First ever PIP interview next week

[Bowenlady]

First ever PIP interview next week! I had a letter in the post yesterday saying I have telephone interview next Thursday. I’m scared stiff! I know I will get massive brain fog when I feel under pressure to stressed. I am also in a lot of pain still even with the meds. It seems to make me really weepy and depressed and I cry at the drop of a hat. I’m afraid they will think I am just a wimp. My breathing gets really bad when I cry (it’s bad first thing in the morning, when I’m walking, going up or down stairs) and the whole thing is stressing me out. Any advice would be much appreciated. I’ll get all my paperwork together and make a list of all the devices etc I use to help me about the house but what else do you advise please?

[Spanielmadlady]

Have someone with you on loudspeaker to answer for you if you can't.take control of your breathing by using the rescue breaths method of 1 sniff in 2 quick blows out through pursed lips repeat 6 times.that was taught to me by SALT to control breathlessness and it does work if you stick at it . Good luck

[Bowenlady in reply to Spanielmadlady]

Thank you. X

[Spanielmadlady in reply to Bowenlady]

Ive had 2 home visit s and was due for re assessment in Dec but its been put back to 2023 .also of you can record it or tell them you are as they are brill at documenting wrong info. X

[TGSHJ71]

Hi , I had my PIP assessments done at home , my advice is just be "yourself" if you need to cry then do it , they are here to see the real you , dont be put off with them constantly typing into their laptop , if you can have a relative or friend with you that would be good . I did find it stressful at times , but you know yourself how your daily life is effected , for me there were only good bad days , never any good days with this illness.For me my motto was " put brain in gear before opening mouth " as I had a tendency to rabbit on, I am sure you will be fine , take care , best of luck .

😊

[Krazykat26]

With every question think about when you're at your worst. They ask u what about in a good day..I tell them that there's no such thing as a good day. The whole process is a kinda reverse psychology process..they try to get u to talk positively about what u can do..when in fact that will lose u points...so in this case the worse u are the more points u get!

I'm glad you got a telephone assessment..I had one in January n it was far better...I didn't have to get dressed for a start..did the whole thing in my PJ's!!

Good luck 🍀🌈😽😽xx

[Chanpreet_Walia LUPUS UK]

Hi Bowenlady,

We hosted several online Disability Benefits Workshops with Chronic Creatives earlier this year. Two of the workshops covered PIP which you may find helpful to watch. The workshops go through tips and information about PIP's application stage to being assessed over the phone/in person. Watch the workshops at lupusuk.org.uk/disability-b....

Best wishes,

Chanpreet 💜

[Bowenlady in reply to Chanpreet_Walia]

Oh thank you so much! I’ll look at that now. Everyone is so helpful. X

[CecilyParsley]

Hi, it is such a stressful and inhumane process. If I could give you one piece of advice it would be to look at the points system they use to award the benefit and as that is their sole focus use that to inform them about your conditions and disabilities in each specific area. If you get overwhelmed or muddled tell them that and say you require a few minutes to compose yourself . Let them know that you are anxious and finding their questions difficult. Make your list in bullet points of the things you need them to know and cross them off as you go along. If their questions do not fit what you need to tell them tell them regardless. This is about you, not their need to tick boxes. I wish you so much luck with it xxx

[Bowenlady in reply to CecilyParsley]

Thank you. They have contacted me now to say that I can have a video interview which I am happy to have. I was bawling my eyes out just talking to the person giving me the info so goodness knows what I will be like on the day! She said she will inform the “health professional” that I have brain fog and am very worried about it. She said I will have to try to stand on tip toes and put my hands in the air! Good luck with that one! I tried to walk to our town centre (in the good old days, literally 3 minutes away) because Rheumatologist says to get light walking exercise, after talking to them. I was just taking two steps and stopping and crying with pain by the time I was half way there. Stopped for awhile then continued. Did two shops then back. Absolutely wrecked. Don’t want to ever walk up there again! Yesterday I tripped in the bedroom and literally threw myself at a high chest or drawers, hurting both arms and in between shoulder blades. Really sore today, so they have no chance of me raising my arms! I’m furniture walking some of the time at the mo. I will tell them about the fall but a friend says if they think I can walk up to the town it will go against me. So my mind is swimming. Today will be spent preparing for tomorrow. I’ll let you know how it goes. X

[Krazykat26 in reply to Bowenlady]

Tell them about the fall in the bedroom n the furniture walking. You don't have to do the exercises if you're unable to.They are assessing you on the day in accordance with what you've put on your form so go through that so that u know exactly what you've written.

I've not had a video call before but I have had face to face n they go by your physical appearance too..so the rougher u look the better!!

Best of luck for tomorrow 🍀🌈😽😽xx

[Bowenlady in reply to Krazykat26]

Thank you. X

[CecilyParsley in reply to Bowenlady]

I told them I walked daily BUT I took a very long time. The key things are can you do it consistently and safely and the obvious answer to that is no. If something hurts you tell them. I wish you all the very best for tomorrow lovely xxx

[Bowenlady in reply to CecilyParsley]

The Lupus UK information was very helpful too. Just crapping myself. My eyesight is getting really bad. I’ve had a test about 9 months ago but it’s worse since then. Is that part of Lupus, double vision and loss of definition? I’m on Hydroxychloroquine but that’s only been months rather than years ago so it can’t be that. Steroids? Should I mention that too or is it just incidental? I’ve got a supplemental eye test booked in for August. I don’t want to sound like moan a lot to them. Thank you all for your kind wishes and help. 🤞

[CecilyParsley in reply to Bowenlady]

Mention everything. Get a check list of bullet points and tick them off as you go. Dry eyes is very common which blurs your vision. Xxx

[Krazykat26 in reply to Bowenlady]

This assessment is to establish what u can't do..n they will try to get u feeling positive which I have the feeling that you're a positive thinker by nature. We don't want to be seen as burdens. This whole process is reversed psychology..u focus on your worst days..don't try to impress them or think that u don't want to sound negative..or troublesome..it will only lose u points. In the pip game the worse u are the more points you get..that's why it's demoralising coz you have to accentuate what you CAN'T do.. so with every question think the worst 🌈😽😽xx

[Bowenlady in reply to Krazykat26]

Well it’s done! It took just under 2 hours and I think I cried for about an hour of it! The man was very nice. Couple of times he’s said was it because I was in flare up and I said no there is no flare up it’s consistently like this. I couldn’t do some of the exercises and when asked to crouch down he could see I was in pain with my knee after just a little lowering and called for me to stop. He asked if I had considered seeing my GP or consultant about depression. So, 8 weeks to wait and then probably the stress of a mandatory reconsideration. Thank you all for your support. I made loads of notes ready and read out to him the fact that I was really nervous, don’t claim any benefits and didn’t know exactly what to expect. I also said that I cannot speak about my condition without crying so be prepared. See what happens, but thank you. X

[Krazykat26 in reply to Bowenlady]

Yay!! Well Done BL 🤗🙌U did it!! Two hours is a long time..u must be exhausted!!

Now try to forget about it n be kind to yourself..treat yourself to something that makes u feel good!!

These assessments are gruelling n you've done really well..be proud of yourself lovely 🌈😽😽xx

[Bowenlady in reply to Krazykat26]

All this to try to get a flaming Blue Badge!

[Krazykat26 in reply to Bowenlady]

😹I know!! 😹But getting a pip award will open up other avenues for you as well as your blue badge!!

That's made me giggle coz I remember how much we all wanted a blue Peter badge back in the day when we were all pestering our mums for washing up liquid bottles etc!!

🌈😽😽Xx

[Bowenlady in reply to Krazykat26]

Me too! I have collected many knitting patterns over the years (in excess of 10,000) and I was sorting them to sell on eBay. Guess what? I found a knitting pattern for Blue Peter jumpers. I was besides myself with excitement. Not that I want to make one but that I had one! Childish - but true! X

[Bowenlady in reply to CecilyParsley]

Update which I hope everyone will see. I got it! Standard rate daily living and enhanced rate mobility. It says it won’t be reviewed until after 2031 but I don’t really understand that bit of it. I thought they were reviewed annually. Anyway I am chuffed, got lots of arrears and can get my blue badge. Thank you all for your advice and help and support. It will help me so much. ❤️

[Krazykat26 in reply to Bowenlady]

Yayy!! 🙌🎉🎊🎉 Whoop whoop!! Crack open the champagne 🥂Congratulations BL 🤗that will be u now..what they're saying in the letter is that it will reviewed after 2031 so it looks like that's your award for a good few years!! This is such good news!! They usually review in about three or four years..you don't have to do it annually so as u can see..you've done really well!! I'm so happy for you!! 🤗🌈😽😽Xx

[Bowenlady in reply to Krazykat26]

Oh wow! That takes a lot of pressure off then. The man assessing me is probably scarred for life after me crying all the time! Such a relief.

[Krazykat26 in reply to Bowenlady]

With the enhanced mobilty award you are exempt from car tax too..have a look through your paperwork n at the back there will be a certificate of entitlement to free vehicle tax 🌈😽😽xx

[Bowenlady in reply to Krazykat26]

I can’t believe it, I saw that. I have just paid for another year from September. According to the paperwork it says I am exempt from March! I am absolutely flabbergasted because all I wanted was a blue badge and the council said I should claim. Nobody has ever actually listened to how it affects my health so I thought it was just a process they would through to say no at the end. I thought I would have to appeal or something. I am delighted.

[Krazykat26 in reply to Bowenlady]

You'll probably be able to get refund for this year's car tax now you've got the paperwork!! 👍By the way...you couldn't lend us a tenner could ya? 😉🌈😽😽Xx

[Bowenlady in reply to Krazykat26]

Lol! 🤦

[CecilyParsley in reply to Bowenlady]

Wonderful news. I am so delighted for you. I think normally they review it every 3 or 4 years but I have had mine for ten years now too . Mine will be reviewed in 2030. I could not believe what I was reading and kept going over and over my letter when I got it last year. Such a huge relief xxx

[Bowenlady in reply to CecilyParsley]

Thank you. I don’t think I could go through that interview every year, I am so glad that it’s 2031. Pleased for you too. Perhaps they are actually accepting that these conditions are not going to go away. Phew! X

[CecilyParsley in reply to Bowenlady]

A slight note of caution it does say at the bottom that they can decide to contact you before. I think they are inundated with long Covid so giving us a break but honestly I do not trust them and I do not believe it is a decision made out of compassion rather necessity. But for now we relax and celebrate xxx