Lost PIP

I am writing in desperation to ask for help. I have received the DWP appeal bundle and I am overwhelmed and have no one to help. I am currently very unwell and having a lot of hospital treatment and cannot think clearly. The papers are dated 9th August so I am unclear how much time I have to get my submission in or where to start. I am too ill to go through it all, but one thing I wanted to ask is they have taken all my points of me from my previous PIP award but don't say why. I had a assessment with ATOS and they are going off what they said. I then made my MR and said how it didn't match up to the medical evidence I sent them I sent in further specific evidence of how my illnesses affect me such as mental health COPD, etc and detailed letter form support worker. My GP wrote a letter saying how severe these are and how they affect me day to day. It wasn't a long report but it said how things make me struggle due to getting breathless. They have then sent this to ATOS who said they refuse to change their decision of descriptors that apply but they had apparently wrote to my GP surgery to ask for further clarification. They had then received a letter from the GP (not my GP but a GP) who has just listed all my medications and health problems and then where it asks him 'how do these affect me day to day' there are just several black pages where he hasn't filled it in. How could he when he doesn't know me or spend any time with me day to day? I didn't know any of this had happened and had seen my regular GP to let him know about my PIP reassessment and the difficulties I was having after loosing my award and prior to the review. The DWP then say this is proof their decision is correct because of this medical report which hasn't been filled in. They also didn't award me a point for having a hearing aid. I was one point short of an award but they took this point away from me whereas last time I had a point for having a hearing aid now they say you need two to qualify for a point. They also don't allow me any points for having support to engage in the community when I have a support worker for this very reason and got points for this before and it is a social services care package.

I cannot get anyone to help me with this. I have tried everywhere but they offer appointments in over a months time which is too late or wont help at all.

I feel overwhelmed and ill and just want to give up. I cannot cope on top of everything else I have going on and feel so unwell

I had put in medical evidence and described fully how things affect me but they have been ignored.

I was going to attend but now I don't think I can carry on. I feel too ill and overwhelmed and my health is too bad. I tried CAB who said they don't do appeals. I tried Mind who said 'try a welfare rights specialist'. I tried a law centre who said. Contact us when you get MR notice' I'd did so then they could only offer appointment in a months time. Too late for MR deadline. They then said ' contact us when you get bundle from DWP. I contacted them today but they can only offer appointment in six weeks time. Too late again. I also tried another place but they want a substantial amount of money i cannot afford.

I came back from long day at hospital and was drowning in appeal papers bundle from DWP dated 2 weeks ago but only received today. It is more of same like MR cut and pasted sections over an over about how the HCP was best placed to make decisions etc and scant information about my appeal. No front page with table of contents. All jumbled up. Abbreviations I cannot decipher eg FMGH. Needs a code breaker. Just copies of my PIP form and one from two years ago. Assessor report and some of the evidence I sent I feel like screaming HELP. I cannot cope. Its too much.

I was one point short of an award this time. I lost 2 points for wearing a hearing aid. I still wear a hearing aid. Don't understand. I lost points for needing a support worker to engage in community. I still have this. The support worker wrote a letter to no avail.

The DWP argue that I have a support worker to engage in community so that must mean I don't have problems with anxiety as I can manage it with support. I have a support worker for that very reason it is the only time all week I go out for three hours a week. It is a social care budget. The support worker wrote hoew badly I am affected fear of being around people and faslls. I have mental health problems. I have PTSD from military service. And psychosis. I have a lot of side effects from anti psychotic medication. The only other time I go out aprt from support worker is hospital. is hospital. Support worker said he can't come as their bosses have told them not to get involved in benefit matters as they are not placed to do so.

The DWP say I only had a 'mild coughing fit' in assessment and COPD does not affect my daily living. I said it does and provided doctors letter saying I am very breathless and cannot walk far and on different medications. I wrote in detail how it affects me. They then wrote to GP again and a different doctor had just listed diagnoses and left pages asking about how the conditions affect me blank. I did not know they had written to GP, but I had been constantly getting evidence from doctor and had provided these letters with my PiP review form and also has part of MR. The assessor was an Occupational therapist. He said my sight loss was only minor but I have just had surgery for cataracts and i am waiting more surgery. I cannot see well at all and keep falling. I had sent evidence of this. I'm in so much pain and it effects my day to day living. I am also having problems with severe migraines and constant stomach pains so bad I cannot walk.

I feel ill now so have to stop. Very sorry for long post.

Ok didn't have a whole ton of evidence but found it was to my advantage to attend the tribunal anyway. Please have the courage to go if you can. Good luck to you.

I got bundle of papers from DWP all mixed up dated 9th Aug. Only letter I have had so far from tribunal was to say theyy had received my appeal. I ang to ask what next and how long do I have to proide my submission. They said they couldn't give me date as they haven't received submission from DWP so I'm unsure how long I have. I will have to go it alone. My wife was going to come with me and speak as well if need be but worried as she has PIP they will be assessing her too. I am worried it will count against me not having a representative but I am not feeling too well so will need to forget about it for now.