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had two crainiotamys for brain anyeurysms in 2014 then diagnosed with cfs 2014 applied for pip and turned down and applied again july 2023 turned down again 0 points mandatory didnt change decision so have to do appeal, my assessment report lists evidence considered in formulating advice as pip report 2015, consultant report 2015 benefit service letter 2016 and claimants letters 2015 2016 and pip questionaire 2023 can they use info from that far .back.

Hi sgbd

What wonderful news. Many congratulations to you both. I'm so glad that you found the guides so useful. Give yourselves a huge pat on the back for a job well done. Enjoy it.

BIS

Tags @RESULT @PIP @REVIEW

In March of 2023, I sent off my husband's PIP review. Following a telephone assessment with Capita (January 2024), he got his decision today! An ongoing (10 year) award with enhanced daily living and enhanced mobility! He also received a backpayment (which was surprising) for money owed from the start of his review last year (he was previously on standard daily living and enhanced mobility). I cannot thank Benefits and Work enough. We were absolutely terrified about this- especially because he can drive short distances. The PIP guidance here REALLY helped us to advocate for him- to know when to say "Yes, he can do this, but only slowly, or with pain." And we had the added comfort of knowing that there was advice available to us here if we had to go through a mandatory reconsideration or tribunal. I cannot express how truly relieved we both are, and how much the advice here and from the moderators has helped us. Thank you all again, so much.

As I live with ME/CFS and Anxiety, the thought of possibly having to do a video assessment where I am required to be on display, sat upright in a well-lit room for over an hour really worried me. I couldn't find any DWP or HCP advice on whether I would be allowed to disable my camera or be in a darkened room without this affecting the assessment.

However, I have today received a response from the DWP to a FOI request (www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/use_of_ca...vid#incoming-2547276) and they have confirmed the following:

"Claimants joining a video assessment have the option to disable their camera at any point
during the assessment, and they would then be informed that the assessment will continue
as a telephone assessment."

Obviously, in the first instance, you should request the Assessment Provider (Capita/IAS) to change the assessment type from Video to Telephone. For the most part, they will agree to this. However, if they do refuse for some reason, this response confirms you would be within your rights to disable or cover your camera.

Hello,
In a nutshell. I have ASD/ADHD, fibromyalgia, chronic migraines, CFS, osteoarthritis, anxiety and persistent depressive disorder among other things. I applied for PIP March 2022. Even using your site I scored no points. I asked for mandatory reconsideration and because it was late in, they shut my case down. They reopened it because my ASD. I scored 11 points Daily living. 10 points for planning a journey and 4 points for moving around.

My big issue is they have not taken my ASD or ADHD needs and communicative deficits into consideration. If I score myself I should get well over 20 points in daily living. I cant cook for example but they say I can. One of the biggest problem I have is place blindness, I get lost everywhere I go. I have been living in my present home for over twenty years and still can't find my way around town.

They rang me today and said they would give me an extra point for a ladies problem which brings me up to 12.

So I'm enhanced on both. Because of this she said she will now shut my case down from the tribunal.

I am entitled to so many more points and don't know what to do.

They also said I would be reviewed in 2027. I told her I was going to still going to go to tribunal because I'm not happy with a review in 2027. She said she would give me five years.

I don't know what to do. This short paragraph doesn't show how sick I have been over my lifespan and how suicidal I am every day of my life because of high traited undiagnosed ASD/ADHD, the years of sick leave and difficulties I have in many areas of my life. Maybe this sounds crazy but I want to go to tribunal to get all of the issues I have because of my neurodiversity recognised.

She told me that now I am getting enhanced on both rates, the tribunal will reject my application for a hearing.

Is this true?

Very kindest regards from an very distressed autistic

As a carer you will be in the UC No Work Related Activity Group. ( see Citizens Advice link below )This is important as it means you won't be asked to attend the Gateway Interview at the Jobcentre with a Work Coach { who questions you regarding what they call " gainful self employment "}. It also means you won't be affected by the Minimum Income Floor. So all you will have to do is report your profit to UC once a month. It is you not the work coach who works out the profit. There is a leaflet in the Jobcentre called a UCFS5a which explains how to calculate profit under the UC rules. Here is a link to a copy. Hope this helps !
www.housingsystems.co.uk/Portals/0/Docum...017-08-27-075642-640
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/unive...mmitment-what-group/

Thank you. Good to know that my DLA wont stop at SRA. Do you have any idea when I might be migrated to PIP? My annual DLA benefit rates letter has been telling me about it for years.

In addition to having ME/CFS, have developed a vertigo problem since having covid in May 2022. This is adversely affecting my mobility and other functioning. I’ve been told it’s due to irreversible inner ear damage from covid, and am awaiting vestibular rehabilitation to help manage and improve my vertigo (diagnosed as Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness) It will apparently take several months to make any difference. If it doesn’t improve, I think I would probably qualify for lower rate mobility and possibly moderate level care . But by the time I know, I will already have reached SRA. What would I do about DLA / PIP then?

Correction to original post- it’s lower rate care that I get, not lower rate mobility. Used to be on moderate rate care and lower rate mobility but was reduced after a reassessment years ago.

How do I get my DLA swapped to PIP? I have been on DLA low rate mobility for 15+ years due to ME/CFS. I reach state retirement age in March . I know that my DLA will stop then.

What’s the latest before my birthday that I can apply to be assessed for swapping to PIP? Ideally, I’d like to apply when I have some spare time to complete the forms and gather medical evidence.


Thank you

L

Congratulations on the new award

Gordon

PS - I agree about the CFS I don't even like the phrase ME/CFS, however, CFS is a condition in its own right so I'm not sure about updating the guides. Perhaps if you can provide some specific references.

Tags: @RESULT @PIP

I've been on DLA, then PIP for many years.

My PIP review was delayed until summer 2024 due to COVID, so I was very surprised to get the review form in August 2023. I had two extensions of two weeks each and finally submitted the form in early October.

I was told by the caseworker that I could just write "no change" if appropriate when answering the questions. I didn't want to take the risk and answered each question that applied fully.

I have always avoided having an assessment (F2F/phone). But this time my medical evidence wasn't as specific in addressing the descriptors so I wasn't sure if I would have to have an assessment this time.

I got a text in late December saying my PIP review was complete, and got the award letter about 10 days afterwards.

My award has stayed the same - enhanced for both mobility and care.

I'm massively relieved, my functional capacity is very limited, but I have a poorly understood condition (M.E.) and comorbidities, so I wasn't sure if my description of my continuing difficulties would be believed.

Many thanks to the Benefits and Work Guides which helped me understand each question being asked. Especially helpful is the inclusion of M.E. in some of the examples. As well as being very useful on an individual basis, it helps to raise awareness more generally about the impact of M.E. on day to day function.

****

(As an aside the name "chronic fatigue syndrome/CFS which B&W use, is greatly disliked by patients as it is inaccurate, trivialising, and stigmatising. The debilitating exhaustion that M.E. patients experience is nothing like "normal" fatigue. NICE use ME/CFS, patients usually prefer M.E. Perhaps this could be considered when you next update your guides.
More information on names here MEAction )

d

If this is the first appointment then you can cancel it, I would not do this until the day before to maximise the time to provide additional evidence.

If it is already the second appointment then you must participate or you risk your claim being closed.

As to the CFS, depression and anxiety. ESA is not awarded for the conditions that the claimant has but rather for the limitations that result from them in regard to the various ESA activities.

If you didn't score then I think we have to assume that you did not provide convincing testimony and evidence as to how you are affected for each activity. Which Activities did you expect to score for?

Gordon

No, as I said, assessmt is next week. Can I get extra time to reconfirm status?
Again, how can it be right to get 0 points if you have CFS, depession & anxiety?

Howdy y'all,
I've just found out that despite Doc's letter confirming I have CFS and GAD and depression, I was awarded 0 points - surely that is totally wrong - and only got into SG due to a Psychotherapist confirming sub. risk rule applied to me.
DWP told me that letter is 'out of date' and "we don't accept permanent sick notes".

Two people made the 2 points that a) they still apply as they are part of my medical records.
b) what is the point of asking Doc. & therapist to reconfirm existing letters - just putting a new date on them?
The sub.risk letter confirms my condition is long term with indefinite prognosis as recovery is unlikely.
I don't understand why, if the sub.risk if found fit for work letter got me into SG without a WCA f2f,
why I'm now due for a Vid assessment next week.

Do I really have to get 'updated' supporting letters? Can I get extra time to do so?
Can they boot me out of SG having declared them 'out of date' ?
What can I do about an assessor ignoring CFS and other diagnoses?
How come no one else asks here about the 'out of date' evidence?

Hi SoutheastSD

Do you have to tell the DWP you completed your application using ChatGPT4?

No, you don't. However, if you had a friend or professional help you complete it, you would say so - so, in my view, you might as well say that you have used ChatGPT4. If you are exhausted and experiencing brain fog and all the other symptoms from CFS/Fibromyalgia, then it makes sense that you require help wherever that may come from. If you don't say that you used it, expect the assessor to make assumptions about your current abilities and symptoms that may not be true just from the style of answers it may produce.

Should you submit your full medical records?

Only you can decide what you want to send in, but there are certain things you should consider before doing so.

1. Are the notes all relevant to the PIP criteria? The DWP are not so interested in your disabilities per se - they are interested in how they impact your mobility and daily living.

2. Is there anything in your notes that you would rather the DWP don't see? I hope that you have read through every page of the 350 pages and checked this. If you haven't, be aware that doctor's notes are not always supportive in the way patients think they will be, and we know of instances where medical evidence has harmed someone's case and not helped it.

3. 350 pages is a huge amount. I do know of others who have sent as much, but I have my doubts about whether the people assigned to their cases actually looked through every page. Assessors are unlikely to look at appointment notes of a visit to a GP ten years ago. Although many claimants do send old information, especially if you are trying to show there has been a pattern of support over many years - it doesn't have to be every appointment. At the end of the day, you have to do what feels right for you, and if you would be worried about missing something out you're better off sending it than worrying about it.

Will sending in so much evidence support your application?

I can't tell you because I don't know the details of what you're sending in. Whatever you send in, the DWP has the right to question you about it. So, if you don't want something raised - don't include it. You could ask for a paper-based assessment to be done when you send in the information you wanted, - but they may not agree.

You said in your post that you have between 20 -25 conditions. Plenty of people get awarded PIP on one condition, and many people get awarded it with multiple complex conditions, but there will come a point when it just makes the application more complicated than it needs to be so some of the diagnosis may not actually make any difference. Remember that all your focus should be on the specific PIP criteria.

BIS

Dear all,

Thank you for your continues support, advise and efforts on this platform.

I am now at the final stages of my application which has stressed me out to a point where my CFS/Fibromyalgia has flared up and I am nearly becoming bed-bound due to this.

I am limited with how much more time I can spend on this application and I have used ChatGPT4 to assist me with writing my responses, which I believe is allowed or should not negatively impact my application. *

Q:* Should this be something I need to disclose to DWP and tell them I have used ChatGPT to help me answer the questions?

Q: Additionally, I would like to query whether it is advisable to submit a copy of my full medical records which my GP has kindly provided to me, these are over 150 pages long and list the majority of my health conditions diagnosed, which are about 20-25 conditions, as well as the medications I've been prescribed, and an extensive list of all interactions I've had with my GP since my first visit about 18 or so years ago.

I will of course be submitting all of my other medical records which I have requested through a SAR request, half of which I will submit and the rest of which I will provide at a later stage - I have noted this in the additional notes section.

The combination of my full medical records and the various other health professionals, so appointment notes, consultation notes, diagnoses etc with each specialist, will equate to about 350 pages of evidence, as it includes information about each condition and any tests, results, conclusions and doctors' notes etc. *

Q* Will submitting this amount of evidence support my application or will this just be an opportunity for them to ask further questions about my conditions? if it will raise further questions, I simply cannot go through with explaining each one of my chronic, complex conditions if they ask me to.

I do need to submit the application as soon as possible as it has already been passed to the assessment team and they have sent me two text messages for "information" purposes but I have not yet heard about an assessment date.

Thank you all.

Client was receiving UC, ESA and PIP June 2019-Feb 2023 due to severe Post Viral Fatigue/CFS/Fibromyalgia.

Their Health had improved somewhere in the new year so she took up a remote 6-month temp contract
Finished in August 2023, but has now relapsed with health, Currently on PIP awaiting re-assessment.
Can’t re-claim new style ESA as they haven’t paid enough NI 2 contributions
Refused UC, due to the flat that they own a flat London which they had to move out of in June 19 due to ill health.
Intends to move back once better, so doesn’t wish to sell it. Tenants rent doesn’t cover the mortgage/service charge.
Even whilst working the 6 month contract, required care from parent.

In 2019, it was accepted that the premises in London was disregarded as capital and yielding income H2038 regarding Premises which has not been occupied as the home and H2038 of H2 Capital Disregards for advice for decision makers.

On 1st Dec 2023 was refused UC due to capital totals more than £16,000.

Could the above argument about UC still be valid despite it being 3 years ago since they moved back to Sheffield.
They do intend to return to the London flat when well enough, but have only been well enough to work remotely from home with care and support.

If not, would it be worth paying voluntary NI2 contributions for the last two tax years so they can claim New style ESA? (aware that can only be done 6 weeks afterwards, so UC would be preferable) - also previously done this and HMRC questioned why and if they wanted a refund.


Thank you in advance.

Hi,
I was previously awarded PiP for a number of years due to CFS, fibromyalgia. When my review came earlier this year, it’s no better and I also have arthritis in my back, hands/feet. I was refused PIP,
But they’ve awarded me 8 points for the DLA and 4
For mobility. I only received the daily living allowance previously which was fine but I thought being given 8 points, I would get DLA again? I will need to go to tribunal next to challenge their decision.

(sorry, first post vanished so feeling very upset).

50+ male, Highly variable. CFS/ME, IBS, Anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts.
Started ESA50 process in September after being in WRAG for last 10 years with next to no contact apart from visits/phone calls with local JC.
My mental and physical health have crashed since the start of the ESA process due to the stress, anxiety and uncertainty.
My GP received ESA113 10 days ago and today I received a letter for a telephone interveiew on the 20th.
I'm at my wits end, suicidal and see no future in my current state if I'm found capable of work. Ive managed to do permitted work for the last 3 years but that has now stopped and would not be possible in my current state.

How do I express to the interviewer that I am in such a poor state, suicidal and cannot cope?
Ive written everywhere on my ESA50 that I am suicidal and I dont know why it hasnt been flagged as a special condition? Ive tried to read all the info in this sites 141 page pdf, but its just too much complicated information for me to be able to digest and comprehend.

Ive been referred to local CMH teams and resources but find there is no point speaking to them as they cant change the outcomes. I dont want to 'just cope' as I see no future with my current health and mental health state.

TL:DR: How do I say that to the interviwer such that I can be basically left alone in the WRAG agin to struggle through life as I have been.
Thank you in advance.

Hi,
I've recently started the ordeal in September of going through the ESA50 process after my last contact with DWP and ESA 10 years ago (they basially have left me alone, I was first diagnosed in 2005). I suffer from highly variable CFS/ME as well as IBS and mental health health including anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. These are all documented and the doctor received the ESA113 10 days ago.
The ESA process has exasperated all of these conditions and after receiving today a letter regarding a telephone interview (thankfully not one in person) I am at my wits end and completely panicking that I will be unable to cope with the process and become a danger to myself if the decision goes against me and I am no longer able to be placed in the WRAG.

I have printed out my ESA50 for reference and also the questions from page 134 of your ESA document but find the information overwhelming.

What would be the best way to explain to the caller that I am in severe distress, suicidal and utterly struggling with this process?

I dont have much fight left in me. My body and mind have crashed to the point where as a 50+ male I am unemployable and see no future for myself. I have been given links to various Steps2Wellbeing for mental health but unless they can actually help my situation I find they only say 'you'll just have to learn to cope'.

Sorry for the rambling but my mind isnt easy to focus.
TL:DR..What are the simplest most effective ways to answer the interview to express my issues?
Thank you in advance.