HELP PLEASE FOR PIP

[Lightlady]

Hi guys just got my "invitation to apply forPIP" and its looks awful. any tips please because like most of you I'm worried and scared that I will loose my benefits.

[bluebell99]

Firstly, make an an appointment for Citizens Advice. Copy the parts which appy to you and practice filling it in with a pencil, this will give you time to work out what you mean and also show the CAB the symptoms you want included. They will word it for you as they know what the DWP want.

If you look to the right of the screen you will see other members experiences of PIP.

Also in Topics in Work and Benefits and you could type PIP in the search box at the top.

Hope this helps a little.

Kay

[BlueMermaid3]

Hi there

Are you changing over from DLA to PIP?

I would definitely get some professional help if I were you. You can either Google for a Disability Advocate in your area or contact the CAB.

In the meantime I would get together as much "evidence" as you possibly can.

This can be hospital appointment letters, your letter of diagnosis, your repeat prescription sheet, all that sort of thing.

I'm sorry I can't be of more help than that.

Wishing you much peace

Lu xx

[Janet28]

Hi Lightlady it is very daunting isn't it ? I'm dreading it, so i can feel your stress. It's ok if you get help, as BlueMermaid3 & bluebell99 have advised, so try not to worry, or it is likely to make you unwell.

I do wish you well with it all and do let us know how you get get on.

Peace, luv n light

Jan x

[Hartleyhare2]

My turn must be soon as I'm still on DLA. Hopefully you have a copy of your original submission still so you have a good starting place. I would photocopy the form so you can do a working copy and then keep it as your copy.

As the others have mentioned CAB are very helpful but get to them quick in case a wait to see them and I guess you've only been given three weeks or so to complete it.

Fill it in as on your worst day. Try and use medical terms, so instead of my hands hurt it would be I have peripheral neuropathy in my hands that severely limit my range of activities etc. Make it easy for them to award you points, give examples and evidence if you have it.

For me the big thing is not to get stressed. It's the number one cause of a flare up for me and I guess a lot of us.

Good luck

Patrick x

[Hidden]

Google is your friend, and yes also use the CAB to help you fill out the forms.

I would advise you get all your medical records if you can afford to from your GP and also everything else in writing such as hospital appointments, any unfit for work notes you may have. You will need all your meds listed what they are for how long you've had them.

You need to know the when you were diagnosed by who ect ect.

And you should write down every single thing you struggle with even if you have good days where maybe it isn't as big a struggle you can say things like....“It takes me a long time to do <activity> because I have to keep resting / it causes me pain”

and then continue on with the pain the medication and how it affects you in other ways...stress anxiety for example.

Good luck

[Ccupcakes]

Hello lightlady, everyone on here is really helpful and th CAB are excellent of course, but in my area like lots they simply don't have the capacity and I cant always get in to them. I am also quite badly hearing impaired so long phone calls are out too! I have posted this on here before as I used to work in the advice sector (and For CAB for a while) there is a really good website called ' the benefits and work forum, If I can work out how I will post the link. You do have to join them for a small fee but their guides to all things benefits are second to none. Google them , they are really worth a look.

[Ccupcakes]

benefitsandwork.co.uk Yay , did it first time, it's one of the things I can never rember how to do!!!

[kmc-cudsleepforaweek]

Hi. Just wanted to add my little bit to the good advice you've already had. When I read the form and the descriptors (I used the CAB website) and identified which elements where most applicable to me, I took some time to think of how much that particular activity affected me before I started pumping in the meds and became half woman/half zombie 😫 For instance, I could only walk a very short distance before the pain and exhaustion reduced me to tears, which I took into account when I estimated the distance I could walk for that question. If you have difficulty writing then may I suggest that you type the answers. I did half & half but only because my printer ran out of ink 😂 it looked a bit mess but it was a true representative of the real difficulties I have.

I dont want to overload you but please make sure that you record your session. They don't supply recording devices at PIP assessments so you need to take your own, I bought 2 cheap tape recorders (Amazon - £12 each).

As you said, this is needed money,I had so much depending on it, it was overwhelming. My tip to minimise the stress is to see this as a job & treat it as such. Research your little heart off.

I wish you the outcome you deserve & am sending the softest hugs.🤗🤗🤗🤗 K xx

p.s I was awarded enhanced mobility & standard care.

[Leonwp]

I cant add much to what has bee already advised except to say consider carefully the effects your condition has on you, i say that because modt of us have many small problems that we just accept and ignore, also read up on the side effects possible with each medication because again there are probably side effects that you just accept and overcome but that do effect your daily living. Remember to include every item you use to assist you. My own writing is not very good and fortunately these days i have to write less and less, i started fresh on each question abd it wasnt until a friend looked at it that i realised that although i started off ok ish by the time i reached the end of each question i had fully developed the writing skills of a 3 year old with boxing gloves on. The assessor picked up on this and asked me why i didnt get someone else to write it, i replied "because you are assessing how i cope with things, not my friend".

I have had 3 assessments in total, one each for DLA, ESA and lastly PIP. I have to say that the actual assessments were done fairly and with consideration even if i did not always agree with the outcome.

Blessings.

[Fra22-57]

Just had my face to face assessment. All you fill in in that huge booklet the questions were asked again n she wrote ito all down.Well asked in strange ways and she said questions were silly.So I didn't tell her all I had put down but hope it's all enough.One question was asked if I could get in a bath.I don't have one but she insisted I answer if there were grab rails could I.I thought what's the point in filling book in if they are going to re write it.She was trying to say I was worse than I was and I said I didn't want to claim falsely .

I asked if I got any better then again worse should I inform of both and she said only if I got worse which I found odd.

Glad my ordeal is over. Just be honest

[TheAuthor in reply to Fra22-57]

Hi Fra22-57 I want to sincerely wish you all the best of luck with your PIP outcome my friend

[Icenae]

I had the dreaded forms arrive. Filled them all in myself, picturing my worst day, gathered all my gp and consultant letters together. Photocopied them all. And included them. Visited gp to make sure my history was accurate and up to date. (Loads missing). Bought 2 recorders from ebay. Tapes were a bit tricky to find. You have to inform them in advance and give them an identical recording. Went to interview. My husband drove me. Dropped me off outside and had to park elsewhere. They ask how you got there.

Very nice young lady. Nurse. Very sympathetic. Surprised at recording, never had that before but ok with it . Asked same questions as form. I cant walk far without pain and get breathless. ( keywords). Confirmed fma, arthritis and hips bursitis also have a pacemaker and atrial fib so can be quite bad at times and my hubby has to do a lot and help me in shower and dress sometimes and cooks. So very pleased to be given mobility pip and got care too for 5 years, which was not expected. I was just concerned to keep my mobility payment.

Quite hard work and stressful but the interview was ok So wish you well and hope you get what you need.

[TheAuthor in reply to Icenae]

Hi Icenae I want to sincerely wish you all the best of luck with your PIP outcome my friend

[Icenae in reply to TheAuthor]

Thank you. I got a very positive result. Delighted to get my mobility again (had dla before). Plus I was also awarded some care. So better off than my previous dla.

[TheAuthor in reply to Icenae]

That is wonderful news Icenae congratulations my friend

[TheAuthor]

Hi Lightlady

I sincerely hope that you are feeling as well as you possibly can be today? I can see that you have been given some wonderful replies so I will simply and sincerely wish you all the best of luck with your PIP outcome my friend. Please take care of yourself.

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken