Personal Independence Payments (PIP)

[star gazer]

Hi all, here is a link to the FAQs for PIP which was published last week, I have read it through and it seems to address the most commonly asked questions including info on those who are on indefinate awards, motability, face to face assessments, and rolling in time scales. If you get a chance have a look. They also have a section at the end called myths and facts!!!!
sg xx

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/personal-ind ... t-faqs.pdf

[Englishgremlin1]

still don't trust it!

[star gazer]

Hi EG, I was a tad synical when reading it too, a sort of rose tinted view so we will see what they have as a fact that ends up being a myth
sg

[star gazer]

yes there is nothing like the excitement of getting your Motability magazine through the post
they published an article about PIP and have stated that motability will be accessed through the enhanced level.

"to apply for a vehicle through the Motability Scheme you will need to be in receipt of the enhanced rate of the mobility component of PIP. Motability will provide more details of how the change from DLA to PIP will affect your Motability lease throughout 2012"

this was taken from the article, so it would seem that it has been decided that it will be the enhanced rate to access Motability, not so great especially as the goal posts moved and the criteria changed. I will keep you posted as more info come in.

love
star gazer x

[AnnaH]

I have previously attempted to get DLA on three occasions. Twice I've got as far as a tribunal, although on one of those occasions I was ironically too unwell to attend. I was turned down every time.

As well as HMS, which is a new diagnosis for me, I have Aspergers, a history of anxiety problems, asthma and severe allergies. Related to the HMS, I now have permanent problems with my feet (thought to be mild CRPS, along with damage to my Achilles that won't heal), problems with my hands (arthritis? Carpal Tunnel?), problems with my hips, difficulty raising my arms above my shoulders (combing my hair, washing my hair and keeping my under-arms clean are all problems), severe constipation, POTS-type symptoms,fainting and 'pre-syncope', mild incontinence, unstable blood sugar and fibromyalgia.

The main problems I have are severe fatigue and very poor stamina, chronic pain, toileting and bathing problems, pain when walking even short distances, difficulty cooking, severe problems with organisation and paperwork (for which I receive Direct Payments from social services and employ a PA), and trouble with dressing (stiff buttons, bra straps etc are all a bit of a struggle). All of these problems have been steadily worsening, although my mobility is much improved on a couple of years ago when I was forced to use a wheelchair for some months.

Everyone thought I should have got DLA years ago - including my social worker (now retired), OT, CAB advisor and pretty much everyone who knows me, but many of my problems are subtle and Asperger-related and there has been a general lack of awareness in DWP circles of such problems. We are told PIP will fix that, but I remain sceptical. My latest application for DLA was a couple of years ago, following my HMS diagnosis but I was turned down again, even though by then I had developed physical problems.

However, now that my physical needs are becoming much more significant, I am being 'encouraged' to try yet again, but there doesn't seem much point with DLA being scrapped very soon. I don't think I can face that 39 page form again - its soul destroying having to enumerate everything you can't do, all the skills you have lost. I am wondering just how bad things have to get before a person like me can actually get some official support. Life is getting very expensive as there are so many things I need help with - like mobility scooters, special cushions, extra home-help (my PA is only for 4 hours a week and isn't supposed to just to housework, even though that's what I need), maybe even a gardener so my weed patch doesn't upset the neighbours. And my daughter is soon to leave school, but doesn't want to go away to university because she's worried about caring for me - whether she goes or stays, I don't want her feeling she has to be my carer. So DLA/PIP would really help, but I'm frankly scared of applying again.

Also, our CAB is closing and there are no organisations in my area doing DLA-form advice. Which I clearly need, having been turned down so much.

What do you guys think? Should I leave it for a bit? Should I have another go? Does it even sound like I'd be eligible, given that some days I can do loads?

[star gazer]

Hi Anna, the roll in for PIP is from 2013 to 2016 anyone applying next year will probably automaticly apply under pip, we dont know whether or not the form is going to be as comprensive as the dla form, however anyone already on dla will be reassessed and attend a face to face so I understand your concerns about applying so soon to the change over as potentially it could mean a double whammy as far as assessments go. I think from what you say, that applying for dla/pip would be the right thing to do but it would be a good idea to use the guides that "benefits and work" produce to help with form filling as sometimes miss interpretation of the questions causes a lots of problems. I am sure that once the criteria for PIP is set benefits and work will start putting together a guide to filling in that form too. I know for sure that when my reassessment comes round I will be using their guides especially as there are a lot of grey areas in the pip criteria, obviously the form for pip is not finalised yet and hopefully will be user friendly but we dont really know yet what they will be like. Many of us on the forum will be in the same boat even those with indefinate awards, we will all have to be re assessed and have a face to face interview, we will most probably all be using the B&W guides to help us through the process.
I think that only you can make the decision about applying now or waiting but weigh up the pros and cons with the knowledge that by 2013 you will be applying for pip. I think I posted a link in a post further back about the timeline for introduction of pip.
best wishes
star gazer