PIP Claim Update : Hi everyone, Just... - Fibromyalgia Acti...

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PIP Claim Update

mclellans10 profile image
20 Replies

Hi everyone,

Just rang the DWP as it’s been over 6 weeks since my assessment. Only really rang to get a copy of the report but he advised on the phone I’ve been awarded standard mobility until 2022. I done a questionnaire online after going and the information I gave I am entitled to enhanced for both. I’m going to appeal however happy that I’ve been awarded standard straight away anyway as I was expecting to have a flight on my hands and feel like I’m one of the luckier ones. I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else and after mandatory reconsideration your award goes up? I’m waiting to see a copy of the report I’m wondering what she’s said as she seemed lovely in the assessment. If I appeal am I going to have to have another face to face? I’m ready to fight for more as I’ve currently been off work for 7 weeks as I’m so poorly with my Fibro at the moment and struggling to move around or do anything, I’ve never felt so bad 😩

Thanks for reading 🙂

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mclellans10 profile image
mclellans10
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20 Replies

I recently took my sister to court of appeal for pip,we did win basic but was warned by the judge not to push her luck trying for enhanced other wise you could lose it all.. It is becoming so hard now to get basic and I was pushed to a work return assessment even though I have been medically retired for 3 years. Air caution hun !

mclellans10 profile image
mclellans10 in reply to

Terrible isn’t it how they can award you basic then when you push for more they can take it all away! If they thought you were entitled to basic in the first place how can they take it away?! Shocking that we have to fight at all, my poor husband is having to do everything for me at the moment even get me in and out of the bath. Thanks so much for your reply and advice 🙂

Pod165 profile image
Pod165 in reply to mclellans10

Nurse Gladys is a great help indeed.

But what folks need to realise is, This Is A War ! And we've Virtually No-one on Our Side !

The Hold they have over us is Time + Anxiety + Money - especially Money !

To calm that you need get a Citizens Advice Apptmnt as soon as. Try to get your OH there & whoever was with you at your F2F. Take any and All paperwork (as my Advisor told me, if he comes in with a thick folder the Tribunal (in N.Ireland) wants to get through their Well Paid day with as little work & time as possible ! Apparently these 3 clowns liked to get a bit of golf in before their Paid 4 Dinners ! - So kop on to Who's Paying these "Independent" Decision-makers!

Ask about writing to your Gas & Power providers, BT if you use these, Your Internet Provider will usually fix you up with a Lower Package for A Lot less Money. (Another Trick I've learned: Download an App called Viber to Everyone who you need to talk to and ask them to do so. If you Add £1 to your Viber Account, you can use your Mobile to Fone anyone for Free !)

And ring your Mobile provider. If you've got to have the biggest, newest fine, they won't Help. If you tell them You're Chronically ill - which you are! They may offer you better deals, as long as your Fone is A Necessity (like your Car won't start ! You need picked up etc

The CAB usually have "Form" letters for All this Stuff. What's Most important is to Cut Costs as soon as !

If you live near Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Co-OP, M&S or Waitrose you need to fill your Unbusy Parts of your day on an App like "Hotdeals" which have Voucher Codes for All those Stores & more. Some are Simple - A Barcode on your Fone to be scanned at a Checkout Some are Print. Some/most can be used On-line. Think Long Term And very Specific. You don't Need New Clothes - you Want Them ! You Do Need Food - Buy It.

A friend of my OHs sister used Vouchers for All her Shopping - even Stuff she hated, like Pot Noodles. That way if she Had to go to the Food Bank, a town over ! - she Gave them Stuff She didn't want and Got stuff she did ! To her it wasn't anything but a Barter System, so she didn't feel any shame or embarrassment - The No.1 reason people Won't use Food Banks - I think people would be Happier with Food Xchange or Swap Chops ! But I'm a bit funny like that - it's 1 of the ways I get by when the Grey Comes Along.

Doing this, Seeing r Grandsons or even our own Girls (all Adults over 30 !)

If this isn't working, I'll try C.B.T. or Mindfulness meditation type things, or an Audio Book, but Only Funny people - Dull & Miserable I can manage on my own !

Anyway, there's plenty of Handy and Helpful folks Here, so you won't be Alone ! Ask Anything and someone will answer !🍀- Sometimes even Me, if you're Unlucky enough!¡!

😉☘POD☘👍🏻

[Peace, Health, Love & Happiness

& Please, Pls A Pain Free 2020 4ALL]

Don't xpect much help from Me! Most of my days r spent in bed, Xcept when I'm ministering to unfortunate white me who had their Tez Tickles removed, in the bizarre hope Boy George and Jimmy Somerville would do a Murder/suicide!! And they'd be Ready to 'Step Up' !

So, obviously That Didn't happen, so there's a roomful of men crying & talking in high-pitched voices, and wouldn't you know, a simple Hearing Test discovered I've no Bass Register in my Left ear (Too many Years listening to Heavy metal bands on a headphone that had a broken left tweeter - which meant my Ear Bass is Crook Mate And Only I understand their high pitched bleating and Squeaks and Stop them singing to Mice - poor wee feckers!!

mclellans10 profile image
mclellans10

Thanks Ajay575 I was hoping not to have another assessment. It really took its toll on me last time the stress. I know to be honest I was expecting to have a fight for the mobility more than anything! Be interesting what the report says, has there been occasions where the report has been in your favour by the DWP ignore it? I’ll definitely be fighting, thanks for replying 🙂

mclellans10 profile image
mclellans10

Thank you 🙂

sueshepy profile image
sueshepy

Hi, after my f2f assessment I was given zero points. I submitted an MR saying that I do not believe they read the evidence I have supplied and a witness statement from my hubby contradicting the f2f assessment (which was utter lies).

I was awarded 10 points but have appealed as I think that I should have been awarded points on Managing Treatments as I am diabetic and insulin dependent which hosts for me a lot of problems. My hubby has submitted a statement of this.

Hope this helps.

mclellans10 profile image
mclellans10 in reply to sueshepy

Hi sueshepy, that helps massively. That's why I am surprised I've not been granted anything for daily living, I explained that my husband often has to help me get in and out of the bath, he does all the cooking, cleaning etc as I struggle to lift pans, chop veg. I also explained that he has to remind me to take my medication. Thank you for mentioning the statements as I never thought of that - I'll get my husband to do that. I'm hoping it's more the DWP being idiotic rather than the report itself but I'll find out when it arrives!

Thanks again :)

sueshepy profile image
sueshepy in reply to mclellans10

Have you submitted medical evidence as to why you cant lift pans and chop veg etc. If you have, point out in your MR the medical evidence you have supplied has not been considered. If not ask them to write to your GP as my GP's secretary told me to put this in the MR as DWP do write out to them if needed xxx

mclellans10 profile image
mclellans10 in reply to sueshepy

I have yes I sent evidence off of hospital letters regarding my fibromyalgia but I think I will speak to the GPs anyway and get them do do a further letter backing me up as I've been off 8 weeks nearly now and I've been to see them plenty about it in this time! xxx

mclellans10 profile image
mclellans10

Hi everyone! So I’ve had my report through basically in support of me states everything I said that I need assistance from my husband for food and medication etc, can’t drive anywhere new on my own for anxiety etc can’t get on public transport etc. And the DWP said they have decided that because I am cognitively aware that all of that was lies!! And that I’m absolutely fine! Unbelievable!

mclellans10 profile image
mclellans10

I know can’t believe it. Feel a bit positive that the report is in favour and it’s all the DWP. Absolutely shocking. No zero points for it all, basically said in the explanation at the end that she has concluded that because I was cognitively aware and that because I could hold a conversation that she doesn’t believe that I need any help or assistance from my husband with regards to any living and I can use the toilet myself. Even though the report states that I even have grab rails!

mclellans10 profile image
mclellans10

Even my husband said, what report have they read because it’s completely against what this report says?! I haven’t actually heard of them before, but I will definitely look into this. Aw that’s a good idea thanks so much

mclellans10 profile image
mclellans10

When I’ve been and read the report properly (husband gave me the info over the phone as I was at the hosp) it is actually the assessor that said I’m able to do all these things, because one week prior to the assessment (id been on the sick 1 week when I went) that I’d been able to drive a manual and do an admin job, therefore I have the grip, strength, energy and cognition to be able to do all the things I said I sometimes (a lot of the time) struggle with! Fuming!

mclellans10 profile image
mclellans10

It’s already wiped me out for the day the stress of it. The assessment itself took me out for about 4 days afterwards the toll it took on my body 🙁 I’m going to complain to ATOS and include a copy in my MR to the DWP.

mclellans10 profile image
mclellans10

Thanks so much ❤️

Billyboy2u profile image
Billyboy2u

At the MR stage you could have knocked me out with a feather as I went from 0 points to getting high mobility and standard health. Then to top it it’s for 10 years which will take me past my retirement date ????

I just couldn’t believe it. I thought I was going to have to appeal and fight on

So whatever your results it’s worth it to fight on you just never know....

mclellans10 profile image
mclellans10 in reply to Billyboy2u

That sounds great! They currently have me down as it expiring in May 2022 which even though it’s 2.5 years away makes me nervous as I don’t want to go through this again so soon!

Well I have sent my reconsideration off this morning as well as my complaint to ATOS. My husbands also included a statement and I have included an up to date list of my increased meds and also my sickness record from work showing I’m currently still on the sick. Basically included a copy of everything to both complaints.

I’ll keep my fingers crossed as like you I’m worried now I’m going to have to keep going 😩I just don’t know how they can conclude that because I can drive a car and I’ve gone to work that my husband doesn’t have to help me with everything and remind me for my meds etc. They said I have a cognitive job (Med Secretary) so I should be able to remember my own medication!! I’m so bad my husband has to actually hand me it!

Thanks for your reply 🙂

releasethemagic profile image
releasethemagic

They often write in reports that because you can drive, you must have sufficient muscle strength and co-ordination to dress, cook etc and enough manual dexterity. So zero points for Daily Living. They also regularly say that as you work, you must be able to do the daily living activities so try to cover that in your MR or Appeal submission too. Stress the differences between activity in your job [ pushing, pulling, stretching, weight bearing etc ] and the daily living activities. You will need to stress the chronic unremitting pain, whether you can only drive an automatic now or plan to change, whether you need a particularly strong power steering to drive, particular styles of seat to avoid pain, whether you only do short journeys, how long you need to recover afterwards and so on, to overcome this pre-conception/DWP mindset that driving means you are OK. They tried this on me and at Appeal I won a double Enhanced Award. Initially I got nothing for Daily Living, so don’t give up.

mclellans10 profile image
mclellans10 in reply to releasethemagic

I’ve told them in the MR that I drive because I often have no choice but to, same with working. I’ve said work have been very caring and helpful about it making reasonable adjustments allowing me to go slower take a break etc. They’ve said I do an admin job which implies that I’m lifting carrying etc but I’ve said I’m actually a medical sec who proof reads and answers a phone. I stated that yes I drive a manual but they’ve taken away my chance of support to get an automatic which is what I want, with reasonable adjustments to help me get in and out of the car. She didn’t lie about what I actually said it’s all in there plain to see that I struggle driving because of the pain and I also expressed that the assessment and stress of this caused me to have an extreme flare for 4 days afterwards. Terrible that we have to do this! She essentially called me a liar! Glad to hear you had a positive outcome though, fingers crossed for me :) Thanks for replying!

mclellans10 profile image
mclellans10

Just an update I've heard back from ATOS who have completely dismissed my claim, wrote a load of rubbish on how the report is produced by how I am on the day - which she could see I was wrecked and in pain - yet still wrote in the report that because a week prior I was at work and I could drive I shouldn't need any help? Total rubbish. Anyway, still waiting hear from the DWP about Mandatory Reconsideration not expecting anything any time soon, but I won't be holding my breath!

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