PIP - Successful first-time applicant

[ButtercupDaisy]

I work part time but due to Fibromyalgia and PsA increasingly struggle to do my job, look after my children, home and myself. I applied for PIP for the first time in March, had my telephone assessment 12 weeks later and have just been notified that I have been awarded Standard rate for Care. I scored higher than I thought I would, being just one point off higher rate! I didn’t get Mobility rate but didn’t expect to.

My assessor was patient, kind and courteous; each person I spoke to at DWP was helpful as were those I spoke to at Capita when my application was delayed (turned out it had been chosen for audit). Too often we only hear about the not-so-good assessors and caseworkers, so please be aware not all are like that! I’ve not received the assessor’s report yet, but the points awarded by DWP are fair and reasonable based on what I told the assessor.

A huge thank you to @releasethemagic on this site. Your pointers to the Benefits & Works site were invaluable. It’s a lot of reading and preparation but without it I don’t think I would have got the award. Those guides definitely help you focus on what’s considered for PIP and put across how your conditions affect you in the way the assessors mark you.

Other things I did along with reading the B&W guides - I made a subject access request to my GP 2 weeks before applying. They provided a summarised print out of all my visits, diagnoses and medications so I sent this in with my application form; I also sent copies of rheumatologist reports confirming my diagnoses; asked my Occupational Therapist to write a report outlining how my conditions affect me; my husband wrote a letter explaining the difficulties I encounter and how that impacts my daily life; sent a copy of my work Occupational Health assessment which explained the reasonable adjustments that have been made to help keep me in work. All these things supported what I put on my form and what I was asked in the assessment.

Whilst it’s correct what others say that it’s how your condition affects you not what your diagnosis is, you should have evidence of the diagnosis and medications to back up how you are affected. Sometimes the side effects of my meds are worse than the actual conditions and the assessor had due regard to this - so explain that if you’re similarly affected.

So anyone out there contemplating applying for PIP, go for it. It only cost me time, and has gained me £60 a week to make affordable those things that will go some way to mitigating the difficulties my conditions cause.

[releasethemagic]

Great news and congratulations.

[angiecxx]

Ah that's fantastic news.. X

[Fra22-57]

Congratulations.I do agree you need lots of written reports from your rheumatologist.I had to give up work and initially had to apply for unemployment benefit but they realised I couldn’t work so advised me to apply for ESA. Three years went by where I got very worse and had a month in hospital.I came out in a wheelchair.After a month lapsed I was walking with by hanging onto my husbands arm.I had a face to face appointment with PIP but when I applied I relied on my wheelchair.I rang saying things had changed and was advised to arrive in chair.The lady I saw helped me with answers and I explained I didn’t use chair ,only rarely and she said it didn’t matter . She also didn’t want to see me walk.Also she said something that has confused me .I asked that If I get bit better do I contact and she said no only if you get worse. I do walk but need husband to hold onto as I trip and have jerky movements and my leg gives way.The money does help a lot as you say

[Farmerboy]

Well done your application sounds as if you did what they advised on the benefits and work site. Sending in the evidence and supporting information about your abilities in relation to the PIP descriptors allowed you to be awarded the correct award. We hear so many bad information about the staff at the DWP but like you I have found them helpful and genuine want to help where and when they can.

[Dizzytwo]

That's good news and thank you for sharing it with us all. It's great to hear some positive feed back. Sadly we seem to hear mainly from those who don't get awarded the benifit. It would help many I'm sure if we heard from more members like yourself who have been awarded PIP 😊👍

Momo

[Acocoa]

Well done you! So happy your application was successful 💜