Pip assessment

Hi I’ve just received my pip assessment appointment and was looking for some advice. I’ve been turned down previously but because I feel things have got worse eg my balance and problems walking not to mention my toilet issues. So if anyone has any ideas it would be much appreciated

hi neil you have to spell it out very carefully for them. get help from CAB, welfare rights or some similar organisation. collect any evidence that you have, eg letters from consultant, ms nurse or other suchlike. if you have a care plan, send a copy of that. make sure that you have read through your application letter (hope you took a copy). then highlight any areas that you feel unsure of. rewrite them until you are satisfied. some people type it up so that they can cut and paste. make sure that you take a copy of your claim form and all evidence submitted. send recorded delivery. remember the key words are SAFELY and IN A TIMELY MANNER. (there is another one but i forgot it) so walking, you can sometimes walk for 20 metres before needed to stop for a rest. every thing you do requires you to stop for a rest. let alone a toilet break! the best of luck carole x

ps

send photos of any aids you use.

Hi,

Get someone to take even if you can drive yourself there on the day and park as close as possible to the centre (or get dropped off and the person join you). Remember they are watching you from the minute you approach the building (you will be on camera) right up to when you get in the car to leave so no leaping in the car like an olympic athlete :slight_smile: Remember that whilst the healthcare person might be nice and friendly generally speaking they are not there to be on your side they ultimately work for DWP Don’t do anything that you feel uncomfortable with or will cause you pain (and all of the aforementioned) Good luck

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TO SCORE TOP MARKS They assessors do not ask to see everyone - 16% will not be seen - but will be assessed on the NHS papers supplied with the form. So already they consider you did not supply enough NHS evidence of disability, and want to see for themselves. Being still able to drive a car is viewed as having “good functionality” - so do not drive yourself if you want a high mobility score and a car. Have a carer drive you - help you out of the car into your wheelchair and push you into the assessment. Or you could use a scooter. I am sure they have measured the distance from the car park to the room - so using a walking frame or stick is high risk. PIP is really about how dependent you are for everyday needs on the help of another person. DEPENDANCE - NOT INDEPENDANCE Because PIP is linked to Carer’s Allowance - you need to prove you need 35 hours of care per week - can be informal unpaid care of a relative or partner etc.,. So prove this, have carers write Carers Statements on how much help they give you every week with cooking, banking, doctors appointments, driving you etc.,. A POOR MEMORY - AND COGNITIVE PROBLEMS - SO YOU CAN’T FOLLOW A JOURNEY BY YOURSELF - NEED HELP And have someone take you there and help you answer the questions due to your poor short term- memory etc.,. Don’t say your hobby is reading - that requires a good memory so, does keeping a bank account, paying bills on time etc.,. and learning news things. So don’t say you are studying anything. Good luck!

You MAKE SENSIBLE POINTS. PIP is not DLA. I think a lot of people who failed in beginning were migrating and did not realise it was different.

I urge EVERYONE who has MS in need of support and care rings their local adult social services desk and gets an assessment a care assessment. this will actually help hugely in an application. It costs nothing, and it could point you to direct payments which we are entitled too.

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No one has mentioned FALLS yet. 7% of folk with MS die due to a FALL.

It sounds like your balance is poor so one would expect you to have a Falls Assessment and

a wheel chair or powerchair or scooter etc.,.

So if you are having falls you should get a Falls Assessment done by your local OT via your

Local Community Rehab Team. They will write a report - tick box form - which you can supply

as PIP evidence.

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They are silent assassins the assessors and all the advice here is correct - they may seem nice and understanding but they are NOT your friends and depending the extent of your disability they will see anything that you are able to do as good functionality…you would need to put on a good act - that’s all I can say…only if you need to…i’m in the middle of an appeal at the minute.

Can honestly say I don’t need to act. And to be honest if you do need to act to qualify for it then I hope you don’t bump into any lamp posts while looking over your shoulder all the time

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I can honestly say that if you’re acting, the assessors could well catch you out and that’s your claim, refused.

And exaggeration is always a bad idea. If you have to exaggerate on the claim form, then you will be caught out at the physical examination.

A physical is difficult, you need to have the ‘Activities’ and ‘Descriptors’ in your head: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/Migrated_Documents/adviceguide/pip-9-table-of-activities-descriptors-and-points.pdf and how you fit into them physically and mentally. And to be able to get across to people who don’t know you how you do fit them.

Sue

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People get scared when they read things like silent assassins etc and put on a good act etc.

everyone i know who has applied and gone for PIP has got it. actually not one of them had MS. 3 of them had mental health issues. we have to remember on DLA they would never have gotten a penny.

IF you are genuinely disabled there is no need to act. If people see their doctor and are in need of help, they can apply for things like a visit from O.T., get physio, go on drugs, use aids, have a care worker, apply to adult social services for a care plan.

Just because we have MS does not make us automatically eligible to PIP. I know people with MS who live a normal life, work and go on holidays. It isnt a given right to have a benefit.

I was scared to death to go for my PIP assessment because of the negativity on forums. Yes it may well have been shambolic and people treated badly but it seems not everyone is. I can only say my own experience was of an assessor who was kind and made me feel at ease. He said immediately you wont be here long as we have all the reports which SUPPORT your application from your gp and neuro. Thats the key, you have to make sure you have the support from everyone who knows you and is dealing with you. I also had a recent care plan done by social services as i get direct payments, and this was the best thing i sent in as it confirmed what i had said.

I think people just need to be honest and have no expectations. PIP is written in a way that can change an outcome by simply turning up in a car and driving. Its a sad fact, its not DLA its PIP. If you can drive yourself without aids, then your functionality is good and you are not dependant on someone to take you about.

Like carole said take pictures of the aids you use. I made a table and described each one, and what i used them for.

I have a manual wheelchair, an electric one, a rollator, my house is modified to my needs. No matter what time someone comes to visit me even if i dont know they are they always find me in the same place, on my recliner my laptop in front of me, and my blanket over my legs, and my walking aid or food tray table by my side. they would never find me outside of my house boundary walking on my own with or without aids. I rarely go anywhere. the money i get from PIP the care side of it pays for my personal assistant each week and my cleaner.

If people have to put on an act then that for me shows they dont need PIP. Like i said its not a right to have a benefit it is there to help those who have a real need, whether they are physically or mentally disabled. with or without MS.

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Kinda blows the idea that MS can be a hidden illness out of the water then - apologies - i didn’t mean to imply that us MSers have to act, but alot of folk in our MS group have been turned down for PIP and we get the impression that its the old adage “you look so well” plus all these people are not working.

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Is the Benefits and Work “Take the PIP Test” still valid?

http://www.mybenefitsandwork.co.uk/pip/indexxx.php

It’s the one I’ve been basing my application on when my time comes.

Yes Ant, it’s still valid, but it might be a better idea to look at the actual Activities and Descriptors, using the link I posted previously. Obviously it goes without saying, that to join Benefits and Work is a damn good idea. It doesn’t take away the need to prove whatever you say with written evidence (so start looking for old letters etc in advance of making your claim).

Sue

Thanks for all your advice it sertenley makes interesting reading I don’t think I will have to act or try and con the assor. I think I’ve got a genuine case for pip yes I will be telling them about how it is on my worse day which may not be the day of my assessment but that doesn’t mean I don’t have theses type of days.

No offence to anyone but I didn’t act or con my assessor and expalined how I was on my worse days and still was turned down - what I read in my report didn’t reflect that at all - “seemed to be coping well” “jovial, takes an interest in life” nil points…

PIP WITNESS STATEMENTS ON DISABILITY/CARE NEEDS

PIP applications require two witnesses to back up what you say. This should be related to daily living and mobility.

So either in your:

1). Care/Management Plan.

2). GP letter on your care needs for daily living, also your disabilities.

3). Carer’s Statements - or a copy of Carer’s Assessment.

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I’m a little confused …

the term care management plan sounds so formal is this as simple as your neuro stating the plan for the next year or is it for those of you who need significantly more care and intervention from health professionals and maybe even social services.

Ahem I asked my neurologist and MS nurse about PIP they said they no longer provide evidence due to the number of patients and shortage of time and resources (historically they did with DLA) seems like again I am dead in the water unless my husband writes down what he told her at the assessment and what I wrote on the form ? Whilst this is all 100% true what would stop someone from getting their partner to write anything just to substantiate their claim? The whole thing is bonkers …

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I have my meeting with my ms nurse every 3 months and we discuss anything regards my ms and symptoms including meds that are being changed all the time, if I need referrals she does them for me she really is very good. At the end of the meeting she writes her findings and our discussion to my go and any meds she thinks I should or should not have there’s normally a 3 page report, she copies me in on this and I get a hard copy through the post and all these reports make up my car plan from her. Any letters every 12 months from consultant are also added, hope that helps

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Mmmmm Sally - that’s poor form from neurology to be honest, I know they are swamped but surely they could draft a letter up and edit it for patients - get in touch with citizens advice and you need medical evidence to bolster your application. I even sent in descriptions of MS from web and a letter from myself, put very nicely that the assessor maybe didn’t understand what MS is?

Good luck