PIP claim and evidence

Cruella wrote: Thank you Gordon
Getting more than my 20 pounds worth ( Of Benefits and advice subscription)! Can I ask my GP to recommend a telephone PIP assessment

You can but one will only be granted if there is sufficient information in and with your PIP2.

Gordon

Cruella wrote: Not sure what to do about my GP.. When I asked her for a supporting letter for a PIP home assessment, as I posted to the forum earlier, she said wait for the DWP to contact her. But I know that an appointment will be made at a centre and then the GP will have to fax through how I need a home assessment/ telephone assessment. But I do not feel I can push my GP. Also she only works on a mon and tues and if an appointment comes through there may not be much time to intervene. I know I should push my GP now for a letter to add to the claim but I feel it will antagonise her!

Ultimately its up to you, but if a home assessment is not offered and it may not be without the input of your GP, would you be able to attend?

You can wait and see what happens, if an appointment is offered at the Assessment Provider's offices then it is very unlikely that they will then contact your GP, you could then approach them again, but this may place you at a disadvantage as cancelling the existing appointment may use one of your two opportunities to attend, meaning that you will have to attend the next booking whenever and wherever it is arranged for or you risk your claim being closed.

Gordon

Cruella wrote: It seems I am going to have to be as firm as I can and get that GP letter upfront. With the moving around descriptors, I have issues in that some days I feel too uncomfortable/ in pain to walk out so stay at home. On a good day I can walk half an hour pain free. I assume you have to be really bad to meet the criteria for moving around? (my problems with moving around are personal so I do not want to write or talk about them regarding the claim form and assessment if there is no point). There must be millions of people who are sometimes too uncomfortable/in pain to walk . How do the assessors determine the pain level , difficulty and negative impact to justify giving the points.

Pain is not specifically assessed by PIP although that does not mean it is not considered.

First of all there is no requirement that a claimant performs an activity without pain, you must show that you experience an unreasonable degree of discomfort or pain in carrying out the activity.

It would help if you can show that the increased pain is the result of the activity.

The pain must limit your ability to perform the activity, so as an example for walking; if you can walk 200m even though you are in pain then you are unlikely to score points but if you had to stop a walk due to the pain after 50m, then only that 50m should be considered.

There are other factors that could be applied, see "reasonably" in the PIP Claim guide.

Activities must be performed reliably on the majority of days not to score points.

Gordon