im new here,any advice would be great...

[carolinenewman]

hi i was only told in june this year i have RA...i am off work for the next 2months as i cant do my job any more,( im a carer) i am just trying to fill in my pip form,what a nightmare!! anybody have any tips or advice,would be grateful..thanks

[Matilda_1922]

Just think of your worst day and answer your questions reflecting this. Seek advice from Citizens advice they will help you complete your former.

My first pip application was approximately 2 months after diagnosis I was turned down but learnt from that experience and sought Advice. Also NRAS have a booklet to help you complete your application. When going for the assessment go by taxi and take someone with you. You will be reimbursed for the cost of taxi. Make sure you get a receipt. The assessor will give you a form for the cost of taxi. They should give the form to you but ask if they don't.

Wish you all the best with your application. If you fail at the first hurdle please do a mandatory appeal and if you end up going to the appeals court they will throw it out as RA is a long term condition.

On my second application a few months later when I was having problems I went as far as the mandatory appeal and was awarded the lower award.

I too work as a Health care professional but not hands on. But still struggle with what I need to do. Due to the fatigue and drug side effects I reduced my hours from full time to 22.5 hours.

[dippyd09]

Hi Caroline, my advice would be to have a look at a website called benefits and work. It has lots of extremely useful advice about how to fill in your form. Good luck.

[Sweetheart0377]

Hi there , I am in exactly the same boat as you . I was diagnosed in January of this year . I'm 39 and like you worked as a carer . My advice is whilst your still on sick pay apply for whatever your entitled to , the pip form is a nightmare . Please remember that when filling your forms in you have to write them as if it's your worst day . You need to remember any person reading these forms does not have our condition and can not understand how much we struggle on our really bad days , even the simplest of things like opening a jar or bottle or trying to use a knife and fork and your hands are stiff and hurt so much . So tell them exactly what your worse day is like and how bad it really gets .( it really does help ) also if your trying for a blue badge ring your local council up and apply for it through them , they are so much more understanding and you don't have to wait forever for a reply . Don't expect pip to come through fast ( applied for mine in march and only got it beginning of August ) so make a note of when you applied for it as it gets backdated to that date !! , also I advise you to ring at least once a week as they tend to forget the quiet ones who are willing to wait . Send as many medical documents and letters and list of medications you take and each time you get given a new medication call them up and report change . Everything helps !!!

If your need any more info please do feel free to message me .

Hope all goes well

[Beverley-NRAS]

Hi Caroline,

here is the link to our publication on how to apply for PIP:

nras.org.uk/publications/ho...

Any questions, please feel free to call the helpline:

08002987650 Monday - Friday 9.30 - 4.30 pm

Hope it helps

Beverley (NRAS Helpline)