Hi everyone!
Hope you're all as well as you can be, I'm just starting a claim for PIP, I'm just waiting for the forms to be sent to me, having started my claim over the phone. I don't find filling in forms easy, and I'm terrified that I can't put my case as clearly as I should to ensure that I get awarded because fibro fog and symptoms are preventing me! Anyone know where I can get help? Many thanks and have a good day everyone!
Hi covbabe
I'm sorry I can't help but I just wanted to say hello and nice to meet you
I completely understand how you feel I am dreaded filing in the PIP FORM when I'm due to change and I'm really good at saying yes I'm fine ,oh yes I can do that when in fact I have perhaps done it once in years.im not sure I'm making sense now 😊
Good luck
Take care
Squeak 🐷🐭 xxx
Hello. Hubby and i have always gone to the CAB for help with filling in forms.
Good luck sue.
Mayrose's suggestion is the best if you live anywhere near a CAB as if you are lucky enough to get an advisor who is familiar with the forms they have a way of filling them in that can put the best case across for you. As part of my last job I used to fill in Attendanced Allowance Forms for the elderly and even though I had received training the more you filled in the more expert you became on exactly what they were looking for. Without telling any lies I could put information down in the best way for a client making it more likely that they would succeed with the claim.
If you can't get to see someone from CAB and there are no benefit advisors in your vicinity perhaps you could e mail info@fibroaction.org and ask them whether they would send an attachment via e mail of the guide on PIP from the Benefit and Works site which although lengthy would guide you through the process. Don't try to do it all at once just an hour a day really reading each section before starting to fill in. Remember you can attach extra pieces of paper if the boxes aren't big enough but put your name and NI nos at the top. I always used to suggest to people they did a diary for just a week from the moment they tried to get up in the morning to the moment they went to bed and list all the activities which caused them problems physically or mentally, how long it took them to complete a task, what tasks were impossible, etc, etc and it soon builds up a picture of your problems.
You have probably got used to your illness and don't realise how long it takes you to do certain tasks. Getting dressed might take someone who is fit litearlly 5 minutes it might take you 45 mins and you might feel so exhausted by the time you had finished that you felt like crawling back into bed. We get used to this and we just think it is normal life for us. Everyone who did this said they were shocked how long things took them and without this method they would have probably grossly underestimated the time factor or how it affected them exhaustion or pain wise.
Good luck with it all hope you are successful. Let us know how you get on.x
Hi, i have been told if you fill out the form yourself you have proved you can manage a quite complicated task independently, therefore always get help from a friend, relative or even your local CAB, and state that on the form. I have just sent mine off. I used disabilityrightsuk website for help with the scoring system and to get an idea of what the interview assessment would be like. Just remember, they ask if you can do each task repeatedly not just one off on a good day. Best of luck.
Hi covbabe
If you send a message to either Mdaisy (Admin) or smarcarkaz (volunteer) they will be able to offer you some advice and information.
I want to wish you all the best of luck with your claim.
Ken
Phone your CAB they will help you fill it out they help me mine they will fill it in for you they asked you think and just fill it in for you the PIP Ony give you 2 weeks to fill it in I told the CAB this so I could get appointment good luck x
Hi covebabe,
I'm in the exact same position as you just now, it was welfare rights who told me to apply so I'm hoping they coukd help me with the form, I'm seeing welfare rights on Monday about another benefit issue, so i will ask him & let youknow if they can help fill in forms, take care keep well x
Thanks to all who replied to my plea for help, God bless all, I shall indeed go to Citizens Advice if I can get an appointment, it's quite hard to get one here in Coventry but I shall try. Take care everyone! x
Hello Covbabe, Fellow Babe of Cov ! 
I'm literally just a few steps ahead of you (having my PIPS assessment on Monday !) and echo all the recommendations here - including CAB help.
A few other thoughts too:
1) If you're by chance housebound, you can actually email Cov CAB. They come back pretty quickly. Can also support appeal process, so do keep heart all the way through.
2) You're probably a genuine Cov Spring Chica, so I hardly dare say, yet if by remote chance you're 50+. Age UK can also help
3) YEs, I thoroughly agree with others about getting help completing the form
4) Just to share, I did mine in 15 minute chunks over several (about 6) weeks - I got a friend to type it because I'm mostly too whacked to do that.
5) Please don't feel pressurised by any 'deadline' because you can ring once to reschedule if there is a good health reason.
6) If it helps, I got hold of this book " PIPS, What you need to know" - I'm happy to lend it, if you or a friend are mobile to come to the city centre centre (as I'm housebound)
7) I also found a useful guide from someone on-line. I can copy paste it in a message to you, as too long to share in this 'reply' box !
Really wish you good luck ! Keep us posted ! Take care xx
Go to benefitsandwork.co.uk/ they are wonderful, offering in depth advice & step-by-step help all the way through the process. You can access detailed fact sheets and there's a forum for asking questions. They are on your side. It's all done online & costs about £19 for a year's membership, but it's the best money I ever paid. I don't know how I would've coped without them. Good luck!
Pip forms
ESA forms 
PIP UPDATE
PIP Claim 
Can you claim help with Fibromyalgia?
