Hello everyone, I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia exactly 3 years ago and applied for PIP 14 months ago. Received the assessment almost 6 months after the application. Was so stressed waiting for the decision and actually never read the letter. They gave me Standard for both.
Last week I was organising documents and found that letter - it's full of lies and I am so disappointed.
So my question is - what are my options, do I can appeal now, after almost an year from the date decision was made, or to start a new claim/ change of condition?
My condition is getting worse and I got horrible insomnia for the last 6-7 months, which is not helping at all.
I don't leave the house at all, just in extreme emergency and the only place I'm occupying is my Bedroom, pretty much in bed for 21-22 hours per day.
My GP Surgery is useless, not because the doctors are bad, but because I never can get an appointment, even if I start the call at 8am, till the reception answer, there is no appointments left...
So, please any advice.
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Polly-S
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Good morning, I believe you have a month to ask for a MR from receiving your award.
From what ive read if you miss the 1 month deadline
It's still worth asking for a mandatory reconsideration, as long as it's within 13 months of the decision.
You'll need to explain your reasons for being late - for example if being ill or dealing with difficult personal circumstances meant you couldn't apply in time.
But I'm guessing if your circumstances have change. You will need to make a fresh claim.
It may be a good idea to call the DWP and and discuss it with them.
Alternatively you could get intouch with our own benifits advisor Janet. You will find how to do this in the link below.
As advised, you are still in time to request a Mandatory Reconsideration (MR), & it's usually better to pursue an existing award rather than start a new one with a change of circumstances.
You don't need to report a change in your condition to the DWP unless you feel that you might now gain sufficient points to increase your award for either/both components.
You should also consider whether you may get more points if going the MR route, so yes, seek advice first before contacting the DWP (as this just gets you through to a call centre & they are there to administer claims, not give advice).
As well as FMA's benefit advisor, you can also look for some help local to you by choosing 'Welfare benefits' here: advicelocal.uk/
If you do a MR, put this in writing. Please put the assessment report behind you, & concentrate on where you feel you should have gained points & why. A worsening of condition would not be taken into account, as your current claim is still about how your disability affected you at the time of your assessment.
I experienced the same problem trying to get a face to face appointment with my GP. I was speaking to a NHS nurse who advised me to call and ask for an appointment in the future which I did and it worked. So maybe you should try and get an appointment the same way. Good Luck
hi there first of all are you on any medication? Secondly your lucky to be given standard rate many suffers don’t even get that, but as your symptoms are so bad I would say do a change in your condition because you’ve already been receiving pip for over a year you are at least on their records …. In my experience doctors have no understanding of fibromyalgia and merely think we make up all our symptoms when I had a flare up the doctor I spoke to said … well you’ve been diagnosed you just have to deal with it nothing I can do to help and that’s what they all think disgraceful attitude … however I do hope you get a bit of help from someone because staying in your room isn’t healthy and affects your mood and then the pain it’s a vicious circle .
it is a waste of time , my doctors thought at first I had polymyalgia which is not as bad and I got the enhanced rate . I informed them that I have fibromyalgia which is worse , they lowered my money to standard but they also still wouldn’t give me anything for mobility. I am now in the process of going to the tribunal , I have help from a professional who filled in the forms and I sent in a doctors letter and a letter from my specialist as I have problems with my shoulders and hip . Where I was on steroids for two and a half years for polymyalgia and had to wean of them as they don’t work for fibromyalgia, it has left my bones brittle and I keep fracturing them . I hope you have better luck than I am having , I just wanted to prepare you for what you might have to come . Good luck xx
Before you do anything, try the PIP self-test online. Answer honestly and if in doubt over two scores, choose the lower one as that is what the assessor would do. Remember that being unable to do something for 4 days a week or more, is treated as being all the time. 3 days or less is ignored. benefitsandwork.co.uk/perso...
If the self-test suggests Standard Rate, even if you are angry about the errors in the assessor's report, is it worth proceeding? You might even have your current award taken away. I would only proceed if you are certain the scores are wrong and can back that up with written evidence, that confirms what you can and can't do. If you do proceed, either to a late MR or to a reassessment due to a worsening of your disabilities, make sure you include evidence to support the scores you are not challenging and say why you think those scores are right. That makes it harder for them to reduce them and if they do, they would have to explain why.
Do read the advice from the brilliant ' WWW.BENEFITSANDWORK.CO.UK They explain everything in minute detail how to do MR complete a new application if unable to do an MR .. best of luck xx
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