BRONCHIECTASIS AND PIP

Hi all - this is my first post so I will start at the beginning. Mum of 3, age 43.. the youngest is 4. I have been suffering the effects of bronchectasis since 2013 and diagnosed Aug 17. I also have asthma, allergies and nodules on my vocal cords. I have had chest infections every other month for the past 8 months. I’m currently off work atm with a selection of chest infection and /or anxiety. I do my nebuliser and acapeller twice daily and take all tablets (time consuming and the nebuliser makes me gag sometimes 😩). I work as a behaviour support assistant in a school on a 1:1 basis. I have applied for PIP (I would like to reduce my hours slightly as If im not suffering from coughing, pains it’s fatigue). I have had my interview and I was rewarded 0 points. Obviously I have requested the first appeal and I am looking some good points to add, help me to obtain the desired result. My employer has been fab so far and has offered me less hours and hopefully a less complex child.. but unfortunately I still have a house to run and kid to look after. Thanking you all in advance 😁

22 Replies

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hypercat54

6 months ago

Hi you get PIP not for what illness you have but how it affects you. I would get help in completing the appeal form as they can be tricky to get right. You need to describe your worst day and avoid saying well I have to just get on with it because of the kids. One of the criteria is that you can do things safely and in a timely manner. So for example if you go shopping but it takes you a long time and/or you have to rest for hours afterwards you might get some points.

I presume you have looked at other things such as child tax credits, working tax credits if your hours are 30 or more and you earn under a certain amount, housing benefit, and council tax rebate. You might get those if your income is low. You can also apply for help with healthcare costs ie prescriptions, glasses, teeth etc. x

Ern007

Hi Bertie50 .

With PIP it is not what you have got, it's how your illnesses affect you. You get points for help with bathing. getting dressed and managing to prepare a cook a meal for you. comunications skills andmore.. I think you need to convince them on 4 reasons you need help as you need 12 points for standard personal care and each compnant is worth 3 points.My sister in law has just won hers after a face to face with ATOS who are inpatrial.

You peobably will have a face to face with ATOS and you will be asked how you manage to work, when you need help with personal care. You are allowed to work, but you have to convice the assessors that does not conflict with your claim. There is also help for mobility, again how do you get to work, the criteria is strict for the high mobility comonent..

As mrsmummy has pointed out, there are appeal systems in place and many more people win appeals than they used to do...

If you don't get it first time, you can ask PIP to look at your case again and I think you can provide extra evidence. If thar fails then you can appeal.

Whatever if you are refused, get help from Welfare Rights or Citizens advice - it's how you present your case that matters.

Best of luck...

anng1814

Hi,

I am so sympathetic to you, having been in education myself I know what a difficult and tiring job you do. I tried for PIP and got no points for having severe emphysema and finding it almost impossible to cook and eat. I also definitely move a lot slower than normal. I am in the process of appeal and have found that the following government assessment guidelines provides me with some ammunition.

This is the site:

gov.uk/government/uploads/s...

This is some of what I have written, as an example to you, using jargon from their own criteria:

'However, I am puzzled by the DWP and HP response, as in the Government's Assessment Criteria 2.1.3 it states ' it is insufficient for the HP to argue just from the general principle when justifying descriptor choices' It also states in 2.1.4, that the HP should take into account the impact of carrying out a task, which includes breathlessness, pain, discomfort, fatigue and anxiety. The HP has also not considered the impact of completing one activity on the ability to complete others. The HP has also not taken into account that I cannot cook on any day, without severe consequences. It states further in the Government Assessment Criteria 2.2.18, that symptoms such as breathlessness should be considered as,

'While these symptoms may not necessarily stop the claimant carrying out the activity in the first instance, they may be an indication that it cannot be done as often as is reasonably required.'

It states further in the Government Assessment Critieria 2.2.19,

'• A person who is able to prepare a meal, but the exhaustion from doing so means they cannot then repeat the activity at subsequent meal times on the same day. This means they cannot complete the activity repeatedly as it is reasonable to expect people to prepare a meal more than once a day. '

I believe the DWP and HP have ignored the guidelines as set out by the government, regarding my ability to prepare food.

Do write a mandatory reconsideration and good luck to you.