HI . I'm 52 and I suffer from fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and hypermobility joint syndrome. I need advice about completing the dreaded form. I'm scared of putting the wrong words and I'm not sure how much detail to go into.
I'm on day 3 in bed with pain and swelling at the moment so this is obviously not helping.
I have already found one of your posts very helpful regarding typing the form ! At least someone can do that for me. Are there any buzz words that may help ? Any do's or don'ts ? Thanks great site . X
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Wickedbiker
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You could give the Fibromyalgia UK Benefit helpline a ring on 03009990055 Opening times: Mon 10.00 am - 12 noon; and Fri 10.00 am - 12 noon aring as they have access to some good information and also some factsheets.
Remember to say how long an activity takes you and that even if you can do it that afterwards you are in alot of pain and fatigue and need "X" amount of time to recover. I know it sounds horrible but you have to lay it all on with a trowel. Do expect to be called for an assessment as the majority of people are. Good luck.x
Use long term health, Chronic pain, fatigue. Use your worse days as examples. I also advise to say you are unable to do things rather than you can but they take a long time. If they see that you can do something then that's a tick in the box for them.
I have to do this for my daughter so I know how incredibly stressful just filling in the form can be.
I discovered a marvellous web site called "Benefit and Work" you have to pay to join aprox £20.00 but they have a code at the moment " 94565" that makes it slightly cheaper. I'm on the mailing list and it came through yesterday.
Theres a huge amount of info on the site.
Good luck x
Hi Wickedbiker, I suffer from Fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and hypermobility too along with asthma and anxiety. I had to apply for PIP in January which was going over from DLA to PIP. When I first got DLA in 2014 I used Fightback4Justice as I was awarded nil points and it went to appeal, it took 18 months but Fightback won my case for me at Bradford Court. I was worried about having to apply for PIP when they wrote to me to say the DLA was stopping and I had to apply for PIP so contacted Fightback4Justice again. They completed the forms completely for me over the telephone and posted them to me the next day which I then sent to the Dept of Work and Pensions. I had a home assessment in the next couple of weeks or so which Fightback attended with me. It was a great because I felt unable to do it alone. Within 4 weeks I heard back from the DWP and they had awarded me both care and mobility, it was such a relief. Fightback4Justice have a facebook page and also a Website if you search for them. I paid their expenses and it was worth every penny to have that reassurance and knowledge. Michelle who founded Fightback4Justice is a fully qualified lawyer and they run F4J on donations only they do not make a profit at all. It is definitely worth a look. I wish you the very best of luck. Let us know how it goes. X
I have dealt twice with Fightback 4 Justice so don't believe all you hear. Both occasions won me my award after in the first instance an 18 month battle which went to appeal. Without Fightback I would have lost that is a certainty.
UK & ME & Chronic Illness Benefits Advice Group, is great for asking Questions, you have to be on Facebook to use this.
2. Benefitsandwork.co.uk is a brilliant website. To become a member costs £20 but worth every penny. You can download all that you need, plus more information. Tells you best way to fill in form. Things you won’t think of.
3. Ensure you have all your medical evidence and make sure it is uptodate. If possible get something from GP. You really should before that give your GP a list of all your symptoms, which we often forget about until you start writing them down. Some GPS will NOT do this, others charge for it.
4. SO IMPORTANT to record your Assessment with 2 identical Tape Recorders, I got them from Argos, Bush brand, not great quality, but will suffice for this. No you can’t use other methods of recording, this the DWPs rules. Remember to get cassette tapes. This will ensure that everything that is said on both sides is recorded, so covers you for lies and distortions and changing what you said. I used for for Mandatory Consideration and I won and got HIGH for both components, as they had lied so much.
5. Always use these words You are unable to do each activity RELIABLEY, REPEATEDLY AND SAFELY.
All,the people in our support group,who did this, got it. Those who didn’t, didn’t get PIP and had to to FULL APPEAL. Get help from friends, family to help you do this.
6. Ensure you have someone with you at Assessment. They should carry everything and set up recording devices. They can prompt you if needed and give you moral support.
Hi, We are treated like lepers, scroungers and the list is endless. I AM IN PROCESS OF completing my transfer from DLA to PIP. There is so much WE/YOU can do to prepare yourself BEFORE you get your letter asking you to transfer.
OBTAIN IF IF U DONT ALREADY HAVE, all,relevant supporting evidence from GPS, consultants, hospitals, mental health, absolutely everything you can find, starting from even before diagnosis til you put form in.
FIRSTLY OBTAIN THE QUESTIONS ON THE PIP FORM from Janet, Benefit Advisor on this site or I personally went to the benefitsandwork.co.uk site and paid a small sum (it only covers their overheads). You can go on this site without becoming a member and see other comments, plus huge amount of info without paying. I can tell you it is worth every single penny, £19.99
When us get the questions that are same as on the PIP form, start by separately on fresh piece of paper, if you can type then type in a new document.
Try and answers the questions as and when you can, but don't leave long periods if you can. Put as much detail as you can for every question. Keep notepad by bed as things come to you at night for things u have forgotten. Gradually you will get through.
When filling in the form say Question 1a. Tick box and write in refer to page 1,2,3 ( the document which I have written which ever how many pages refer to that question.
THE BONUS OF USING THE benefitsandwork.co.uk is that you can download everything like notes to help you, plus the points system you can get depending on how you answer or what you can do. It will also tell you questions on face to face assessment that are usually asked.
Download a GPS note (like a mini PIP form with tick boxes, only approx 8 pages) that your GP can fill in. I did 2 copies, ticked boxes on one copy and showed my GP the other one, who then ticked all the same as me except one. This is sent along with Completed PIP form.
ALWAYS RECORD YOUR INTERVIEW, YOU WILL need to identical tape recorders and sealed I think tapes. One for them and one copy for you. YOU CANNOT USE DIGITAL EQUIPMENT ACCORDING TO DWP.
You have to tell them on your form that you will be doing this and check by phone that they have this in place when u get interview date.
Sorry forgot somethings. ALWAYS PHOTOCOPY YOUR FORM AND ALL RELEVANT SUPPORTING EVIDENCE. When I got letter asking me to phone them, I waited until I had done more questions before phoning and I was stressing about phoning them. I neednt of of worried. I got my carer to speak to them for most of it, but you have to tell them at the beginning that you want to do it. The letter they send you tells you what they will be asking.
ALSO THEY SHOUKD ASK YOI IF U WANT SUPPORTING EVIDENCE FROM DLA TO BE USED FOR YOUR PIP. I STILL HAD EVERYTHING so didn't need it.
Always take someone with you for interview. Take a taxi even if it's for the last part of journey. They think if you can go by transport, you don't have a problem, huh. Lists all side effects of meds, if you are not sure if it's your meds or conditions causing them, look at each individual drugs side effects and list those that effect you.
This has been so difficult for me to do, especially as still doing form myself and it may not always be well written, but better than nothing.
Ask for an EXTENSION, IF YOU NEED TO, BUT APPARENTLY DO NOT LEAVE TIL THE LAST FEW DAYS, give reasons like cognitive problems, brain fog, severe flare ups.
To say that I am stressed and anxious, whilst awaiting counselling for bereavement plus horrendous other stuff and then doing this, is an understatement, but I would never have been able to do this in the normal time. I have cried bucket loads, but I just keep saying, 8 will get through this. If us can get a good support network around us from friends and family. Not easy I know.
GOOD LUCK AND GET STARTED KNOW.
SORRY FOUND THIS, FORGOT I HAD A COPY OF IT, VUT BRAIN FOG AND HOT WEATHER MAKES MY BRAIN SO BAD.
You are brilliant ! So appreciated. When I got DLA I was fine cos it was a doctor that saw new and read my medical reports. I couldn't pretend anyway. No stress at all. Even got indefinate. No that means nothing and obviously they believe looking at me in front of them more than medical reports from specialists . I'll keep everyone updated. Oh I did get s two week extension. I have an app on my phone 3 hic is amazing called ..call recorder and it's free. Does every single part of call even awful music ! They told me so many lies for someone else's applic6that I downloaded it. Cant do without it . X
Think tomorrow you should phone DWP and ask for an extension to give you extra time, because the pain is so severe and chronic fatigue is made worse because of weather. Then you have to get help. Leaving it just makes the stress worse I found.
If you put an app on your phone that records your calls, you will have evidence that you phoned DWP. Make sure you get name of person who gives you an extension and the time that you rang them. Sometimes takes a long time to get through, but just be patient and DONT GIVE UP. Or if you can’t handle it, get someone else to do, but you will have to do security questions first, like your national insurance number, etc.You can always PM me if you need help.
We’ve all been through it and do understand. My logic is that I am NOT going to let the B******s win. You literally do not have anything to lose, because if you don’t do it, you lose it anyway.
Do you have supporting evidence?
Have a look online and download the pip scoring descriptors it's on there somewhere in pdf form.
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