I was diagnosed with RRMS at the start of the year.
I was encouraged by family to apply for ADP (Scottish PIP) I wasn’t all that interested but I figured it would help me in the long run and meant I could cut back on hours at work, this would hopefully help with my exhaustion and fatigue but also cut my stress down a lot while still allowing me to contribute to society.
anyway, I applied in April and heard back from them a couple of weeks ago, saying that I hadn’t been awarded any points at all for any of the sections.
I was shocked but on reflection I don’t think i did a very good job of filling out the form.
I have struggled with depression and anxiety for the past 15 years and this has only gotten worse over the past year with the diagnoses etc. I did put this down as an illness as well.
I don’t think i went in to enough detail and this has made it look like theres no entitlement to the help.
I was too focused on how things were at the time of filling out the form and was not thinking about the bigger picture, I.e how things were when i was really unwell and how things will be in the future.
does anyone have any experience with ADP redeterminations or any advice on what i can do?
Hi Connor
Sorry to hear that you’ve not received an ADP award but perhaps your condition is not yet sufficiently advanced to trigger eligibility?
Without being in any way judgemental to your personal circumstances, PIP is intended as an assistance, to make a contribution towards your independence in life and work. PIP/ADP was not conceived as an alternative to work or as a means to work less.
However, if you modify the manner in which you answer the questions next time, it may receive a more favourable outcome. The questionnaire focuses on specific activities and your ability to achieve them. However in your case, the emphasis should be on the cumulative effects of your endeavours.
Have you involved your employer in the process? Have they made adaptations to the type of work you perform or allowed for additional break times and possibly somewhere you could sleep for a few minutes? With such supporting anecdotal evidence, the PIP assessors are likely to look more favourably on your application. It would give a better picture of somebody who is doing their absolute best to stay employed.
website. You can read the forums for free and there is a search facility, but to post or ask questions on the forum requires a subscription. But that does give access to all the latest information and guides.
Yes, it’s a useful site but bear in mind they make their money from charging people to help them make claims. Up to you whether you feel that’s a price worth paying. Until then, no harm using their free stuff.
As far as I know, the paid side of the B&W site provides detailed information, benefit guides and offers a training course, but they don’t actually help people to fill out and submit their claims nor do it on their behalf.
