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PIP from standard award to enhanced

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2 years 10 months ago #266886 by Pauline
PIP from standard award to enhanced was created by Pauline
Hi
I am back with my update from my post last week.

After my standard award from PIP, they have awarded me enhanced daily living and enhanced mobility. I now have what I should have had from the start. If it wasn’t for my recording the assessment and fighting back, I would never have received it. It was my only backup and proof of the outrageous lies and deceit by the assessor that proved I was honest and told the truth. My medical reports were truly ignored and that is just plain wrong.

I hope my recent posts will help others.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Susie27, denby, TheHud, facta_et_verba, AliBee, Angel
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2 years 10 months ago #266901 by BIS
Replied by BIS on topic PIP from standard award to enhanced
Hi Pauline

Thanks for the update. Congratulations on your award. I think your posts are extremely helpful and emphasise the importance of having a copy of the assessment.

BIS

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: Pauline
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2 years 10 months ago #266928 by ELIZABETH1960
Replied by ELIZABETH1960 on topic PIP from standard award to enhanced
Pauline, Congratulations on your success on getting awarded correctly..
It’s such a stressful time especially when folk have enough to contend with having many health issues affecting daily life...
I am particularly struggling to complete a pip review form...at present.
My existing longterm health conditions pip already have logged on there system...these are still relevant with no change.
However, I do have two new conditions fibromyalgia and neurological functional disorder...
I am finding it extremely difficult to find the words to explain how both above conditions affect me daily.
I can’t find the right words because my neurological function disorder affects my thinking and retaining information. I cant think clearly or straight, my attention, concentration .are cooked ..I am so close to giving up....and not bothering because I am so stressed and fatigued..
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2 years 10 months ago #266938 by LL26
Replied by LL26 on topic PIP from standard award to enhanced
Hi ELIZABETH1960,
Please do not give up! Yes it is a struggle to get through the forms etc. I have written many forms for clients, and I appreciate how difficult it is for people to express themselves, and I equally struggle to 'translate' what they say and write it. It is very difficult, I really understand this.
Maybe you can ask a close friend or relative to help? - Failing that even if you can't get help from eg CAB, there are many community groups that will help people with forms, these might be advisors from a relevant charity to your health disorder, or even someone from the local church would often this sort of support, even if you aren't religious or a churchgoer.
If you can't find help, then you might find writing a disability diary helpful. Write down the daily struggles you have - what happens and why if you know. So eg Monday 1st - 11am leg gave way unexpectedly and I fell over in the kitchen. I dropped my coffee as a result. Large bruise on thigh. Took me 10 minutes to get up, and I felt very dizzy and cold for several minutes later. - or alternatively the same incident could be described as 'Monday 1st 11am - fall - dropped coffee- couldn't get up for 10 mins'. Write as much as you can for each day. What you could or couldn't do, near misses, such as stumbles rather than a fall, or knocking something over but it didn't break etc. You might not be able to do the whole day, or write very much, it doesn't matter, whatever you manage to write will be helpful. Another possibility is to prepare several pages in advance - so put the date at the top, and then write morning, afternoon and evening leaving an inch or two of space below each heading. You could then simply write a list of what happens in the appropriate box. So if you stumbled three times, and the phone went causing you to be very anxious in the morning you could 'stumble' three times, and 'anxiety - phone rang'. You could write more if you wanted. Write down how you feel emotionally too.
You may also wish to ask DWP for extra time, tell them you are struggling with the form.
Don't try to do the whole form in one go, that can be exhausting! Do one question at a time, don't be afraid to repeat things. Using the example from above - your diary entry shows three stumbles in the morning, this could be relevant to walking, but can also show you can not safely move round the kitchen.
Or, if you are able to write the diary, then you might be able to take this to a friend etc who can then use the notes to write up the form.
Most importantly, don't give up. Your post is perfectly understandable, and I already have a picture of someone who has pain and fatigue, and struggles to concentrate. Think about the time it takes to do activities, and when things go wrong. Maybe you bunt the dinner - why - maybe you don't know (then say that!) maybe you became distracted, maybe you have no idea about how to cook and left it on the stove too long? Think about safety, ( a stumble is only a wobble away from a fall!) Do you sometimes eat slightly burnt food, thinking it's ok? (It's not ok, and it's definitely not ok for PIP purposes!) Think how do I get in the bath? Am I safe, could I fall, why do I take so long? Try and analyse each activity. I appreciate that you may struggle to do this, but I suspect it is easier to explain a process. If you then feel you need some sort of help/gadget etc you can say eg' I need help to get in/out of the bath - my left leg is very stiff and I can't bend the knee, I have to lift my leg over the bath to get in. I am very wobbly and have fallen 3 times in the last week.'
Hopefully I have given you some more ideas as to how to think about the responses you need on the form. The members guides may also help, and give more examples.
And finally, please don't give up.
Good luck.
LL26

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
The following user(s) said Thank You: Susie27, Waxwing
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2 years 10 months ago #266942 by Pauline
Replied by Pauline on topic PIP from standard award to enhanced
Elizabeth please don't give up, I know how you feel. I have FND and fibromyalgia amongst other problems that affect me neurologically. I cannot focus on much or retain anything. If you have someone to help you that would be great. I had no one. We where all in lockdown when I was doing my form. If you are alone and cannot get help. Do the best you can, sit with a note book away from the PIP form and write a long list of your health problems.

I decided to take my time. I wrote everything down before doing the form. The form was so daunting for me, it actually upset me. Taking myself away from the form calmed me down. Its easier to tackle the form this way. Because you can write bits when you feel calmer. Its also useful if you did find someone to help you, to show them your list. It takes pressure of you if you write a separate list.

Every word you write separately on your symptoms will help you on the form. Then to add the sentences that you need, such as the word " Retain " I wrote on my form. " My neurological disfunction causes me to forget words, to spell, to focus, to pay attention in conversation because I lose track. Having chronic pain amongst my neurological problems makes it overwhelmingly hard to listen and retain my conversations with someone because I cant pay attention correctly"

I had one week left to post my form because it took ages for me to do it.
If you are doing the review form online or posting it, your list will help you, because your written symptoms will trigger an easier way for you to write a better sentence. FND causes memory issues. If you are to have an assessment phone call. Please record the call. Hopefully you will have a decent human assessor. I did not. However my recording became the most important thing I ever did. It was my only proof that the assessor lied about me.

Here is the most important thing that I learned about this whole PIP thing.
The very long form is their first way of scaring people.
The very long wait after filling in the form adds to that fear, because it is designed to scare people.
Then the dreaded call from the assessor. People are so filled with fear at this point because they fear making mistakes, they fear losing.

Try if you can to listen to the trick questions. such as "can you lift your leg on the bed to put your socks on" when you already know that you said on the form you can barely lift your feet off the floor. Having your recording will help later on if you need it.

Take a little bit of time in a quite place to write out your list of symptoms and your new symptoms. Please do not give up, because the PIP system in my opinion is designed in such a way to scare people so much that the whole thing becomes so overwhelming to them, because they have had months and months of waiting that adds to their fear.

Do not allow panic to overwhelm you.
Remember that you have your medical reports to back you, and if needed, your recording for your own personal use can always help if needed later on.

I wish you all the best and hope this helps you Elizabeth.
You can do this :)
The following user(s) said Thank You: denby, ELIZABETH1960, Gary
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2 years 10 months ago #266958 by phrank
Replied by phrank on topic PIP from standard award to enhanced
Hi Pauline,

Well done for persevering and fighting your case to get a positive result.

It just goes to show how grit and determination can win in the end.

Congratulations,

Regards,

Phrank.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Gary
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