Going to miss deadline for PIP form return - what

hi there,

I've spent the last three weeks using the guide here to fill in the PIP form, having to do it all myself, as I live alone and have not had enough support. It's made me so ill I have to stop now or I'm going to end up in hospital. This means I'm not going to make the deadline to get the form back to them.

I'm not prepared to sacrifice my health any more for this form. I need to know what my options are.

My disabilities are variable and complex and hard to explain. They include speech difficulties so phoning people isn't an option for me - a support worker has to do that for me, when they're around. I also can't write, I can't get out of the flat without help go to busy places or walk very far. I have a computer and I can type, but I don't have a printer. I also don't have Microsoft word.

What do you suggest?

Hi Clarissa and Welcome to the forum, you might want to have a look at the following FAQ which explain where everything is

Welcome to Benefits and Work

I'm sorry that this is so difficult for you

Firstly, you need to get someone to phone and request more time to complete the form. You should be allowed an extra 2 weeks without any difficulty. If you are still having problems getting it done, it is better to submit what you have, with a note saying you will send the rest as soon as possible, rather than missing the deadline.

That's the easy bit. Much more difficult is how you are going to get the form completed! There are 2 things I can think of - firstly, you type out all answers to the questions, email it to someone and ask them to print it out for you. Secondly, to get your support worker, trusted friend or relative, to complete the form at your dictation. Please make full use of our PIP guides.

PIP help for claimants

it is entirely possible that one of the other mods or members might have further suggestions for you.

You should Bookmark/Favourite this page in your Internet Browser now.

That way you can return to this topic easily to pose any further queries that you may have by replying to the topic.

See : This Topic also !

Thanks in anticipation of your future co-operation in keeping all your PIP related queries to this topic !

Hi there. Just thought I'd pop in! When i completed my daughter's PIP2 form, I downloaded "Open Office" for free. It works pretty much the same as Microsoft office - I believe. It does all the stuff including spell checks. I typed up everything using this method.

Buster

Mrs Hurtyback I can't thank you enough for your reply. Just to have someone, somewhere respond to me in a way that doesn't hurl me into anxiety - and where I have the caapasity to respond is such a huge relief, I can't tell you what it means.

There have been numerous calls made to DWP on my behalf already by three different support workers, regarding when the form has to be returned, as I knew I wouldn't have enough time due to my difficulties. It was all very confusing as everybody seemed to be told different things. As a result of the calls I've had three different forms sent out to me. The first never got to me at all, the second and third got to me a week and 10 days after their phone calls respectively. In one call, they seemed to acquiesce and allow me til the 15th to get the form back, but a subsequent call proved this to be wrong. But I think that call was made by a worker who's first language isn't English so maybe there was a misunderstanding. I am so confused and exhausted and stressed I just gave up yesterday and slept. Today, somehow, I missed the support worker who was supposed to come. She is coming tomorrow instead but that's another day of worry.

I'm so surprised that you say I should have got an extension so easily, given the above! I only get 4 hours a week support so it would still be pushing it, with all the writing involved. I am typing all my answers on the computer, but they're in a rich text format (.rtf). I tried sending this via email to one of my workers but her phone said she didn't have the correct ap to open it. I won't be seeing her again til after the current deadline has passed. Maybe I could try the worker who comes tomorrow, see if she knows how to do it.

The plan was to download what I write onto a usb stick and for a worker to take that to an internet café where they're bound to have Microsoft Word, and ask them to help in transferring the .rtf files into that format and then print it out. There hasn't been time to check out whether that's possible tho, or how much time it would take.

From what you say though, I should focus on getting what I already have into to some kind of legible state, rather than try to keep writing new stuff? I worry that they're going to get it all mixed up or lose it, if I send extra stuff later, (plus I didn't even know this was allowed!)but I don't think I have a lot of choice at this point.

I don't have friends or family or anyone but my support workers to help by the way. I'm already very embarrassed that my workers will see what I've written. It's so very personal. I don't even have a GP at the moment - although I'm registered to a surgery the GP who knew me best retired, the one I was referred onto left before I could see her, the next one I saw (once) left to have a baby and is not returning, and I haven't had time or been able to get the support I need to meet a new one yet. Even my specialist dentist who I saw every few months has now left to have a baby and is not coming back and I have yet to meet the new one. I did have an appointment set, but we had to cancel it because I needed the time to do the PIP form. So I am utterly alone with this and I've no idea how I'm going to be able to back up my claim.

Sorry for the long reply, It's just such a relief to tell someone what's going on.

I'd better get on with organising what I have and hope for the best for tomorrow.

Again, many many thanks for your reply

Clarissa

Just saw omne of my support workers. She made the call to DWP and got me an extension to 23rd April which is amazing!

She's also very concerned about my health now having seen the state of me, and we spent the rest of the time we had looking into more support for me. She's going to try and arrange for someone to look in on me every day for the foreseeable future. She'll be texting later and even said I can contact her over the weekend (when she's not even supposed to be working!) if I get any worse and she'll contact the local crisis team.

Very grateful for your replies guys! I'm going to step back from this now til I get my extra support but will follow up on all of your suggestions as soon as I'm able.

I'll be back, probably with more questions!

Thanks to all for your time and trouble so far.

Clarissa