LIBRA1's PIP Queries Topic !!!

Mrs. Medlam wrote: I too am transferring from Dla to Pip phoned the 13th Nov for phone interview told I would have 30 days to fill in " how your diss affects you" from when I received it. Well got the brown envelope on Sat 21st and I have until the 13th Dec to return it so only 22 days to get it back , plus the 13th is a Sunday so will have to post it by the 9th at the latest so they get it. Too much pressure on people and not enough time. Really stressing now.

You can phone and ask for an extension, at the moment these seem to be granted without any fuss.

I am in the process of completing my PIP2 form. I have bipolar affective disorder which is a fluctuating condition and my fluctuations occur over months rather than days. However, because of the side effects of my strong anti-psychotics and anti-depressants, for the majority of days (4 out of 7), I am affected in some activities and have limited abilities.

My difficulties are to do with preparing food, eating, managing and monitoring medication, washing, dressing and engaging with others face to face as far as the daily living component is concerned and going out and needing help planning a journey or completing a journey when severely ill as far as the mobility component is concerned.

I still have a copy of my old DLA form where the questions about activities were straight yes or no questions, with room to elaborate and go into detail. However, PIP2 asks you to tick yes, no or sometimes. Given that my underlying health condition manifests as fluctuating limitations, do I answer yes or do I answer sometimes?

The reason I am asking is that I have seen advice elsewhere which encourages me to answer yes and then explain the fluctuation in the extra information box asked for with the question. Is this right? Or, is sometimes meant to be the tick box that deals with variable limitations and fluctuating conditions?

Thank you.

Thank you Gordon.

As the activities and descriptors which are relevant to me affect me for the majority of days (months of the year in terms of bipolar episodes, and days of the week in terms of debilitating side effects from my medication), then I decided to tick the 'yes' box rather than 'sometimes'. Your comment was very helpful. It becomes obvious from my details given in the extra box whether that is correct or not. The advice I have read elsewhere is that one should always tick the 'yes' box as the evidence from ATOS/DWP's dealings with ESA is that if you tick the 'sometimes/it varies' box, it is discounted. Maybe, that is just unfounded but I don't want to risk an HP not bothering to read on.

I find PIP's criteria exceptionally confusing.

I have completed my PIP2 form now and put together all my medical evidence (I got an OKish letter from my GP but included other letters over the last few years which gives consistent evidence of my difficulties and paints a picture - showing fluctuations) and additional letters from family who care for me and it goes in the post by guaranteed next day delivery tomorrow morning to meet my 9th January deadline - I assume their offices are closed on Saturday and don't sign for post.

I am not hopeful of getting an award, however, with all that I have been reading elsewhere because unless you are actively ill from a mental health condition at the time of applying, not just debilitated by it over time on a regular basis, I fail to see how you can even qualify because of the activities chosen by the DWP and the Secretary of State as being relevant to independent living. They ignored recommendations to weight and add more features to them by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. It is skewed in favour of physical disabilities, in my view.

Happy new year and thanks for your help.

I have had a text today from the DWP to say they have received my PIP2 so I got it in just in time for the extended 2 week deadline they gave me.

I want to think ahead about my financial position. At the moment I am self-employed on working tax credits with the disabled worker element and the severe disability element. I also am eligible for the enhanced premium with my housing benefit. My income from self-employment is very low. I only work at home for 16 hours per week.

I know that my DLA will remain in payment for 4 weeks after any DWP decision. If I get a negative decision, will my passported benefits also remain in payment for those 4 weeks or do they cease from the date of the DWP decision?

If they do, then it seems unfair as the point of the extra 4 weeks is to give time to adjust to the income change.

Thank you for any help.

libra1 wrote: I have had a text today from the DWP to say they have received my PIP2 so I got it in just in time for the extended 2 week deadline they gave me.

I want to think ahead about my financial position. At the moment I am self-employed on working tax credits with the disabled worker element and the severe disability element. I also am eligible for the enhanced premium with my housing benefit. My income from self-employment is very low. I only work at home for 16 hours per week.

I know that my DLA will remain in payment for 4 weeks after any DWP decision. If I get a negative decision, will my passported benefits also remain in payment for those 4 weeks or do they cease from the date of the DWP decision?

If they do, then it seems unfair as the point of the extra 4 weeks is to give time to adjust to the income change.

Thank you for any help.

Hi l1,

Any other benefits/premiums that you receive as a result of receiving DLA will remain in payment for the 4 weeks whilst you are still receiving DLA.

bro58