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3 years 7 months ago #251025 by buxbunny
I did get awarded standard living and enhanced mobility, every assessment this always changes and points even though my condition is virtually the same 10 years + if not worse. This is fibro/CFS and all associated issues like memory fog and depression.

Honestly, I feel tired of this ping pong game they play but I asked for a reassessment months before renewal date due to being predominantly bedbound from my symptoms. Thanks to your help I was able to write a very detailed 10-page essay on how my disability affects me as well as supporting evidence from pain clinic (just says they couldn't see me because I claim to be bedbound) and GP ( just letter i have fibro and I need help).

With all this information and telephone review since pandemic, they've still awarded 11 points, disregarding everything I've written for
eating and drinking
managing treatment
communicating
reading
mixing with other
making budget decisions

While I understand they are probably looking for me to be blind or deaf for reading and communicating but I find it hard to believe they couldn't find a single point anywhere else and the low scores in the others given I even made arguments of constant pain leading to not being able to complete tasks without pain, repeatedly and as often as required in a reasonable amount of time and safely.

How do I go about addressing this? I know I can ask for the review decision before mandatory but usually another decision-maker with copy and pasted answers.

Also, they've given the review 3 years which is a marked improvement over the one year they gave me previously but can I not argue my condition has not changed in past 10 years or do I just leave this alone, it's mainly I want nothing to do with their stress-inducing procedures for as long as possible.
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3 years 7 months ago #251029 by Gordon
Paul

Only you can decide whether to challenge the Decision or not, the next stage would be for you to request a Mandatory Reconsideration, this should be done within one month of the date of the Decision.

Did you explain why the use of an appropriate aid would not allow you to complete the activities, what about prompting, supervision or assistance from another person?

You mention Communicating and Reading, these are primarily tests of your physical ability to speak and hear and to see, you will definitely struggle to score for these activities if you do not have diagnosed sensory issues.

Have you requested a copy of the assessment report?

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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3 years 7 months ago #251040 by Erik

paul wrote: While I understand they are probably looking for me to be blind or deaf for reading and communicating but I find it hard to believe they couldn't find a single point anywhere else and the low scores in the others given I even made arguments of constant pain leading to not being able to complete tasks without pain, repeatedly and as often as required in a reasonable amount of time and safely.


For what it's worth, you're not alone with this. I also have CFS/fibro and struggle to get any points for fairly obvious issues. It is awful but don't give up.
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3 years 7 months ago #251041 by buxbunny
I have not requested the report but I'm sure it's the same as every other rage-inducing report that I've had before and seen on the site, but I will request it.

I did explain about aids, prompting, supervision and help from another person and I felt i was very thorough in doing so but feels disregarded. Most of it comes down to I am in severe pain and discomfort and constantly exhausted which exacerbates each other made worse by the medication I'm on. For example
Preparing food
-talked about not leaving the house and referred to supporting evidence from GP so that goes to acquiring the items,
- If items were provided; Pain and exhaustion of preparing and the different thing needed to create a meal such peeling and being able to move around find and use utensils.
-explained aids wouldn't work as won't help pain and exhaustion.
- talked about the mental health aspect of motivation and memory remembering things are on or following recipes.
-toast or cereal on better days being lesser pain and these few far between and when pain manageable as result wife does all cooking ( didn't add but these to me do not constitute a meal according to the pip help.)
Their answer was supervision and assistance (4 points) just summary but all answers whereas in-depth.

I mentioned them as I did expect no point and it would saved me a whole lot of headache to just skip them completely I just touched on the mental aspects of Fibrofog and exhaustion depression making it harder to do these things to give a more round picture of my condition.

That's why it feels like a deliberate attempt to keep the points under 12 and over the years my award has fluctuated between standard and enhanced rate depending on my ability to continue challenging the award.

Also, 3 years seems standard do I even attempt at challenging the length?

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3 years 7 months ago #251046 by denby
Our daughter also has CFS and Fibro as well as other conditions and still it is a fight every time. But we have won in the end so indeed don't give up. Don't let the you know whats grind you down :)
Denby
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3 years 7 months ago #251047 by Gordon

paul wrote: Their answer was supervision and assistance (4 points) just summary but all answers whereas in-depth.


Given how the Descriptors are written, if you scored for supervision and assistance then this would seem a good result for this activity.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems

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