had a bad day yesterday - had finally sent off my PIP application on 10th Aug after trying to complete it for two/three weeks, I’d had to call them for a return date extension which I was told was extended to 19th Aug.
Had a letter yesterday saying they had decided they wouldn’t award PIP as I hadn’t sent in the ‘additional info’ they had asked me for.
As i had not been asked for any additional info I called them straightaway. First chap I spoke to asked me what action they had taken- told him as I didn’t wok there I didn’t know what they had done and repeated the content of their letter to me. He told me someone else would call me back.
A lady called me later, told me my notes where unclear asked me several questions that she then confirmed they already had the answer to. Told me she would call me back again when she’d had a chance to look in it.
Called me back again to tell me the ‘additional info’ was in fact the entire 40 page ‘how your disability affects you’ form, they had not received it.
I was totally crushed, this form had taken me days/weeks to complete and taken its toll on me.
I started to cry on the phone ( I am NOT a cry-er), I was mortified, She was very kind which of course made me cry more. I just couldn’t stop. Felt such a fool.
I can - really see why you are devastated. I would be crying buckets myself. But what we have to do now is to dry our eyes and work out how we can go forward. What is the position now? Did you send the form in? Did you send it in recorded delivery? (Always a good thing with DWP!)
Yes I did send the form back in plenty of time, but no, not recorded. DWP lady asked the same thing. Never had dealings with them before so was naive. Never applied for any sort of benefit before either, I couldn’t believe the length of the form.
She is going to send out another for me to start again, but I’m not sure if I can face it to be honest.
On the plus side, I do have my notebook where I wrote out my rough answers first that I can refer back to.
Just feeling a bit overwhelmed which isn’t like me
Our CAB is in the city centre with no parking nearby. You can’t make an appointment. When I used to work in the city I used it pass it occasionally, usually about 60 people in the waiting room. There is a nearer one but they only see people from the adjoining borough, we’re near the border between the two.
I guess I’m just feeling sorry for myself. Tears won’t stop, now I’m scaring the dog, she doesn’t know what’s going on!
Did you send any supporting info such as a letter from your MS nurse,Physio,OT or a care plan from a social worker,I would join the benefits and work website,like you I found it difficult when I first applied for then it was DLA and was turned down but on appeal I was awarded higher rate mobility.I have also used my local welfare rights in the past who helped filling form in.
Don’t panic fill it in again you still have your notes that’s great if you can get it photo copied and then send it so that someone at the other end has to sign for it .
They have excellent guides and their information is up to date and correct as far as I know.
Have you tried phoning the local CAB to ask for help? If not, I would suggest you try to do this.
When you complete your forms again, (and you really should, I know it’s painful and horrible, but you’ve already done all the work once, it won’t be as bad doing it again), take photocopies of the forms, and send them by recorded delivery.
If you did send any evidence with your forms, do you still have copies? If so, send them again. If you didn’t have any supporting evidence, then find letters that support what you say, eg from your neurologist or any other source who have examined you physically.
In the additional information section of the form, request that they backdate your claim to the original date of claim. I don’t know what the rules are re backdating for PIP, but make sure you explain what has happens, see if it gets you anywhere.
The absolute golden rule though is always take photocopies of what you send. I know it’s a bit late for this claim, but for the future, and for anyone else who’s going through the process.
Dear Ang. I wrote a very long reply to your last post but, unfortunately, my tablet decided to eat it just before I was about to press send. Very frustrating. However, I was not going to leave you high and dry today if I could help it! So here goes my second attempt.
So, the DWP has screwed up right royally? So what’s new? However, as always, just because it’s their mistake doesn’t mean they have to do anything about it! What we have to do is to start the application process again and make sure that this time it is a better application!
I know that you are very down about it and you are very reluctant to apply again – not unsurprisingly – but, if you are entitled to PIP you should apply for it. Remember, there’s no use crying over spilt milk – especially if it is upsetting your dog (even if he quite likes the idea of licking up spilt milk!)
How can we make your application better? Here are a few of Boblatina’s top tips for applying for PIP:
Do not try to squeeze your answers into the very small boxes provided on the form. No matter how neat or small your handwriting is, as a person with MS they will always be far too small. Instead, write your answers on continuation sheets. Make sure that your name and your NI number is included on the heading of every continuation sheet and make sure the sheets are numbered. Make sure you identify which of the questions you are answering as you go along. On the actual form just put “see answer on continuation sheet X”
If your answer to one question contains information that also applies to a separate question, do not make the mistake of thinking that the DWP assessor will be able to carrying forward the information from one answer to another. The DWP are not very good at seeing the bigger picture! This is not an exercise in elegant creative writing so there will be a LOT of repetition in your completed form. You don’t have to find lots of different ways of saying the same thing, Cut and Paste is your friend!
Do not handwrite your answers if at all possible (see above).
Make sure you include copies of ALL relevant medical reports. The form does ask for the details of your GP and your consultant et cetera but it is very rare for the DWP to actually go to them for a report. (I have had a bit of a dispute with another forum member as to whether you can pass on a report you have been copied into by your doctors but I can assure you that there is nothing to prevent you from doing so and you do not have to get the doctors permission)
If you have a lot of reports to send in it is very helpful for you to include an index identifying what documents you’ve attached.
Number each page of your reports because, if there is a particularly relevant comments in any of them, it is very helpful for you to be able to say “see comments by Dr X on page 4 of her report”. Number them consecutively with your continuation sheets to avoid any confusion.
When answering the questions, remember that they are not black and white “yes I can/no I can’t” answers. As a person with MS any description of your capability requires a lot of information and nuances. The important thing to remember is the formula “reliably/consistently/to an acceptable standard and/or safely”. For example, I have cognition problems that affect my short-term memory. This means that, amongst other problems I have with cooking, I am not safe to the allow to cook without some form of supervision as I frequently leave pans on a lit gas ring and leave the kitchen. My clumsiness and general lack of dexterity also means that I am not safe with sharp knives or boiling water. So, I can cook, but I certainly can’t do it safely without assistance!
Make sure you have identified ALL items that you use as aids to carry out certain tasks stop do not think that this is simply confined to specifically designed disability aids. For example, jar keys to open jar lids, specific “easy-use” kitchen appliances, electric tin openers, a stool for when you are working in the kitchen etc etc could be classed as aids depending on the circumstances in which you use them.
Don’t forget to state the absolutely obvious. Just because something is obvious doesn’t mean that it is going to be picked up by the assessors. To take a ridiculous (but true) example, without it being spelt out explicitly, the DWP felt that a person who had lost both legs and was permanently confined to a wheelchair had to be formally assessed for how far he could walk! Don’t worry about repeating yourself in answers, but you should be worrying about is whether you have repeated yourself enough.
Do not try to complete the form in one fell swoop. You already know how exhausting a process it can be and, if you are tired, you are obviously more likely to make mistakes and miss things out. A good target is to give yourself as many days as possible to complete the form based on completing one or two questions each day.
If you have someone whose judgement you trust, ask them to check over your final version of the form before you send it off. You may have missed something or gone completely opposite tangent.
As always, when talking about PIP, I would recommend that you join Benefits and Work or take advice from CAB or a similar reputable charity. Their advice is invaluable. (Although, as you have already realised, CAB is chronically overstretched and under resourced.)
As you have learnt the hard way, make sure you have copies of everything that you send to DWP.
Ditto do not send them any original documents as they have a bad habit of losing them.
Finally (and I really hope that you don’t think I rubbing salt into the wounds here) anything you send to DWP where there is a deadline or it contains important documents should be sent by Recorded Delivery. (Don’t bother with Registered Post as it is ridiculously expensive or Special Delivery unless it is the day before your deadline expires!) Recorded Delivery has proof of delivery which is what you need.
So, dry your eyes, give the dog a hug and get yourself ready to fight the good fight.
Good luck! Remember, we are always here if you need any more help – there’s some fantastic experience on this site.
Thank you all so much for taking the time to provide such support and information. I feel embarrassed at my weakness yesterday, not sure what happened there.
I will be taking on board all the advice above when my new form arrives next week and will join Benefits and Work and telephone CAB.
Boblatina, I am humbled by the time and effort put in to your message, to do that once let alone twice for someone you don’t know is overwhelming. On a purely practical level, just knowing I can type my longer answers is priceless as I find hand writing exhausting after a minute or so. I will always be grateful.
Have got up this morning exhausted (no sleep) and aching all over but suspect that’s due to the emotional wreck I was yesterday. So, no more of that. Will concentrate on looking forward, my ‘once more unto the breach dear friends’ attitude is coming back.
Apologies for resurrecting my old thread but wanted to give an update and express my thanks to all who replied to my original post. The information above was invaluable and I hope it will help others who are facing a PIP claim too.
My (second) PIP claim was successful although it has taken months. I had a home assessment with CAPITA at the end of Feb this year. Very nice lady who told me if I was successful I would get my payments backdated to the date of her visit. She expected I would hear within about 6-8 weeks.
Just three weeks later I received my decision. Standard rate for daily living and enhanced rate for mobility. Fantastic.
But I read on and had a huge shock. My claim was indeed backdated. Not to the CAPITA visit, not indeed to my second application, but to my original ‘lost’ application back in June 16.
10 months.
I phoned DWP that morning to check this was correct. It was.
I phoned again in the afternoon to speak to someone else to confirm. Still correct.
Ive just read through this and it has given me hope and some very useful information and advice to complete the PIP forms for the second time which I’m almost sure I will need to do as it seems the norm for most people to have to appeal after having the first application refused.
I know the info from Sssue and Boblatina above will help others especially those going through this for the first time. Looking back I was naive when sending in my first application.
