PIP

[sammason]

This post took ages to complete because my disabled hands made it hard to put in the clickable links. Now thanks to my live-in IT support, here goes...

Here in Britain we cips are invited to claim the Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

Comments

[dark_phoenix54]

So basically they're cutting benefits by calling it by another name, and if you don't apply for the privilege, you lose *all* benefits? Or am I missing something and this isn't as big of a ball of shit as it sounds like?

[mrs_ralph]

Yep. Another thing is they cut off your disability and unemployment when you reach retirement age and you can't claim national retirement benefits for a year after you stop claiming disability. Like you suddenly stop being disabled or needing to eat! It's a farce.

[sammason]

Yuck! I'll look out for that. Has it happened to you or to any in this comm?

[mrs_ralph]

PIP has put a date about 6 months before I reach retirement age on my payout. I don't if that is because they expect me to be dead by then (the assumption is that I have Motor Neuron Disease) or if they are doing that because of the retirement age. I looked it up however and the ESA information does say that it ends at retirement age as does the information on PIP. The information for Attendance Allowance says you cannot receive that until you have been off disability payments for a year.

I am trying to learn how to do something/anything that will earn my keep when I get there but it is so hard to predict what kind of shape I will be in and whether my intellectual faculties will hold up as I continue to age.

[barakta]

If you can give me an email address I'm happy to send you my PIP links and resources which explain how it works and I think there's some MS specific advice too. If you'd rather email me directly you can do that on barakta@barakta.org.uk

You can ask the DWP for reasonable adjustments to their process e.g. email application and digital form to complete - they may not offer you this - the process itself is not accessible and several activists have complained about this already.

You'll have to contact DWP to get the PIP2 form by giving them various details inc your NI to determine likely eligibility. This is usually done by phone. PIP criteria are different from DLA's so it's worth making sure you understand those.

The issue for many ppl is the 'medical' assessment where assessors from Atos, Crapita and Maximus are known to misrepresent stuff and lie (take a companion, record covertly) so that's a hurdle too.

It's all a steaming pile of :(

[sammason]

Email sent to you with thanks for your trust.

[sammason]

Belated response to you here: I sent you my email address when you asked for it.

How interesting that you mention a digital form to complete. The paper form that I was sent mentioned a digital option but when phoned, some clerk at Dweep (DWP) said no, that wasn't available. 'Security issues'.

With help I filled in th 50-page form 'How your disability affects you'. Maybe that was called PIP2 - if so is was too hidden for me to notice. Serves me right for being disabled ;-(

[dimity_blue]

So, basically, get a move on and fill in a form that may lead to you losing money or we'll take all your benefits from you anyway. :o(

I'm dreading dealing with PIP.

[sammason]

You too, eh? I hope hat in this comm we encourage each other ♥

[mrs_ralph]

I strongly suggest you contact Citizens Advice for help filling out the forms when they come. They will give you your approximate score. Also do not fall for any little tricks like things on the floor, elevators out of order, demands for physical performance, etc. I had the lady try to pull me out of my wheelchair by my fingertips! Do not volunteer information no matter how innocent you thing it is it can damage your final score if you say something like 'well, I can't use the stove but I still manage to nuke my lunch'. Also take someone with you when they interview you, it's very important that someone is there to remind you how laid up you actually are so you don't gloss things over and to back you up if you feel there has been misconduct or a mistake on your forms. Any problems go back to CA and let them help. They had handled a number of these cases across the country and know exactly what to do and how to fill out the forms correctly

[sammason]

Thank you for this. One of my links in this blog post is about CAB.

I'll tackle the PIP form as I did the DLA form: truthfully but going for the jugular. Telling how things are on my worst days. I'm the only person I know who got DLA without having to appeal against a rejection.

But I don't assume that I'll succeed easily with PIP. As it happens a friend (one of the few who visited me in hospital, so he's seen some of the unglam rality) works at CAB. I'll ask him to direct me to the right person there.

[nightshade1972]

Thanks for posting this, it's been enlightening reading the comments as well. With His Orangeness in power here in the US, hubby and I are seriously thinking of relocating to either the UK or Ireland within the next few years, after his parents are gone. He's able to claim citizenship through his maternal grandmother (she was born in IE), so he's got the ball rolling on that now. My understanding is that I can claim citizenship after I've been there 3 yrs. I get disability here in the US already, so I'm hoping I won't have to jump a very big hurdle to get disability in either UK or IE.

[sammason]

Much in your comment is news to me. I wish you every success. If you move to the Irish Republic, do eat the bacon and drink the tea!

You know of course that my country (UK) has voted to leave the European Union (Brexit from the EU), but that process has barely started. Also that the Republic remains part of the EU.

[nightshade1972]

Yes, we know that (Brexit). My husband's actually trying to get citizenship in both UK and IE, because his mother was actually born in England (until he started this process, he'd always taken her at her word that she was born in IE), his maternal grandmother was born in IE. We'll see what happens!

:-)