PIP assessment and appeal advice.

Some info here that may be of help:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/before-claiming/if-you-get-dla/

If PIP is refused your DLA will end at least 28 days after DWP make a decision about your PIP claim.
See https://www.gov.uk/dla-disability-living-allowance-benefit/how-to-claim

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

rich_shot2003 wrote: »

I have got my PIP assessment tomorrow as being moved from DLA to PIP and would like to know a couple of things.

How long does it take DWP to make there minds up if i will get it after i have had assessment and if they dont pass me and i appeal it do payments for DLA stop as my DLA now runs out next Feb but dont know if they still pay you while you appeal or if they leave you high and dry.

Also on the assessment do we only talk about my worse days and not the good days and i am taking my carer with me so she be allowed to talk as well?

I would focus more on your worse days. You may well, however, be advised by certain MSE members to do otherwise.

Other than that follow the advice given above and the plethora of information that is available from various sources on the internet.