Hi
I have sent for the PIP forms. Looking at them half the questions I can’t answer, as I don’t need help to eat or prepare food. I can shower myself. I am in constant pain, and am always tired. I have a cleaner to help once a week and I have to pay someone to do my garden.
Has anyone applied for PIP , if so is it worth my while as I’m sure I will get turned away.
I have rheumatoid arthritis, fybrmilalga and over active thyroid.
Citizens advice maybe able to help you too either by phone or pay them a visit.
I was totally honest when I filled in the booklet. I had difficulty getting out of bed,getting showered,getting dressed,drying my hair, standing, walking,holding pots,pans,kettles,cups,cutlery,driving,opening and closing doors,putting on or releasing a seat belt,toilet difficulties,even getting tablets out of blister pack. I told it the way it was and I was awarded pip. Don't hold back
New to RA. What’s PIP please?
Personal Independence Payment bjones1888. It’s a benefit that helps with the extra costs of a long-term health condition or disability for people aged 16 to 64. It’s replacing Disability Living. Allowance (DLA) 😊
Read up on PIP using the Benefits and Work website. If you pay to join you can download their PIP manual which goes into great detail.
You may be surprised once you start filling in the form Annie. Using the additional pages for further detail gives you the opportunity to expand on how your disabilities affect you. You're in constant pain & tired so you must have had to find different ways of doing things, maybe use special tools designed to help open things, things like that? PIP is intended to pay for things like that.
That you already pay for someone to help with cleaning not only tells us that you're unable to do it yourself any more but that you need help, is this not because of how your disabilities affect you? The same with gardening. Both these are examples of how PIP could help you, they're both examples of where some of your award would help. No they don't count towards points but they give indications of how it could help & what you can & can't manage. That you already pay for them makes no difference, it's not about whether you can afford it it's about where the award could be used so you're not paying for it, PIP is because it,s a result of having disabilities, they are two prime examples. Again, if you struggle with ironing whether it's standing or the act of doing it then it could pay for a perching stool, or if you physically can't do it then it would be helpful paying for someone to do it for you. You get the idea.
I don't know if this would help but when I applied whilst waiting for my form to arrive my h, unbeknownst to me, started his own list of how he helps me, the daily things you really don't think about, what I wasn't able to do for myself, what put me in danger because I tried (that one was a bit silly of me I fully admit) or what he helped with to make my daily life easier. Things as simple as taking the seal off a new bottle of milk to making up the bed because my hands don't grip enough to get the last corner of the base sheet on or I can't fasten the buttons on my shirt, things I really struggle with because of list strength in my hands. It was revealing & really helped with the additional info pages, expanding on what I was aware of. Do these things apply to you?
If you can affort the time, if you've only just received the form, fill in the diary supplied before you start the form, see if things pop up there that you take for granted, shortcuts you make etc. It may help with certain questions.
Take time on the questions, fill it in in pencil first or copy the form to use as a rough copy then the original can be completed more easily for you. Be careful when considering those questions with the descriptor safely, to an acceptable standard, as often as you need to & in a reasonable time. Think how you should respond honestly, truthfully, don't underplay anything... they don't award points for being brave or not wishing to admit your disabilities have affected you as they have. Send in as much medical information as you can, from anyone relating to your conditions, your Rheumy, GP, Physio, Occupational Therapy, Mental Health, anyone who can give me ducal information or reports. Along with the assessors report the DWP do rely on these in order to make an award decision.
I hope some of my ramblings help. If there's anything you're unsure of or anything else you think we could help with just ask. There are many of us who've been through the process who may be able to help. You could also download the NRAS publication How to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) nras.org.uk/publications/ho..., see if that helps. If you think CAB could help then do make an appointment to see them but don't it too long as their appointments are often limited.
All the very best. I hope you find once you start filling the form in that it info just flows from your pen.
Thank you very much, I will try my best.
The CAB usually has 1 person in circulation who best knows how to complete this monstrosity of a questionnaire. You have one shot at completing it correctly, within their timescale. It’s based on your capabilities “on your worst days” .... and yes, this is very much worth claiming, that’s why they make it so difficult to complete. Good luck x
I have recently been awarded PIP after my 4th time applying. I have PSA and a few other problems and lie u am in a lot of pain. The reason given for them declining my applications was PIP is paid depending on the amount of help u need with your daily living and not because of how much pain u r in or what illness u may have. So, unless u need help with day to day care like dressing, medication etc I doubt u will get it but still worth a try. Good luck.
Hi there hun they are crafty people visit citizens advice ,get a Drs letter and copy of your latest medical file if you say it's for the dwp then there won't be any charge ask the surgery . These are crafty people . And turn things around as they did with my son you need to be on top of your game here and as you need paints for every one get a letter from your cleaner type one up and get them to sign it even of its an email form . To show you are not lying my son had a face to face assessment they lied . We then appealed on the end we ended up in court . But we won our case . Don't worry it's just a centre not a court with 2 Drs and a judge . And they are loveley they are there to help you but you need to be as descriptive as possible. Go onto citizens advice .gov website you can do a questionnaire and it gives you points for the questions and a total .
The questions with how far you can walk 50 metres these are classed as so many busses long it's stupid I know. But get as much medical evidence as you can to back you up get your gp to write a letter of diagnosis for your condition
If you are in constant pain you need to emphasise that you can shower but you are in constant pain even if it's getting in an out of the shower because they will turn it around .
You might be able to make food but how long can you stand with your arthritis to.make food without having to sit down .
You might have arthritis in your hands that make it painful to cut veg lift saucepans take this into consideration because they will .
Good luck
"Don't need help to prepare food", think about the aids you use, jar and bottle openers, thick handled veg peelers. Do you drop cutlery when your hands are sore. Non slip mats, electric tin opener. Do you use some means of keeping track of your meds and when to take what. "I can use the shower", yes I can too, but I can't get in and out of a bath without considerable help and aids. If your shoulders or hands arms are sore can you reach all parts of you body when showering. Dressing, think about how you dress if your shoulders are sore, or do up buttons with sore fingers. Have you adapted your clothing to take account of this, easy slip on clothes like track suit bottoms.
We have all got so used to adapting to our pain and inflammation that we have forgotten how much help we actually do have. It takes a lot of thought, you need to break down each activity and think about your worse most painful day when filling in the form. Please use the web sites suggested in the posts above. Keep a daily diary, fill it in after each activity. You will find examples on the websites. List every aid or adaptation you have made.
It is really worth spending a few weeks preparing information and filling in the form. Hopefully you have the time to prepare, it is a real slog.
All the best. Mal
Hi annie1954
I’ve sent a link here to the benefits and work site, these people helped me so much with my form and I recieved the high rate on both living and mobility. You have to pay a small sum to get proper access but it’s so worth it. They will explain every question and will also speak to you in regards anything your not sure about. If you have pain doing something then you say I can’t do it without pain... Repeat yourself in all other questions if applicable. You can attach more paper to your form as I did giving as much information as you possible can. A typical diary day is good too explaining what a typical day is like for you. A letter from your GP the one that sees you most is very beneficial. Take your time and think carefully of what life is like for you. I wrote everything down on a large pad first and found I needed to repeat myself over and over. Life is hard enough for us and the help you get from pip makes life a tad easier. If you need extra time call them up and ask they’ll give you it.
Hope this helps 💕
Thank you, I will have ago.
PIP
PIP telephone assessment 
PIP Assessment phobia
PIP appeal.
PIP Success 
