Applying for PIP - is it worth it?

Indie_Kid

TOBRUK wrote: »

It is difficult applying for such things, but as Morglin has advised:
When I have applied for DLA I also write on another piece of paper giving as much information as possible on HOW THE ILLNESS AFFECTS YOU and giving many examples. Things that are obvious to you with regard difficulties as result of the M.E. will not be obvious to someone who is healthy. You should always spell things out no matter how trivial you think it is - even if you manage to do something you should point out the difficulty of doing it. The pain in the muscles, twitching, weakness, total exhaustion, 'brain drain', foggyness, short term memory, at times unable to put words together etc everything counts.

There is something about being able to repeat the activity; so it's reasonable to say no if you can do the activity once a week and the rest of the time, you're too ill to be able to do the task safely.

Morglin

What can be useful, before filling out the form, is to make notes (for yourself), starting from when you wake up, with everything you have to do, during a day (and night), what things are difficult/painful and what things you cannot do at all without help.

It is amazing how much stuff is difficult, but often gets forgotten when form filling.

Then you can use your notes to make it clear, on the form and on any additional statement, how your disability impacts on your life, one way or another.

Lin

tinkledom

Morglin wrote: »

What can be useful, before filling out the form, is to make notes (for yourself), starting from when you wake up, with everything you have to do, during a day (and night), what things are difficult/painful and what things you cannot do at all without help.

It is amazing how much stuff is difficult, but often gets forgotten when form filling.

Then you can use your notes to make it clear, on the form and on any additional statement, how your disability impacts on your life, one way or another.

Lin

That's all fine, but you also must remember that you will have to back up why these difficulties arise with evidence. A self certified diary is not evidence. It is something that the person has written, which may or may not be the truth.

tinkledom

Morglin wrote: »

There were issues around ME/CFS some years ago, but I would think this has long been resolved as far as the DWP are concerned.



Lin

Not at all. The representations were made by the various groups allied to ME but these were not incorporated into the final document. There are no dispensations for any condition - everything has to be medically evidenced both from a point of view of the diagnosis and more importantly that the stated effects relate to a specific descriptor.

tinkledom

joydivisionforever wrote: »

I would try to get welfare rights on your case to help fill forms in for you,as they are dealing with this every day.

I thought that most if not all had died out after they removed the funding?


Would be very interested in knowing if there are still some about and more importantly who is actually funding them - not the taxpayer/council tax payer I hope.


Mind you I suppose there are some bleeding heart activists that privately fund these ventures and others that want to do it for no remuneration? Then I wonder how they manage to live.

sandy_smith_2

Seems a bit unfair on the original poster to use such a thread (and others) as a stick to bash other posters by quoting their old posts etc and diverting the thread. If people feel so strongly about such things then perhaps they should PM each other

Indie_Kid

Morglin wrote: »

What can be useful, before filling out the form, is to make notes (for yourself), starting from when you wake up, with everything you have to do, during a day (and night), what things are difficult/painful and what things you cannot do at all without help.

It is amazing how much stuff is difficult, but often gets forgotten when form filling.

Then you can use your notes to make it clear, on the form and on any additional statement, how your disability impacts on your life, one way or another.

Lin

Also get someone elses input. You may find they point out things you don't realise. Or in my case, explain it on the forms better.

kez1234

it isn't the name of the illness it is how it affects you, so no matter if ME has been proven or not it makes no difference what does matter is what the illness does to you, how it makes you feel and what sort of help you need, so as a matter of fact PIP is easier give it a go you have nothing to lose and good luck

tinkledom

kez1234 wrote: »

it isn't the name of the illness it is how it affects you, so no matter if ME has been proven or not it makes no difference what does matter is what the illness does to you, how it makes you feel and what sort of help you need, so as a matter of fact PIP is easier give it a go you have nothing to lose and good luck

You are quoting DLA not PIP!


If PIP is easier, how then could it be that based on the PIP descriptors I might get a max of 4 points overall and thereby get no PIP award, yet I have been assessed many times for DLA in the past and I always have been awarded HRM & MRC?


So my suggestion that I could say that my knees are so painful that I cannot walk the max of 20 metres. would be acceptable to the DWP as evidence?
Doctors can't prove it one way or another if this is true and certainly could not confirm that due to what I say means that I can't walk anymore than 20 metres. I tell my GP that it is true, my knees are in a terrible state - should the DWP just accept my word for it arguing that it is medical science that is letting me down and it's not my fault that they can't find a diagnosis?


PIP is all about descriptors - descriptors - descriptors. (in my case I fit into just one of them which should give me 4 points)


You have to show that your needs and difficulties fit into one or more of these descriptors - that it! You may well have needs and difficulties that don't fit into any box - those don't count with PIP. It's for only those that tick the boxes.


Then you have to provide written evidence that this is in fact true.


Then you have to convince an assessor from either ATOS or CAPITA in a face to face assessment that what you have put on your claim form isn't a pack of lies and that there are no exaggerations involved.


Once you have done all three the DWP will decide if you have been telling the truth and if they find that to be the case, they will then decide how many points to give you for the descriptors that you have identified that you fit in.


That's it in a nutshell.

Parva

You seem mighty annoyed by these new descriptors Andy. Seems you already know your own eligibility given your comments here. As for anyone else facing PiP I would suggest that you enter into it with open eyes and not the blinkered views that some may want to give. I doubt anyone is a fan of this new (changed) benefit but if you're genuinely disabled then I fail to see why the troll should worry you...