UK: PIP appeals - advice, recommendations?

Wits_End said:
Unbelievable. Literally no sooner do I get shot of this appeal than a Capability for Work questionnaire arrives on the doormat. You couldn't make it up! This is really going to push her into a relapse - she was already exhausted from the
appeal :(
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Well, after wearing myself out doing the ESA questionnaire, woudyabelieveit, we got a decision to continue as-is, no face-to-face, nothing! Something went right for once - although possibly it was simply because they realised she'd be too old to qualify pretty shortly and it probably wasn't worth wasting the finances on calling her in for interview.
 
I echo what has been said about Benefits and Work. Their very detailed guides are well worth the subscription. The guides give advice on how to answer every question and what information the DWP is actually after....not always clear from the question.

I also send in all my medical reports even the old ones as they document a history of chronic illness.
 
To add to my list of potentially useful sites: I hadn't thought to look there because I don't really regard ME as a disability as such, but the Scope website seems to be active and contain a lot of discussion on PIP, ESA and so on.

Still trying to find an advocate, and thinking I may need to try doing it myself :(

EDIT: Too late to add this to my original post #14, but if you're in London and the South-East, or Nottingham:

http://www.thefru.org.uk/
 
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I can't recommend this Facebook group enough for benefits advice - it's run by volunteers, all sick and most with ME, and it has a huge library of resources and information, all free to use. With their help and support I was able to get an enhanced award for both daily living and mobility (I am severe) and just recently had my first review after 2 years.The first I knew of anything happening with this, apart from expecting a letter saying I'd have to reapply, was actually an award letter on the date due for the review saying it had all been carried out based on my original paperwork and they were upholding my award and I would have it awarded for an ongoing period, which is a 10 year "light touch" review. I was totally amazed, but also I'm sure I wouldn't have got it that easily had I not fought so hard for my first award, and I only did that because of the support group. I absolutely wouldn't have known where to start without them, it was pure luck I found the group through a friend which is why I share it where I can, because there's so many people out there who were in the same position I was. I'm lucky, I don't need this money to survive, but lots of people do.

I did have to fight for my first award - my original award was for standard for both parts but I appealed and just before my appeal date they wrote to me and offered me the double enhanced award I should have had all along. Without the help of the wonderful people in this Facebook group, I wouldn't have had a clue where to start with any of it. And since then I've also used their advice and resources to win support group ESA and the Universal Credit equivalent for all three of my kids, all of whom have chronic stuff and disabilities of their own.

It's a closed group so no one on your Facebook can see what you're posting and the community is hugely supportive as well as knowledgeable. The admins are the ones with the real understanding of how the hideously complex UK benefits system is and how it works, and not just for disability stuff either, they can help with housing benefits as well and there's even help with claiming on illness insurance. I can't recommend it enough.

Here's the link for anyone interested - hope we can help.
The UK ME & Chronic Illness Benefits Advice Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/278260135547189/
 
I've tried in the past to join this group, on at least a couple of occasions I think.

I remember it because of the 3 questions thing.

I have never received a reply yet alone been able to join.

:grumpy:
 
Blueskytoo said:
I can't recommend this Facebook group enough for benefits advice - it's run by volunteers, all sick and most with ME, and it has a huge library of resources and information, all free to use. With their help and support I was able to get an enhanced award for both daily living and mobility (I am severe) and just recently had my first review after 2 years.The first I knew of anything happening with this, apart from expecting a letter saying I'd have to reapply, was actually an award letter on the date due for the review saying it had all been carried out based on my original paperwork and they were upholding my award and I would have it awarded for an ongoing period, which is a 10 year "light touch" review. I was totally amazed, but also I'm sure I wouldn't have got it that easily had I not fought so hard for my first award, and I only did that because of the support group. I absolutely wouldn't have known where to start without them, it was pure luck I found the group through a friend which is why I share it where I can, because there's so many people out there who were in the same position I was. I'm lucky, I don't need this money to survive, but lots of people do.

I did have to fight for my first award - my original award was for standard for both parts but I appealed and just before my appeal date they wrote to me and offered me the double enhanced award I should have had all along. Without the help of the wonderful people in this Facebook group, I wouldn't have had a clue where to start with any of it. And since then I've also used their advice and resources to win support group ESA and the Universal Credit equivalent for all three of my kids, all of whom have chronic stuff and disabilities of their own.

It's a closed group so no one on your Facebook can see what you're posting and the community is hugely supportive as well as knowledgeable. The admins are the ones with the real understanding of how the hideously complex UK benefits system is and how it works, and not just for disability stuff either, they can help with housing benefits as well and there's even help with claiming on illness insurance. I can't recommend it enough.

Here's the link for anyone interested - hope we can help.
The UK ME & Chronic Illness Benefits Advice Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/278260135547189/
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Id like to second this, it’s the best resource I’ve found for help. They are amazing.

Wonko said:
I've tried in the past to join this group, on at least a couple of occasions I think.

I remember it because of the 3 questions thing.

I have never received a reply yet alone been able to join.

:grumpy:
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That’s weird wonko, I can ask an admin in the group for you if you’d like? Send me a pm if you’re interested.
 
wastwater said:
I missed my PIP face to face,wonder what will happen
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https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-...pendence-Payment/Go-to-PIP-medical-assessment

Missed the assessment
If you don’t go to the medical assessment, the DWP may refuse your claim unless you have a good reason for not going.

If you miss your medical assessment, the DWP will contact you to ask you to give a reason. Tell them why you could not attend. If you have any documents to show why you could not attend, give the DWP a copy. If the DWP thinks you have a good reason, they will rearrange your medical assessment.

If you miss your medical assessment and you don’t give a reason, or the DWP decides that you don’t have a good reason, they will refuse your claim. If the DWP refuses your claim, you can challenge their decision or start again with a new claim (or you can do both).

If you make a new claim you will need to fill in another form but you can use your previous form as a guide for what to put. You can read more about challenging a PIP decision in our Challenging a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) decision guide.
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Wits_End said:
To add to my list of potentially useful sites: I hadn't thought to look there because I don't really regard ME as a disability as such, but the Scope website seems to be active and contain a lot of discussion on PIP, ESA and so on.

Still trying to find an advocate, and thinking I may need to try doing it myself :(

EDIT: Too late to add this to my original post #14, but if you're in London and the South-East, or Nottingham:

http://www.thefru.org.uk/
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Thank you for posting that - it is very useful information for members who can access the 200 listed referral agencies.

It's a terrible situation in the UK that getting professional legal representation is a complete postcode lottery (since the removel of Legal Aid for benefit appeals and tribunals). Residents in my area have no access to this sort of quality free legal support. For me, I saw it as essential to get my PIP forms right and to predict, and prepare myself for, the problems that would arise in a face to face - because having to go to an tribunal would have been unmanageable for me without a legal representative to speak on my behalf. I know autistic people who have been forced to speak at their tribunal - and then this is used to say they can 'socially engage and communicate'.
 
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Wits_End said:
Well, I've got that out of the way for now, so here are some tips and recommendations from me:

Government's own guide to benefit appeals is quite useful (plus you'll need it to start your appeal anyway):
https://www.gov.uk/appeal-benefit-decision

The DWP produces assessment guides:
Part 1 goes into detail about how the Health Professional should conduct the assessment - you may be able to make a case if you can prove that it was not conducted in accordance with the guidelines.
Part 2 gives the assessment criteria in detail, and indicates how many points you should be awarded for each descriptor.

The AdviceNow website has a mandatory reconsideration letter generation tool which can also be adapted for the appeal stage:
https://www.advicenow.org.uk/pip-tool
It also produces a PDF document entitled "How to win a PIP appeal", which contains worked examples.

Have just seen that AgeUk can possibly provide advice on this: caree just about qualifies, I think :) Otherwise, my locality seems to be short on people who can advise about appeals, and the CAB hasn't got back to me yet wrt my request for advice.

The Benefits and Work website (forum and publications) has been very helpful:
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk
It does cost nearly £20 for a year's subscription, but I'd guess it's likely to be worth the investment in most cases.
Publications (free to members) include Best Possible PIP Appeal Submissions (one of the worked examples being a sufferer from ME/CFS); Best Possible Ways to Challenge a PIP Medical Report (grounds of appeal with sample texts); a CFS diary template, etc.
The forum is also particularly useful, although you should be aware that your posts will, initially at least, be moderated, and that the moderators are only available for a few hours, and not every day, so it may take time for your posts - and answers to them - to appear online.

I didn't find the Turn2Us.org.uk website particularly helpful, nor the MEAssociation one.

Hope this will be of benefit to someone else, too!
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Wits_End said:
To add to my list of potentially useful sites: I hadn't thought to look there because I don't really regard ME as a disability as such, but the Scope website seems to be active and contain a lot of discussion on PIP, ESA and so on.

Still trying to find an advocate, and thinking I may need to try doing it myself :(

EDIT: Too late to add this to my original post #14, but if you're in London and the South-East, or Nottingham:

http://www.thefru.org.uk/
Click to expand...

Another one I've just come across on the B&W website:
https://pipinfo.net/

I do wish I'd known about all these before we started this PIP application.
 
On my second application for PIP a friend gave me a good tip: if you use mobility/ bathing/ kitchen aids then include photos you have taken of the aids.
I was awarded higher rate mobility, and standard rate personal care. ( i was one mark away from higher personal care!)
We decided not to appeal and to make do with less income.

Sending good wishes to anyone awaiting results/ filling out pip forms.
 
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