Just wondering if any of you here have applied for PIP recently due to the effects of your PBC?
I applied mid August by ringing for a claim form and was subsequently sent the forms with a return date of 29th September. Sent them back in good time and have now been given an assessment appointment for Tuesday. This will be an entirely new claim, have not previously claimed DLA, nor am I claiming ESA or any other benefit.
By my own assessment I "should" qualify for enhanced daily living and enhanced mobility, but I am expecting to be denied both, going off general PIP forum experiences.
Would be grateful to hear of anybody else's experience - good or bad.
Thank you
Onlyme
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onlyme
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not a good process... most people have to appeal.... make sure you get dropped right at the door snd and use lift... you might be observed walking in.... sounds terrible but they are out to catch you out!!!! best wishes cazer
I can walk easily enough, but it is the after effects that wipe me out, the fatigue (as I am sure you know) is horrendous. If necessary, I will go to appeal. Thank you.
Hi, and thanks for your replies. I am expecting it to be a bit of a battle to be honest. I am having the assessment at home, was a bit puzzled by this actually, as I never requested a home visit, nor have I said I am incapable of walking / getting to an assessment centre.
My main problem is extreme fatigue / exhaustion. I have filled in the forms with a lot of detail, but wonder how I can get this across in in a 1 to 2 hour assessment. Other than falling asleep in front of the assessor, how can I prove it? My mobility is "okay", I am able to walk unaided, but any walking, no matter how small the distance causes my fatigue to worsen, but I can't physically show this.
I will be willing to go to appeal if necessary, but just wondered if anybody has any previous experience of this.
they will be nosey....one that came to my home said i answered the the front door and smiled.. how terrible of me.... she made walk up and down stairs by which time I felt really yuk but you can't see that can you!!!!
she also wrote thatmy house was clean and tidy!!! don't clean up.. leave in a mess as if you have struggled to clean up they assume you can do it all.
do you have a chair in the shower?
if you don't get up normally then stay in bed and let them come up to you.
I have not tried a claim (yet) but I am considering it. I do have an “acquaintance” who made a successful claim for a frozen shoulder. His partner also claimed and received carers allowance. He can walk. I think it depends on where you live, the attitude of the assessor, and whether or not they are in a hurry to get home. My plan is to keep a diary so I have some evidence of the daily issues. Some days are fine and some are awful. If I did not work from home I doubt I could hold down a job at all now. All the best with your claim.
Hi, I have p b c , early hepatic encelopathy , ostioarthritus in knees and hands and lower back, and a bowel problem . I applied for pip 4 months ago. Had a face to face appt . 6 weeks later I was awarded enchanced rate for both. But I don’t think I would have got it if I just had p b c, even though I suffer confusion and itching , and bouts of very bad fatigue. Along with my other problems. The face to face was good the lady I see was kind and listened to an account of a typical day for me, I didn’t expect to get it and was so pleased when I did, but I’ve known others who have been turned down. I think it depends on your consultants letters and the interviewers opinion of you herself. Wishing you all the very best of luck, and don’t worry , there really very nice .
Can I ask if you had a home assessment and if so, did you request it? I was fully expecting to go to an assessment centre, and had no problem with this, however I was surprised to receive an appointment for assessment at home, without requesting one. I also have confusion and itching, but it is the fatigue that is my main problem. I have arthritis in my hands, but not too bad, and am type 2 diabetic.
Boysanboys59, in your opinion, what reason do you think you were awarded enhanced rate? Do you have difficulty walking and with general mobility etc? To all intents and purposes, I look fine, and walk normally, but as I say, not without excessively bad side effects afterwards.
I was retired from my job on ill health ground last year and given the highest tier pension. I sent copies of all my consultant letters, results of liver biopsy and copies of my Occupational Health Report, confirming that the disease is progressive. I think I have done as much as I can, but really don't know how I can get the extent of my fatigue / exhaustion across to the assessor.
Glad to hear that you got enhanced for both, I am sure it helps.
Hi, you probably having a home assessment as you stated even small walks exhaust you , I went to the center. I walk with a stick and can only do short distances without bad pain, I also can’t take pain meds as I’m allergic to something in them, only they know why some people are awarded pip while others are turned down, and what you look like doesent matter ,or the illnesses you have it’s how the illnesses effect your quality of life and daily living. You gain points on the way you live Whitch determines how much you are awarded. And believe me the assesser is also assessing you while you are talking, and decribeing your typical day, the consultants letters , your description of how you live and there assessment of how they see you determines weather you will get pip or not and at what rate,just be yourself and honest , I’m sure you will be entitled to something . Wishing you good luck , x
I know this post was a while ago, just wondered how you got in with PIP only I have just sent off for the forms and I’m not sure if I will be successful as although I am exhausted and have the awful itchy skin I still work part-time, although not sure how much longer I will be able to,
Would love to hear from anyone especially success stories
Hi Roz, I was awarded lower rate mobility in the end. I did appeal (requested a paper appeal as I could not face going to the courts), but they upheld the original decision. The money is £90 per month, which is not much, but helps. The best thing is that the way the points were awarded (I got 8 points) means that I can apply for a Blue Badge which will be a great help.
I would advise you to fill the forms in with as much detail as you can, they are very repetitive, so you need to be consistent. I joined a site called Benefits and Work, I think the subscription was around £20 for the year, and took on board all their advice about how to best complete the forms, I think it was money well spent.
If you need to know anything else, I am more than happy to help.
Nice to hear from you. Sorry you weren't successful the first time, fingers crossed that this time round will be better.
I would advise that you send copies of any correspondence from Occupational Health with regard to medical retirement along with your application as I think this helped me.
Just be aware, as others have said, the assessor will be monitoring you from the moment they see you. My assessment was at home and when the assessor was leaving, she walked in front of me to the front door and I walked slowly behind her. She wrote in her report that she watched me walk to the front door at normal speed and didn't appear to have any problem! She obviously had eyes in her rear end then
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