DLA to PiP for the Deaf

Hello, my first post here since joining and becoming a paid member a short while ago. Benefits and Work have always been recommended as the place to come for help on all things benefits related so I decided to join. But now I'm wondering whether it can actually help me and deaf people in general because I don't see any other posts or help relating to deafness. Or am I missing it? Are there any other deaf members on here or has B&W indeed helped anyone who is deaf over the years with DLA/PiP? I have seen the Members Only Guide for PiP which seems to mainly centre on Learning Difficulties, Mental Health and Physical Health.

Perhaps first it would help to give a little history and tell you where I'm at so far....

I was born profoundly deaf but taught to speak normally and went to mainstream schools. So as a result, despite being profoundly deaf and wearing the most powerful hearing aids you can get, I just about manage to get by in life as an oral deaf person who relies on lip-reading and help from others and electronic aids such as pager, vibrating alerts, subtitles etc. I do not sign.

I applied for DLA back in 1997 and after an 18 month battle ending in tribunal, I was awarded DLA Middle Rate Care "For Life". The help I received at that time was from my local Social Services Sensory Department fought with me all the way. They helped with some good points such as :- In the kitchen, not being able to hear a tap running, water overflowing, pans boiling over/boiling dry, chip pan fire etc. In the bathrooom, not being able to hear tap running, water overflowing or other dangers while in bath/shower such as someone breaking into home, fire, member of family in urgent need of me etc. (cannot wear hearing aids in bath/shower obviously). Out and about, cannot hear traffic, judge distance of cars coming, hear directions, tannoy systems etc. To name but a few examples, you get the gist. I was also given a copy of the Rebecca Halliday Commissioners Report which detailed the court case in which Lord Wolfe ruled deafness was a disability that had "needs" and this was used in the application for DLA at the time. Sadly, I understand no such external 3rd Party examples are allowed with PiP applications.

So, after receiving Middle Rate Care DLA for nearly 20 years, I am finally called up for PiP.
I made the initial phone call using Text Relay (now called NGTS) for the claim form just before Christmas 2015. I then tried to contact Social Services only to find out that they no longer exist anymore nor offer help for DLA/PiP support. So I contacted my local Carers with whom I'm registered who also don't offer support themselves but suggested - 1) the local CAB 2) AgeUK 3) Community Law Service.
I contacted the CAB but 2 weeks later, I am still waiting for a reply from them!
Ditto with Community Law Service.
I contacted AgeUK who said they were unable to support me because their "agreement, as a voluntary sector partner of the DWP, does not include them."

I contacted AoHL (formerly RNID) who also cannot help personally but did direct me to a PDF file of help which was pretty minimal and next to useless really however they did suggest another local deaf support group so at last, I finally have someone who is willing and able to support me! We have arranged a meeting but have yet to meet, discuss and complete the forms.

So that's it so far. So once again, is/are there any other deaf members here who can help or anyone else who have had any experience/information on helping the deaf in DLA/PiP claims?

Thanks.

PS Sorry so long.