PIP form posted

Posted my PIP form yesterday and got a bit of help from a local advice centre to fill it in…it was heavy going and although I still work in an office MS affects me daily but I felt a little guilty having to put some of the things down on paper - like how we are on our worse days because on our best days people think you’re a fraud but the lady did say that they have had so many claims rejected it is tough but has to be put down on paper - still feel as if I have been put through the mill - i detest MS and all this stuff that goes along with it but you guys on here are a great source of support and advice…that got that off my chest.

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hi redman

it is a truly depressing thing to do.

putting down in words how bad things are.

i’ve always believed in being positive and never said aloud how bad i was feeling.

but the DWP have ways and means to make us depressed.

wish you full benefit.

(the new blessing du jour)

carole x

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Thanks Carole - the lady said to me - you are very good at covering your symptoms up and I guess that’s not what these forms are about…

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Redman how many points are you expecting to gain?

Have you taken the PIP Test to calculate your possible PIP scores?

How much NHS evidence did you include, like GP letters?

Did you include carer’s statements on how they help you?

You can always send these in after you have sent the form.

I put all my details down neuros - gps etc and contact information plus a letter from the MS nurse about my MS diagnosis.

Fingers crossed

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You have to be so careful with PIP’s Orwellian language: The assessors ‘May’ contact your GP - not ‘Will’.

Remember PIP is not about the medical condition - diagnosis - but how the illness affects you. PIP is a functionality

report and - a social care needs analysis - to see how dependent you are on others to help you move and do the activities of daily living.

How much social care evidence did you supply?

The assessors only contact GPs 34% of the time and only 5% of the info GPs supply is useful for PIP.

So you have to make sure you ask your GP to send the right social care evidence in support of the descriptors.

Have you talked this over with your GP?

A ‘To whom it may concern’ letter from your GP - a ‘Factual Report’ on how your MS affects

you doing daily activities, and how much social care you get from others is useful to send.

You still have time to get this social care evidence and send it.

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Thanks

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PIP really should be called PERSONAL DEPENDENCE PAYMENT PDP

Social care evidence - can be just a relative, or partner - providing informal (unpaid) care or help ie.,.

my daughter cooks for me, or helps me wash and dress or my partner drives me to the doctors… pushes my wheelchair.

Get your GP to mention these sorts of things - and get carer’s registered as carers on the GP’s computer.

Carer’s Assessments are also useful, as are Carer’s Statements. So really evidence of how you are

DEPENDENT UPON ANOTHER PERSON.

Sorry to go on so - but you do have a brief window to gather more support for PIP.

Care Plans are good to send.

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Guys I have my assessment next Thursday at one of the centres - so I’ll see how it goes - will bring my list of medication etc with me - any other tips gratefully accepted.

All I will say is best of luck hope it goes ok. If you can, you need to emphasize your ability to do things safely, reliably, repeatedly and at a normal pace/speed, if you can’t do things safely, reliably, repeatedly and at a normal pace/speed you need to ensure that this is understood.

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So true about PIP. My sister works within the DWP,her advice was to really play up your symptoms & what your bad days are like. I was asked, if I had £1 and bought a loaf of bread for 80p, how much change could I expect! I,obviously answered 20p. This was all the evidence they needed to say I can cope with finances! This process is so…erm, degrading?, humiliating?, frustrating?, stressful? This is all so unnecessary! Surely there should be some conditions, ones that are only going to get worse, that should be exempt from this process. Let’s face it MS is not going to get better. Let’s have some common sense! I am by nature a very positive person, but this process not nice, I’ve done it twice now & will to go through it again as my MS is now SPMS. Buy hey ho, it is what it is. Just keep in mind that they are starting from the principle…how can we not pay this person. You have to prove how disabled you are,despite having a neurologist diagnosis. Good luck, stay positive

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Thanks guys - as said and so well put, its a shame MS isn’t looked at differently - but we know too well that it is not understood

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Redman, PIP is a social care needs analysis - and is assessing your functionality - rather than the medical condition

of MS. This is because the assessor wants to know whether you need more than 35 hours of care per week, as

Carer’s Allowance is linked to PIP.

Yep £62 a week, however, they can only earn £110! My husband was a care worker looking after people with MS. He finished work to look after me so he only gets the Care allowance. Saving social care thousands!!!

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Redman, how did it go? I only found this thread today and was amazed how quickly the assessment was sent to you , I was expecting months! Fingers crossed for you x