PIP tribunal - how should I prepare?

vitaminz

Hi everyone, I've been on indefinite DLA since I was a small child due to Dyspraxia and Sensory Processing Disorder. Obviously I've been invited to claim PIP, which I did and was awarded 0 points for everything! Upon advise from my family I pushed for a mandatory reconsideration, which I did and got awarded 2 points which obviously gives me no award. I then requested an appeal, and I did originally ask for a paper based appeal but they adjourned the case and instead requested my attendance at the appeal, which is in 2 days

The problem is all my 'evidence' is from when I was a child, latest being when I was about 14 (I'm now 29). This is because once I had been diagnosed with these conditions, I had some occupational therapy but that was pretty much the extent of all the help I could get some symptoms are a lot better now but my disabilities still cause me massive problems in my day to day life, and at my initial PIP assessment the assessor seemed to understand, but then went against everything I said in the report she wrote!

Some examples of this is that I'd often have problems with washing but that isn't a problem anymore, however I still cannot use cutlery, have to always be 'checked' when I get dressed to make sure everything is done up properly etc, and I never ever use any appliance like a fryer or oven, simply because I have a lot of accidents and would probably injure myself severely. I also have severe problems in going out alone, and often walk into roads without looking due to my sensory issues. I also struggle with communicating verbally as I have a stammer, and cannot focus on someones voice if it's slightly noisy.

Something which is also affecting me over the last few years is anxiety, I'm on a very high dose of an anti depressant to help with anxiety and have spoken to many counselors etc, which I have recent evidence for. However my sensory issues and Dyspraxia cause me more problems.

I'm really nervous over this and I'm completely filled with dread. I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice on how to prepare for it? Should I write up anything to take with me? I find writing much, much easier than communicating verbally so I'd rather do this but not sure what I should say in it.

GlasweJen

vitaminz wrote: »

Hi everyone, I've been on indefinite DLA since I was a small child due to Dyspraxia and Sensory Processing Disorder. Obviously I've been invited to claim PIP, which I did and was awarded 0 points for everything! Upon advise from my family I pushed for a mandatory reconsideration, which I did and got awarded 2 points which obviously gives me no award. I then requested an appeal, and I did originally ask for a paper based appeal but they adjourned the case and instead requested my attendance at the appeal, which is in 2 days

The problem is all my 'evidence' is from when I was a child, latest being when I was about 14 (I'm now 29). This is because once I had been diagnosed with these conditions, I had some occupational therapy but that was pretty much the extent of all the help I could get some symptoms are a lot better now but my disabilities still cause me massive problems in my day to day life, and at my initial PIP assessment the assessor seemed to understand, but then went against everything I said in the report she wrote!

Some examples of this is that I'd often have problems with washing but that isn't a problem anymore, however I still cannot use cutlery, have to always be 'checked' when I get dressed to make sure everything is done up properly etc, and I never ever use any appliance like a fryer or oven, simply because I have a lot of accidents and would probably injure myself severely. I also have severe problems in going out alone, and often walk into roads without looking due to my sensory issues. I also struggle with communicating verbally as I have a stammer, and cannot focus on someones voice if it's slightly noisy.

Something which is also affecting me over the last few years is anxiety, I'm on a very high dose of an anti depressant to help with anxiety and have spoken to many counselors etc, which I have recent evidence for. However my sensory issues and Dyspraxia cause me more problems.

I'm really nervous over this and I'm completely filled with dread. I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice on how to prepare for it? Should I write up anything to take with me? I find writing much, much easier than communicating verbally so I'd rather do this but not sure what I should say in it.

Ok so the tribunal will want to know if you can't use cutlery what do you use? Does someone feed you? Do you have special cutlery? Does someone cut it up and you use a spoon (which counts as using cutlery).

You don't use a fryer or an oven because you might injure yourself, when was the last time you injured yourself? Has a doctor told you to stop? Have you got documented injuries? Who cooks for you now?

What happens when you go out? Does someone go with you? Who? Where do you go? What happens if you need to go out alone?

Did you ever receive help for your speech impairment? If so do you still do the exercises now? Have you sought further help? If you're not still using the techniques why not?

What's happening for your anxiety? Have you been offered anything aside medication? Are you on any waiting lists?

What are you doing now? Working? Volunteering? Studying?

Try and anticipate what the tribunal will ask and get an idea of your answers. If you've stated on the form that you can't do something they'll want to know how you're attended to or what adaptions are in place. If you turn up and say you don't know, well how can you not know how you eat if you can't use cutlery (for example).

Alice_Holt

Useful guide about what happens on the day:
https://www.advicenow.org.uk/guides/how-win-pip-appeal

I would suggest making some notes to take with you. Base this on the relevant PIP descriptors:
https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip/pip-points-system
You can then use these when speaking to the tribunal.

It's a bit late for written evidence, as the tribunal like this 7 days in advance to read and distribute.
If you have only a couple of pages, you could ask the clerk on the day if the tribunal are able to accept it. This runs the danger of the tribunal adjourning again if they are running late / short of time.

More resources:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/appeals/your-hearing/
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/725533/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-assessment-criteria.pdf

Remember the tribunal are there to see if the DWP decision is correct or incorrect, not to judge you.
They will try to set you at ease, as they need the information from you to make the right decision.
Remember that if you don't tell them about all your difficulties with the PIP activities and descriptors, they won't know.

Good luck

vitaminz

Thank you everyone I had the appeal this morning, but they didn't have time to discuss it between them and I'll have the outcome posted to me this evening, which may not arrive 'til after Christmas given the date.

It was very, very nerve wracking to be honest - a DWP representative was also there asking me questions too. Everyone was really nice though, I just feel that I could have done better in explaining things. And there were also some inaccuracies in my initial report from the DWP, saying that I used a sat nav to get to my assessment earlier this year which I certainly didn't as I don't drive!

So I'm just waiting anxiously now. Thank you everyone for your advice though!

atlantis187

vitaminz wrote: »

Thank you everyone I had the appeal this morning, but they didn't have time to discuss it between them and I'll have the outcome posted to me this evening, which may not arrive 'til after Christmas given the date.

It was very, very nerve wracking to be honest - a DWP representative was also there asking me questions too. Everyone was really nice though, I just feel that I could have done better in explaining things. And there were also some inaccuracies in my initial report from the DWP, saying that I used a sat nav to get to my assessment earlier this year which I certainly didn't as I don't drive!

So I'm just waiting anxiously now. Thank you everyone for your advice though!

Can u list on here as many questions as possible they asked please as we might be having my wifes assesement later in the new year and every little helps in preparation.

Thanks

NeilCr

atlantis187 wrote: »

Can u list on here as many questions as possible they asked please as we might be having my wifes assesement later in the new year and every little helps in preparation.

Thanks

When you say assessment I assume you mean tribunal?

To be honest I am not sure that would be very helpful. In my experience tribunals tend to tailor the questions to the individual's personal situation. You may well end up preparing for questions that don't get asked which could throw your wife and detract from the way she comes across

I'd concentrate on the links and advice in Alice's excellent post.

poppy12345

atlantis187 wrote: »

Can u list on here as many questions as possible they asked please as we might be having my wifes assesement later in the new year and every little helps in preparation.

Thanks

I agree with Neil here. Yes, every little helps but for this reason, that's not true. Someone else's Tribunal case is most likely completely different to your wife's. When it comes PIP you really can't compare 2 people because we're all affected differently by those conditions.

Alice_Holt

atlantis187 wrote: »

Can u list on here as many questions as possible they asked please as we might be having my wifes [tribunal] ?? (assessment) later in the new year and every little helps in preparation.

1) Get help with your appeal from your local advice agency / CAB

2) Go through the activities / descriptors to identify the additional points that should have been scored to get your wife an award.

3) Submit a short statement to the TS explaining why these points should have been awarded with evidence if possible.

4) Have notes with a typical week / month to take to the tribunal with you, so that you remember examples / illustrations to tell the tribunal about. Give answers as fully as you can, and explain the extent of your difficulties to the panel.

It's not an oral examination with right and wrong answers.