Pip

Hi Lee,  have you applied and been turned down or is this just a general question?  Perhaps if you let us know a little more, someone on here could advise you. 

HI Lee, I think you'd be better to forget about this and concentrate on the assessment itself. They're there to assess you on what you can and can't do in daily life. Before the assessment i'd spend some time looking through the "how your disability affects you form" you filled in and sent off. Hopefully you kept a copy of this. Hopefully you've already sent off as much evidence as possible, don't leave it to them to contact any medical professional because they mostly never do this. Evidence can be anything from Constultant and/or Occupational Therapist reports, list of current medications, letter or diary from someone that knows you well or anything that is relivent to your condition. Forth coming hospital appointment letters arent the best form of evidence though.

You'll be asked questions about your condition and how it affects your daily life. The more detail you tell them the better, please don't just answer with a "no or yes." If you can't do something tell them you can't and WHY. Remember PIP is all about regularly, reliably, in a timely manner. Be as honest as you can be and have someone with you if possible when they're there. If you need any more info then please just ask, someone here i'm sure will answer any questions you have. Goodluck.

Hi Lee

As the others have explained the assessors’ job is to identify if you fit the criteria to qualify for PIP. It seems you have some very difficult medical conditions but they by themselves don't qualify you for PIP.

There are 10 daily activities ranging from Preparing a meal, washing/bathing, dressing/undressing, taking medication/monitoring a health condition, eating meals, toilet needs, social interaction and help with budgeting. Depending on how well (or how badly) you can perform these activities or if you receive personal care to complete them or use an aid then you score 'points'. Score enough points and benefit is awarded.

On the mobility side there are 2 activities planning and following a journey and moving around. Again it depends on how well (or badly) you can perform these activities and whether you receive personal help or need an aid to carry them out.

The assessor will be looking to see if your level of disability is high enough to be consistent with what you have written in your PIP2 form. Your job is to explain how your health conditions hamper your ability to carry out the activities.

For example as you have near heart failure then it would be quite reasonable to assume you can’t walk more than 20m safely and in a reasonable time scale. The assessors’ are there to check that your condition does in fact affect you that badly. They may ask you to walk a short distance and look at your gait, speed and for signs of breathlessness. Remember this is just an example and the fact is your physical condition at first sight may well be enough.

As Denise advised look through your ‘how your disability affects you’ questionnaire (if you have a copy) if not then look the questions up online. Then think about your health condition and how it may prevent or restrict you carrying out activities in the same way as the example I have supplied above.

Finally if you don’t fit the criteria then yes it is the job of the assessor to recommend that benefit is not awarded. On the flip side if you DO fit the criteria then it is also their job to recommend that benefit is awarded although the final decision always rests with the DWP decision maker.