Changing my ESA and PIP application after awarded

MummyMoo

Hi all.

I have been claiming ESA and PIP since last year due to having a breakdown and getting sectioned because my Bipolar Disorder got the best of me and I had undiagnosed Borderline Personality Disorder. I hate being on benefits (I'm a qualified primary school teacher) but I am literally not well enough at the moment. I've also being walking with a stick for the last six months because of pain in my knee. I just put it down to my significant weight gain due to my medication, but it got to the point a few weeks ago were I had to see my doctor about it because I'm in so much pain. Turns out I have patellofemoral syndrome, meaning my knee cap is not central and therefore rubbing against the bone. I need my car even for very very short journeys (say to the local shop) and my friend has suggested that I see if I can claim mobility elements to ESA and PIP to access provisions such as a mobility scooter (which I hire whenever I take my daughter for a day out to the zoo or the such because otherwise I wouldn't be able to walk it).

Would I need to do a completely new claim for both the bipolar/borderline AND the knee thing, or is it that I would just need to do one for the knee thing which they would add on to my existing claim? I'm really worried that if I have to do the whole application again I might fall prey to the horror stories of people being judged fit for work when they really aren't. I would love to be back on a teachers wage, to provide for my daughter and be that role model that I used to be. But I cannot function as a 'normal' person right now, though I'm actively working on that with various therapies every week

Thank you for reading and hopefully for taking the time to reply

rogerblack

There is no mobility element to ESA. You are either qualified for the work-related group or the support group.

If you are in the support group, and you have worsened, there is no requirement to report it.
If you are receiving PIP, then in order to receive the mobility component, your mobility needs to be quite limited indeed.
If you have no problem in finding your way about, then you need to - most days - have problems reliably walking 50m repeatably, reliably and at half the speed of a normal person.

If most of the time you cannot go out because of overwhelming distress, this would also add mobility points.

BlueEyedGirl

For PIP it would be ONE claim for both the mobility and care.

Be sure the emphasise exactly how your knee condition affects you, medical reports will be extremely helpful.

As for the Bipolar / BPD you could emphasise if / how these diagnosis affect you both in terms of needing care and mobility support.

Anxiety / mood disturbance and emotional distress are a big issue for people with BPD, be sure to factor in your claim just how this affects you on a day to day basis. Are you safe outside alone, or do you need someone (even if you have no-one) to be with you to keep you safe from harming yourself.

Do you sleep at night, are you at risk of self harm at night? Do you have side effects from medication?

For the BPD / Bipolar side of things, medical reports, ward discharge letters, therapist letters, Psych reports, CPN letters etc. will all help with the claim for PIP.

http://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/campaigns/benefits/pip/

Good luck with the therapy.

Diary

What level of PIP do you get? And for how long is your award - you will more than likely be assessed a full year before your stated PIP end anyway.
To trigger a reassessment by choice you would have to be entirely sure this current award is safe as DWP will look at your entire award.
I've just had my PIP renewal forms more than a year before the end date on my award notice.

Newly_retired

I agree with Diary. If you ask them to look at your Pip award again with a view to getting the Mobility component, you run the risk of losing the Daily Living component too. Do you want to risk this?
You would need strong medical evidence to support your claim.
As Rogerblack said, there is no mobility element to your ESA so you can't change that.