the forms online, it's far easier in my opinion, get someone to help you if need be, which just happens to be one of the descriptors. Learn and target the descriptors points as its unlikely to get points across the board. Cut and paste, repeat, repeat, repeat and don't forget the 50% rule.
I think being rejected on an initial claim, including when submitting a request for further review is a matter of course, hoping, because of the difficulty in re submitting replacement forms, the claimant just gives up. For this very reason, when submitting initial or further updates to a claim, I always photocopy every piece of paper sent to the department, so that I never fall foul of making silly mistakes that could prejudice such claims.
With what I have just disclosed, there will be no surprise to hear I have had all of my claims either further investigated, subject to tribunal or medical review or plain rejection. I have never let this sway me and have always re submitted the claim and had it accepted and had any payment due backdated to the date of the initial claim.
You may be interested to hear the department responsible for the management of PIP is being investigated for gross mismanagement and (I believe) criminal negligence, deception and lying with intent to defraud, causing failures in health, huge numbers of suicide and causing hardship beyond compare. If you have a look at benefitsandwork.co.uk/ as suggested by milkfairy (two great help and reference areas) which are goldmines of credible information.
The only information that I can give that will be some help are:- If you have done your research and feel you are right, have faith in your information and NEVER give up. Always record every piece of paper you submit, dated and filed in chronological order and always submit your envelope "First Class Signed For" and finally after a doctor specialist appointment or XRay, the hospital/specialist usually sends you a copy of the letter they send to your family doctor, however I take it one step further and write to the hospital asking for disclosure quoting the Freedom of Information Act.
The service is usually free and will give you "front end" information about your health along with a prognosis. So apart from PIP writing to your specialist without your knowing any outcome, if indeed they do do this, you will be in the advantageous position of being able to give this critical information yourself, in the submission you submit to PIP with your claim.
Never assume, always make the very most of your situation and health debility, especially when submitting a claim for mobility allowance, for if you believe you can get on with your pain and do whatever, PIP will be the ones to exaggerate and twist and say you are able to do all of the things you really find most difficult. Think of how you "may" feel next month or next year and that should be what you put down on the form you will submit that this is how you are feeling today.
Keep your spirits up, never give in and please remember, you are only asking for what you are entitled to, what you have paid for all of your working life, an insurance policy for aid when you need it. Good luck and do please write personally or publicly if you need any further help.
Hi I appealed my sons pip and it went to tribunal and they found in our favour. You need to appeal within a certain amount of days but we'll worth doing it
I've completed 5 sets of forms for my adult children and a friend, more than happy to offer any advise
i might add you need to have printed evidence, such as your latest documents from occupational health and your gp.
Dwp are not qualified to do the job .
here is the appeal link :- gov.uk/appeal-benefit-decis...
PIP Claim.
Pip review 
About PIP 
