Hurrah! My PIP appeal tribunal took place 2 days ago and I received the award notice in the post this afternoon. I've been awarded standard rate for daily living until May 2019. I know I was close to the borderline between qualifying and not being "disabled enough" (things have grown worse since, sadly, but I'm getting treatment so you never know, I might not qualify next time).
It was a gruelling hour-long tribunal, although the members were pleasant and tried to be nice while being very exacting. I am posting here because, even if you're close to the edge of qualifying, I want to encourage people to keep hanging in there and applying if you believe you qualify. I had NO new evidence to present. I will have quite a lot to present next time round because being turned down motivated me to get ALL my health issues looked at by my GP and there is plenty of recent evidence of treatment available now.
I'm posting here really because I wanted to thank Gordon for his considered post when I originally posted, at the end of my tether, towards the end of last year. It really helped. Of course, the advice from B&W was also invaluable, but it came to me a bit too late - my tribunal application was close. I'll be keeping my membership up, though - for sure. A person needs help with these forms. They are not easy to complete. I have had the benefit of a university education but I wasn't able to represent myself as clearly as I would do now, when I originally applied for PIP. I thought I would manage OK after being awarded DLA for life, but that was many years ago and this is not the same benefit. You have to be more disabled to qualify.
Thanks again, B&W and especially Gordon. Your calm response to my stressed post about my case really helped, especially as it came to representing myself in tribunal.
