PIP appointment

[Dawnymat]

Hi everyone, I have my appointment next week for PIP and just wondered if anyone had any advice, or stories, on what to expect to share? I'm very nervous. Thank you 😊

[ldwilliams]

Have a look on the benefits and work website, disability rights, etc.They all give advice on what to expect, what to look out for, how to describe things, what they do say and what they omit (like how far can you walk, but they omit the without pain part. Etc etc

[Ellieellie]

I have mine next week as well. I asked the same question. Have a look at the answers left on my post. They may help you a little as they have me. Wishing us both good luck x

[Daviator]

It may be beneficial to take a friend, one who knows you well and will be honest about your true condition. I have an appointment with the CAB in half an hour, to discuss my ESA appeal. following a 0/15 decision. A friend who is a doctor and who sits on one of the appeal panels put it to me like this. Apply and when you are turned down appeal.

Good luck.

[Dawnymat in reply to Daviator]

How did your appointment go?

[Mixedmoss]

more likely you'll have to appeal they just chuck the first lot in the bin, a big help will be getting a letter from your doctor, well worth paying for, best of luck hope you get it first time remember appeal if you don't

[Dawnymat]

Thank you everyone, my appointment letter says I won't be examined physically but will just be talking about day to day life. I sent all my clinic letters from rheumatologist and specialist nurse with my form. I photocopied that so I will take it. I also put information from my occupational therapist. I just wondered if anyone had stories to tell from their own appointment that was recent. What they asked etc... 😁😁😁

[trish1957 in reply to Dawnymat]

Hi I had my review appointment last week. I was awarded my first time in 2014 so I am waiting for the decision Just remember to let them know how you are on your worst days and the amount of pain you suffer. I was asked if I could raise my arms above my head and and a few more tasks. I think you have supplied all the information needed as I did.

Good luck

[Hidden]

I had a PIP appointment recently and had my benefits reduced by half! Apparently having a degree went against me??? I would seriously advise taking someone along with you if you can. I live on my own and all my friends were working. This also went against me. Good luck.

[Hidden]

Forgot to say...I also have a serious MH condition alongside the RA. I refused to take psych meds (the side effects were awful) the stiffness I experienced was worse on these drugs than off! I don't take psych meds for very good reasons. The initial MH illness has not gone away, I just have to manage as best I can. However, since I don't take meds my benefits were reduced. This despite them saying...and I quote 'you say you have bipolar affective disorder, we believe you." I sent care plans from my psychiatrist!

They will do some simple mobility tests on you. I could hardly get up from my chair.

[LaLa67]

Hi to everyone, now Dawnymat hi to you, your best bet is as Daviator says & please take someone with you. You will be watched from the minute you arrive in the car park, until you return to it. Do not do anything they ask you to do physically if you feel uncomfortable doing it & take a photocopy of your form"hopefully you did that" or they will try & trip you up

I am waiting to be told wether I am or not entitled to my pip, if you look on the citizens advice website for pip it will show you exactly what all the things are & remember YES or NO is all you tell them if asked as they are not your friend even though the do try to give that impression. And Finally Good Luck😊😏

[Teeje]

Be aware ! Take someone with you but saying that I went with dad who has been on higher rate mobility for last 8 years and on the report it said he drove there and went alone . Lots of descrepencies on desicion letter , including things he did not say and do , also they have spoken about his right leg when indeed one of the problem is in his left leg . Also said he walked 20 metres with good balance ? He walked in the door and sat , I checked him in and asked if they had allocated him a ground floor room , the receptionist pointed out that we were just going in the room over there ! About 5/7 metres away , we sat for 15 mins and waited , then dad walked in on his crutch unstable and held on to doors and wall as he went , after being sat in room for 45 mins he did same trip back out to the car , he was said to be able to walk between 20/50 metres with good balance and with no breathlessness repeatedly and safely ? Oh and he is referred to as a She in some parts , he is definately pain free according to the assessor . Awarded Standard rate for both and his mobility car goes back next month , it's a joke and the assessor report is a joke , applied for mandatory reconsideration , but lady who rang was adamant that the assessor was right . Will have to wait now for outcome but will fight it all the way . He suffers from fibro , osteopath iritis , angina , blood pressure and has a frozen leg . Is constantly in pain and can no way walk the distance stated and certainly has not got good balance . Moral of our story is don't be honest , don't sit there quietly , scream out in pain and even if you can walk a little get someone to push you in to the room in a chair .

P.s no matter how anxious you are they will say you weren't.

[Bullet57]

I have been on two of these reviews

Best advice is be yourself but be aware they are sneaky and monitor your behaviour

How you communicate how you are able to sit up and down

In my last sneaky interview she could tell I was very uncomfortable so asked if I would like to stand up so as to be more settled this was a test it's all a test

These people are there to do a job they are not your friends

Good luck

[SilverWolf]

Hi, OK as everyone else has said do not go alone, they ask you questions about daily life,pretty much the same as what you put on your form, I had to fold a piece of paper (which I couldn't do properly) and count back in sevens from a hundred, one thing I will say is be aware they watch you from the moment you enter the building..... fingers crossed and I hope you get a good result (although we all dread the brown envelope through the letterbox) xx

[Amhoarten]

I took my husband with me which for me was reassuring. I wasn't expecting to get the mobility element just yet and to be honest wasn't even sure they would award me daily living but they did. They basically asked the same questions on the form. She typed as I spoke. It seems to me it was to clarify what I had put on the form. She did record input from my husband. Examination wise she did basically what the rheumatologist does. I had to stand up, hands in front, turn them, arms behind back etc etc. I sat back down and she did the normal leg tests so got me to lift my leg while she held my knee. The whole process for me only took 30 mins but like I said I wasn't expecting anything. Im newly diagnosed and thought if I applied and got awarded it then if I needed to drop any work hours then it would mean I can.

Good luck!!!

[Dawnymat in reply to Amhoarten]

Thank you for that reply, it has definitely reassured me. Just worrying about having a 'good day' on Tuesday for my appointment. Were you able to do the tests on the day? I know some days I can lift my arms up and some days I can't. 😁

[Amhoarten in reply to Dawnymat]

I was having a good day and that's the hard thing about our condition. I've literally just cleaned my oven today but tomorrow I might not be able to do much at all. I would say speak about how you are on your worst days and try to back up what you put on your form. I could do the physical tests and it was noted some weakness in my right leg and stiffness. There's no way of acting any different than how your body is on that day. As I said I know my condition isn't bad enough for me to warrant the mobility part yet so it probably didn't make much difference in that respect. They still awarded the daily living where I had described how I needed support for cooking and washing on bad days yet that day she would have seen me as being able to do them. I was so nervous about the whole thing but once I got there the assessor was lovely and put me at ease. Just think things though in your head, be honest and it will all be ok. Let us all know how it went.

Oh one thing to make you laugh she asked me if I had any hobbies. I replied that I don't tend to do much really. My husband who was with me said "well you like walking don't you" er yes on my GOOD days was my response. I thought oh dear of all the things for him to say when I was at an assesment. Yes I do like walking but i don't do it often enough to call it a hobby 😂

[Dawnymat in reply to Amhoarten]

Haha that's funny, could have been worse, he could have said you like running 😂😂😂 I'm taking my Mam with me but worried about what she'll come out with. 😁 I'll let you know how I get on. I'll probably start blubbering when I talk about struggling 😁 x

[Amhoarten in reply to Dawnymat]

Aww good luck but you won't need it as you will be fine. It took about 4 wks for them to let me know which was much quicker than I expected. I too cry a lot when I talk about the struggles. I'm still not accepting yet as only diagnosed April and in denial a lot of the time.