PIP and more information

I think that yes it can be added as I have just had my assessment and told her I also have pelvic fracture as forgot to put that on form, not that it makes any difference as thankfully its healed

The reason it makes no difference is because the fractured pelvis didn't lead to long term personal care. Again I stress it is more important to prove the care you receive because of a permenant medical condition or disability.

Anthony, I wasn't suggesting it made a difference, I was just answering the question and giving an example, I personally was asked about my various conditions during my assessment, are you saying that you shouldn't be asked or that you weren't?

Yes you get asked about your medical conditions/disability at assessments and you have to explain them on your application form.

But many claimants make the classic mistake in believing that only talking about their illness/disability will gain them PIP.

The assessors are far more interested in how that illness/disability affects the claimant and why they require personal care. The care must be for more than 50% of the time and fit the descriptors.

I’m concerned that the OP is missing that point as he has not mentioned personal care at all in his post which is troubling. As for yourself the fractured pelvis was not a long term condition and wouldn’t require personal care for more than 50% of the time (the period is taken as one year so you would have required care for more than 6 months).

So my point is the PERSONAL CARE is a paramount consequence of the illness/disability not just the fact you suffer from it.

My assessment was carried out yesterday and I didn't have to volunteer any information at all, she just asked questions and I and my partner answered them, approximately 40% of the questions were regarding my illness's and medication and 60% regarding care and my abilities to do certain tasks ie walking, balance, strength etc

Just to add, I think he realises he will have to prove care but is mainly asking on here about test results that were not available at time of sending in forms, I do agree though its more about how your illness effects you than what it is.

Thanks , she has chronic diverticular disease and has for many years that much so they couldn't do the full colposcopy a few years back they removed 4 polyps then and they was sent off ..the bleeding she is having as nothing to do with her diet ..it doesn't help shes been on steroids since 1998 both oral and through drips .. she had brain surgery to reduce swelling a few years back but needs to be on oral ones for life to try and stop it swelling again plus immune suppressants that both destroy the stomach ...so it's not temporary it's for life only going to get worse ...the passing of blood filling the toilet each time and dark red is not fibroids as it's been looked at ...seems you know quite alot about medical problems are you a doctor ? And unless her kidney can re grow don't think that's temporary ..they have already told me they are trying to avoid operation on her bowel as her stomach is so chronic throughout the full colon and could end up with a colposcopy bag but due to having no immune system it would have to be last resort .. but they are looking at growths that could be ma!ignant and only wish it was what you have said ..although having one kidney and the results that have come back don't look promising.

Hi David, sorry this is so worrying for you. For the assessment perhaps mention that your wife has had these investigations and explain that you're awaiting discussion with the specialist and so don't fully know the implications yet. When I had my assessment they checked a few specific diagnoses and asked how they'd been made, but then quickly moved on to how the overall disabilities affect me day to day.

When you're explaining/listening to the specialists it might help to know you've muddled a few words up.

Colposcopy is an examination of the cervix and vagina (Kolpos means hollow, womb or vagina) your wife might have had one to check where the bleeding was coming from.

Colonoscopy is the camera looking inside the bowel via the bottom (colon is the large bowel) 

Colostomy is where the bowel is brought out through the wall of the abdomen into a bag (colon is the large bowl and stoma is an opening or mouth)

hope that helps

Thanks for that no it's not to do with periods etc she had to have an hysterectomy at 32 now in her 50s due t o her having abnormal cells sorry it's predictive text changing my words probably my spelling .

It's colonoscopy it's to do with passing blood when having a number 2

yep, don't worry I knew what you meant, autocorrect has a lot to answer for!

Sorry this must be such a worry for you. There are a couple of people on this forum who think they are doctors but you know your wife's condition and are best placed to know how this affects her. I would certainly mention this to the person coming to do the assessment. I wish you good luck with everything.

Thankyou Sandra that's right , Annoying at times when you have people know nothing about each individual and what a life they live or don't in many cases . Invisible illness is very hard to understand unless you live with the person

Actually bowel polyp's can and are removed during a colonoscopy and sent for biopsy.

Reason I know this is because I have 2 forms of ulcerative colitis and this procedure is a regular occurrence with any one with an inflammatory bowel condition.

Yes Sandra David is best placed to explain how his wife's condition affects her but sadly he has only told us about if's, may be's and could be's.

If he wants to be successful with a PIP application then he needs to start talking about what personal care his wife receives and how that is linked to her illness,

Anthony can I correct you here ..my wife has a chronic illness that effects her brain and spinal cord along with diabetic, epilepsy and sjogrens along with kidney failure..these are not ifs or buts etc these are real illnesses these I have mentioned on here are only small in comparison to her illness thankyou

I feed, bath and take care of my wife day and night 24/7 this is the reason I had to give up work as a fire officer so it's not all ifs and buts thankyou

David again you only mention your wife's illness you have yet to mention what personal care is provided. PIP is not awarded because your wife has brain, kidney or diabetic deceases. If you go with that attitude then don’t be surprised if you are awarded a big fat zero.

You made several references to things that 'could' happen that will not impress the assessor at all. They want ACTUAL facts of things that are very likely to happen and why intervention is required.

If you don't want to listen fine but I'm only trying to point out the big flaw which you don't seem to want to recongise.

That is the detail the assessor needs to know. You need to expand on that and explain why your wife can't cook a simple meal and can't wash herself and concisely link it to her illness/disability.

If you are providing 24/7 care then there must be more than bathing and cooking so you need to fill in the gaps. Better to put ACTUAL care provided rather than may be's/if's etc.

Oh I understand I have told them what I do for her ..waking in the night to hear her moaning in pain and hopefully she isn't wet or dirty if I've woke in time ..( we don't sleep in the same bed we are both in single obviously due to her problems) to get her to the toilet and if not wash her ..etc then the bedding needs changing if wet or soiled although sometimes it's not even that it's wet through night sweats she gets so needs changing anyways ..I then either change it there and then depending on if I'm shattered and if so I put her in my bed and I sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag . That's just the night the rest if the day you can imagine ..bath, dressed, feeding, housework , etc etc

Hi David, I think you have described the care that you give your wife in great detail and I do not understand why you are being given such a hard time by other members of this forum. If you have described that care on your form and you explain  any recent details to the assessors there is very little else you can do. As I have said previously I wish you luck with your wifes assessment. Please let us know how the assessment goes.

Now you are getting there.

You should score points on toilet needs plus washing and dressing. Believe it or not strictly by the rules if these events only happen 3 nights a week then the assessor doesn't need to consider it.

This is because of the 50% rule where the care must provided more than 50% of the time! So a little tip makes sure they know these events are very frequent.

Also remember to explain why your wife can’t wash and dress herself at night and again link this to her disability/illness, same with cooking a meal.

With regard to a meal 2 of the 3 meals a day are expected to be simple snacks. The one main meal has to be a meal which contains fresh produce. If your wife can’t prepare this meal then explain why she can’t cut, chop or cook such a meal and again link it back to her illness/disability.

Also remember a ‘link’ to a disability/illness has to be creditable. If you are to rely on the maybes and if’s then give an example of a near miss or actual harm she has suffered. Assessors really don’t like thrown together explanations which have little or no prospect of being real.  

Sandra I'm looking to give David constructive advice which will be far more useful to him than simply bitching about the DWP or going over medical evidence which on its own doesn't produce a payment of PIP benefit.

Until the last 2 posts David hadn't posted anything about his wife's personal care. Also as well as describing personal care a claimant would also need to show the care was given more than 50% of the time and link it to the illness/disability. That way they can hope to score enough points on the descriptors.

You can believe this or not but an assessor once told me that they (& DWP) flag up applications where the claimant only relies on his medical condition as evidence but make no mention of Personal Care or Mobility Issues. Indeed often the reason given for needing the benefit is 'financial loss' although that is not the case with David.

PIP is paid to help with the extra cost of disability it is not and never has been an extra income stream for the sick and disabled. 

Therefore anyone worried about their PIP claim should have as their first concern the loss of the personal care and that is why the assessors and decision makers are so keen to identify it. Believe it nor not have I done David a great favor by giving him a ‘hard time’ as he’s probably leant more in last few posts than he ever would by simply receiving ‘good will’ or ‘Oh dear’ replies.

" PIP isnt about what illness you have but it's a factor in how her daily life is" which David  stated in his opening post. I think that David understood very well about how PIP works. I am not a "good will" or " Oh dear " person, just trying to lend an understanding ear. I am very well versed in the workings of  PIP, having been awarded Daily Living and Mobility at the enhanced rate this year. Previously high rate care and mobilty for the past 20 years. Giving advice is all very well but it is the way that it is given that makes all the difference. Nothing else to be said really.