Problems with getting pip.

[Prettystuffed]

Hi

I am new to this site and was diagnosed last Jan. I am on 20mg of injectable mex. I am 62 yrs old. Lucky as not being as young as some.

My DAS is still 5.5. I applied for pip and had an assessment and was refused. It seems they are more concerned with my mental capacity and whether I wet myself. LOL!! I thought RA was more physical and should be judged on such. What do other people think?

I am suffering mentally with all that I have enjoyed being taken away. I used to walk miles on a daily basis. Had my driving ponies and enjoy gardening all of which are now difficult due to pain in hands, wrists and feet.

Kind regards to all Pretty Stuffed

[Matilda_1922]

You can do a mandatory appeal I was refused but offered the lower rate on appeal.

Seek CAB advice also send all letters copied to gp that are sent to you. If you don't receive these then ask for them.

You need to call them to say you are going to do a mandatory appeal and you have 28 days to reply and send your evidence

Hope you win your appeal

Matilda

[Prettystuffed in reply to Matilda_1922]

I will of course try but you shouldn't have too really. Thank you for your advice regards CAB

[premierscfc in reply to Prettystuffed]

Also have a look benefitsandwork site as their guides helped me get a correct award eventually. Also contact your MP as that can help too.

Good luck

[AgedCrone]

I understood if you are over 60 you aren't eligible for PIP? I was diagnosed 18 years ago & am now well over 60, so have never bothered to apply for it.

RD affects us both mentally & physically, but I think the PIP allowance is focussed on letting applicants continue the way of life they enjoyed before the onset of the disease.

It does take getting used to, but as you were only diagnosed 8 months ago you have probably not reached the maximum efficacy of Mtx. Once you do you will probably be able to get back to enjoying something nearer to the lifestyle you enjoyed before.

Hope things look up for you!

[beeckey in reply to AgedCrone]

Hi AgedCrone You can apply for PIP as long as you are under 65 and will still receive it after 65 as long as you were getting before 65

[AgedCrone in reply to beeckey]

Tks beeckey.......what do 65+ do then if they only have the DSS pension to live on? It seems a bit odd if a 64 yr old can get it but not a 66 yr old.

Not that I'm thinking of applying....but i wonder is there an equivalent allowance for 65+? I'd think the older you get the more you are likely to need a bit of help.

When I broke my arm recently it cost me £25 each way in a mini cab to get to the hospital as I couldn't drive...luckily I could afford it but what would have happened if I couldn't?

Still be in plaster I expect!!!

[ldwilliams in reply to AgedCrone]

i believe they can apply for apply for attendance allowance

[AgedCrone in reply to ldwilliams]

Thanks idwilliams.........Ah yes Attendance Allowance.....a few years ago I applied for that for my 94 year old aunt. She lived alone & had started to need a bit of help. A young woman assessor arrived ....told me I wasn't needed - she just wanted to speak to my aunt. Needless to say I stayed....& was horrified when her first question to this single old lady was did she have any "psycho sexual problems"?

Bless her, my aunt's reply was "what's that...I've got arthritis!"

The interview didn't get any better, so I asked the assessor to leave as my aunt was getting distressed as this young woman was just badgering her.

Eventually she was awarded some sort of Attendance Allowance......sadly she had to go in to a nursing home before she received a penny!

[ldwilliams in reply to AgedCrone]

gawd !

[Hifi3 in reply to AgedCrone]

Have you looked at the AA form, there are a lot of questions and they all have to be answered otherwise no chance of success. So it's no fun to have to complete it and it may feel like badgering but there is a reason. PS there are no psychosexual or any other sexual questions, just in case this puts anyone off applying. Maybe she misheard 'psychological'?

[AgedCrone in reply to Hifi3]

The young woman asking the questions was quite unsuited to the task....& I did not mishear...when I questioned it she said she had to read out every question. Maybe she hadn't read the form ahead of time?

After telling me I wasn't needed she threw her scruffy overcoat on the floor in my aunt's sitting room & sat on it on the floor....when I asked her to please sit on a chair as my aunt was deaf & needed to see her face to understand what she was saying.,,...her answer was to tell me she was more comfortable on the floor.

By that time I'd had enough & asked her to leave. The retired doctor who eventually did the actual assessment was kindness itself.....& I believe did have a word with whoever sent the young girl on the first assessment.

[Hifi3 in reply to AgedCrone]

For sure, the person doing the form needs to be sensitive and it sounds like your relative had a really unpleasant experience. I did notTL intend to sound dismissive of her experience and am sorry if I did. The

fact remains that there are a lot of questions that need to be answered on the form and that none of them are about sex.

[Martinilady in reply to ldwilliams]

But Attendance Allowance is only gor daily living and no mobility - Ive checked it out and I am 66 qualify for PiPs disability but they said Im too old ! Ive claimed basic PiPs daily living allowance for 2yrs but not mobility which has got worse over this 2yr period. So where do I go for mobility help I dont qualify for blue badge coz Im nog getting mob all.

[AgedCrone in reply to Martinilady]

Bottom line I don't know Martinilady...but have you thought of going into the CAB?

I understand they have all sorts of leaflets explaining where you go to get info.

When I applied for my aunt she hadn't left her house for 10 years......she had lived with her brother who died....hence she needed help with shopping etc. I lived 2 hrs drive away & was still working so I thought she would qualify for AA....but the performance it turned into put me off for life.

You could also speak to the Patient Liaison Officer at your hospital....they seem to have a good grasp of " the system".

Hope you find some help.

[nomoreheels in reply to Martinilady]

Have you tried applying for a Blue Badge from your local Council Gladys? I did when I didn't qualify for Mobility (if I'd not fallen 2 points short of the standard component I would have automatically qualified for one). Check on your Council's website, search see how you'd need to apply, some you can do by phone others only accept online requests but I was fortunate as mine provides TellyTalk, it's at our local library & you're linked up to a person, yes an actual human that you can see! The assessment is done via a visual link to the council offices & the photo for the badge is taken there & then. I received my BB within a fortnight & it's been a godsend at times.

[Hifi3 in reply to Martinilady]

Have a look at the CAB link, it will differ a bit from council to council. citizensadvice.org.uk/benef...

[Prettystuffed in reply to AgedCrone]

Thank you I hope so to.

[Prettystuffed in reply to AgedCrone]

Hi

Yes I think I can. I won't get my pension until I'm 66. So I'm ok at the moment. That however is another gripe !! lol

[Prettystuffed in reply to AgedCrone]

Thank you for your kind advice It is as much mentally with me.Its losing everything including my lovely job with the National Trust Through my condition.

[loppyloo12]

not sure if this help but don't give up I have ra and I have had it since 2014 I'm 40 and applied for pip but got told by my doctor when dignoised that its classed as a blue badge illness so keep trying and appeal if needed

[Bookworm55 in reply to loppyloo12]

You can apply for (and get) a Blue Badge without applying for or being awarded PIP.

[Martinilady in reply to Bookworm55]

How ? When Ive looked at the o line form & I had a dummy run to fill it in it came up tjat I didnt qualify - it seemed more focused on hand/arm mobility questions rather than leg/walking movements.

[Bookworm55 in reply to Martinilady]

Well I 'm basing this on my cousin who has had RA for 10 years and was awarded a Blue badge last year. She has never applied for PIP, works part time and has problems with her knees and feet meaning walking any distance is a problem. Will try and get more details and get back to you.

[Bookworm55 in reply to Bookworm55]

Just spoken to my cousin who said most of her Blue badge assessment was centred around how far she could walk without pain at the assessment itself. Could be the local authority concerned of course, although my elderly dad got his, with no official diagnosis, in another local authority.

[Prettystuffed]

Will do. Thank you

[Ouchyjenna]

I just had my pip awarded. I just fully explained how this disease affects every aspect of my life. And sentvas much evidence as I had, like occupational health letters and medication lists etc. I already had a blue badge which i applied for a year before applying for pip. The application process for that was much easier. Maybe it worth you getting someone to help with the appeal?

[Fra22-57]

Do you get ESA to help you .when I applied years ago they said to apply for DLA as it was then.It is a real pain n very stressful filling in the booklet of answers and very repetitive. Now gone onto PIPS I know but my sister helped me with answers as I wouldn't of put enough down.Also got my doctor to write letter and I had lots of medical evidence to send thou it's not what you have its how it effects your day to day life in what you can n can't do.

I know they ask stupid questions thou

[loppyloo12]

i just took the chance as my doc said it was a blue badge illness and if you give as much info as you can about it then you can pay 10 pound and they will assess you for badge I wasn't shore if I could or not I'm on lower rate living pip and I work full time still but it came through last week you can only but try the illness is bad enough as it is get what your intitled to

[Tinkerbell5]

Snap me to it's a joke I'm in pain all the time take loads of medicines etc and can't get no help