So I gave up work in August due to being self employed I couldn’t do the physical side of the work because of my fibro and other health conditions so I applied for ESA and PIP. I was told 2 weeks ago I couldn’t get ESA due to not paying enough national insurance being self employed not on medical grounds even my doctor said I would be untitled to benefits there is no way of appealing the decision so I have applied for some part time work I have a job interview today to do 24 hours a week in Costco I really need the money so I have tried applying for anything I have stated on my application that I have mobility issues and they still gave me an interview so quite happy about that I guess my question is what should I tell them at the interview and will I still get PIP even though I applied when I was out of working I’m waiting for an assessment been 9.5 weeks now.
Any help would be grateful if you can understand my rambling thank you 😊
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KKay0709
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Hi you might find it useful to contact FMA UK's benefit helpine on 0300 999 0055 (Mon, Wed, Fri 10.00-12.00) or email benefits.advice@fmauk.org
If you have no other household income you might qualify for universal credit (there is an esa type element to uc if you are unable to work due to health)
Pip is payable whether you are working or not, it goes by how you are affected on a daily basis with self care, mobility etc
Thank you so much for the help I will deffo ring them.
Also I can’t get any benefits my husband earns too much it’s just a great loss without what I was bringing in. Because when your self employed you only pay class 2 national insurance if your not earning a great deal so with that according to the government and benefits office you haven’t contributed enough national insurance so your not entitled to ESA my world hit Rock bottom. So I’ve had to find part time work fingers crossed I have a job just not sure I can do it health wise this year has been so hard for me sorry to rant and moan. Also wanted to explain the benefits side just incase it helps others out.
So I don’t have to tell them I’m working unless they ask me. Or I don’t have to inform them when or if I get pip that I’m at work ? I’m really new to all this. Thank you for your reply
I work part time but due to Fibromyalgia and PsA increasingly struggle to do my job, look after my children, home and myself. After long periods of sick leave and running out of sick pay, I applied for PIP for the first time in March. I had my telephone assessment 12 weeks later and was notified in August that I had 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! The points awarded by DWP were fair and reasonable based on what I told the assessor.
I would direct you to the posts by @releasethemagic on this site. Their 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.
Like you, my husband’s earnings made me ineligible for Universal Credit. Applying for PIP 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. But do your research first and provide adequate evidence!
Thank you so much for the reply I do worry so much about things and I have sent quite a lot of evidence and my gp has said they think I will be accepted just waiting for the assessment it’s taking a long time to process due to covid so I am being patient and hopeful I have the same experience that you have I don’t do well with change or new thing and people so anxiety will be on overdrive thank you for your help
Hi KKay0709, I am in a similar position to yourself, I’m teetering on the edge of being able to continue to work with FMS (CFS,Tinnitus,partial deafness in one ear & other stupid things wrong with me). My ability to get through the fatigue & pain is lessoning week by week & it’s so unpredictable I cannot help having time off work. Then the Housework /gardening is nearly non-existent. I can’t manage to cook most evenings. It’s a great effort to try to smile for my family now. I cannot offer you any advice I’m afraid as I have never ever claimed any state benefits & it’s just so daunting by the sounds of it. Shouldn’t be this way after I have paid my NI for 30yrs without a break (other than maternity leave). Please can you send updates of how you are getting on with your application please as it may inspire some more of us to apply for PIP (even if it takes 10mins a day until the application is complete).
Thank you for sharing your situation & I hope & pray for a successful outcome for you & the PIP application.
Hello, so many people seem or spear to use the claiming of PIPas a money tree. PIP is not awarded on a disability or a diagnosis or the amount of prescription medications you are taking. PIP is awarded on your inabilities to preform or manage and cope with the PIP descriptors/ activities in a safe and repeatedly and in a timely manner. Reference to working if your work involves activities that your claiming PIP as your stating your unable to preform ect then this could be used against you. Take a self test on the benefits and work site just Google PIP self test.
Hi, PIP is not dependent on whether you work or not and is judged on your physical ability and not your diagnosis so the questions are about your restrictions ON THE MAJORITY OF DAYS PER WEEK. There's a lot of opinion on the site and some people will get Pip with fibro and some won't. It's as individual as the symptoms, but you will need medical evidence supporting the restrictions. Good luck and it's worth contacting the benefits line as Hazel suggests, you may benefits to top up low wages. X
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