New to site HELP! Turned down for pip from dla

Hi Kaycee,

I too suffer from Mental Health issues, including Bulimia, Severe anxiety, plus I have degenerative disk disease, last surgery was spine fusion in March 2014 which failed in that pain is actually worse.

I am a successful PIP applicant and got awarded enhanced Living & Mobility component. After my first claim a year & half ago, I was given a home visit. The second one, they wanted me to go to a centre, which I had a meltdown about, so called ATOS & after they conferred with my Adult Care social worker, they agreed to change to a home visit. Whether this made a difference or not? I'm not sure, but the 2 assessors were very different. First was very kind & genuine, second I found out was a paramedic! That was only after I requested my ATOS report from DWP, I discovered that.

But my point is, although I didn't go from DLA to PIP the Daily Living Component was mostly about Mental Health. Keep going PLEASE. YOU CAN DO IT.

hi kaycee hope your ok my niece was turned down on dla she ask for a mandatory and was turned down she left it along time before i took it to the appeal panel as i felt she was treated un fair we gathered so much information together we also took photos in which i believed helped us we had to wait four weeks it was,nt a nice feeling but we done our best we won our case it was scary i must admit but you have to fight if you know things are not right with every day things that effect you make sure they have a good picture of your problems all the best

I've just been reading about your experience Kaycee and hope that you are okay. I must admit that after reading what you received on DLA (identical to my award) and hearing that your PIP application was denied, it has left me feeling rather fearful.

I'm due to attend my ATOS PIP assessment in a couple of weeks.

I think that the advice you have received is spot on and whatever you do (and believe me I do understand how hard this is), don't give up/give in. There is support there and if you can just garner a little strength and get your 'fighting hat' on, you'll get there. To have gone from the award you had on DLA, particularly as it had just been re-awarded for 5 years doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

I also saw that you said your assessment was badly carried out and appeared to be very short. There is probably room for complaint there as well, using the guidelines that are available for how these assessments should be carried out.

As someone who has severe problems with anxiety/bi-polar, plus physical problems - looks very likely that I have fibromyalgia to add to the mix, I can empathise with you and really hope that you come out the other side with a successful appeal.

Gayle V, Tammy and Karenjane, please accept my thanks from the bottom of my heart. All of your kind words help me more than you will EVER know. I live an extremely isolated life due to my conditions because not many people understand mental health issues. I have been unable to think about anything else and having nightmares. To know that you have won due to your mental health Gayle gives me hope. Unfortunately I have no professional help whatsoever and I can feel my bulimia rearing it's ugly head as It never really goes away. I change my mind daily about fighting on..... Today I feel a little stronger and it's all thanks to you guys!!!