I have a PIP assessment on Wednesday, any advice?

[Teej75]

Hi, it's been a while since i posted but i got some great help with my ESA tribunal before so thought it couldn't hurt to ask.

 

I haven't done much preparation assuming i'll be fine but i'd really like to get the PIP, it'll mean more freedom and the potential to do some form of work, even voluntary. I was advised by my job center adviser to apply and got help from welfare rights with the application.

 

I just wondered if there was anything to be aware of, is it a very strict assessment, are they trying to catch you out like the ESA? Will they have access to my evidence from the ESA tribunal and things like that?

 

Thanks!

[mikeymack2002]

What you need to remember is that on the day of your assessment you may be having a good day, it may appear that you may not need the extra help

 

 

Please remember to take any letters with you from your medical team if you have one. If you feel uncomfortable about doing part of the test please tell the advisor and if asked give the reasons clearly and precisely.

 

 

The test normally starts long before you get in to the room with the interviewer, they may have CCTV in the reception area to see how you sit or walk before going in to the room.

 

 

You may be offered a chair that has no arms on it, this is useless if you need help of them getting up from a seated position.

 

 

If you need walking aids take them with you. Explain clearly and slowly what your problems are for your care and mobility.

 

 

Don't be afraid to ask questions..

 

 

Any other thoughts you may have please ask them

[Nystagmite]

Is this a home visit?

[Teej75]

What you need to remember is that on the day of your assessment you may be having a good day, it may appear that you may not need the extra help

 

 

Please remember to take any letters with you from your medical team if you have one. If you feel uncomfortable about doing part of the test please tell the advisor and if asked give the reasons clearly and precisely.

 

 

The test normally starts long before you get in to the room with the interviewer, they may have CCTV in the reception area to see how you sit or walk before going in to the room.

 

 

You may be offered a chair that has no arms on it, this is useless if you need help of them getting up from a seated position.

 

 

If you need walking aids take them with you. Explain clearly and slowly what your problems are for your care and mobility.

 

 

Don't be afraid to ask questions..

 

 

Any other thoughts you may have please ask them

 

Thanks. So it's jut like the ESaA, typical!

 

It's the lower rate and it's to help with transport getting to places.

 

I don't have a team per se but i have something like CFS which means i'm housebound most of the time and working's impossible without some kind of help.

 

I have had a CFS assessment recently and there is some folow up on that so i don't have much in the way of evidence but i'll try and get anything from my ESA assessment that i can find.

[Teej75]

Is this a home visit?

 

No it's not but my support worker has arranged a taxi for me to get there and back as they can't attend. I didn't think of that but i read they'll do it if you can show that you have home visits from a GP which is something i'm thinking about as getting there is difficult but again this is something the PIP would help with. Thanks.

[mikeymack2002]

If your condition is that bad you really should ask for a home visit as it is un-ethical to ask someone that is unable to go out to do just that

[Nystagmite]

Don't make an effort. They want to see how you normally are.

[Teej75]

Well originally they wanted me to go to Wakefield at 8:30 am so this is a massive improvement!

 

It fluctuates but i usually get help with stuff like this cause i don't know when i'm gonna have a bad day. I really just want to get it over with cause i've been waiting a while but i thought the DWP put me into WRAG and this is to help towards that end.

[mikeymack2002]

Putting you in public at this time of day would/could be detrimental your health and welfare, you should make them clearly aware that this is very difficult for you to complete, but only if it is as such....

[Teej75]

Don't make an effort. They want to see how you normally are.

 

I'll show/tell them exactly how it is, warts an' all.

[Teej75]

Putting you in public at this time of day would/could be detrimental your health and welfare, you should make them clearly aware that this is very difficult for you to complete, but only if it is as such....

 

This is at 1:15 which is apparently the latest they can do.

[Nystagmite]

Don't say "yes, but..." if they ask if you can do something without help. To them, yes is saying "I'm fine". Whereas saying "No, because..." is saying "I can't do it without help".

 

Only say yes if you 100% need no help at all and can repeat the task in a safe reliable manner that doesn't leave you in pain or fatigue for the rest of the day.

[**Margaret**]

:Teej75:

 

In case you've not already read them, the descriptors for a personal independence payment can be found from page 32 of the guide at;

 

http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/personal-independence-payment-pip

 

As you live in an area where Atos provide the assessments for personal independence, yes it's going to be very like your work capability assessment. Including the criteria for a home visit. But considering your focus on the mobility component I'm a bit concerned that you're planning to attend by yourself, even in a taxi. You don't need your support worker, but ideally you do need someone (family, friend, neighbour) to accompany you, both as a witness and to show (if it's the case) that you can't manage journeys without help.

 

The assessor may or may not have a copy of your last ESA85 report. Currently Jobcentreplus are trialling the retrieval of ESA85/85As to add to PIP2s but I don't know how well it's working. The assessor won't have a copy of your tribunal paperwork so it's important to hunt that out. All the paperwork (except the Jobcentreplus submission ) if you've still got copies, but especially the Decision Notice.

 

Best wishes, Margaret.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Teej75]

Don't say "yes, but..." if they ask if you can do something without help. To them, yes is saying "I'm fine". Whereas saying "No, because..." is saying "I can't do it without help".

 

Only say yes if you 100% need no help at all and can repeat the task in a safe reliable manner that doesn't leave you in pain or fatigue for the rest of the day.

 

Thanks, I have to approach it from the perspective of a bad day.

[Teej75]

:Teej75:

 

In case you've not already read them, the descriptors for a personal independence payment can be found from page 32 of the guide at;

 

http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/personal-independence-payment-pip

 

As you live in an area where Atos provide the assessments for personal independence, yes it's going to be very like your work capability assessment. Including the criteria for a home visit. But considering your focus on the mobility component I'm a bit concerned that you're planning to attend by yourself, even in a taxi. You don't need your support worker, but ideally you do need someone (family, friend, neighbour) to accompany you, both as a witness and to show (if it's the case) that you can't manage journeys without help.

 

The assessor may or may not have a copy of your last ESA85 report. Currently Jobcentreplus are trialling the retrieval of ESA85/85As to add to PIP2s but I don't know how well it's working. The assessor won't have a copy of your tribunal paperwork so it's important to hunt that out. All the paperwork (except the Jobcentreplus submission ) if you've still got copies, but especially the Decision Notice.

 

Best wishes, Margaret.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks. Funnily i found it all today and was wondering whether to take the decision notice but decided to take it and not leave anything to chance. Got a recent letter from the CFS service as well.

 

Thing is, the PIP would be for taxis to go places i couldn't ordinarily, i can go places on my own some days but it's a very limited scope. I think the welfare rights advisor told me this was less severe than the ESA assessment so i wasn't all that concerned, she said it can be worse in some areas.

 

I'll have a look at the PIP form to give me an idea of what to expect. Thanks for all the help.

[reallymadwoman]

Spend half an hour this evening working out where you should score points and make yourself a list of things to mention.

 

Next to each one try to make a note of something that has/would happen if you did whatever it is by yourself.

[Nystagmite]

And give examples of what happened last time you tried to do the activity.

[Teej75]

Thanks both, i'll reply tomorrow. Just glad i asked cause i was in no way prepared for it and welfare rights didn't mention any of this stuff (like the diary)! Cheers.

[Teej75]

I have a couple of questions i meant to ask.

 

Does needing transport to hospital appointments count as assistance to managing therapy and does taking natural remedies for cognition and memory count as needing help to communicate verbally?

 

Also can i give or take notes i've written based on the descriptors cause i might not remember everything.

 

Thanks.

[Nystagmite]

The help with managing therapy is to do with things like someone reminding you to take your medication, helping you with your physiotherapy, oranising your medication so that you take enough / don't take too much, etc.

 

As for your second question - I don't see why you wouldn't be able to do that. I'm sure many people have done this.

[Teej75]

Thanks. I went through the PIP Guide today and think i have everything covered.

[Nystagmite]

Please let us know how everything went!

[twoconcernedsisters]

Thanks, I have to approach it from the perspective of a bad day.

No, you have to approach it from a honest perspective. If you are having a good day you tell them, if other days are worse tell them that too. Deceiving them into believing that all of your days are bad is said to be leaving you open to a charge of benefit fraud.

[twoconcernedsisters]

Don't make an effort. They want to see how you normally are.

 

 

That is quite difficult to define. My dad will go days without a shave or a wash, yet when he goes out he bathes, washes his hair, shaves and dresses himself quite well. Would it be normal for him to go looking dishevelled or smart and clean?

[honeybee13]

Personally, I don't think it pays to go looking smart or having made too much of an effort. This gave the wrong impression to Atos about me, IMO.

 

HB