Applying for PIP - is it worth it?

Morglin

As with any fluctuating neurological disease, now that it has been accepted that ME is something along those lines, the criteria should be met for PIP.

I would always advise that people claim for PIP - if they think that they are entitled to it. Why would be the point of not claiming?

Lin

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

Morglin wrote: »

As with any fluctuating neurological disease, now that it has been accepted that ME is something along those lines, the criteria should be met for PIP.

I would always advise that people claim for PIP - if they think that they are entitled to it. Why would be the point of not claiming?

Lin

Precicely and as many ME sufferers will know you have difficulty for at least 50% of a year and it is 50% of a year PIP is based on. It is interesting that the two people I know with ME that ow have PIP went from Lower Rate Care Higher Mobility DLA to Enhanced/Enhanced PIP.

There will be winners and losers on PIP from DLA but ME certainly shouldn't be a loser. Anyone who is hasn't presented their case correctly.

tinkledom

well if that is the case I take my hat off to you!!


Seems rather strange though that the 'needs/mobility' created by ME/Fibro are being classified as the same as those who are in the final stages of life with cancer?

Likewise with myself, where Chronic Pancreatitis is concerned even, I have been warned that I may have another 5 years left if I am lucky as Pancreatic cancer is the final stage. Never mind the problems that I actually claim the care needs and mobility issues for that are also life threatening - thrombosis, PAD, PN.


Yet I can only see myself as being awarded no more than 4 points in respect of 'care' only for those conditions that the DWP (DLA) are aware of as the others do not create any care needs or mobility issues.
As you say there are winners and losers, some going from LRC/HRM to enhanced for both, yet people with life threatening conditions like myself going from MRC/HRM to zero!
Still I have had a good run of it and count my blessings that I have at least had 19 years of payments of DLA.


So surprised, that PIP is turning out this way. I thought that claiming and being awarded PIP was going to be harder than DLA was. It seems that the losers are going to be those with very severe life threatening conditions.

bedpotato_2

Very sorry to hear about your life-threatening condition, tickledom.

I know M.E. is real because my sister had it and she is the last person in the world who would ever "fake" an illness. She is extremely active and hard-working (as are most people who get M.E.) and hates being in bed. If she even gets a cold or flu she will always soldier on through it, and will carry on working and pushing herself at times when others would have stopped to rest. She tends to get impatient with others who get ill. The whole concept of bed-rest is annoying and pathetic to her. So she cannot possibly have been faking.

It was blatantly obvious she wasn't faking, anyway, because she was visibly ill. She was so weak she couldn't get up, and had to stay in bed for years. She became deathly pale and weak, with big dark circles, and she smelt strange. It was a strange sickly smell, hard to describe. She was cold all the time and kept needing to sleep. Thankfully she got better, but some sufferers of M.E. don't get better. It must make them very angry and upset when people imply that they are "faking."

Back on topic: like the OP, I was turned down for DLA several years ago and it was devastating and humiliating to be sent the decision letter informing me that I didn't qualify. I have since applied for PIP, and will hopefully have the guts to appeal this time if I get turned down. Hopefully I won't get turned down this time, though. I don't know. My claim process has been delayed due to an admin error by Atos which has shunted my application back to the beginning of the queue, so I've written to my MP asking him to complain to Atos/the DWP and try and get my claim hurried up.

fed_up_and_stressed

tinkledom wrote: »

well if that is the case I take my hat off to you!!


Seems rather strange though that the 'needs/mobility' created by ME/Fibro are being classified as the same as those who are in the final stages of life with cancer? it is all about how the illnesses affect people NOT the names of a disease. I have had ME and chemo and trust me most days the Chemo was a breeze compared to the ME. Take you prejudices about M.E and smoke them in your pipe.

Likewise with myself, where Chronic Pancreatitis is concerned even, I have been warned that I may have another 5 years left if I am lucky as Pancreatic cancer is the final stage. Never mind the problems that I actually claim the care needs and mobility issues for that are also life threatening - thrombosis, PAD, PN.


70% of chronic pancreatitis cases are caused by alcohol.

Lots and lots of us have had /are on medication which causes cancer ..... My current favourite nasty toxin is the lovely Methotrexate for a condition were lifestyle choices played zero part whatsoever. I am in the same boat ... increased risk of cancer BUT this is in no way an automatic precursor to cancer.



Yet I can only see myself as being awarded no more than 4 points in respect of 'care' only for those conditions that the DWP (DLA) are aware of.
As you say there are winners and losers, some going from LRC/HRM to enhanced for both, yet people with life threatening conditions like myself going from MRC/HRM to zero!
Still I have had a good run of it and count my blessings that I have at least had 19 years of payments of DLA.


So surprised, that PIP is turning out this way. I thought that claiming and being awarded PIP was going to be harder than DLA was. It seems that the losers are going to be those with very severe life threatening conditions.

any evidence for this????

Why are you causing more upset for people making out that certain groups /condition aren't going to be eligible for PIP when this is factually incorrect ....

Indie_Kid

tinkledom wrote: »

well if that is the case I take my hat off to you!!


Seems rather strange though that the 'needs/mobility' created by ME/Fibro are being classified as the same as those who are in the final stages of life with cancer?

eh, how? Final stages of cancer are different for everyone. I have a friend with ME (I think he has fibro plus a few other illnesses) and a relative with final stage cancer. Their needs are different.

fed_up_and_stressed

tinkledom wrote: »

well if that is the case I take my hat off to you!!


Seems rather strange though that the 'needs/mobility' created by ME/Fibro are being classified as the same as those who are in the final stages of life with cancer?

it is all about how the illnesses affect people NOT the names of a disease. I have had ME and chemo and trust me most days the Chemo was a breeze compared to the ME. Take you prejudices about M.E and smoke them in your pipe.

tinkledom wrote: »

Likewise with myself, where Chronic Pancreatitis is concerned even, I have been warned that I may have another 5 years left if I am lucky as Pancreatic cancer is the final stage. Never mind the problems that I actually claim the care needs and mobility issues for that are also life threatening - thrombosis, PAD, PN.

70% of chronic pancreatitis cases are caused by alcohol. I know people who suffer with this... they suffer differently to ME but they do suffer .. its about comparative levels.

Using your logic you say benefits should not be given out if it's not provable .

No definitive cause of ME has been found but that doesn't mean its not a real disease. Cream cakes can cause obesity -does that mean that fat people should get benefits but ME suffers shouldn't ?

I know people who have had this and Pancretatic Cancer and although these people have had different care needs to someone with ME both severely impacted their day to day activities.

Lots and lots of us have had /are on medication which causes cancer ..... My current favourite nasty toxin is the lovely Methotrexate for a condition were lifestyle choices played zero part whatsoever. I am in the same boat ... increased risk of cancer BUT this is in no way an automatic precursor to cancer.

tinkledom wrote: »

Yet I can only see myself as being awarded no more than 4 points in respect of 'care' only for those conditions that the DWP (DLA) are aware of.
As you say there are winners and losers, some going from LRC/HRM to enhanced for both, yet people with life threatening conditions like myself going from MRC/HRM to zero!
Still I have had a good run of it and count my blessings that I have at least had 19 years of payments of DLA.


So surprised, that PIP is turning out this way. I thought that claiming and being awarded PIP was going to be harder than DLA was. It seems that the losers are going to be those with very severe life threatening conditions.

any evidence for this????

Why are you causing more upset for people making out that certain groups /condition aren't going to be eligible for PIP when this is factually incorrect ....

tinkledom

fed_up_and_stressed wrote: »

it is all about how the illnesses affect people NOT the names of a disease. I have had ME and chemo and trust me most days the Chemo was a breeze compared to the ME. Take you prejudices about M.E and smoke them in your pipe.


70% of chronic pancreatitis cases are caused by alcohol.

Lots and lots of us have had /are on medication which causes cancer ..... My current favourite nasty toxin is the lovely Methotrexate for a condition were lifestyle choices played zero part whatsoever. I am in the same boat ... increased risk of cancer BUT this is in no way an automatic precursor to cancer.


any evidence for this????

Why are you causing more upset for people making out that certain groups /condition aren't going to be eligible for PIP when this is factually incorrect ....

I have edited your post as it implies that what you have said, I said!!


Alright to appease you - it appears with PIP that the needs and mobility issues (having regard to the descriptors) relating to certain conditions (life threatening ones along with cancer) is less likely to give rise to a similar award that is being given for ME/Fibro.
I hear that the alleged care needs and mobility issues for ME/Fibro are producing the enhanced rates for both. Whereas, when I consider the descriptors (with needs and mobility issues relating life threatening conditions) I would only achieve 4 points for care only.


Is that any clearer?


I'm trying to equate ME with life threatening conditions.


If however you are happy with the fact that those who have care and mobility problems caused by ME should take preference over the possible care and mobility issues created by more serious and life threatening conditions, then there is no point in discussing the matter any further. You have a blinkered and prejudiced attitude.


Yes CP was caused by alcohol. However it's not the length of time but the regularity and quantity.
I have always been a light social drinker. Then following the death of my mother and not being told that she was dying I hit the bottle. For the next 12 months the only thing that helped me cope was alcohol. I was then rushed into hospital with a 50/50 chance of survival - Acute Pancreatitis. The rest is history and I haven't touched a drop for the past 11 years.


I never mentioned medication that may cause cancer. I was talking about my prognosis that the Chronic Pancreatitis will cause Pancreatic cancer. Maybe not this year and maybe I will live for another 5 years. After 5 years they have given me little hope.


You can google this quite easily.


I'm not trying to frighten anybody - I am telling you from the horses mouth how PIP will affect me.
Given my conditions and life expectancy (hence why I have gone into it in quite some detail of my problems so that people can understand it better)

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

If the PIP claimants condition is terminal then the same rules apply as did with DLA. There is a fast track route for this. There is also a route for those with severe anxiety and have had suicide attempts to be processed without the need for a face to face medical.

The cruel reality of PIP is basically hyped up by the media and compounded by those who were long term DLA claimants now finding they no longer qualify for PIP.

Generally those who cant walk more than 50 metres falling fowl of the PIP requirement which is now 20 metres. Both my friends with ME qualified for PIP by gaining points from the No More Than 200 metres physical ability and 10 points from the needing assistance (previously lower mobility DLA). Combined points giving enough to qualify for enhanced PIP mobility. To get enhanced mobility PIP you must score 12 points which is the under 20 metre rule or score by gaining points from the lower mobility and points from physical problems.

The beauty of PIP is it recognises the use of aids. Again in the two ME cases both claimants use lightweight pans, slotted spoons and a perching stool for cooking. Thus awarding them points immediately before then providing evidence of danger providing Brucey Bonus points.

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

Anyway tinkledom PIP won't affect you soon because according to a previous post you draw your state pension in June so it will be Attendance Allowance for you. And I am quite sure if you put your mind to it and thought carefully you would qualify for PIP too.