Pip eligibility

Hello, i wonder if someone can help me as I am currently getting a headache about pip. I applied back in April last year and haven't even had an assessment yet as they have kept messing things up, but that's a whole book in itself but i wont go into that. I don't think i will get pip as i cannot prove I'm unwell if that makes sense.
For the past six years i have been unable to work. It first started out with dizziness and pain in my chest, i never for one minute considered my heart as the pain lasted for hours at a time and i was only 32 at the time. To cut a long story short I have had every heart test you can imagine, most neurological tests but they still cannot find out what's wrong with me. They know it's something as i have passed out quite a few times and one neurologist said i have autonomic dysfunction when he examined me.
Most of my time is spent lying down as I'm either in pain or so dizzy i cannot really stand, but on the odd occasion i feel reasonably okay i can easily prepare meals or walk 200 metres etc. The majority of the time i cannot do those things but I'm not sure if that will be considered. It also doesn't help that the doctors seem to be at a loss, i am still under cardiology as i have a recording device in my chest. After that i have no idea where they will refer me next.
Basically any help is appreciated with regards to if I'm eligible for pip or not?
Thank you.
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Comments

  • GlasweJen
    GlasweJen Posts: 7,451
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    No help from the benefits point of view but have you ever had a tilt table test?
  • Tolly_T
    Tolly_T Posts: 120 Forumite
    I didn't get any points for mental health problems, which I did have years of evidence for but I did get points for pain without good evidence. I haven't got a diagnosis, plenty of tests but no diagnosis. For anyone going for a PIP assessment it can be a bit hit and miss and depends more on the assessor, whether they see you're genuine and believe what you say or whether they think they know better than you by simply looking at you and ignore what you tell them. All is not lost, it's not about diagnosis, it's about how your condition affects you. You've evidence that you have a problem simply by the fact that you've had and are having lots of tests, the consultants haven't simply dismissed you as not having a problem.
  • Tolly_T wrote: »
    I didn't get any points for mental health problems, which I did have years of evidence for but I did get points for pain without good evidence. I haven't got a diagnosis, plenty of tests but no diagnosis. For anyone going for a PIP assessment it can be a bit hit and miss and depends more on the assessor, whether they see you're genuine and believe what you say or whether they think they know better than you by simply looking at you and ignore what you tell them. All is not lost, it's not about diagnosis, it's about how your condition affects you. You've evidence that you have a problem simply by the fact that you've had and are having lots of tests, the consultants haven't simply dismissed you as not having a problem.

    I have plenty of good evidence that supports that my life is quite difficult due to the many disabilities I have. Yet because it seemed that the claim form was poorly constructed I wasn't even offered a face to face assessment - I was told 0 points.
    As you say it is down to how the assessor feels on the day.
  • pmlindyloo
    pmlindyloo Posts: 13,049
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    OP, you don't say whether you had any help with completing the PIP form or whether you sent any medical evidence with the form?

    Since you have not had your assessment yet it is not too late to collect your medical evidence and take it with you on the day. The assessor must look at this evidence even if you take it on the day.

    The fact that you have not yet been diagnosed should not disallow you from claiming. The fact that you are being investigated should suffice. If you do not have your reports from whoever you have seen then these can be obtained from your doctor (you may have to pay a fee).

    Also, because your illnesses are fluctuating it is a good idea to keep a diary of your days for a few weeks. This should be detailed and start from the beginning of the day to the end. It should include how you feel, what you can and cannot do, whether you need help etc etc.

    At the assessment try not to answer yes or no to the questions. Say, most days I .............. On a bad day I .............. Once a *****(month/week) I can ...................

    You do not say whether you are receiving ESA. Are you?
  • pmlindyloo wrote: »
    OP, you don't say whether you had any help with completing the PIP form or whether you sent any medical evidence with the form?

    In my opinion it does seem not to matter what you send in. They either don't bother to read it or dismiss it entirely.
  • bspm
    bspm Posts: 541
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    edited 13 March 2017 at 5:00PM
    In my opinion it does seem not to matter what you send in. They either don't bother to read it or dismiss it entirely.


    Please shut up, you add nothing but negativity and lies to every thread you post on.

    You are not helping new posters at all who come here for help and advice.
  • Alice_Holt
    Alice_Holt Posts: 5,902
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    Ron2017,

    From your OP, I would think a PIP award is a possibility.
    The PIP assessment should look at what you can do (or can't do) reliably, repeatedly, in a reasonable timescale for the majority of the time.
    These sites are helpful:
    http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip
    https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/before-claiming/check-you-are-eligible/

    If you are not awarded PIP, it is worth getting advice from your local CAB about an appeal.

    I have recently posted some info on PIP assessment on another thread, which I have copied below:

    About the PIP assessment:
    https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/help-with-your-pip-claim/your-assessment/
    http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip/pip-medical-assessments

    The assessment should look at what you can reliably do on the majority of days.
    Keeping a diary so you can accurately describe how you cope with the PIP activities and descriptors on the majority of days is a good idea.
    Your carer should be able to add information.

    Some suggestions:
    Ask your carer to take a notepad & pen with her and make notes during the assessment of what was said, etc
    Look at the PIP points and be clear where you should score the necessary 8/12 points
    http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip/pip-points-system
    Have some notes / care diary around these descriptors to take to the assessment for examples to tell the assessor about.
    Give full answers, you need to explain fully why you can't do the relevant activities/descriptors reliably for the majority of the time.
    Take your copy of the PIP2 form with you.

    Reliably - nicked from Benefits & Work
    "It’s vital that, before you complete your form, you understand that just because you can carry out an
    activity, that doesn’t mean you are prevented from scoring points for being unable to do it.
    Guidance issued by the DWP states that you need to be able to complete an activity ‘reliably’ in
    order for it to apply. According to the guidance, ‘reliably’ means whether you can do so:
    • Safely – in a fashion that is unlikely to cause harm to themselves or to another person.
    • To a necessary and acceptable standard – given the nature of the activity.
    • Repeatedly – as often as is reasonably required.
    • In a timely manner – in a reasonable time period.
    Initially, the government refused to put this guidance into the regulations themselves. But after
    considerable pressure it has been incorporated, although the word ‘reliably’ itself has not been
    included. (See: ‘General definitions you need to know’ for the regulations on this).
    The DWP guidance also states that ‘pain, fatigue, breathlessness, nausea and motivation’ will all be
    ‘key factors’ in deciding whether an activity can be done reliably.
    So, for example, if you can ‘wash and bathe unaided’ you will not score any points for that activity.
    But if it takes you hours to do so or it would be dangerous to leave you alone to bathe – for
    example, because you might have a seizure - then you may score points.
    Or if you could walk 20 metres once, but afterwards you would be so exhausted that you could not
    do so again for hours or you would be unable to carry out other everyday activities after walking 20
    metres, then you may count as not being able to do so.
    Decisions about issues such as what is safe, what is a reasonable time and a good enough
    standard are subjective ones. All you can do is give as much detailed evidence as you can and, if you are not happy with the decision, consider an appeal."

    Good luck

    PS As bspm has suggested rockinbilly's posts are not helpful. I would suggest you ignore them.
    Alice Holt Forest situated some 4 miles south of Farnham forms the most northerly gateway to the South Downs National Park.
  • I would agree with glaswejen about asking for a tilt table test , as it could be POTS which is an autonomic dysfunction disorder. It can cause dizziness when you sit or stand upright from lying down , as the body can't correct itself in time which causes the dizziness.
    My daughter has the same symptoms and after her tilt table test they gave her advice on how to get up slowly and she has to increase her salt intake as that can't help.
    So it might be worth you asking for the text.
  • bspm wrote: »
    Please shut up, you add nothing but negativity and lies to every thread you post on.

    You are not helping new posters at all who come here for help and advice.
    ???

    I was only pointing out that the assessor does not always look at the evidence. In my PIP case they certainly didn't
    And going back to my last ESA assessment, neither the ESA50 or the evidence was available to the assessor - he told me so.
    In my opinion it does seem not to matter what you send in. They either don't bother to read it or dismiss it entirely. Where are the lies in what my opinion is?
  • Muttleythefrog
    Muttleythefrog Posts: 19,711
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    ???

    I was only pointing out that the assessor does not always look at the evidence. In my PIP case they certainly didn't
    And going back to my last ESA assessment, neither the ESA50 or the evidence was available to the assessor - he told me so.
    In my opinion it does seem not to matter what you send in. They either don't bother to read it or dismiss it entirely. Where are the lies in what my opinion is?
    Your opinion is entirely unhelpful and deliberately so. What is put on the PIP2 (or ESA50 if claiming ESA) is absolutely crucial. It will be the basis of your evidence and even if the DWP (or private medical contractor) largely ignore it you will be falling back on it in making your case including potentially at tribunal. You don't even know what you put on your PIP2 yet (as you didn't read what someone else put on it and didn't keep a copy) so your comment in that regard seems somewhat diminished. In fact it is likely the decision on your PIP claim is almost exclusively based on the poor completion of the PIP2 and you have seemingly agreed with that.
    "Do not attribute to conspiracy what can adequately be explained by incompetence" - rogerblack
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