As some of you may know, I, like thousands of others, was rejected my PIP claim.
I am getting a little income for the daily living component for a limited time but nothing for mobility... which is absolutely ridiculous as my mobility is what I struggle with the most.
So, I am going to appeal but before you appeal the DWP COULD reconsider their decision if you contact them.
On the papers I was given, it makes it sound like you have to phone them and tell them why it was a wrong decision.
My super hero mum found a website called Advice Now that might help quite a bit.
You can speak more about your disability and the website will send you an email with what you have written in the form of a letter which you can send to the DWP and with luck, they might reconsider.
If they do not reconsider my case, I will have my Headway back me up :).
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Matt2584
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Took a look at the Advice Now site and it looks pretty helpful. With that and 'Super-mum' on your case (from all you've said over the years she sounds brilliant) I hope you get you just deserts m'love.
Having your mobility issues ignored is sheer neglect and definitely needs a closer look ! I'm sure you won't just roll over and accept these judgements Matt.
Thanks for the tip about Advice Now. I work for an advice and information gateway service. I often speak to people in this situation. The Citizen’s Advice Bureau can usually help with writing the Mandatory Reconsideration letter but they must be feeling the strain because so many people are being denied PIP, including those who were on DLA ‘for life.’ The CAB used to offer an appeal service in my county but due to staffing/funding issues, they are no longer taking on new clients.
It started out where my mum would be filling out many forms for the DLA until she learnt more information and stated in the last form she had to fill that my disability was indefinite.
Now PIP is here and it does not matter if you were indefinite before.
The way I see it is the DLA and PIP aren’t separate benefits, they are exactly the same it’s just PIP is a more strict and unfair version of DLA.
When they were DLA they said that they had to pay you X amount by law.
Now they are PIP, they are taking that money away from people who need it and are not breaking the law because they are under a different name.
Good luck, i went through the same, i contacted C.A.B for help, they sent an edited version of what i told them to the DWP and to PIP(a very poor representation) and both DWP and PIP refused it, so now i'm waiting to go to the court(TRIAL)Tribunal, i'm told i'm not on trial, but i'm being taken to courts of law to be seen by a Judge, disability person and someone else. i'm told i'm allowed to have representation but they cannot speak or act on my behalf, that they can only sit there and listen to whats happening. i'm also told that no medical evidence will be considered despite proof of my conditions being sent in they still have refused me. The PIP examination was a fraud and the DR/Nurse/actor or whoever he was failed to put all the information forward that was discussed at the examination. I feel he deliberately left out valuable information to deceive me from being awarded the correct payments. So now i'm awaiting the date of my trial, this started back in july 2018, and they told me i wont be seen until around september or october 2019....The courts is a closed court, or a shadow court, i find it strange that they are taking Brain damaged citizens into court, where any legal help is being told they cannot help you in this court. I feel the whole thing is corrupted, certain people are being targeted and made victims - i would go as far to say Abuse is being taken place! So good luck to everyone going through this, i found the C.A.B was helpful but at the same time-very unhelpful and found myself battling to send in evidence something the C.A.B should have done properly) when the CAB saw over 300 pages that i have sent to the courts - they told me it was irrelevant and will not help me in anyway, this was all my evidence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes without going into anything too deep, i feel this is Agenda21 at its core...the depopulation of humanity has begun...... That stiff upper lip needs a stiff upper cut!! DISCLAIMER....NO VIOLENCE PLEASE---JUST TEA XXX
I am with you on that one, millions. It is pretty clear, to me, that people in poverty are not wanted in THEIR little world.
Governments cut funding to charities years ago.
Governments cut funding emergency services.
Governments want to get rid of the NHS so people pay for their healthcare, just like America.... though, people wouldn’t really be healing themselves when they pay.
There are ao many other things that the government do to gain money.
Money is the problem. Money is the greatest invention that controls the public.
Hi, I am so sorry you are having such an awful time. I have been through this myself and waited 14 months for my appeal date.
300 pages of evidence was way too much - no one at the DWP or the court will read that much - it does need to be succinct and the best way to go is to get medical evidence as this speaks for itself.
You can take someone into court who is allowed to help you. They cannot speak for you but they can help if you need further explanation. My support worker offered to come with me but as we were preparing at the last minute he upset me because he seemed to me to be judgemental himself. I think he personally resents people who claim! Yes... Maybe in the wrong job but that isn't what this is about.
You are not on trial. The court are there to make a fair assessment based on the law and it is your evidence that will tell the court if you meet the criteria. Everyone has a right to legal help - the thing is most of this is via charitable organisations as people living with disabilities generally don't have the funds to pay for legal representation.
I think everyone has had the same problems with the assessors and you need to try and move past that. I was angry for a long time and tried to work it all out but it was all beyond me. It helps if someone else like the CAB, Law Centre or a support worker can help present your information - when you try and do it yourself this can be deemed as you having capabilities - on the most part those of us with brain injuries struggle with memory and communication let alone understanding, learning and processing - I think my document was also pretty hefty before my support worker took things in hand. I think we struggle with understanding what the DWP / court want and so give absolutely everything in every way possible to cover all corners.
I was quite resigned when I got to court but the first thing they said was that having reviewed the evidence I had already qualified for points. They asked me a few questions and they could see that I was struggling to understand what they wanted. I mentioned I had been awarded a blue badge and things were pretty quick after that. I got full daily living and full mobility.
I know it is all confusing and frightening - especially having to live without the DLA (for me) in the meantime. The award was back-dated so I have been able to get back to having all my therapies, treatments and supplements that really help.
Hi AGBIA, thanks, yes your right, i sent in too much info for sure - and yes, it was to cover at all angles, and most of it was repetition from having a brain injury, i was writing something-got lost and then started writing the same thing over and over again, then i was photocopying the same pages over and over again, i got myself into a mess, flustered and stressed at home alone - i did feel that the CAB helped me, but then i thought they're not doing enough, as they sent in they're report and the DWP still rejected it, this spun me into a frenzy like i was fighting for my life, and i could not stop writing, most of it anger writing and fighting/lashing out, then emotional turmoil etc etc etc as you can imagine the CAB said it was pointless to have sent it all-which infuriated me, as i spent weeks/months doing this, struggling and not sleeping, lost half my body weight and so on, im still recovering from this since last july 2018, nerves have gone completely - non stop shaking and drugged up on all sorts, waiting for my court date which im told should be in september this year, so ive got a long way to go, thanks i wish i had spoke to you before i sent all that paperwork in, and yes, they will see it as capable, but i think and hope when they read it-they will see its obvious i have a brain injury - its obvious to everyone i meet that i have a brain injury but not too the DWP............. odd!
in reply to
i forgot to mention that i recorded my PIP assessment on my phone, for my own protection really, and due to the fact i was there alone and have a brain injury. but cannot use this as evidence due to not declaring the recording - but if i'm still rejected at the tribunal/trial then i will use this as evidence of corruption and seek a lawyer/solicitor to help support me. DISCLAIMER.......i do not suggest anyone secretly records anything - for me it was necessary as i feel i'm a targeted individual!
I had a witness with me at my assessment. The assessors report was full of lies ! Statements in their report that did not even happen! Things recorded in their report that went totally against what my medical documents said!
They must do it all the time for brain injured pip claimants.
hi Plenty, well i'm still trying to work that out, it depends on what your illness is and how it effects you daily, mentally, physically, if you can get evidence of this from friends and family-that would help-if they could write what they see you struggle with, also, if you have a good non corrupted Doctor/Specialist/GP etc, then they need to detail what they see you struggle with and give you evidence of your medical conditions, do not do what i done and send massive amounts of paperwork, make sure you edit everything to the points. If you can see what they rejected/denied/lied about - then you can work on proving those rejected/denied/lied points, for example if they said you do not have problems with eating, then prove you do have problems with eating, stick to the points and facts - even though in my case the points and facts were dismissed, it seems each persons case is very much different to each outcome, my friends neighbour got full support for being an alcoholic, but then my friends son who has MS got rejected!!!!!!! so i'm unsure how they are deciding who qualifies and what qualifies them!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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if you can afford too, contact a lawyer/solicitor and show them/explain to them- what has been dismissed/overlooked and what they lied about or failed to document. ask them to make your case for you, and if you feel that they lied about your conditions-then you can ask that your tribunal/trial/hearing to be recorded and filmed, you must put this is writing as a request to the courts.
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I have asked for my trial/tribunal to be recorded with a sound recorder of some kind to capture what is being said back and forth, i've asked that the CAB to come with me (even though i feel they did not help me as such), i will also be taking my own recording device which i have also told the courts about in writing, i said i wish this trial to be recorded as my PIP assessment was undignified, the male assessor asked me to open my legs wide while he sat in front of me-this made me very uncomfortable and left me feeling humiliated!!!! given the fact i was there on my own, i'm a woman, if i did not secretly record this, then i would have no evidence of anything, i'm NOT saying that this man sexually abused me, i'm saying that it made me feel very uncomfortable as a woman there on her own. and now that i know he failed to report on what i said in this assessment, i have everything recorded and can dispute everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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POINTS/DISCLAIMER.......he asked me to open my legs as a way of seeing how this effects my body movements!!! but it was undignified and i told him i would do this exercise facing away from him.........
So because you recorded the interview and you did not declare it, they refuse to pay you!
The DWP are effing ridiculous!
In the booklet I got before I had the interview it was saying that you can record the interview but you must let them know at least 3 days before.... why?
I suppose you must let them know first so they can prepare the assessor to ask different questions or perform different tests so, in other words, they don’t look or sound like total knob’eads.
no, no, no, sorry, i struggle writing/explaining sometimes - i recorded it without telling them, i just kept it in my pocket, and thats why i cannot use the footage/sound. but ive saw a man on youtube who done the same thing, and when he went to the 2nd tribunal after his 1st tribunal was unsuccessful-he then pursued a lawyer and he got to use the secret footage to expose the assessor. but he was himself a wealthy to do man, wether that will work for the common man im unsure, but at least i have the truth, and when you have the truth thats all that matters....
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i felt as if this was my only option against corruption, when i entered the assessment i did ask them why they made it so difficult to record something, because if i did tell them that i was recording-they would expect me to produce a copy of it for them before leaving the assessment, and i could not do this-as i did not have anyway of taking the info from my phone and putting it onto a disc.... does this read clear matt, did i explain that properly-as i suffer with a brain injury, and tend to waffle on a bit...sorry about that..... :0
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DISCLAIMER...no-one should follow my example, i was desperate, i urge people to keep within their rights, law etc i will take the fall of my own actions, i DO encourage anyone to fight for what they believe is right for them!!!!! i suffer with absences due to my brain injury and i need to record most things-so i know i have evidence if anything ever happens to me, to protect myself and others in any situation.
yes, and this is why i done it matt, for my own safety, sanity, but i cannot lead people into trouble - this is unfair to everyone - i could not cope telling someone to record the assessment and they end up in big trouble, or stressed or something more serious, i just couldn't live with myself.
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They did not refuse me because i recorded it, they refused me because the assessor did not give a true account of what was said, he left out valuable information and failed to put all the info down on paper, as i got a copy of his assessment done, and there was a mass amount of info manipulated in a way to make me look like i was fit and healthy, then leaving out the parts that proved i had medical conditions that effected me badly....... so the whole assessment was corrupt and im glad i recorded or it would be even harder for me to fight, and fight i will do if im still refused, if im refused then i will use this recording to prove that he left out valuable info and then bring him to trial to explain why he failed to report it, i will worry about what i done wrong at a later date.......
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Too be honest, im not sure whats going on, because at one point the DWP told me over the phone that no medical evidence will help me, (that was for my mandatory reconsideration)-(some guy from wolverhampton DWP) so i never bothered to gather any evidence from my GP, then days before i was due to send in my mandatory consideration i phoned again for an extension as i was struggling to explain myself, i just happen to ask the person who i was talking to on the phone - -- what can i send in-as ive been told nothing medical is going to help me, then i was told to send ALL evidence and as much as possible from my GP/Drs etc etc,
so i'm being given conflicting information by everyone i speak to, and they should have all this recorded, as the DWP claim they record all calls, so im going to be asking for a copy of ALL the calls made to DWP... I feel the DWP, PIP, ASSESSORS will try any tactic with me to not pay me, and i have nothing to hide, im not stealing money, im not pretending im ill, (which i see people doing all the time). I have true genuine proof from multiple specialists that im under....
i then went for help to the CAB, they also sent in a report, and true to their word-the guy at wolverhampton was telling the truth, they still rejected my mandatory consideration and thats when i appealed and was told it needs to go to tribunal stages!!!!!!!!!
My mum filled in a letter for a Mandatory Consideration. A website called Advice Now may help out.
With the MC, you do not have, or shouldn’t have to send doctors notes and such.
I think you just have to write out a letter and point out what was wrong with their decision and all the lies the assessor put down and Advice Now can help you fill out a letter to send to the DWP.
If I’ve not managed to get more evidence sent in, (evidence proving the assessors report is untrue and full of false statements) and the first tribunal fails, will there be a chance of a second tribunal- given more time to prepare more evidence and possibly seeking my own legal advice to expose the false assessor?
im not sure-im still learning myself, but yes, i believe there is a 2nd tier tribunal, which will be harder than the first tribunal, and you will need every inch of your very being to get through it. im not sure how much time between each tribunal you get, but whatever time it is, prepare yourself as much as possible as this will be the last chance you get to fight for whatever it is your fighting for........and i would seek legal advice like a solicitor/lawyer for that. my case and experience maybe way different to yours, so try not to compare them both, but there is one thing we all have in common, they want to remove as much people from the system as possible - at any means possible, using every tactic they can to do it. some are lucky and thats that...... i may sound negative - i think its being realistic plenty, so you try your hardest to prove yourself ok, never lie or exaggerate - always lead with a true heart and mind, but get your medical evidence together, speak to your specialists, carers, and get everything in place, tell them whats happening to you and that you need their support, this is something that i failed to do, if you need to prove that the assessor lied, then take that lie to your specialist/dr and show them what he has lied about and get the specialists/drs etc to produce evidence that proves that you told the truth, have in one pile the lies, then in the other pile-the truth, and go through each one, then produce the medical evidence to back that up... thats the best advice i can give you my dear........hope this helps, im no expert, i may-well be by the end of it all though!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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i went through this many years ago and the tribunal is brutal, 3 people all asking you intense questions, in the end-i lost all my benefits, and the reasons they gave me was "i went on holiday". and thats why i call this a TRIAL and not a TRIBUNAL, because i was on TRIAL for living, or NOT living......either way, it felt like a trial, not sure if everyone feels that way-thats just how i felt, so get yourself prepared thats all im saying.
So you recorded without them knowing but you say you can’t use the footage/sound... why not?
You said this bloke did the same thing on a youtube video and he got to use the secret footage in his 2nd tribunal.
When it said in the booklet I got that you can record the interview but you would have to let them know first, I was thinking ‘why?’... why do you have to let them know first?
I think it is right that you recorded the interview in secret.
i was told because i never declared i was recording-it would not count towards helping me, but ive not sought advice on that legally, and i will speak to someone on monday about this recording, and i.ll let you know what the real reason is, but i believe its because i must give them a true copy of it before leaving the assessment, anything after i leave the room can be seen as an edited version or tampered version..... but i need to get clarification on that..........
Hi, I know 'exactly' what you are saying about preparing the info - I did exactly the same thing - spurted out all my anger and emotions - I was livid - I remember reading the assessors report when it came back and being so angry at the 'lies' they had written. I hate lies! Everything was twisted - just as they do with everyone...
I think that although the court won't have time to read the 300 odd pages but they will look through and it will show them how many problems you have - I think they will understand and if it hadn't been for my support worker they would have seen the same from me.
I also spent months on end trying to get my head around it all - at the absolute expense of being able to think about anything else. I went through severe regression and found myself struggling with the daily strategies I had spent 16 years teaching myself to use!
I know that Chris Bryant, MP for Rhondda, is working incredibly hard with UKABIF to bring changes to the assessment process for people with brain injury. Any changes that do ever come will be a long way off - the wheels of parliament turn very slowly!
I know it is hard but try and let it all go - you have a lot of life to live and enjoy between now and September.
Sometimes we forget that all the worrying in the world can't change the things that are past and really all the time you are anxious now isn't going to contribute anything to the court hearing either.
There are very real reasons why we struggle so much with anger, emotions, the longevity of problems and anxiety. Apart from the cognitive impairments we also live with a continuous cascade of negative bio-chemicals which perpetually contribute to stress...
The prescribed medications don't treat these causes - they alleviate symptoms - but they can also be contributing to a poor brain environment making it difficult to rewire and recover...
The only thing that stopped me worrying about it in the end was being distracted by putting my energy into helping others.
Take care of you. If I can help in any way please let me know.
In some ways I agree with you. To get stressed out and worry yourself is not good for your health at all and I believe that is what THEY want.
I have been rejected for PIP. I will get a small amount of money for a few months and I hate it, it is such an awful but unfair decision but I am not worrying about it or stressing over it.
My Headway is offering me support right now and I hope they can fix the problem like they have with others.
I understand why some people get stressed/worrried, because of the cuts people have lost are are going to lose things they really need to get by.
I really hope that Headway can help Matt. The whole system, to my mind, is currently set up for people with brain injuries to fail.
There just don't seem to be spaces on the original claim form to be able to explain all the things that incapacitate us and make daily living so horrendously difficult.
the thing that I found the hardest was actually understanding what they meant and wanted- I can't process that kind of information at all and I am sure others struggle with this too - we need open questions - not hidden agendas!
What baffles me is that my next door neighbour works full time as a child psychologist and yet gets full pip - she has MS that shows up on a scan - it is intensely short sighted of the government to rely on scans - my neighbour got he pip without any assessment and I think brain injuries should be treated the same way.
I personally think a lot of this comes back to the GMC (General Medical Council) and the way they train doctors - there are many loopholes. Because of this there is a knock-on effect and every year many hundreds of thousands of new brain injuries aren't taken seriously.
They know CAT scans are the cheapest and they also know the tiny lesions etc after brain injury don't show up on these because the scanners can't get that level of detail.
MRI is better but more expensive. The thing is that the GMC, the NHS and our government are failing us! With scan evidence no one takes any notice - this is why we all fall through the cracks.
We have every right to get upset but the best thing to do is to raise some noise and take action - at least this way we feel empowered. Feeling like a victim because the system bullies us is tantamount to causing harm because the stress causes very real effects that affect our health - long and short-term and also our well-being, family relationships and so much more.
I have written to Chris Bryant MP - Chair of the all-parliamentary action group for brain injuries. I am not sure that anyone is tackling this from the right direction - which is to close the loopholes that will bring the changes we need.
All the time the GMC and NHS fail us is all the time the rest of the government pay no attention..
We need to apply to be in the parliament instead of these beasts who are not there to help us, im angry because of those not doing their jobs, im angry that the parliaments are corrupt, they sit in their clubs, and live on expenses, and leave us all to deal with the snowballing corruption - i want to join this man who is fighting for us, he needs our help to make this change happen faster, if one of these parliament speakers were brain damaged that bill would change overnight. yes channeling my anger needs to be controlled, its difficult, as i see abuse happening to people and i feel helpless to stop it, i see corruption everywhere i turn - i see people smiling at me and stabbing me in the back as they smile, i see others being stabbed, i try to help others but feel helpless that im not really helping, im distraught with this country and what they are doing to the people, i see everything collapsing from NHS, Benefits system, shelter, pals, etc etc i see everything being destroyed and i see the people working in these systems turn on people, as they have given up and joined the corrupters, not everyone but 90%........ i see the 10% struggle to help us, i do find it hard to take a deep breath at times.....its just too much Annie, its evil and i feel its going to get worse for us all!!!!!!!! annie your words are comforting for sure-im blinded at the moment-but i hear you!!!!!
What we can't do is bring change through emotion - it is a language that pushes people away because they stop listening... It takes someone who really understands the experience to be able to listen to all the very valid emotions and turmoil people are living with.
I have been where you are and have taught myself to take different perspectives but this took 11 years before my brain was well enough to start the slow process and it has taken another 8 years since then to get where I am now - which, hopefully, is to a point where I at least sound sensible!
I am going to copy what I said to Matt: -
There just don't seem to be spaces on the original claim form to be able to explain all the things that incapacitate us and make daily living so horrendously difficult.
the thing that I found the hardest was actually understanding what they meant and wanted- I can't process that kind of information at all and I am sure others struggle with this too - we need open questions - not hidden agendas!
What baffles me is that my next door neighbour works full time as a child psychologist and yet gets full pip - she has MS that shows up on a scan - it is intensely short sighted of the government to rely on scans - my neighbour got he pip without any assessment and I think brain injuries should be treated the same way.
I personally think a lot of this comes back to the GMC (General Medical Council) and the way they train doctors - there are many loopholes. Because of this there is a knock-on effect and every year many hundreds of thousands of new brain injuries aren't taken seriously.
They know CAT scans are the cheapest and they also know the tiny lesions etc after brain injury don't show up on these because the scanners can't get that level of detail.
MRI is better but more expensive. The thing is that the GMC, the NHS and our government are failing us! With scan evidence no one takes any notice - this is why we all fall through the cracks.
We have every right to get upset but the best thing to do is to raise some noise and take action - at least this way we feel empowered. Feeling like a victim because the system bullies us is tantamount to causing harm because the stress causes very real effects that affect our health - long and short-term and also our well-being, family relationships and so much more.
I have written to Chris Bryant MP - Chair of the all-parliamentary action group for brain injuries. I am not sure that anyone is tackling this from the right direction - which is to close the loopholes that will bring the changes we need.
All the time the GMC and NHS fail us is all the time the rest of the government pay no attention..
you have struggled/survived with this injury way longer than me, i commend you for your journey-you sound like a true body of strength, inspiring words Annie.
i also feel for you that you have taken this long to feel that you are somewhat manageable in daily life, 19 years of this!!!!!!! wow, ive done 7 years, the thought of dealing with this for another 12 years makes me feel sick.
I was given that scan-they found nothing, i also had a weeks telemetry done recently, im trying to get the results on a CD-so i can see my brain waves, this was for epilepsy, but i thought, surely this would show damage to the brain if it can detect epilepsy then it can detect other damage.
.......i dont want it for PIP, just for helping myself understand whats going on in my brain-as no-one (DR/GP/Neurologist/Therapist etc etc is actually helping me with my injury, they just pump me full of medication for my epilepsy).
and as i care not for this corrupt system but for my life-i could shovel pound notes down their PIP throats for all i care about the PIP money, i even wrote in my claim that my injury is more important than the PIP form i was filling in or the words i was writing in the form, or the money they give or dont give me.
most of the ranting was attacking their system-so that wont go down well when they read it!!
im not scared of them-so i dont fear insulting them, im just angry at the corruption, because i have at no point lied to them about anything, ive always accepted what they gave me, never disputed it, didn't feel i wanted or needed more, never claimed back expenses, never claimed for private treatment refunds or anything like that, i allow those who call me a benefits sponger to call me a benefits sponger, i take the humiliation and anger from people, im humble and respectful of the tax payers money.
What i cared about was getting help/therapy for my brain-thats all ive been seeking help for over the last 7 years, and its all i care about, im now on here but didn't even know about headway, i found them by accident, not even my GP told me about them.
Im trying to relax about the PIP until the tribunal, i get sad for others struggling with it, then i feel sorry for myself too, so yeah its an emotional roller coaster, i struggle to express myself properly without ranting/never getting to the point etc etc or even write properly, it takes forever to write something, i get exhausted and burn myself out for weeks and months at a time, then i start the fight over again when i get a bit of strength and the passion returns.
I sent the guy/politician you told me about an email....(LOL)
asking how Brain injury survivors can help parliament move faster, and how we can help him and them, i hope he responds, i just can't sit back.
And thanks to Matt for bringing us together on this discussion, i hope he gets what he needs and that he has a successful tribunal, dont give up matt, keep going, take a break then get back on it, to anyone fighting this DWP system, to keep going, i feel alone-so others must feel alone.
We must stand up for whats right, remove those who abuse us and those with hidden agendas.
I thank everyone who has helped me on here in the short space of time that ive been here, thank you everyone xxxxxx
Brain injury itself and the cascade of bio-chemicals that follow also affect brain waves - and hence our thinking, emotions and our ability to incorporate 'mind' to fix the inner chatter.
I haven't researched very much about epilepsy - it is outside of my experiences - thankfully - but I feel so much, so deeply, for people affected by this...
What I do know is that there are lots of things we can do to help ourselves. I have spent years researching and using myself as a lab rat and am currently finishing off a new website aimed at bringing all this information to survivors. We can actually change our brain waves and bring about greater clarity in thinking, better control over our emotions and even get back a real sense of the 'old' familiar self.
It will be interesting for you to see your test results.
What type of scan were you given? There are now scans that are much more sensitive and pick up the really tiny lesions, tears and damage... They tend not to use them because they are expensive - however, this expense makes overall economical sense and attitudes need to be changed through education.
Again, I can truly empathise with the things you are struggling with - I could show you examples of things I have written that show it!!! That I am in a position that I can actually look back with compassion at myself as I was - how I am now shows that there absolutely is hope for all of us...
When you say ‘There doesn’t to be any spaces on the claim form to explain your disability’... when the assessor was asking me questions, he asked me one where you would add a yes or no answer (that’s what they mainly want from you). Anyway, he asked and I said yes and the added a bit more to it and the assessor basically said “Yeah, I don’t really care about that bit”!!
It is crystal clear to me that there is an agenda behind this.
I would not be surprised if these people follow satan.
What you are describing in your experience is due to the total lack of awareness that assessors have about brain injury Matt. Chris Bryant MP is tackling this. I believe the panel of people at tribunals are also aware of this...
What I found really difficult was 'translating' the questions into understanding what they really wanted to know. I found it cognitively impossible to understand what their 'descriptors' meant or what was required.
Like other people I needed to be able to explain things the best way I know how and then to have someone who understands brain injury interpret this into the understanding they need to know all the things I struggle with - if that makes better sense
The more I look back, including at all the media hype, the more I don't think there is an agenda that is specifically aimed at us but more of a failing overall of all the systems that should be in place...
I have highlighted all the loopholes that exist to the relevant government body and will let you know what comes back.
Glad you are now getting the true support that you need, i pray that you can find some relief from your treatments, well done for fighting too-i've met people who have just given up as its destroyed them, we all must fight to live and thats sad, but blessings to you Annie, hope your happy and back living again xxx much love
My brain injury was severe and I lost all self-awareness. I was diagnosed at the time I fell on my head but then it took me five years before I got any help.
I really didn't understand the help they were given and didn't understand their purpose or what they could see in me that I was oblivious to.
I got help for a year-and-a-half and was then left to my own devices. I knew that I had a diagnosis of severe brain injury but it was like a label that you could pin anywhere.
It was six-and-a-half years before I suddenly realised that this meant 'MY' brain was injured..
Left to my own devices it then took me another five years to teach myself to make a cup of tea! You can probably imagine what my life was like if I couldn't even nail this basic skill...
That I now have my PIP back means I can manage my symptoms of anxiety, stress, executive impairments and all my fibromyalgia pain through my own choices. I have a weekly massage to help my muscles relax. lymphatic drainage, reflexology, reiki healing and have started yoga and tai-chi.
I also take a lot of supplements that make a HUGE difference to my life.
The damage to my central nervous system and adrenal fatigue from the brain injury are now under much better control. I can't do any of this without the money to pay for it. The 14 months without DLA literally forced me to stop being able to afford all of this, my healthy diet and so on. I became literally crippled to a point I was in tears trying to get up the stairs, couldn't get in the bath and on and on...
I am extremely sensitive to medications, the very smallest amount of garbapentin ? for example had my hair falling out after two really tiny doses and a list of 15 other 'side-effects!'
Since getting PIP I have moved from being unable to walk in early January and being totally unable to think to having an almost full range of movement back, very little pain and - hopefully you can see it - obvious clarity back in my thinking - and all because I understand what causes all the symptoms of TBI to prolong for so long and because of this I know how to treat it...
I have been my own lab rat for 18.5 years! I was left alone to fix myself and I have!
In fact I was talking to a friend who is one of the top neuroscientists in the country and he was amazed at what I had learned simply from self-observation and testing things out on myself!!!
I'm very surprised about some of the advice you've been given
A legal representative does have a right to represent their client's case, although the tribunal will expect the claimant to describe their own difficulties and any further evidence will be taken into account.
I don't know what evidence was in your 300 pages but I often see paperwork, which clients have submitted which isn't 'helpful'.
yes, your right, i sent in things that are/were irrelevant for sure, and not helpful to my case, i was just in a frenzy sending anything i could, from drs appointments years ago, to specialist letters from years ago. i was unsure what they wanted, and many different conflicting information was being given to me by many different professionals, even the DWP were given me conflicting advice, i started recording this as i was shocked at the conflicting advice being given by all these professionals.
Although i critiqued the CAB, they were extremely helpful, but even what they sent in was rejected, so that sent me into a frenzy...at that point i thought, this is a war and im in it alone, so i set about trying to explain myself on paper, and sent about 100 pages on how everything effects me from head to toe..... i did get lost and was photocopying the same paperwork over and over again, and repeating myself due to my brain injury, so a lot of it was duplicated, hence 300 pages, LOL crazy!!!!
so please everyone do not send in that amount of paperwork-it is irrelevant thats true, please stick to your points, check it - double check it and triple check it before you send it in, edit edit edit!!!!!!!!!!
but now i know what NOT to do - RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!
They need what effects you today, not last week or next week, when you send in your case-your dealing with how your effected at that point in time, they will ask you at your tribunal about the past and the future, but they want to know how your life is/was effected at the time you put in your case....does that make sense?????
They want to know what effects you on that day... this is why my assessor said “Yeah, I don’t really care about that bit” when I went off on a tangeant and was explaining my problem further.
But the thing is though, he SHOULD care.
He is a SUPPOSED nurse so he should be more understanding.
If they don’t give a tit about your problems from the past or what could easily happen in the future then you may as well tell them to fail you now.
The whole PIP benefit system is not only cruel and unfair but is also a complete waste of time.
It makes me wonder how some people are awarded whether they cheat the system or not.
My dad was saying that he thinks there mist be a limit to how many people the DWP can reject with the assessor’s help so the assessor can get a bigger bonus.
Whether that is true or not I don’t know BUT for now it is just an opinion.
My opinion is that the DWP don’t want us to live and are just following Satan’s orders.
Matt.....i still havent found out why i needed to tell them i was recording secretly and why i cannot use it-im still waiting for the CAB to get back to me about it, i think ive exhausted them and they need a break from me....LOL......
But yes, your right, they have people from the benefits and disability and nurses etc on their teams, wether its in the PIP assessment (my assessor was a nurse) or at the tribunals.
another thing, yes, they do have a certain amount of those allowed and disallowed for sure, there was a lady on the news who exposed this.....
they were given bonuses etc and time constraints and that a certain amount of cases must be dropped off the system.
For me its obvious that those who are deliberately scamming benefits (who do not have any health conditions of any kind) should be the ones being dropped off, but in contradiction to myself (which i do everyday in life - cause thats life) i believe there is enough money for the whole country to be on benefits, because we fail to realise that this money is already there - in a pot - for every single person in the country, and those who dont know about it - or dont need it, wont apply for it.
so all that uncollected money that belongs to the people - goes into the hands of politicians/corporations/bankers/utility companies etc etc etc
They buy houses, holidays, business, make deals, buy land - so on and so on, when you start to look into to it, its all there in black and white.....
When you say you believe the whole country can be on benefits... I agree, especially when you have the central banks that can print out money willy-nilly... and not just that but I think if all these rich people, corporations, sports and all the other sources making money, if all of them shared their money with the rest of us so everybody was wealthy then poverty would not exist.
But that doesn’t happen does it. It just shows you how psychotic the system is.
What about Children in need for instance. You’ve got rich celebrities on there (who apparently dodge taxes) pushing and pushing to get the not-as-wealthy viewers to donate their hard earned money to people they don’t even know.
Call me crazy but that sounds absolutely mental to me and yet most folk call that ‘normal’.
Well sorry but I am not a sheep and I go my own way.
Please register with benefitsandwork.co.uk/, £19 a year or often discounts reducing to £15 a year. For advice and help with PIP, ESA etc. Excellent help provided.
Oh, i've saw their website before - and yes, they are very good at giving advice and information, i've never joined them, but yes, i have saw the good work that they do..... goodcall CC120.....can i just say that link - when you click the link it says 404 page not found, but look for the blue writing that says main page and it brings you to the main website....
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Acknowledgement and more at last, phew !!!
Finding info on holidays or short breaks.
Trying to make sense of what happened to me! 
