The 20%

nannytone_2

I know that I know an awful lot more about benefits and the person that fill my forms in did/. I even had to remind her to put my evidence in the envelope he was quite happy to post it off without any B]. She rushed through the questions and didn't seem at all interested in asking additional questions to get the detail. I just want a face to face assessment now so that I can correct all the Miss information that was on the phone. When I asked you about this accessory she said always about a 45% with Pip and 70% at appeal. I really don't want to go to appeal because I know that I am entitled. You get told to let a professional fill your form in for you and it isn't always the best idea I could have done better with the help of my daughter

Ames

nannytone wrote: »

I know that I know an awful lot more about benefits and the person that fill my forms in did/. I even had to remind her to put my evidence in the envelope he was quite happy to post it off without any B]. She rushed through the questions and didn't seem at all interested in asking additional questions to get the detail. I just want a face to face assessment now so that I can correct all the Miss information that was on the phone. When I asked you about this accessory she said always about a 45% with Pip and 70% at appeal. I really don't want to go to appeal because I know that I am entitled. You get told to let a professional fill your form in for you and it isn't always the best idea I could have done better with the help of my daughter

I think no 'help' is better than bad help. The adviser I mentioned says it's their policy not to bother filling the forms out comprehensively because you'll be able to give full details to the tribunal. I thought she'd got confused and meant face to face rather than tribunal, but if I'm reading your post correctly your advice service has 45% success rate at application and 70% at tribunal, so maybe just expecting to go to tribunal and not bothering to get it right first time is widespread.

poppy12345

Ames wrote: »

I think no 'help' is better than bad help. The adviser I mentioned says it's their policy not to bother filling the forms out comprehensively because you'll be able to give full details to the tribunal. I thought she'd got confused and meant face to face rather than tribunal, but if I'm reading your post correctly your advice service has 45% success rate at application and 70% at tribunal, so maybe just expecting to go to tribunal and not bothering to get it right first time is widespread.

Yikes! that's so bad! The whole point is to try not go to Tribunl obviously. I know that these advice centres are voluntary but seriously some of them have no idea.

I think those of us that do have knowledge are just so scared of those forms. I know Nanny has the knowledge, myself included but filling out those forms scares the hell out of me. It felt even worse about doing it on behalf of my daughter.

I really hope you have an understanding assessor nannytone. It sure is a worry but the form has been returned and there's nothing you can do about that now, unfortunately. Hopefully the wait for the assessment isn't too long. Good luck!

nannytone_2

I used to work for d i a l so routinely filled in DLA forms day after day. I would never do my own forms though because you can't be objective. This was my first time with a pip form and although my pie would have completed it for me I didn't think it was fair to make her feel responsible for any award I may or may not receive

NeilCr

From the other side of the fence!

I’ve spent quite a bit of time over the years helping people complete DLA and PIP forms. As a volunteer not a benefits adviser. As mentioned above we lost our paid benefits adviser (who is my partner) a number of years ago through government cuts.

We do try to get volunteers specialising in DLA/PIP forms but quite often, they’d rather do more varied “work”. And, where possible, you would want it to be someone quite experienced - and the calls on our time are huge and we aren’t exactly brimming over with the volunteers.

A few general comments

1) the level of knowledge, experience and confidence amongst applicants is varied and that’s something you have to suss out very quickly

2) a lot of applicants present with little medical evidence and it can be like getting blood from a stone to obtain clear information of how the condition effects them. I find it often helps to have the partner /spouse along (if there is one). They see things that the applicant doesn’t and, often, have a more realistic view of how the condition impacts.

3) I could scream at the number of people who turn up a few days before the form is due in and expect to be seen there and then. That’s one of my big tips. Contact the organisation as soon as you get the form

4) The majority of “fails” that I’ve seen (apart from those who clearly don’t qualify) are ones where there is not enough detail on the form.

5) From what I see on this forum there are folks more than able of completing their own forms. Including quite a few in this thread

6) Nannytone makes a very good point about being too close to your own form. Just by asking a few questions I’ve been able to help people see another side to it all. Indeed, I’ve had a few cases where applicants just wanted to talk it through. They were quite happy to complete their own form but were checking that they had covered all the bases.

7). You do have to give it your best shot with the MR - but, see above, re shortness of time. Again, in my experience clients give you less time for the MR than the appeal.

8. I wish you the best of luck Nannytone. Not sure you need it, though!

[Deleted User]

sandra1980123 wrote: »

Very true muttley,I have 50 years experience of hiding it and didn't even realise that I was doing it until I had a major meltdown

Same here, diagnosed with ASD at 53.., I have had lots of minor meltdowns (at which point I'd walk out of the situation) in stressful situations. But even with both my sons having ASD and being very involved with social workers/CAHMs for years anyone I asked if I had it too just said 'everyone is on the spectrum to some degree'. My meltdowns were not seen as due to ASD somehow because I didn't openly show any other symptoms and I suppressed them as much as possible. It was seen as me being a 'bad mum' rather than as a mental health problem. I just carried on hiding my problems as much as possible. I had to show I was a coping mum so I suppressed my 'weakness' as much as humanely possible. Even when filling in the questionaires for a diagnosis, I was still showing the 'coping' side lol. It was such a large part of me, hiding my symptoms it was very difficult to be truthful, even with myself.

Mind you that was blown apart when I managed to go into a major meltdown at the Royal Maudsley after some difficult tests lol.

sandra1980123

Lol but sometimes that needs to happen for them to see it.
I have had mini meltdowns too and obviously I knew things weren't right but because you don't know any different you just get on with it and hide it the best you can,it was after I got put on esa it was a Sunday and I just felt my anxiety starting for no reason and I realised I was getting myself ready to sign on on the Tuesday and I didn't realise that I had been doing that and then I was Iike yee haa no more job centre on a Tuesday lol.

[Deleted User]

nannytone wrote: »

I completed my Pip forms this week. I had help from a professional organisation and wish I hadn't bothered. I am blind and have a guide dog yet she kicked no to mobility issues because I haven't got a mental impairment. It was only at the point of signing the form when I asked about the planning and following a journey section that she realised she's made a mistake. I fully expect to be turned down and will need to appeal and I'm really not surprised because I wouldn't give me an award based on those forms

Yes I have to say the help I received from a specialist organisation wasn't that brilliant. I had help from another person within the same organisation for my son's DLA forms last year, she was totally brilliant. The person who helped with the PIP form really wasn't. My social worker said emphatically I should get PIP, the helper said she didn't think I would. When I read the form, I could see why. She hadn't filled it out well at all. So I had to ask for yet another extension and redo it. However it was a lot easier, because although the answers the helper gave weren't brilliant, they did give me a rough guideline and helped me cut out some of the crap I would have said.

Re NeilCRs comments, I'd agreed, as soon as you request a PIP form, start trying to make an appointment to fill it out. I thought I could do my own, but when it arrived and I sat there having spent hours trying to construct replies but not able to fill in a single line, I started trying to get an appointment. 1)Hard to find anyone who is still able to help due to fund cuts 2) then you need to wait for the person who can is in the office. That can take a couple of weeks. 3) Then you need to see when they are free.., may be another couple of weeks. So that's at least one extension needed. Then another if you need to make amendments.

Also I am sure I would seem to be able to fill in my own PIP form. Until I tried to do it. And I really did spend hour after hour on it, with nothing filled in at the end of it. Intellect, ability to write, knowledge, has nothing to do with it. There is a way to answer the questions and if you don't know that way.., you will have problems. And having ASD means I get overwhelmed, which probably wouldn't be obvious. I can answer directed questions from someone who knows what they are doing, I couldn't compose my own answers from all the conflcting data I had flowing in my head, if that makes sense.

poppy12345

deannatrois wrote: »

Also I am sure I would seem to be able to fill in my own PIP form. Until I tried to do it. And I really did spend hour after hour on it, with nothing filled in at the end of it. Intellect, ability to write, knowledge, has nothing to do with it. There is a way to answer the questions and if you don't know that way.., you will have problems. And having ASD means I get overwhelmed, which probably wouldn't be obvious. I can answer directed questions from someone who knows what they are doing, I couldn't compose my own answers from all the conflcting data I had flowing in my head, if that makes sense.

There was a time when i would have agreed with you here. After my daughter PIP claim recently where her PIP2 form was filled in really badly by a disability advice centre i now disagree. The amount of info that was actually put down on her form, was hardly anything. I didn't expect the person the take it away to post himself. I worried myself stupid because i thought her hances were blown.

I sent in huge amounts of evidence, all of which proved those descriptors applied to her. I didn't have any chance to add anything, but i could see what was written and the amount because i was sat right next to the person.

It made no difference to the decision in the end thankfully, as she got Enhanced rate for both. Next time, i'll be filling those forms in myself no doubt about that.