Can I just remind people that if you don't get the level of PIP awarded that you expected [based on your DLA award] please do not lose hope as you can appeal.
Look at it as 'you have one foot on the ladder' for claiming PIP. Once DWP has awarded you an amount they cannot take it away from you unless your circumstances change. After having the highest DLA I was awarded a ridiculously low PIP. I appealed and, I'll admit that it does stress you, but it is worth it. My PIP was increased. There is no harm in appealing as long as you remember that DWP is only interested in how your condition affects you and not what illness you have, the medication you take or your previous DLA award.
You can use the Citizens Advice Bureau [CAB], the excellent Benefits and Work online site, a social worker, someone else who has already claimed PIP and, of course, the community here at HealthUnlocked.
Please, please do not despair and think that no-one cares. We care and there are plenty of people at the places mentioned above to help you.
Take care and please stay safe.
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Sandy247
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I think it is something like 70% success rate of getting dwp decisions overturned at tribunal (cannot remember if that was pip or ESA or both)
Going to tribunal is stressful, but where there are obvious discrepancies in what you're awarded - especially when you have transferred from dla to pip it can be worthwhile.
FMA UK benefits advisor can help with guidelines on appealing a decision
0300 999 0055 (Mon, Wed, Fri 10.00-12.00) or email benefits.advice@fmauk.org
There are a number of freely available guides to help you make the most of your claim for PIP. You will find them listed here healthunlocked.com/fibromya...
I used the Guides and appealed after being refused any Daily Living PIP. I got an Enhanced award at Tribunal. My DLA award had been lower rate care and I would have been happy with Standard rate PIP. It has just been renewed for 10 years, so definitely appeal if you think the assessor is treating your claim unfairly.
I was on high rate mobility and low rate care when on Dla . Then on change over from DLA to PIP they awarded me standard on both . Idone an MR and was awarded enhanced on both care and mobility .In my case they asked my Gp for a factual report and changed their decision after receiving it. I saw on my patient access that doctor had logged administration at the end on April IRang doctors surgery and asked and spoke to receptionist and asked her what administration meant on my patient access file . She went and checked and all she could tell me it was to do with Pip Ithen applied through subject assess for all information shared between DWP IA S and my Gp for my information . I now have received it. It makes interesting reading the way they worded a letter to my Gp for factual report and the questions asked and the way they instruct the GP to fill out answers
Well said Sandy, DLA and PIP are two different benefits and when claim or moving from DLA to PIP you must read and understand the questions, you gave your reply wonderfully.
I know exactly how you feel. It's easy for others to say 'Don't be nervous' but they are not the one attending the interview, you are. I think nervousness shows that you are taking this matter seriously,
Please remember when answering the DWP Officer's questions to try to include as much as you can from the PIP form you have completed.
If your circimstances have worsened you must tell them at your interview. You will need to say how your circumstances have changed and how this change has affected your day-to-day living, for example, if you normally suffer from fatigue and it has recently become worse explain that your increased fatigue means that you are sleeping most of the day which means that you have no life - just sleeping and when you are awake, still being drowsy, you are afraid to cook any food, even in a microwave, in case you burn/scald yourself so you have been living on crisps and chocolate bars. Obviously this means that your usual diet has changed and all of this is making you more depressed. The long periods of sleep, not being able to eat hot , healthy food and your depression getting worse has now got to the point where you don't even want to get out of bed.
Did you make a copy of the completed PIP application form? If so, take that with you. It will help refresh your memory. I would also suggest reading the copy of that form a couple of times today and once in the morning or an hour before your interview - whichever is closest to your interview, This will mean that the facts will be fresh in your head and you will be able to recall them easier when answering the DWP interviewer.
Do not get all smartly dressed. Wear what you would normally wear everyday which could range from jeans to tracksuit bottoms, I am sorry but I do not know if you are a man or a woman so I am including this next piece of information in case you are a woman. Do not put lots of make-up on just the bare minimum or attend bare faced if you normally don't wear make-up. Remember this is an interview to assess your entitlement to Benefit not a job interview.
The DWP official will note how you were during the interview i.e.were you visibly upset, did you cry or ask to stop the interview for a couple of minutes if it all gets too much? It will also be noted whether you made eye contact easily or whether you spent most of the time looking at the floor. All of these little things are shown in the Interviewer's report that they send to the Decision Maker. So please do not do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable for example keeping eye-contact when you would feel better looking down at the floor. Little things like this are taken into account by the Decision Maker when deciding what, if any, level of PIP you are entitled to.
Remember that you can ask the interviwer to repeat any question that you did not hear clearly or ask them to explain a question that you do not understand. Ask as many questions as you need to to ensure that you understand every question. The DWP officer will not mind. Don't suffer in silence and then regret not asking questions once your interview is over. This is your interview, the only time you will be able to tell your story directly to a DWP official [unless you appeal , of course] abouthow your illness affects your daily life.
Finally, when attending your interview it should be noted that from the moment you get out of your car/taxi you will be watched. This is to see if you have been lying on your form an example of this would be if you had written that you have to keep stopping every few steps to get your breath but manage to walk all the way from the car/taxi to the DWP reception without stopping.
Also, the DWP official will know how many metres/feet from reception to their office is so again, if you have stated that you cannot walk more than 3 metres without stopping and you manage to get from reception to the interview room without stopping this will be noted too.
I hope this helps you and has not made you more nervous..
Unfortunately they can take it away at any time , definitely appeal, my sister in law has a rare heart problem and has had a pacemaker and defib for 30 years since was 26, last year the took her award away and left her without a car etc, she appealed it took 3 months, she now has a lifetime award x
I received Dla for over 20 years, crossed over to Pip and lost my car and higher rate of mobility, I have appealed and lost, i re appealed in October of last year, last message i received from them was in Feb 2020 and was told they were looking into it. Now their excuse is Covid19. They are a lazy bunch of money grabbers and don't care about our welfare. This whole situation has sent me into a downward spiral, not as far as suicide but severe depression, and has exacerbated my symptoms 100%. They do what they want. Rant over
I have my tribunal for pip tomorrow by telephone. Originally I was awarded 11 points for care, after my medical the hp took points away for managing therapy and eating and drinking, had two extra points for wearing bilateral hearing aids, although last time didn't score points for having just one! I previously was getting high rate mobility on dla, but lost it on the change over to pip. Had Esa medical before pip medical, they state I am unable to walk anymore than 50 metres reliably, so why am I not given the standard rate mobility for pip? They say the criteria is different. I'm really anxious about my tribunal tomorrow as scared that I will loose my standard care. Has anyone else experienced a phone tribunal?
Hi Pandora _02 How did your Tribunal go? I do hope that you were successful. It's crazy that they say ESA criteria is different. Maybe some of the questions yes - but how can they argue with the walking distance one. How can one person say you can't walk a certain distance - then another say that you can ! They are contradicting their own employees. It's disgusting.
Hello Georgie, I was given standard mobility but kept on standard care. The tribunal were very tough and I felt that they didn't really beleive the difficulties I have, such as poor grip, and short term memory problems, because I can drive a car how can I not have a good grip. My problems are with small items, because I don't now visit GP, didn't have evidence to back me up, apart from having carpal tunnel surgery. My hands seize up often which I think is probably trigger finger
Hi Pandora. The old chestnut re driving. It's just ridiculous. Well at least you got the standard mobility at tribunal. I know you was on high on DLA but they have moved the goal posts now to get the high rate. With the way things are - it's going to be neon impossible to ever get evidence for this never ending saga. It's impossible to even get to see a doctor now. So bet that makes PIP a happy bunch. With the short term memory problems they don't really take it into account - unless you have evidence of a cognitive impairment. Bitter sweet but you did at least gain something at tribunal. I wish you all the best.
Your illness history is important as is medication I saw on questions asked of factual report asked of my GP . They requested history of my conditions and also wanted to know if oral steroids have been prescribed in the last 12 months
I agree that the medication you take and your medical history are important when DWP are assessing a person's claim to PIP however,the main difference between DLA and PIP is that the criteria used for PIP is primarily based on how your condition affects your day-to-day living and not what medication you take or illness you suffer from.
Hi Sandy247. With DLA you had to thoroughly explain how your conditions affected your day to day life - and what help you needed or if you had aids. There was questions that the form asked just like PIP eg cooking - washing - dressing - toileting - walking . In fact it wasn't much different to PIP. So no one was awarded just because they had a certain condition.
Glad to wake up and read your post. Received my Gp letter of support for PIP yesterday, now waiting for Rhuematology Consultant to send me his letter. I'm so fibro'd right now and foggy that even the 1st phone call to make a PIP claim feels like a mountain. The thought of having to travel to be assessed is tipping over the edge with anxiety. Everyone says 'Dee, just get it together and do it' ! but it's taken me over half an hour to type this post! I guess I'm saying that I your reassurance about appealing is helpful and at worst I can do that. The worry of it is surely worse than the reality.
They can reduce or take away your award, both at MR and tribunal, alas. It isn't common at tribunal, though, and if they think they might do so they warn you and ask if you want to proceed.
Hello, transferring from DLA to PIP is not an automatic transfer of benefits like for like. The criteria for claiming either benefit is and are totally different. Maybe the difference is the age range each benefit covers. I am so glad that you took your claim to an MR and then to the next level a tribunal hearing. Mine went to a MR. Having your assessment report weeks before receiving your award notification letter allows you to prepare for your MR and not panicking to get you claim ready in the limited timeframe.
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