HELP!! PIP Disallowed

[cheekybird59]

My husband has a brain injury which causes him memory and concentration problems. Recently PIP was disallowed and we desperately need help with a mandatory reconsideration. We live in Weymouth. Can anyone advise who we should approach for help?

[headwayuk Partner Headway]

Hello, I would recommend contacting our national helpline to discuss this. They regularly get calls about benefit payments so will be able to advise you on the next steps to take. You can contact them on 0808 800 2244 or [e-mail]

You can also find some information about appealing decision in our Guide to welfare benefits booklet - headway.org.uk/media/3988/a...

I hope this helps,

Harriet

[Marnie22]

Hi. I can recommend the Scope helpline on 0808 800 3333. They were very helpful to me with regards to PIP.

Good luck. 🙂

[rickg]

I am responding on my other-half: My partner had encephalitis following a cold and was in 3 different hospitals for 9 mths. He too was refused pip but we appealed and won. He is only on the standard rate so is not entitled to the mobility rate, thus a blue badge application was rejected. The application and appeal took around 6-7 months but it was back dated. Because he can walk and talk he is scoreded low or zero points, the fact that he has no memory for more than five minutes and has fatigue issues to name a few, doesn't seem to factor in the assessment.PIP is about what the person is able to do and not about the consequences of the illness. He has been discharged from all services, so it's a case of "get on with it, live your life". We are a family with two children and entering our4th year with his brain damage.He has not worked and is incapable of doing so since this happened & I work P/T. I advise you to appeal it. Be prepared for a long , drawn out fight. Regards, Jacqueline

[TiredNan]

Hello cheekybird

I was also refused PIP. and in similar cirumstances.

My local CAB helped with a mandatory reconsideration. I also submitted a letter from my consultant neurologist who directed his comments to all the issues on their decision letter. My assessor was a physiotherapist and my consultant was pretty cross about some of the things she said I could do. It's a horrible thing to go through and I hope you can get some good support.

[cheekybird59 in reply to TiredNan]

Thank you for your support. Yes our assessor used to be an intensive care nurse but made no comment when asked if she had experience of brain injury.I think a problem we have is that Peter is not under any consultant for his brain injury. He is now 69 and the last time he saw a consultant for this condition was when he was first diagnosed 20 years ago. We did submit that report and others from the psychology dept, again written years ago. It seems like all this was ignored

[FlowerPower62]

Hi, my husband was knocked back twice too, then we got help from a person in the Brain Charity. Also sent off a report from his consultant. We thought we'd have to go to a tribunal, but out of the blue they just gave it to him, after that report. Persevere, you will get it in the end, they just like make you fight for it! X

[TiredNan]

Hi cheekybird, ah, the Brain charity are very helpful also. Do speak to them, I'm really so sorry that you are going through this it's so stressful. Heres a link to the Brain charity

thebraincharity.org.uk/how-...

[mp3mills]

Hi my husband had is brain injury 16 years ago and hasn't seen a doctor for it for most of that time. Our local Headway helped us fill in the PIP form and they added so much detail to what I had already written. Headway are the brain injury experts. His PIP application went straight through without any problems whatsoever. We had one phone call where they said that the paper evidence was so clear that there was no need for an interview! Please get in touch with your local branch.

[Lynw17]

Hi cheekybird

I contacted headway for help with mine after being awarded DLA indefinitely and then having to change to PIP. PIP was awarded at higher rate for mobility but I missed out by two points for care component. I went for mandatory reconsideration and was still refused. So I got in contact with Headway who recommended Access Dorset (I live in Bournemouth). They helped with the appeal application in December. I have been waiting since until last week I had a phone call to say that they had relooked at my claim and could see that they had not awarded the correct points because of my epilepsy and was I happy to cancel the appeal and have the claim outstanding backdated until December. Stick with your claim and appeal.... It will be worth it. Good luck

[sealiphone]

You may already be aware of this service:

mylifemycare.com/diverse-ab...

[dark-angel-79]

So sorry you have had to appeal for it. the way im reading it, its almost like they want you to beg for it. normally i wouldn't be so mad, but ive just pooped into the post my own pip claim. as i am struggling to write due to other reasons,

i had to get it typed and printed. 17 pages or there about. read that. almost half as long as the form the send out.. and as ive already seen a medical person for the esa con (im in a 'supported' (lol) group) in universal credit. they can use all that info too. and told them in not s pleasnt tone, as after typing up what i had to, ny head hurt, my hand hurt like a so and so and in the writing, it became apparent....

I hate it when the little man / little woman gets screwed over because they are not on someones tick list when is plain as day people with brain injuries need help. period. sometimes i wonder if the people that make these form etc either have one, or had one removed at birth. makes me think of the wizard of oz scarecrow...

I do hope your reconsideration is easy but my next step would also be to contact local MP about this disgrace. perhap even a national movement to stipulate that that those with brain injuries, as long as there is medical evidence to say you have had, that it goes in, you get it, no questions asked. I mean, your brain is what controls everything you do, from your hearbeat and breeathing systems, to our emotions, our temperature, our motion etc - you know it, you live it day to day. Damage the brain and these functions get impaired. like throwing a bag of spanners into a collection of moving cogs. its going to jam, fuckup and break.

but our illustrious leaders still havent appeared to got the memo that this is what its like.

and back to regular programming... I wish you all the best in your appeal. Let us know how it goes and please share any advice you have gained so hopefully the amount of people getting turned down or have to appeal for what should be granted automatically imo, is successful and can be used as a guide;

kind regards

DA

[H2Deepdiver]

Don't bother asking Headway. All talk. The reality is they don't want to and won't get involved. It's all smoke and mirrors.

[Jpdee75]

It’s a bit of a joke cause I scored 0 points any type of light activity can knock me 4 six , it takes days to recover. I’ve had to appeal also I’m just waiting to hear now. If I need to appeal again I realise I need help. Someone told me you need to speak there language and I don’t know what that means

[spideyman]

This is deja vu all again

[spideyman]

Was you refused it a few years ago or has your husband recently suffered a brain injury and this is a new claim?