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PIP claim - Systemic Juvenile Arthritis

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So I’m having to make the dreaded PIP claim. I’ve been claiming DLA since I was 8 at the lower care and higher mobility.

I’ve tried to do things as best as I can, but I’m aware as with any unseen disability, the in-person interviews will see me as fit and mobile. Which, granted - I don’t walk with assistance, but I can walk. This tired me greatly and causes huge pain and fatigue if I’m my feet for three or five minutes. I’ve had a letter from my consultant in support of my PIP claim saying the following:
‘He has severe SJIA. He receives two-weekly infusions of xxxxxx and still requires high doses of pred - 35mg a day. He had his left hip replaced when he was young and has end-stage arthritis affecting his right hip. This affects gait and mobility. Xxxxx’s diseases is prone to flares which cause severe pain, stiffness and reduced range of movement. There are also systemic features of the disease, in particular fatigue, which is a major issue’.

What can I write, in addition to the above, in my ‘mobility’ part of the application that will really show me in as needy a light as possible? I’m so anxious they’ll see me as a ‘young’ man, teacher and make an automatic judgement without listening to facts! Any advice you can offer me?
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Comments

  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 18,880 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    PIP is about how your conditions affect your ability to carry out daily activity based on the PIP descriptors. Not about a diagnosis.


    You need to put as much information as possible about how your conditions affect you for each descriptor that applies to you. If you need to use extra paper to do this then make sure you add your name and NI number to each sheet you use.



    This link may help you fill out the form. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/help-with-your-claim/fill-in-form/


    More information here.
    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers
  • Rybeast
    Rybeast Posts: 19 Forumite
    I wasn’t asking about a diagnosis, I was asking about what I could write about in the mobility section. I quoted the letter because I have worked/am working on covering those sections as it is.
  • kingfisherblue
    kingfisherblue Posts: 9,203 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Xmas Saver!
    For all tasks, you should be able to carry them out safely, reliably, in no more than twice the time it takes other people, and as often as required. So if you cannot walk in line with these conditions, explain this. For example, you can walk, but if you do, are you exhausted and unable to walk for the rest of the day?
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 18,880 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Rybeast wrote: »
    I wasn’t asking about a diagnosis, I was asking about what I could write about in the mobility section. I quoted the letter because I have worked/am working on covering those sections as it is.
    No one can tell you what to write because we don't know how your conditions affect you, which is why i advised to write as much information as possible.
  • Alice_Holt
    Alice_Holt Posts: 6,094 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    The links poppy has posted will help you write the form.

    Have you actually looked at them and the information they give you about mobility?

    This also is a helpful site:
    https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip

    If you google, you will find other sites with useful info, such as:
    https://www.nras.org.uk/nras.org.uk/help-for-people-claiming-esa-or-pip

    We can't tell you what to write. Only you know, and can describe how the disability affects you.
    Do follow poppy's suggestion to fully explain the difficulties you have, don't be afraid of repeating yourself in the various sections. It is sensible to attach sheets with more info, as the boxes are too small on the form. Better still if you type these, so you can easily review, edit and amend and present a consistent picture for the DWP decision maker.

    Kingfisherblue's post about reliability and the time it takes you to do PIP activities is very important when writing the form. This affects the Daily Living activities as well. The benefits and work guides are very good on explaining reliability and how to put this on the form.

    Where do you think you should score the necessary 8 points for DL and why?
    https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip/pip-points-system

    Have you left it too late to get help with the form from your local advice agency or CAB?
    You can request a 14 day extension if that helps you get accredited advice.
    Alice Holt Forest situated some 4 miles south of Farnham forms the most northerly gateway to the South Downs National Park.
  • tomtom256
    tomtom256 Posts: 2,249 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    "What can I write to show me as needy"

    The truth on how your disability affects your mobility, I don't know you or how it affects so cannot say, only you can say and show how it affects you.
  • Alice_Holt
    Alice_Holt Posts: 6,094 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Rybeast wrote: »
    I wasn’t asking about a diagnosis, I was asking about what I could write about in the mobility section ...to show me as needy

    I rather glossed over the "to show me as needy" comment in his OP, tomtom.
    But taken with his 2nd post, it seems the OP wants us to reveal the magic words that will miraculously unlock a PIP enhanced award for him.

    Our suggestions and links aimed at helping the OP understand the PIP criteria, to enable him to present his health conditions and difficulties on the form in a way which relate directly to the PIP activities and descriptors, seems to have fallen on stony ground.

    When an OP fails to engage sensibly, continually returns to irrelevant points, fails to look at information in links, etc. I do, sometimes, wonder why we take the time to post helpful info. There have been a few exasperating threads on the main benefit board about Right to Reside for EU claimants, where the posters also think there must be a set of magic words and ignore (or are too lazy to follow) the guidance given on such sites as Citizens Advice.
    Alice Holt Forest situated some 4 miles south of Farnham forms the most northerly gateway to the South Downs National Park.
  • Rybeast
    Rybeast Posts: 19 Forumite
    Alice_Holt wrote: »
    I rather glossed over the "to show me as needy" comment in his OP, tomtom.
    But taken with his 2nd post, it seems the OP wants us to reveal the magic words that will miraculously unlock a PIP enhanced award for him.

    Our suggestions and links aimed at helping the OP understand the PIP criteria, to enable him to present his health conditions and difficulties on the form in a way which relate directly to the PIP activities and descriptors, seems to have fallen on stony ground.

    When an OP fails to engage sensibly, continually returns to irrelevant points, fails to look at information in links, etc. I do, sometimes, wonder why we take the time to post helpful info. There have been a few exasperating threads on the main benefit board about Right to Reside for EU claimants, where the posters also think there must be a set of magic words and ignore (or are too lazy to follow) the guidance given on such sites as Citizens Advice.

    I was asleep. I haven't fallen foul of the timeline at all - I still have another ten days to finish it off. I explained why I wanted some help in writing, because there was information such as Kingfisher's relating to reliability that I hadn't fully considered - especially for the rest of the information. I explained that because it's a hidden disability, I wanted to include as much relevant information as possible to fully demonstrate the disease activity and the impact this has on my life.
  • poppy12345
    poppy12345 Posts: 18,880 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Rybeast wrote: »
    I was asleep. I haven't fallen foul of the timeline at all - I still have another ten days to finish it off. I explained why I wanted some help in writing, because there was information such as Kingfisher's relating to reliability that I hadn't fully considered - especially for the rest of the information. I explained that because it's a hidden disability, I wanted to include as much relevant information as possible to fully demonstrate the disease activity and the impact this has on my life.
    You were advised in my first reply that no one can tell you what to write and i posted links to help you understand the criteria, yet you still asked for help with what to write.



    No one has said you've fallen foul of the timeline and i don't know where you read that.



    The links i posted will help you understand the descriptors and criteria more, so i advise you to take some time to read through them. You can ask for an extra 14 days to return the form if you don't have enough time.
  • Rybeast
    Rybeast Posts: 19 Forumite
    Alice suggested I had left it too late. You did post links, and I read them. I made a reply which Kingfisher understood and mentioned reliability in a context I hadn't thought of.
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