Pip awarded

Hey everyone thought I would update everyone I was awarded pip. Checked my bank today n they have made a payment not had the letter yet to see the breakdown n for how long I’ve been awarded but am happy that I got something as felt my assessment could have gone either way. Xxx

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Yey !! I’m so pleased for you xx

Good for you Zara. I hope you get the decision letter soon. It’s a bugger knowing you’ve got some but not knowing what rate for each component.

But at least it’s a positive result. Hurrah.

Sue

Thanks everyone am soo pleased to have got anything as I know how hard it can be for others. Xxx

well done!

pour yourself a gin and tonic!

a double.

Letter came today been awarded standard for both parts till 202. Hubby thinks we should mayb appeal the mobility part as awarded me 0 for planning a journey which I can’t do n wasn’t asked during my face to face.

Hello Zara

It’s maybe worth getting a mandatory reconsideration of the decision, but from my perspective I think it’s quite hard to prove inability to plan the route of a journey unless you have evidence of quite severe cognitive or social dysfunction.

Have you seen the activities and descriptors regarding Planning and Following Journeys? Have a look at https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/Migrated_Documents/adviceguide/pip-9-table-of-activities-descriptors-and-points.pdf

If you have evidence that you cannot plan the route of a journey, or that you need accompaniment for a journey, then you might get the extra points that you need to get the enhanced rate for mobility. I assume you have qualified for the standard rate because you can stand and move more than 20 but less than 50 metres, so you’ve scored 8 points for that. This means you need at least 4 points from the Planning and Following Journeys activities as well. These activities seem to be all about social, safety and / or psychological reasons for being unable to plan or follow journeys alone.

If you are thinking that you cannot go out without assistance because of physical disability, you probably wouldn’t qualify for the extra points.

I do apologise if I’m wrong and you do have cognitive problems which mean you can’t plan a journey

Sue

Thanks @Sssue for the tips I scored 10 for mobility as I need to use a stick n have balance issues am in the can walk 20 but less than 50 meter bracket think hubby is more annoyed cos he knows I can’t do it n it wasn’t even brought up at assessment but we stated it in my form xxx

Hi Zara

If you find over the course of your PIP award that your walking deteriorates (and don’t forget you should be able to do this reliably, safely and repeatedly), and you don’t feel confident that you can’t walk 20 metres, you can put in a change of circumstances request to have your claim looked at again.

I suggest you only do this after you have obtained evidence of your decrease in walking ability. For example from a physiotherapist, neurologist or MS nurse. (If this occurs!)

Sue

Did they do a cognitive test at all? they do them at the end normally(based on my wife’s 2 assessments) my wife was given 4 words and asked to repeat them back and then to remember them til the end, then 100 take 7,take 7 again,7 again etc. Then got asked the 4 words again. I may have missed part of it(might have been a paying for something how much change type thing?)but thats classed as a cognitive test. It does seem to work as despite my wife showing really obvious and visual bad physical pain,tremors, shaking etc she seemed to cope mentally with an hour and a half of questions etc and seemed relatively on the ball that day,until those questions!

Nope didn’t do a cognitive test at my assessment xxx

Did you get a copy of the HCP’s report along with your decision letter? I was looking through paperwork the other day and noticed my wife didn’t last year but at the time we were waiting to go to a tribunal for ESA and my wife had a really bad attack which left her fairly disabled just days after the pip assessment which started the suspicions of Ms,so a really stressful time and i think we were just relieved to get anything at that time!

If you didn’t i would request it to see if any lies were told on this. Seems strange if you answered on form you couldn’t plan journey but they didn’t ask about that or do any type of cognitive test!

Haven’t got a copy of the report but am going to phone n ask for it. Am grateful for getting the standard rate as I ve heard how hard it is for people with ms to even get that. Hubby is just annoyed as we put on the form that I struggle to plan a journey n then nothing was said about it again. Xx

The trouble with that cognitive test is that once you’ve done it, it’s too f’ing easy. I made this point recently to my rehab doctor. The whole ‘count down backwards form 100 in 7s’, when you’ve done it a few time, been present when someone with dementia is given the test and are actually quite reasonable at counting, its utterly meaningless. I just want the to start from 102 or 115 occasionally. That would be a decent test. Except that sometimes the people giving the test would have to have the answers written down for them!

Then there’s the little story you’re told at the start, if you know what questions you’re going be asked at the end of the test, you can’t help but remember them.

These tests don’t diagnose anything but dementia and Parkinson’s. (Sometimes - I’m not even sure they work for Parkinson’s and what about someone with dementia who’s previously a Mensa member?)

My cognitive problems don’t fit any model. It doesn’t mean they don’t exist. I have to live with them. And so does my OH.

Aarrrgghh. I hate that test.

Sue