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Does anyone else with FM recieve DLA/PIP/ESA??

Posted , 39 users are following.

princessemh89
princessemh89

I have a PIP (Personal Independence Payment) assessment next week. I receive ESA but I was told to apply for PIP which is supposedly replacing DLA and now I have an assessment. Does anyone know what to expect? Has anyone else with Fibromyalgia had a successful PIP/DLA assessment?

2 likes, 75 replies

75 Replies

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  • zipbag
    zipbag princessemh89

    Posted

    I have suffered with FM for over 5 years and have worked fulltime in constant agonising pain, i had to give up working in a job i loved and have tried 3 times for PIP only to refused even after an appeal. At 53 i felt i was on the scrapheap but i now work part time in an office job and have given up all hope of getting PIP. I was out of work when i applied and with hospital and GP reports that made no difference to there decision. I'm still in constant pain but just happy to be in work than claimimg benfits, good luck with ur claim and appeal if ur refused....
  • richard68340
    richard68340 princessemh89

    Posted

    Yes i recieve DLA but i only got the low rate. When i am asked to apply for PIP which i will be as there doing away with DLA. I will most certainly apply for the middle rate as there will be no low rate on PIP. It really is a battle to get PIP and you have to be literally disabled. The good news is fibro has been accepted as a disabillity so people should be entitled to claim this benefit. That does not mean your get it.

    Kind Regards

    Richard

  • supersammy
    supersammy princessemh89

    Posted

    Hi princessmh89 I have been for a pip assessment last year and It was a joke  because they said in my letter of refusal that I drove myself there,I was on my own and i didnt have any walking difficulties so my advise to you is dont go on your own,dont drive yourself there,use any walking aids you have, take all you medication with you and look depressed..........good luck

  • heather40395
    heather40395 princessemh89

    Posted

    hi i have FM and depression and IBS and i have been told today that i don't qualify for PIP, i have to have another medical to assess me for esa has to which group i'm to be in, i'm also going to fight it x
    • melony62069
      melony62069 heather40395

      Posted

      Look into ESA regulations 29 & 35 - my 1st ESA medical I got 0 pts, even through to tribunal. So I reapplied and did it "right" the 2nd time round, using those regs and a recorded assessment and was put straight into support group for 3 yrs. I have exactly same conditions as you PLUS get high rate mob dla & low care since long before ATOS decided I was suddenly fit for full time work! Wish I still was! Am now researching about changing to PIP as my fibro is so much worse now but am scared. Have a feeling they won;t take much notice of my sever recurrent fibro fog sad good luck though. Look at fightback and black triangle on facebook for notes on those regs - also a website called benefits & work smile
  • heather40395
    heather40395 princessemh89

    Posted

    supersammy i got a lift there and back, and i had my stick and have still been turned down but like you i think it's a joke xx

     

    • supersammy
      supersammy heather40395

      Posted

      Hi heather it makes me angry that we are told we have a disability and yet we don't get any help I have tried 4 times to get a blue badge and have been refused everytime we just have to keep trying. 
    • princessemh89
      princessemh89 heather40395

      Posted

      I can relate! I went to the PIP assessment with my Mum and told them how I was on my worst days etc, I know for a fact from my answers and what I put on the forms I should have been awarded at least standard rate Daily Living Component and standard rate Mobility but I got a letter back after 6 months telling me they had awarded me standard rate mobility but no daily living component so I read the report and realised the assessor had completely lied about everything I told her and had twisted all my words etc. I was so outraged. I don't do so well with writing/reading due to the fibro fog these days but my brother wrote me a letter telling them that we demamnded a reconsideration and that the so called medical report was completely fabricated and not based on anything I had actually said. I told the assessor that I cannot walk my dog anymore so on the report she put that I told her I walk my dog everyday. I told her I am in bed in my pj's most of the time because I am just too exausted or in too much pain to move aorund and get dressed, she put on her report that I stay in bed because of lack of motivation and also put that I told her I am able to get dressed and move around but I choose not to. I could not even believe what I was reading. So I have to wait and see what comes of the reconsideration, I may have to appeal.

      I also just had my ESA medical, the assessor was quite pleasant and didn't even make me do the physical exam because she said she could see I was just too ill and even carried my bag back into the waiting room for me because I had my stick as well and my wrists were bad that day. I am now waiting to see if they put me in the support group but I won't even be surprised if they don't. Like you I am seriously fed up of it all but if you go on facebook and find a group called "Fightback" there is apparently a lady there who gives advice and even goes to people's appeals and tribunals with them etc and she does it all for free as well, if you have any trouble you can message her and she can help you smile

    • melony62069
      melony62069 princessemh89

      Posted

      if you have to appeal your ESA look on those facebook groups' notes section or those of black triangle and utilise ESA regs 29 & 35. worked for me - see my reply above. good luck
    • princessemh89
      princessemh89 melony62069

      Posted

      Thank you, luckily I was finally contacted about 6 weeks ago and was put into the Support Group! I was so relieved. I am still waiting on the mandatory reconsideration for my PIP claim though :\
    • Flowerlady
      Flowerlady supersammy

      Posted

      Hi...Its unbelievable why alot of us can't get it. I know of someone who got diagnosed in the summer and within 2 weeks...yes 2 weeks...got the blue badge...And has recently got the higher rate benefit..And bragging about it, as I were diagnosed 3.5 years ago and been declined twice..WHY...
  • heather40395
    heather40395 princessemh89

    Posted

    yea i no it's wrong, i'm so angry it's unreal so now it's more stress then come more pain which inturn brings on the depression, then to top it off it all causes arquements so fed up with it all
  • Flowerlady
    Flowerlady princessemh89

    Posted

    Hi

    All of us who suffer this horrid disease deserves to have some kind of govenment payment. As this fibro totaly ruins our lives.

  • melony62069
    melony62069 princessemh89

    Posted

    so sory to rd abt ur PIP ass'ment (srry 4 v abbrev's but my fibro limts v typg i cn do so got used 2 abbrv'g nw as much as poss - i am act v highly edu'd wth an hons degree in biol sci). I 2 am nw consid'g switch'g frm DLA (hgh mob+low care) 2 PIP as my fibro has deteriorated so much ovr last decade since i got vry ill. had dla for yrs. am scared tho which is why i've put it off as if i lost my mob i cldn't affrd 2 run a car anymore. but this yr my fibro fog has got so bad i'm often now unaware of my actns (I tend 2 "sleep-walk" arnd at night nw - often waking aftr hrs spent up in my kitchen wth wtr everywhere or asleep on my toilet!). Have also noticed my safety in drbg is getting very worrying & nw don't drive at all if poss and nw thnkg am going 2 have to give it up completely. I kinda knw this ws coming but live alone & scared abt losing wht little indep i have left. but can't risk mine and others safety on the roads anymore. reckon i shld be entitled to highest care equiv now too after reading handbook etc been gethering evidence. will try gluten / wheat free diet if my gp agrees to give me v presc fds (cant afford to buy everyhting new) 1st tho. good luck everyone & don't forget for esa claims: rec assess's + esa regs 29 & 35!
    • princessemh89
      princessemh89 melony62069

      Posted

      I can relate to some of what you are saying. Esp with the fibro fog. I am just not aware of what I am doing half the time and often get word blindness lately. I dont drive (dnt think it'd be safe) and thank god I dnt live alone! I feel for you. Stay strong!! xx
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