dear all, I have a PIP assessment coming up soon and have heard some reports they can be less than human at times. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Trev
I had mine a year ago. It wasn’t as bad as I feared. It was an occupational therapist who did mine. She asked about my daily routine, getting up, showering, dressing, eating. She input my responses straight into computer. A lot of what she asked were the questions I’d answered on the application form. The only physical examination was gripping her fingers, finger to finger, to nose, the usual dexterity thing. My husband wheeled me in my attendant push wheelchair. She asked if I could walk at all, so my husband got my crutches from the car. I only took about five or six steps which she said was enough. She then asked me to put my right heel across to my left foot and slide it up my shin towards my knee, then the same with the left foot. Both impossible for me. Like when I applied for DLA I told them how it is on my worst days. I got the highest rate fir mobility and help with personal care.
Best of luck. Eve
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I told the lady how I’d coped on the first appointment - that wasn’t a good idea as I was rejected straight away. Needless to say after a mandatory reconsideration etc. it all got sorted but the stress of it is not good. Be earnest and tell them what’s been hard for you.
Sonia x
Thank you both for your advice and sharing your experiences.
I will take on board your advice.
Trev
said it before and no doubt will say it more…
us genuine claimants can do without this added angst to our already difficult lives.
good luck all…not heard owt about my transfer from dla to pip yet…it`ll be in the pipeline i guess.
pollx
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Thanks Poll, I am, compared to many, able to walk and without encouragement from the lady who did my Blue Badge assessment I would not have gone for PIP at this stage however as she pointed out, MS has affected my mobility, my lifestyle including leaving work and there are costs each month I would not have had pre MS like Ostiopath for my nagging back ache and the gym as I use the static weights to try and keep pace with muscle loss to my legs. I have read many of your posts and am an admirer of your strong and positive attitude which I know is not always easy to have at times. Bless you Poll
Regards Trev
Hi Trev
If you haven’t already, think about joining http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/ they have lots of info about assessments.
Other than that, have a look at the ‘descriptors’ for PIP, these are the elements they consider and work out your points from. If you score sufficient points according to the descriptors, then you’ll qualify for some PIP. Here’s the CAB list of descriptors: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/Migrated_Documents/adviceguide/pip-9-table-of-activities-descriptors-and-points.pdf
It’s quite a good idea just to have thought about these things before the assessment, ie how you actually manage those things.
Also have a look at the CABs main guide to PIP: Personal Independence Payment - Citizens Advice
Sue
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Thanks Sue, will do.
Trev
Thanks for the link to the Citizens Advice page, Sue. I’ve just received my letter telling me I have to decide whether I want to switch to PIP or lose my payments. Losing the payments isn’t an option and I was wondering what the criteria are for getting PIP.
I understand that the government wanted to simplify the application process, but I can’t help feeling that they’ve oversimplified it. Mobility seems to boil down to the ability to plan a journey and the ability to walk. I’ve recently been diagnosed with Uhthoff’s Phenomenon. This means that any exertion affects my eyesight and therefore my safety when out and about. (I was almost knocked down by a van a while ago. I couldn’t see it coming.) It can take up to an hour for my eyesight to return to normal, which means I can’t really drive anywhere. It also affects my ability to do housework, something that’s not considered in the Daily Living section.
Does anybody know how many points you have to score in the various sections in order to qualify for PIP?
Hi, you have to score 8 points on both mobility and daily living to get standard and 12 points on both mobility and daily living to get the enhanced rate.
Hope this helps
Polly
And you add up one score from each of the descriptors (ie the highest that applies) to get your total for daily living and for mobility.
I don’t quite know how it can be done to demonstrate Urthoffs Phenomenon. But there must be a way you can get at least the standard rate for mobility, if not for daily living too. Unfortunately household chores don’t come into daily living, it’s all about personal care. But fatigue and the after effects can come into both.
Maybe try to get some more directed assistance from the CAB or another welfare advisor as your situation is quite unusual Cheerful Dragon.
Sue
Thanks Sue and Polly.
My score on Daily Living would be low if it wasn’t for the cooking. I need so much help preparing a meal that Hubby does most of the cooking. As for Mobility, I have no difficulty planning a route, but I do have problems with travelling to unfamiliar places. My eyesight is affected by walking even a short distance, never mind the trouble I have with my hips. (MS isn’t my only disabling condition.)
I’m hoping that I’ll qualify for both components of PIP. Wish me luck!
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Dear all, I wanted to update this thread by saying that I saw a very nice chap for my assessment. He had some knowledge of MS and treated me and my wife with kindness and sympathy. Two weeks later and a text arrives from DWP saying they had decided I do qualify for PIP. I am delighted with this result but am mindful that not everyone has had the same experience as me and that is a great shame. Thanks to all that commented on this thread.
Regards Trev
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Dear all, I wanted to update this thread by saying that I saw a very nice chap for my assessment. He had some knowledge of MS and treated me and my wife with kindness and sympathy. Two weeks later and a text arrives from DWP saying they had decided I do qualify for PIP. I am delighted with this result but am mindful that not everyone has had the same experience as me and that is a great shame. Thanks to all that commented on this thread.
Regards Trev
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They inform you by TEXT???
Whatever next? A note on your Facebook page? A Tweet?
I assume you will also get a proper decision letter, giving you the right of appeal / length of award / etc?
Sue
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oh yes Sue they said this in the text. They kept me informed at every stage by text which saved wondering how things were progressing. Calling them was a half hour on hold situation so the least amount of phone contact the better.
trev
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Some good tip here - many thanks.
I also saw this on the web
‘Guidance - Work Capability Assessment handbook: for healthcare professionals’
Work Capability Assessment (WCA) handbook
(ODT version: Word-compatible) Work Capability Assessment (WCA) handbook
Are these are the Atos training guides???
It does indicate how sneaky all these ‘innocent’ sounding questions really are.
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To had an assessment for ESA support group and it sounds the same as this, they had to do it and ignore my letters from the neuro and doctors and what makes no sense is why they have to do it for people with MS yes I get this PIP benefit don’t get me wrong but to be in the support group for ESA your condition must effect you for more then 12 months so we’re do they find idiots that thinks MS will last for less then that time ATOS back then I guess