Help with Pip

Hi Vince,
If you wish to appeal you need to fill out an SSCS1 form, which can be done online.Most of the questions are personal details etc, and you can choose an oral hearing which is always recommended unless you have a very good reason not to.
The are 2 ways of filling out the Grounds of Appeal section. However if you are going to write more than a couple of sentences on the online form, please write or type this as a separate document eg in Word. I say this because the formatting of the Gds of Appeal box doesn't work and you can set out a beautifully formatted few paragraphs which comes out as one big paragraph no gaps etc when printed out later. You can upload evidence which can include the Gds of Appeal pages.
If you are running low on time or maybe you haven't already seen the assessment report you can simply just write that you disagree with the refusal to award daily living and or mobility PIP.
Alternatively if you have the report you might wish to do a more detailed letter. Firstly on a spare piece of paper try and identify 4 or 5 major criticisms with examples. Put these into bullet points.
To open your Grounds start with an overview of your PIP claim, including any previous award of PIP or DLA. You can then give an overview of your illness etc eg diagnosis whether things became worse and how this affects you. If your condition has become worse of late or since your last PIP claim (if appropriate) briefly give details this could include increased meds etc. If you are on the highest dose of meds say so or explain why you can't take other meds.
Then write down your bullet points and examples of the problems with the report.
Finally you can if you wish you can then go through each descriptor and explain what DWP awarded and what you should have been awarded. Have another look at the Members Guides if you need more info.
There is no set format for the Grounds of Appeal you can include all or some of the above or just the very short version.
DWP have to review when you make an appeal so it is possible if you write a detailed firm that they will change their decision at this stage. If you have additional medical evidence etc which you can upload you can also refer to this, or simply remind DWP that they failed to take into account the evidence you sent in earlier!
If you do the online firm you will get a receipt.
In about 4 weeks after the appeal is lodged you will get a set of papers which the tribunal will also get.
There are delays at present fixing hearings. Unless you have a real problem, always tick that you want an oral hearing. These are commonly still via phone or video, but certain areas are moving back to face to face following Covid.
Once you get the appeal papers go through them. You should keep them safe to use in the hearing. The tribunal papers (appeal bundle) will comprise copies of the claim form decision notice MR , assessment and SSCS1 pages etc Basically all the documents created by yourself or DWP. It may also include previous PIP or ESA decisions/assessments etc. If this applies. This is because the tribunal may want to compare what was awarded previously, because if your condition hasn't changed but your benefit has been reduced the tribunal will want to consider if the award should have been reduced. If there have been previous awards refer to these and ask for DWP to include details in the paperwork. This can be done after the appeal bundle has been sent out if it has not been done earlier. If you get the bundle and relevant papers from previous decisions are not included write to the tribunal and ask for a Direction that DWP supply these.
Whilst doing an appeal can appear daunting, try not to worry unduly, it is not as difficult as it seems!
I hope this helps.
LL26