Disability Appointment: Personal Independence Payment.

[SLE-Warrior]

I have my Personal Independence Payment appointment next week Thursday. I received a booklet of what to expect during the appointment.

I want to apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) as I feel I may not receive Personal Independence Payment. Lupus is a very unpredictable disease sometimes, I feel good and sometimes I feel extremely weak and tired. The fatigue and overall pain are the worst.

What are some of our experiences with Personal Independence Payment and Employment and Support Allowance? And how do DWP see Lupus disease?

[Hamptons]

My PIP assessment was good. Both of the interviewers were medical in background. One a physio and one a nurse. The questions allowed a story to be to,d rather than direct answers so I could explain the range of answers to a question. They understood Lupus and is variants. I felt very understood and a recognition that there was no single answer. I await my result but did not feel that there was a lack of understanding there.

[Lisalou19]

100% take some one with you!!!!!!!

Don’t drive there yourself as this is later used against you

Don’t follow their instructions because they will report you understand and follow instructions well

To be honest I found it the worst experience ever , it felt like an interrogation , took me days to get over it.

If you can get someone to do the talking for you. Make sure you take all medication in date with you and advise them dosage is on the box.

I was interrogation on my medication too.

Oh and don’t mention better days, good days because as soon as you say them words they turn into expert typists and tap away for ages.

Good luck x

[SLE-Warrior in reply to Lisalou19]

Thank you for your relpy. I am hoping the interviewers are fully aware of what Lupus is and how unpreditable it is. I am trying to fully prepared as possible. No one will be able to come to my appointment with me. My mum is not talking to me and my older sister will be going to work. My back has been hurting for the last couple of days. I asked my sister for a back massage she said no.

Did you end up getting PIP claim? If not why did they not give it to you?