I have applied for PIP on advice from a counsellor, however as RA comes and goes I can, as you all know range from ok to diabolical, not being even able to squeeze toothpaste form a tube.
Any advice when my form comes? Do I fill it in as though it is a bad day? Do I put in my form that it comes and goes or state that I am filling it in based on my worse days?
Any help would be appreciated.
Would also love to hear your experiences throat this process.
Thanks in advance.
My advice would be to tell it as it is at its worst!
NRAS have great info on PIP, and a guide to filling in the form, just go to the website. CAB can also help.
It's helpful to get advice on the wording of your answers, from someone who really knows what the questions mean! Sounds daft, but the answers are crucial if you are to get a fair assessment
Good luck! M x
I wouldn't fill it in on my own. Make a draft with notes for each of the sections, then make an appointment to go over the form with a disability advisor at CAB - they will be able to advise you what to include, and almost more importantly, what not to include- sometimes people put their own foot in it by saying something on the form that makes the DWP decision maker think that you are managing ok when you aren't, and they will then disregard everything else in that section and not give you any points for that bit. You can't lie - its not just about writing what its like on your worst day - its about the sum total of disability - making it very clear how often, how long, and how badly it affects your life.
Also, once you have completed the form, make a copy of it for yourself, and also make a one page summary of the key points to give to your doctors. They often don't understand the disability side of your health condition, so when they are asked by DWP may not realise how badly you are affected unless you have told them. If they don't know how your disability affects you, they can't confirm it for DWP. I take my summary in to my GP, hand it over, and tell them its a summary of what I have put on my application form, and ask if they have any questions. They then put it in my file and its there for them to refer to if they get asked to do a report.
I have my assessment in the morning & have taken some good advice from members here. I obviously can't give any experience of the assessment but will probably post how it went tomorrow. I'm going through a rough patch at the mo so I will just be me on a bad day as I expect I'll be no different tomorrow, especially as I have an early morning appointment.
I completed my application form over 2 days, I found difficulty writing in the additional notes section as my writing became more & more untidy the longer I wrote so broke off & completed it the following day. My h helped me, even noting down difficulties I had whilst waiting for the application form to arrive which proved very useful when filling it in. There were some things he'd noted that I took for granted, things I can no longer do but may have omitted to list but were useful to add as difficulties. Once the form is completed make copies, including any supporting letters from your Specialist(s), GP or any other necessary helpful information separate to the form. I copied my 3 repeat prescription forms too.
I hope all goes well for you & you don't have too long a wait for your assessment.
Good luck NoMoreHeels for your assessment in the morning. Clemmie x
Thanks Clemmie. How are you feeling this morning, any change? x
I'm feeling much much better thanks. It's amazing, 24 hours of antibiotics and I felt great yesterday! Had a fairly good night's sleep but was awake at 5 this morning coughing so not so good as yesterday but certainly much better than I was. I hope that it goes well for you. I know that everyone gives lots of advice on here. I had PIP when it was DLA when I had such dreadful problems with my back, so had several assessments over the years as it gradually improved. Obviously with spending time abroad, I don't now get it but as I am by no means as disabled as I once was, that isn't a problem for me. Just remember to tell it as it is on your very worst day. Will wait to hear how it went. Clemmie x
That's great to hear Clemmie, yes the right antibiotics from the start can make such a difference you'll how soon recover too in my experience. Specifically ones for tooth probs, viruses etc but not each GP always gets it right so sounds like you have a good un!
Will do a separate post 're this morning if you don't mind, saves repeating myself it getting boring for everyone. x
Good luck today NMH's x
Thanks Jackie. Hope being a new grandma/grannie/nanna* is still covering your pain! Will report back later. x
*delete as appropriate or add your title lol!
I'm a northern Nan---- a frustrated one-- brand new galaxy 5 phone--- and the camera has packed up!!!!!!! Just when I need it most! X
Oh lovely, of course! My nan was a nan (!) more because she was called Ann & everyone called her either Annie or Nan. My middle name is Anne but note the 'e'. My dad chose my middle name & of course he chose to honour his mum but my mum insisted in adding the e! Always kidded me because it added a touch of class but think it was more that she was a royalist & dad wasn't lol. Hope I've not upset anyone called Ann without an 'e'..... blame my mum!
I've got a Samsung touch phone but a cheapie onetouch, drives me up the wall as the keyboard's way too small & doesn't flip to landscape like h's iPhone. Brand new too yours? How damned annoying particularly now!!! Do you think the shop will replace it or was an onliner? Hope you can get a replacement straight away. Just goes to show how we rely on them now not only as phones & you won't want to miss a moment just now I'm sure. x
Good luck for today and thank you for your help. x
Thank you hev53. Am about to post how it went if it will help you further, hope it does! x
Good luck on your assessment tomorrow No more heels xx
Had it, posting how it went in a mo once I've caught up on replies. Hope you're the better side of grim? x
Hope it went OK. Am full up with a cold again. Had occi health on phone today and she doesn't think I'll work again so am just waiting on my notice off work. Got my nan's funeral Tuesday so once that's over we can then have some sort of Christmas as everything has been on hold for the last week x
You're sounding a little more up, but suppose that's to be expected, last week not being the best. Think you're right not planning before your nan's funeral, not the right time for forward thinking when you've that still to face. Hopefully you'll do as we expect to do as we lost my h's mum in Feb cry, laugh & remember her idiosyncrasies & laugh some more! You'll do ok & your mum will, promise. x
When you fill it in,put yourself down as how you are when your at your worst,because if you put yourself down at your best you won't get it. Best of luck.xxx
Bad day totally or they will dismiss u xx get help from everyone. I took photos. So instead of saying I cant climb in the bath I took a photo showing why I had issues. They seem to have sharpened up more to r a and I got awarded low rate pip which I didn't risk challenging xx
Hi hev I wish you well with the form but fill it for your worse days . if you go on the nras home page and click on publications then scroll down there is a book on how to help fill in the forms . I have 1 here if I could send it to you as not needed . well gud luck with it all and merry Xmas x
Just write about your absolute worst. There taking about a year to get people seen. So as in my case im completely different now as I was in June when I put the claim in. So put my worst states down.
I spoke to the DWP and they advised me to fill it in based on my worst day! Like you and most of us we have good and bad days so I did not know how to fill in the form either. They checked on the state of my health with my consultant and I was awarded on my first claim. Good luck. X
Thank you all of you for your help. More clued up now and will go to CAB for help also to fill it in when it comes. Have a good Xmas all of you xx
They want to know about your worst day ever, they will want proof of what you say.
I explained that on a good day I could do most things using the aids I have (I kept the report from occupational therapy). Then I explained that on a bad day I used crutches and that diminished my mobility (bad days outnumber the good days) and that on a few "rare" days I was in so much pain that I needed to use a wheelchair to move around and that I was completely helpless unless I had physical help from a family member.
I was completely honest and open about the effect it has on me and when I had my assessment (in my home) the assessor was very pleasant. explained what the questions were asking for. She asked about aids in the house - I have a copy of the occupational therapists list of aids she has provided. She saw my crutches and wheelchair in the hallway, she saw me use the stick to move around my home and she saw my very swollen foot which I explained meant I would be having a bad day the next day.
Two weeks after the assessment I had a letter which said I had been awarded pip, standard for daily living and enhanced for Mobility because being in a wheelchair even if only very rarely got me the twelve points.That has meant I have been able to get a blue badge and a disabled bus pass - I do not feel guilty now when using the bus for only 3 stops!!!
When I applied for a blue badge the lady at the council said I should apply for PIP and gave me the advice to ring the council and ask for the benefits welfare officer. This turned out to be a person who worked for the DWP and she was very helpful and visited me at home and came up with other ways of looking at things which over time I had come to think of as normal.
As writing was painful at the time I started on the computer so I could put down things before the lady came and then easily revise. She said to print out the sheets and attach and just put on the comments section please see attached sheets. I put the question heading and then information, make sure your name and national insurance number is on each sheet and I numbered page ? of ? at the bottom so I could reference. I sent a copy of my prescriptions and a couple of clinic reports. Keep a copy so you can look at it before your assessment. I had been having an easier time before the assessment but I think because of feeling under pressure and the stress that day I was not good. Farm
Your forms will allow you to explain fully your condition. I was diagnosed 8 years ago. Out of any month I can spend almost whole days in bed.,other days feel good. The powers that be are very aware of how RA manifests itself on a daily basis.
If you are regularly under hospital and GP then your claim will be straight forward. Talking of 'squeezing toothpaste' they will probably want to know what brand you use haha!!!! Just take a deep breath and work through it.
Good luck.
Sign up to benefitsandwork.co.uk they have plenty of good advice given by professionals and form filling templates, lots of good advice on this site as well. Good luck 
Firstly u must take note of how many bad days you have compare to how many,good days as we all know,two days are never the same and that is what I wrote you should take it to your CAB as they will explain it in ,depth as what it is about it ,is not what it appears ,it is not based on your illness ,it is based on what aids you have to use to make your life a bit easier eg ,I have to use shoe horn as my feet swell so much ,a special knife to cut up food which I actually found hard to hold duh how far you could walk without stopping how much you can do for yourself and how long it takes you ,iam so very lucky I have a very good friend who helps me a great deal so .please take to CAB as I found they were fantastic in explaining it is not about your illness it's about how u cope I'm pleased to say mine passed hope this was of some help to you Goodluck x
Fill it in as your worse day
Yes and have a good friend with you to help
Always answer every question, whether written or in the assessment, as if on a bad day. When writing down, you should state that on good days I can ... On bad days I can .... and what percentage of the year are bad days, but you should state heavily how much warning you get of bad days and that if there is no warning, you are unable to do have a shower / get dressed / cook a healthy meal / walk etc... plus you need to use a step to get in the shower /grab rails around the house etc... . I used the guidance booklet from benefitsandwork.co.uk and it was invaluable in explaining exactly what the questions are asking for and how much of an answer you need to give.
You really shouldn't attempt to fill in the questionnaire without guidance, and don't be afraid to write lots - I included an additional 12 pages just with my answers on! I didn't attach any additional evidence from my doctors and was awarded enhanced rate for both daily living and mobility, so supplementary evidence is not always necessary. I also asked for an extra 2 weeks to fill the form in (just rang up and asked) and they granted it with no problem, so if it's taking you a while, don't rush it.
Good luck!
Make an appointment with the citizens advice service. They help and advise you on your application. Excellent service 👍
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