pip appeal phone call 2021

Hi zoski85,
Welcome to Benefits and Work.
There is a lot of information in the members guides - they can be found here;
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip-2
I'm sorry that you have been struggling so much with your health.
The tribunal will consist of 3 people - legal chairman, doctor and disability expert. They will be experienced and may well have a good knowledge of your type of disability as well as having read all your papers in advance. Obviously they will want to ask some questions. You are entitled to have someone with you, so this could be a partner actually with you, or a friend or representative elsewhere but also part if the phone call. If you haven't done so already, tell HMCTS of your phone number and your friend/representative. Make sure your phone has plenty of charge, as that's one less thing to worry about! You or your partner/friend etc can make notes and can give evidence too. There is still time to obtain and send in medical reports if not done already.
I have represented people at many tribunals both at the courthouse and more recently via the phone. Since the tribunal can't see you, if you feel tired want a short break etc you will need to tell them. (This should not be a problem) if you don't understand the question say so. Maybe take a few quick moments to think about the question and then you can give the best answer. You may not remember or know the answer again say so.
Reading the appeal papers a few days before the tribunal will help remind you of what has been said. It is highly likely that the tribunal will refer to these. You may wish to write down the things you most disagree with DWP, have the paper with you and then you won't forget to tell this to the tribunal.
Whilst I realise that the tribunal may seem daunting be yourself, and however difficult it may be giving details about all the activities you can not do, be brutally honest, and say it how it actually is. Give examples! Also, however tempting it may seem to rest up the few days before, and may be take extra painkillers, this may not give you the best chance of success. If you are rested, not sounding tired, and not sounding in pain this may give a false impression.

Claiming benefits, including PIP is never easy, but you have already come a long way. Don't give up, you are nearly there.
All the best.Good luck.

LL26

Hello zoski85

If sounds as if you are doing exactly the right thing and going through everything carefully.

As you will have realised the Judge and other members of the Tribunal are faced with a big bundle of paper, and a similar big bundle for every other case they are hearing that day. You are not being fair to yourself if you expect them to pick up the inconsistences, you need to point them out. Prepare a list of points you would like to bring to their attention, and make sure that you bring each point out during the hearing. You should be given an opportunity at the end to say anything additional which you wish to add, so if things have not come up before then that is your big opportunity. You are right about not slating the DWP, that will not get you PIP points, but telling them your reality should.

As LL26 says make sure you have examples of the things you mention in your post. Driving a car is a very different activity to almost anything other driving a different car. It involves a different amount of moving, using different muscle groups, different amount of balance etc etc. If you struggle to do something and tell them about it and explain that manipulating a potato and a peeler is very different to pulling on the handbrake or putting socks on is very different from moving the indicator stick. You get my drift I hope, oh, and do remember to be polite whilst pointing these things out!

Just one point – you say that you did not tell the DWP that you work with members of the public in a garage. They are not limited to considering the information you put you on your PIP form. If you do in fact interact with members of the public, then you need to answer the Tribunal’s questions in light of that, not try to counter it with an argument that you did not tell them that information. If however the DWP have got it completely wrong and you do not work in a garage and/or you do not interact with members of the public, then you need to make that very clear.

Hope this helps,
Catherine

Hi zoski85,

I don't know if you are hoping to get points for mixing with people face to face. If you were, you need to need to make sure that they appreciate that whilst you can talk to people on the phone or communicate by email, you cannot manage to do this face to face.

Catherine