1. Community
  2. General
  3. Benefits and Allowances

PIP has been lowered and mobility taken off me PLEASE help!!

Posted , 9 users are following.

hayleyclaire
hayleyclaire

Hi, Hope someone can help me, i am having anxiety attack and don't know what to do.

I have been getting PIP for 4.5 years, the first 2 years I got both enhanced. Then last year they took my car away and gave me enhanced for the Care and Standard for the mobility.

I called them in December as i now have sleep apnea and have a cpap machine. My mental health and tiredness and other components are worse than they were 4 years ago. They have totally different scores to what they had a year ago which i don't understand as more illnesses have worsened and not and will not get any better.

The assessor who did my assessment was not a nurse she was a training psychiatrist.

I know i need to write to them to look at it again before i can go to tribunal but i don't know what to do.

Please help, im going mad here and the tears are just flowing

Thank you

0 likes, 25 replies

25 Replies

  • denise15811
    denise15811 hayleyclaire

    Posted

    Hi Hayley,

    I'm sorry to hear this. Unfortunately the only thing you can do is ask for the Mandatory Reconsideration. You have 1 month from the date of the decision to request this. You'll need to write a letter stating what you disagree with and what you think you should have scored. If you have a copy of the assessment report then this will help you write that letter. If you don't understand what to do then i'd advice ringing your local CAB or google disability advice centres near you to see what's available. They will help you write that letter.

    Did you report changes or was this a review? Did you send in evidence to support your claim? If not then i'd advice sending the evidence with the MR letter.

    Only 20% of MRs are successful so you'll most likely have to take it to Tribunal, as most people do. Appearing in person will give you the best chance of a decision in your favour.

    It's a long process but unfortunately your only option is to fight for what you're entitled to.

    Good luck.

    • denise15811
      denise15811

      Posted

      Am i right you have been awarded standard daily living and no mobility? You were previously claiming Enhanced daily living and stardard mobility before this decision?
  • Guest
    Guest hayleyclaire

    Posted

    Aww hun u keep fight all the way... did your g.p also give u a supporting letter.. did u have a f2f? X
  • hayleyclaire
    hayleyclaire

    Posted

    Yes i was awarded enhanced in both daily living and mobility at the beginning, then last year i was awarded enhanced daily and standard mobility and then now because i told them i had added disability they awarded me just the standard living and no mobility yet my problems are worse than that at the beginning.

    Yes i had a F2F for all of them.

    I just feel so let down as i am a genuine claimant

    • denise15811
      denise15811 hayleyclaire

      Posted

      Reporting a change of circumstances before your review is due is always very risky. Only 47% of those who report changes have a decision in their favour, believe it or not.

      The only thing you can do is what i advice in my other comment to you and ask for the MR. Time is limited so please don't delay this process.

      Your current payments will continue while you wait for the MR decision. One thing to be wary of is that they will look at the whole award again so you do risk losing everything you have. The award can also be increased or stay the same, which mostly it stays the same at MR stage.

      If the decision doesn't change then you can request the Tribunal. For this part you'll need a copy of the MR decision letter and you'll need to fill out a SSCS1 form and attach the MR decision letter to that form.

      Good luck.

  • ginger26
    ginger26 hayleyclaire

    Posted

    I think it is time the dwp etc looked back over the last 12 months and look at all the upset what they have caused I have paid ni for 40 yrs can't they work off some thing like that people commiting suicide over a lot off this think we all have to stick together and do some thing about it

  • deborah29205
    deborah29205 hayleyclaire

    Posted

    Hi Hayley it’s awful what happened to you I reported a change in my disability in Nov last year as Denise advised you do risk losing everything.I was  lucky I got my mobility increased but I had been diagnosed with sleep apnea and have a cpap machine I showed my assessor I’d  been diagnosed with it after I’d reported my change I showed him the letter and offered to show him my machine but he said he’d write it down but as it’s not a recognised illness or disability that it wouldn’t get any increase in points for it....good luck Hayley I hope they reconsider your award at  the mandatory reconsideration xx
    • denise15811
      denise15811 deborah29205

      Posted

      It's not that sleep apnea isn't a recognised disability, it's because PIP isn't about a diagnosis. It's how that condition affects you daily. You have to prove those descriptors apply to you.

    • deborah29205
      deborah29205 denise15811

      Posted

      Sorry Denise I didn’t mean to sound like that I told him i had better sleeps using cpap and he didn’t ask any further questions and didn’t want to read my consultants letter ....I hope you get it sorted at the first step have you tried the CAB? ....Denise knows a lot about these things and try to send as much evidence to back up your claim ...good luck xx
  • hayleyclaire
    hayleyclaire

    Posted

    I have written and sent my Mandatory letter explaining everything i cant do etc. I have a cpap machine but because of the Anxiety attacks i cant wear it, i have to go back to the Sleep clinic on thursday so i am hoping they give me something else, i am tired all the time and just fall asleep anywhere. I would love to work but how can I at the moment with all the pain and tiredness. I am going back to the Dr's this afternoon as they also think i may have Fibromyalgia. If i was an animal i would have been put down by now. I try and keep positive and smile but Inside i am hurting, m crying and very depressed. Thank you all for your support. To be honest I can see why people become depressed and also suicide, it is all getting to me at the moment x

    • denise15811
      denise15811 hayleyclaire

      Posted

      It is very stressful yes and i'm sorry you have to go through this. The MR may not come back in you favour but the good news is that the latest new Tribunal success rate for those who appear in person has risen from 65% to 70%. It maybe a long and tiring road but never give up! Good luck and if you need any further advice i'm here. xx

    • hayleyclaire
      hayleyclaire denise15811

      Posted

      Thank y ou so much, even just by you talking to me has put my mind at rest. I was all day yesterday crying and having panic attacks and then the Dr said it is looking like i do have Fibromyalgia, so with everything else i think it all got too much for me. I just hope the letter that i wrote helps and i don't have to go to tribunal but if i do then let it be i will fight it xx

       

    • denise15811
      denise15811 hayleyclaire

      Posted

      You're welcome. If your GP thinks you have fibro then you need to ask him/her to refer you to a Rheumatologist because these Consultants are the only ones who can offically diagnosis it. The reason i know is because i also have this, along with many other health conditions.

      To be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia you have to go through many many different tests so they can rule other other conditions. The process can take months and months, if not longer. Good luck.

    • AlexandriaGizmo
      AlexandriaGizmo denise15811

      Posted

      Hi Denise me too, wouldn't have know if while undergoing test for my rheumatoid arthritis she declared that I have fibromyalgia, I had a good idea as my Dr had diagnosed me with it in 1985 after coming back from some conference or other, it was a new diagnosis which a lot of people thought was all in the mind of those who presented with symptoms, it took my rheumatologist 2 years to put it in writing, he was a diligent consultant who would never comit to telling you you had it till he was absolutely sure so I know what your saying when u said GP cannot give an absolute diagnosis as their not experts.

      Ask for referral to rheumatology dept asap as you need it in a report to put it through as evidence.

      Get help doing your physical MR cause like Denise says it's all down to the how you put it down and of course you do need backup as well

    • denise15811
      denise15811 AlexandriaGizmo

      Posted

      Hi

      A diagnosis won't help with the evidence and like we both said a diagnosis will take time. They won't just look at a patient and say oh yes, you have fibro. Also if those symptoms weren't put down when filling out the form or mentioned during the assessment then they won't take them into consideration for the MR or Tribunal.

      For the MR process only 20% of the decision are changed at this stage. Most of them are rubber stamped with the same wording as the award letter was. I wouldn't say it's all about the wording either, at least not for this process. My advice would be to get the request in ASAP because of the low success rate and chances of having to take it to Tribunal are extremely high.

    • hayleyclaire
      hayleyclaire denise15811

      Posted

      I have had years of tests on arthritis ad every other thing they can think of, now i am having all the tests done and have to go back to the GP in 2 weeks time, he will then advise and if need be start me on steroids, he is a Dr that does not just label people with an illness unless he is certain, he is then going to refer me.

      The letter to the DWP went off yesterday, i just hope i worded it all ok xx

    • denise15811
      denise15811 hayleyclaire

      Posted

      I'm not saying your GP labels people with illnesses but you really do need a referral to a rheumatologist because with it a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia isn't a true diagnosis.

    • hayleyclaire
      hayleyclaire denise15811

      Posted

      yes thats what he said, once he has done all the tests to rule other things out then he will refer me to the rheumatologist, who knows how long that will be but at least they are doing something at last
    • AlexandriaGizmo
      AlexandriaGizmo hayleyclaire

      Posted

      Sorry but he should send you directly onto the rheumatology waiting list, then if he feels the need he can continue doing tests, what test exactly has he done or going to do
    • denise15811
      denise15811 AlexandriaGizmo

      Posted

      I agree with you here. There's very often very long waiting lists for appointments like this. Yes i agree he can do other tests while you wait for the appointment but if he thinks you have Fibro, why wait?

      You're well within your rights to be referred now and not wait. Good luck.

    • hayleyclaire
      hayleyclaire AlexandriaGizmo

      Posted

      He is doing all the blood tests, ie Vit D, raised inflammation, there are about 12 blood tests, i have to fast and having them done on Tuesday, i might just go back to him and tell him to refer me now, at least then its in the pipe line. Sometimes i just feel like giving up and carry on in pain and helpless.
    • denise15811
      denise15811 hayleyclaire

      Posted

      No, you mustn't give up! It's a long process to be diagnosed with Fibro and once you are then there's nothing they can really do, apart from try to keep the pain as low as possible. Having that diagsosis is far better than not knowing. At least it was for me and it took then 4 years to diagnose me.

    • hayleyclaire
      hayleyclaire denise15811

      Posted

      I just want to say a BIG thank you for all your help, although im still and will always be in pain, i will always have depression and anxiety and everything else i got given, but with your knowledge and help and others on here I feel positive about fighting this. 

      So a big thank you to you Denise and everyone else!!

    • denise15811
      denise15811 hayleyclaire

      Posted

      That's very sweet of you Hayley! I've tried leaving the site a few times but people keep finding me lol Looks like i'm here to stay. Always my pleasure to advice anyone the needs it.

      Good luck and please dont ever give up!

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.