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CFS - Being Bedbound (PIP)
- Steven Minton
- Topic Author
9 years 2 months ago #129326 by Steven Minton
CFS - Being Bedbound (PIP) was created by Steven Minton
Some background information: I have severe chronic fatigue syndrome (I also have IBS and Migraines and whilst - IBS most definitely - they have synergy with CFS it's the major concern) that leads me to being bedbound for a large majority of the time - certainly six days a week, and I generally only leave the house for appointments. So on a very basic level the chance of my "repeating" an activity is slim!
I was awarded Higher Mobility and Middle Care at Tribunal last June after DWP repeatedly told me I was not entitled to anything for a year, despite providing a detailed claim form (using the Benefits & Work guide), two letters of medical evidence fully supporting me from GP and an MP letter supporting me. It was a lengthy fight and I received a two-year backdated award (expiry: June 2015).
I received my PIP1 letter 21st Jan (PIP2 due back 21st Feb and received Friday).
The problem I have is many-fold. Firstly, a doctor visited me at home for a DLA assessment, spent two hours writing things down, went away and then disagreed with everything i'd said (he admitted he had no idea of my conditions before he arrived). I successfully challenged his report. But it makes me wary of another assessment - are PIP and DLA medical assessments identical?
Secondly, CFS is sometimes a hotly debated topic in the medical fields, and the severity varies wildly from someone being suffering seldom join pain at one end to (in my case) suffering persistent joint pain and persistent fatigue - where an appointment to the doctors will result in sleeping for the best part of three days and agonizing pain, where walking a handful of steps starts muscles throbbing, a feeling of weakness and dizziness, and being bedbound constantly with no hope of doing anything relating to food, social activities and problems making it to the bathroom.
What are the best ways to portray such a condition. It was extremely hard for DLA and simply thinking of how to detail it for PIP is giving me a migraine!
How do I portray the amount of time being bedbound in a PIP claim as it (and the fatigue that is to blame for it) massively influences most of the PIP descriptors?
Many thanks in advance.
My original thread for DLA is on a dedicated board here (forum.chronicfatiguesyndrome.me.uk/index.php/topic,16374.0.html) although it may not be of much use.
I was awarded Higher Mobility and Middle Care at Tribunal last June after DWP repeatedly told me I was not entitled to anything for a year, despite providing a detailed claim form (using the Benefits & Work guide), two letters of medical evidence fully supporting me from GP and an MP letter supporting me. It was a lengthy fight and I received a two-year backdated award (expiry: June 2015).
I received my PIP1 letter 21st Jan (PIP2 due back 21st Feb and received Friday).
The problem I have is many-fold. Firstly, a doctor visited me at home for a DLA assessment, spent two hours writing things down, went away and then disagreed with everything i'd said (he admitted he had no idea of my conditions before he arrived). I successfully challenged his report. But it makes me wary of another assessment - are PIP and DLA medical assessments identical?
Secondly, CFS is sometimes a hotly debated topic in the medical fields, and the severity varies wildly from someone being suffering seldom join pain at one end to (in my case) suffering persistent joint pain and persistent fatigue - where an appointment to the doctors will result in sleeping for the best part of three days and agonizing pain, where walking a handful of steps starts muscles throbbing, a feeling of weakness and dizziness, and being bedbound constantly with no hope of doing anything relating to food, social activities and problems making it to the bathroom.
What are the best ways to portray such a condition. It was extremely hard for DLA and simply thinking of how to detail it for PIP is giving me a migraine!
How do I portray the amount of time being bedbound in a PIP claim as it (and the fatigue that is to blame for it) massively influences most of the PIP descriptors?
Many thanks in advance.
My original thread for DLA is on a dedicated board here (forum.chronicfatiguesyndrome.me.uk/index.php/topic,16374.0.html) although it may not be of much use.
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- Gordon
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9 years 2 months ago #129353 by Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by Gordon on topic CFS - Being Bedbound (PIP)
SM
Welcome to the forum, you might want to have a look at the following FAQ which explain where everything is
Welcome to Benefits and Work
In case you are not aware, your real name appears to be showing in the forum, if you want to change this then follow the instructions in the following FAQ
My full name is showing, how can I stop it?
PIP has far more clearly defined criteria than DLA, whether this is an advantage or not will depend on how easily you can map your problems onto them, there are also clearly defined circumstances under which your activities can be included or not, these come under the general heading of "reliably", in real terms this means;
• Safely – in a fashion that is unlikely to cause harm to themselves or to another person.
• To a necessary and appropriate standard – given the nature of the activity.
• Repeatedly – as often as is reasonably required.
• In a timely manner – in a reasonable time period.
All of the would be potentially relevant to someone suffering from CFS.
As a starting point I would recommend that you have a look at our PIP Claim guide that explain how each of the questions on the form operate, then if you have questions come back to the forum and we will do our best to help. The guide is on the following link.
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/pip
Gordon
Welcome to the forum, you might want to have a look at the following FAQ which explain where everything is
Welcome to Benefits and Work
In case you are not aware, your real name appears to be showing in the forum, if you want to change this then follow the instructions in the following FAQ
My full name is showing, how can I stop it?
PIP has far more clearly defined criteria than DLA, whether this is an advantage or not will depend on how easily you can map your problems onto them, there are also clearly defined circumstances under which your activities can be included or not, these come under the general heading of "reliably", in real terms this means;
• Safely – in a fashion that is unlikely to cause harm to themselves or to another person.
• To a necessary and appropriate standard – given the nature of the activity.
• Repeatedly – as often as is reasonably required.
• In a timely manner – in a reasonable time period.
All of the would be potentially relevant to someone suffering from CFS.
As a starting point I would recommend that you have a look at our PIP Claim guide that explain how each of the questions on the form operate, then if you have questions come back to the forum and we will do our best to help. The guide is on the following link.
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/pip
Gordon
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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