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Please help
- Zoe
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1 year 8 months ago #279891 by Zoe
Please help was created by Zoe
Hello everyone, apologies but I’m finding it hard to navigate this site. I joined a couple of months ago just before I sent off for mandatory reconsideration. I’ve since had the reconsideration back and they have declined me pip.
I currently work full time however due to my fibromyalgia and endometriosis symptoms worsening I am having to decrease my working hours as I just can’t cope anymore. I was hoping pip would help me manage financially with reducing my hours as I am a single parent and can’t afford to drop the hours.
It seems like I would have to quit work all together for them to believe me and get any pip support but I really don’t want to do that, I don’t want these illnesses to totally ruin my life; they have taken enough from me. Plus I find working helps with my mental health as I struggle with depression and anxiety.
Can anyone give me any advice on where to go from here? Is it worth taking it to tribunal? Maybe I’m filling the forms in incorrectly I just don’t know.
I would really appreciate any advice and help. Thank you.
I currently work full time however due to my fibromyalgia and endometriosis symptoms worsening I am having to decrease my working hours as I just can’t cope anymore. I was hoping pip would help me manage financially with reducing my hours as I am a single parent and can’t afford to drop the hours.
It seems like I would have to quit work all together for them to believe me and get any pip support but I really don’t want to do that, I don’t want these illnesses to totally ruin my life; they have taken enough from me. Plus I find working helps with my mental health as I struggle with depression and anxiety.
Can anyone give me any advice on where to go from here? Is it worth taking it to tribunal? Maybe I’m filling the forms in incorrectly I just don’t know.
I would really appreciate any advice and help. Thank you.
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- BIS
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1 year 8 months ago #279893 by BIS
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
Replied by BIS on topic Please help
Hi Zoe
There are claimants who work and have been awarded PIP, so the fact that you work, shouldn't automatically exclude you from being awarded it. However, it can be more challenging simply because not only do you have to say how you manage at home, the assessor is going to ask how you manage at work. When you had your original assessment, did you get a copy of the assessor's report? This is a PA4. Putting in for a mandatory reconsideration is never easy, but it's harder if you don't know exactly what you're fighting against and where you didn't score points and you expected to. If you haven't got a copy of that report - you would do well to get a copy. You can ring the DWP and ask for it.
If you did have it and you weren't able to overturn their position - you need to go back through the report and try and understand the reasons behind their decision. You could look at our Guide to PIP claims and reviews and check each question and see if you gave them sufficient information to explain how your condition impacts on your life in respect of the specific PIP criteria. Also have a look at where you expected to get points and where you didn't. Do you understand why? benefitsandwork.co.uk/guides-for-claimants/pip
I can't tell you whether it's worth you going to a Tribunal because that's something that you have to decide for yourself, but you need to apply within a month of the date on your decision letter. You can put in a late filing, but you would then have to explain why. You can have a look at the guide to PIP Appeals (scroll down the page) benefitsandwork.co.uk/guides-for-claimants/pip and there is also a guide on how to challenge a medical report that you may find useful.
Conditions like fibromyalgia are problematic in being awarded PIP - as they are widely misunderstood. Some people have kept a diary to help explain what happens to them. There is an example that you can look at and see if that's something that's worth doing. benefitsandwork.co.uk/guides-for-claimants/pip.
If you have any further questions - come back and ask and we will try and help.
BIS
There are claimants who work and have been awarded PIP, so the fact that you work, shouldn't automatically exclude you from being awarded it. However, it can be more challenging simply because not only do you have to say how you manage at home, the assessor is going to ask how you manage at work. When you had your original assessment, did you get a copy of the assessor's report? This is a PA4. Putting in for a mandatory reconsideration is never easy, but it's harder if you don't know exactly what you're fighting against and where you didn't score points and you expected to. If you haven't got a copy of that report - you would do well to get a copy. You can ring the DWP and ask for it.
If you did have it and you weren't able to overturn their position - you need to go back through the report and try and understand the reasons behind their decision. You could look at our Guide to PIP claims and reviews and check each question and see if you gave them sufficient information to explain how your condition impacts on your life in respect of the specific PIP criteria. Also have a look at where you expected to get points and where you didn't. Do you understand why? benefitsandwork.co.uk/guides-for-claimants/pip
I can't tell you whether it's worth you going to a Tribunal because that's something that you have to decide for yourself, but you need to apply within a month of the date on your decision letter. You can put in a late filing, but you would then have to explain why. You can have a look at the guide to PIP Appeals (scroll down the page) benefitsandwork.co.uk/guides-for-claimants/pip and there is also a guide on how to challenge a medical report that you may find useful.
Conditions like fibromyalgia are problematic in being awarded PIP - as they are widely misunderstood. Some people have kept a diary to help explain what happens to them. There is an example that you can look at and see if that's something that's worth doing. benefitsandwork.co.uk/guides-for-claimants/pip.
If you have any further questions - come back and ask and we will try and help.
BIS
Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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