Personal Independence Payments (PIP) benefits

[Wired123]

Hi all

has anyone got experience of applying for this benefit due to their thyroid condition. Would be keen to hear of experiences.

thanks

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Wired123

It's not the medical condition that makes you eligible for PIP, it's how it affects you and the benefit comes in two parts and the claimant could be eligible for either one or both of them:

1) if you need help with everyday tasks - this is the "daily living" part

2) if you need help with getting around - this is the "mobility" part

[Wired123 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you

[Sparklingsunshine]

Hi

As Susie says just having the condition doesn't make you eligible for it, its how badly you are affected, whether you need help with daily tasks like getting to the loo, washing yourself, preparing meals, taking medication.

For example,I have Fibromyalgia which isn't too bad for me, but someone else I know is in a wheelchair with it. My neighbour has MS but manages to work full time, but many with MS are unable to. It's how it affects you and your ability to do things. If I'm honest I don't think hypothyroidism on its own would make you eligible.

It's a tough benefit to get. You need to fill in a long and in depth form, send off any corroborating medical evidence like hospital letters, xray reports, any other therapy or procedures you might have had. And once you've done that you'll probably have to be assessed by one of the private companies the DWP uses. There's a high rate of people being refused.

I went through it on behalf of my mum who was trying to get Attendance Allowance, which is PIP for the over 65's. My first thought would be to find a website that allows you to score yourself against the PIP criteria, like Benefits and Work. If you answer honestly you can get an idea of whether it would be worth applying for.

Lastly if you do decide to proceed then get expert help like welfare rights or Citizens Advice. The first time I applied for AA mum got turned down. But when I contacted Welfare Rights and they helped me with the forms mum was awarded it.

[Wired123 in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

Thank you, I guess there’s an art to filling the forms to meet the criteria that CAB are experienced in… much like answering an exam paper to meet the marking script!

[Aunds in reply to Wired123]

Hi Wired123. Here’s the link to see if you might qualify, having been through the process (not for hypothyroidism) you really need robust medical evidence to support your statements and to demonstrate your needs. Then as above you will have a face to face appointment with one of the private companies employed by DWP. This benefit has a high threshold for eligibility. benefitsandwork.co.uk/perso...

[Sparklingsunshine in reply to Wired123]

Hi

There very definitely is an art to it lol.

[Bearo in reply to Wired123]

No, as someone who volunteered with CAB and completed many PIP forms there isn’t an art to it - you just answer the questions honestly and in detail.

[ZoBo in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

I too was thinking of applying. I noticed in you reply that your mother was applying for attendance allowance. Do you have to be a pensioner in order to apply? Would you say it's an easier benefit to apply for rather than PIP. Thank you.

[Sparklingsunshine in reply to ZoBo]

Hi

I wouldn't say any benefit is easy tbh. There's a lot of form filling and compiling of medical evidence required. Its a laborious process with a high number of rejections. I would always recommend seeking expert help.

Attendance Allowance is paid once you've reached state pension age. There's no mobility component to AA however. Benefits and Work is a good website with lots of tips and advice.

[ZoBo in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

Thank you

[Digger0]

PIP's are not for conditions, it is for how you cope day to day.

[rocketrob01]

When completing a PIP form, answer the questions with how you are on your worse day.For instance, on your worse day you can’t go to the shops so don’t say that you can do your own shopping.

If you get turned down then appeal.

Most appeals are successful they just hope people will be put off filling out the form or appealing the decision.

[magsyh]

I can give you a few positive tips. Yes there is an art to it lol! My job was with an age related charity and I spent most of my days helping elderly people claim benefits. PIP or attendance allowance can be difficult but there are two points that are crucial. It doesn't matter which illness or condition you have it's all down to how long it takes you to do something. To meet the threshold for benefits you must take at least 20 minutes to do it and to get benefit for during the night again it's 20minutes and it must be that you need help at least twice during the night. You have to give as much detail as possible. Also be vigilant they are watching you. I know someone who was asked for an interview. The interview went well but he was watched by security cameras going to his parked car and benefit was reduced because he could walk to his car. Also they have mirrors watching you if they ask you to remove your shoes etc.

[Brightness14]

A best friend of mine who is blind, always had a visit, checking up on her. I was there to help.We went through the procedure that my friend had to go through. i.e. on her braille machine labelling up every tin together so she never ate carrots instead of peaches. We used to have quite a laugh about it. Also all the shoes were in boxes, and labelled up clothes too.

Anyway, after showing the lady exactly what everyday was like, my friend had a huge increase in her allowance, so well worth it.

[Pen1966]

I'm going through that now doing form on Frid with lady from gps as I also have CFS and FND some days I cannot get out of bed even

[witchcat43]

If you’re going to apply do it asap…they’re still doing telephone assessments in a lot of areas.

[Beau55]

I claim pip for POTS, chronic UTI’s, depression and anxiety. The best advice I can give is be very specific with lots of examples and answer on your worst day. For example if they asked me how I bathe myself I would say on my worst days with POTS I can’t bathe without someone being home with me in case I collapse and injure myself. This also results in me having to plan my days around other peoples plans and I rely on them.I also have to take showers sitting down. With having depression, on my worst days I need prompting to bathe and care for myself etc. so and so forth for each example. Try and link in each condition for each example.

I would say the best evidence I have is from my mental health conditions and they seem to take them more ‘seriously’ than the physical stand point. Don’t despair if you get rejected though as you have to appeal. When my pip was up for renewal they told me I qualified for 0 points so couldn’t even get the basic rate. When I appealed I was so nervous but I spoke to a lovely panel and they awarded me the enhanced pip and even mobility which I didn’t have previously!

Good luck

[tj61]

Many of us have fluctuating health and effects on ability to complete daily living tasks and it's important to note that you need to have difficulties for more than half the time in this case. Also worth noting is whether or not you can complete an activity in the same amount of time as an average person and whether or not you can do it safely and as often as required. As an example, I might be able to walk to my local shop and back, but that would likely be only once in the week and it would take me longer than other people and trying to do it more often would be likely to result in a crash that would leave me exhausted and unable to look after my other needs independently. I needed a family member to help me complete the PIP form and it took us weeks! The report from the phone assessment was like reading about a stranger and contained many inaccuracies and some direct lies. I went to CAB and got help from them for a Mandatory Reconsideration and was given full award of both components. It's a demoralising and distressing process, but if you genuinely meet the criteria, you should get help and apply.