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PIP Mobility opinions needed

Posted , 5 users are following.

craigzeth
craigzeth

Hi there. First of all I should mention that I am only 27 years old. I went for my PIP assessment yesterday to be assessed for mobility. Last year I was awarded enhanced daily living. I suffer from a condition called Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2) and in April 2016 I had surgery to remove a tumour on the hearing nerve and on the balance nerve on the left side. The balance nerve had to be removed due to excessive damage caused by the tumour along with the hearing nerve. In 2008 I had the same surgery on my right side. However I had an ABI (Auditory Brainstem Implant) installed on my left side. This has left me completely deaf with no balance.

I have to use a stick to walk because I am so unsteady when walking and prone to stumbling or falling over without it. I am unable to travel more than a few meters without getting dizzy or breathless and I am unable to lift heavy object for the same reason.

I would love to know peoples opinions on whether I am eligible for PIP mobility and what rate.

Thank you.

0 likes, 19 replies

19 Replies

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  • claire2408
    claire2408 craigzeth

    Posted

    Well I would be shocked if you wasn't entitled ,I know of two people in my town that can walk a good distance maybe a 20 minute walk not slow walking either,with no problems with being out of breath or unsteady,yet they have Been awarded higher rate mobility and received a car. My son has autism and my other son has adhd I know they wouldn't be entitled to mobility and wouldn't ask as they can walk with adults supervision as the younger one runs off when angry or hears loud noise.But sounds to me you are entitled to mobility at higher rate as you struggle with many health problems and being breathless when trying to walk anywhere.
    • anthony97723
      anthony97723 claire2408

      Posted

      Claire

      It is possible to get Enhanced Mobility by scoring enough points on the "Planning and following Journeys" descriptor alone. Also Enhanced Mobility can be awarded with a combination of point scoring from both descriptors.

      Also the people you refer to might still get their mobility car under the old DLA rules where the distance which people can walk is irrelevant providing they are in severe discomfort when walking. With respect no-one but that person will know if they are in severe discomfort. Also they would have needed to provide medical evidence as the DWP don’t hand out mobility cars on a whim that is a gold plated urban myth.

      Without knowing the full circumstances no-one should be judging others in order to justify their own self interest. We the disabled get enough judgemental rubbish without dishing it out ourselves.

    • claire2408
      claire2408 anthony97723

      Posted

      Sorry I wasn't judging anyone ,only giving imformation as the people in question I mentioned I know very well and see everyday and have done for years ,so was only giving imformation that craigzeth's health problems should entitled him to some help with mobility allowance,I wasn't stating the person I know isn't entitled just that Craigzeth had more health problems ,so should be entitled, and I would not judge people with disabilities, I was a carer for 5 years myself helping others ,and I myself have 2 sons with disabilities and one of them is judged a lot as he flaps his hands all the time and shakes his head, but I learnt to ignore people ,they just don't understand he has autism.
    • anthony97723
      anthony97723 claire2408

      Posted

      Fair enough but it is one of my bug bears when posters refer to apparent benefit fraudsters as justification for their claim or indeed to someone else’s.

      This feeds into the Government narrative about those claiming disability benefits as being cheats and scroungers.

      None of us is medically trained or have a full insight to other individuals’ circumstances and what may seem at first sight to be wrong can be fully explained when the full history of that person’s physical and mental health is known.

      When giving out advice or opinions I would just ask to keep clear of that kind of narrative. Firstly it only adds to urban myths and secondly it is totally irrelevant to someone else’s circumstances.

  • gettingonmypip
    gettingonmypip craigzeth

    Posted

    Hi craigzeth.  My opinion is, you should have had a mobility award in with your"e last assessment. Your"e condition now cetainly entitles you to enhanced mobility. If they try and palm you off with standard mobility, (as they may well try) take them to town. Take care.
  • anthony97723
    anthony97723 craigzeth

    Posted

    Hi Craig

    I understand your condition as I suffer with an acoustic neuroma in my right ear which was treated with radiotherapy.

    With PIP the bottom line is the descriptors and if your condition affects you enough to fit the criteria.

    Your condition would cause deafness and balance problems but it wouldn’t make you breathless. So why do you suffer with breathlessness?

    That said the descriptor states “Can stand and then move more than 1 metre but no more than 20 metres, either aided or unaided” . Putting the breathlessness aside for now it would be reasonable to argue that you can’t safely and repeatedly move more than 20 meters due to the danger of falling over due to your balance problems. Unfortunately the assessor could consider your walking stick as an aid which might in the opinion of the assessor negate the balance problem. One other point is your condition can cause dizziness due to poor balance but again that might be negated by the walking stick aid.

    Therefore it is important to explain (with evidence) why you suffer with breathlessness. As it stands your chances of getting Enhanced Mobility are probably at best 50/50 based on what you have stated above.

    Also you have to appreciate that no-one on here was present at the assessment so we don’t know how well it went in order to give an informed opinion.

    • craigzeth
      craigzeth anthony97723

      Posted

      Hi.

      The breathlessness is generally caused by having to put more energy into walking. Because I have no balance it takes a lot more energy and concentration to walk, even with the walking stick. 

    • anthony97723
      anthony97723 craigzeth

      Posted

      Hi were you asked to walk at the assessment? If so was the breathlessness obvious?

      What claimants fail to understand is the assessor is allowed to make an opinion based on the 'balance of probabilities' this is why some of their decisions can seem so heartless and wrong.

      That is why I tend to look at it from their perspective. If they have evidence either medical or self assessment they will form their opinion on what they observe at the assessment.

      If when asked to walk you became breathless then the balance of probabilities would swing in your favor (or should do!)

      If there was no breathlessness then the assessor will decide on the balance of probabilities that you fail the 50% rule (i.e. that the breathlessness affects you more than 50% of the time one of the qualifying criteria.)

      Therefore it is very important that the breathlessness was present at the assessment. Of course assessors do get their opinions wrong but that means going down the appeal route and you having to prove why the assessor is wrong. Without direct medical evidence that can be problematic.

      If that happens I would stress the ‘dizziness’ angle as that can be very debilitating and I can speak with experience of that.

    • craigzeth
      craigzeth anthony97723

      Posted

      Hi. She didnt ask me to walk during the assessment. She watched me walk into the interview room then watched me walk out at the end. She said near the end she didnt want to test my balance because it wouldnt be fair to watch me fall over. But she did say to my companion at the end when I walked out that she could see me wavering.
    • anthony97723
      anthony97723 craigzeth

      Posted

      Fingers crossed. The assessor are not allowed to say whether your claim will be successful as that is the job of the DWP decision maker.

      However, based on my experience (& others I have spoken to) they sought of drop subtle hints when they state they don't want you to perform a task. Basically the assessor is accepting your disability. That is usually a very good sign.

    • craigzeth
      craigzeth anthony97723

      Posted

      Thanks. Its quite difficult when I meet new people who assume Im OK just because I look OK and dont wear a hearing device. When in reality Im the opposite. Makes it more difficult having to explain to people whats wrong with me.
    • gettingonmypip
      gettingonmypip anthony97723

      Posted

      Hi anthony97723.  My last PIP assessment at home, when it came to the part where they ask you to do some movements. She said to me, "this is where i have to ask you to stand, but it doesn"t matter, don"t bother". HA. In her report she stated i refused to stand. Bit silly that was, as i had company at the time.  Ta
  • gettingonmypip
    gettingonmypip craigzeth

    Posted

    Hi craigzeth. Is your"e breathlesness due to another problem! or has it came about since the operations you have had and gradual loss of hearing. The loss of one of your"e senses (hearing) at 27 is a new challenge for you and is going to put a strain on other senses. This in turn could give you anxiety and cause panick and palputations ( shortness of breath ) Things they may not pick-up in an assessment office. If this being the case, make them understand. They are pretty short of understanding is  PIP.  Ta
  • craigzeth
    craigzeth

    Posted

    One point of note is during the assessment the assessor said she didnt want to test my balance because it wouldnt be fair to see me fall over. 
    • gettingonmypip
      gettingonmypip craigzeth

      Posted

      Hi craigzeth.  That"s because they calculated that you probably would fall over. So far so good, then. Some assessor"s are spot on and helpfull. Some are not. I did not class myself as having depression, till i went for ESA assessment. They told me i was suffering  (a nurse) and added it to my notes. My Doctors never diagnosed it on me. Ta
    • craigzeth
      craigzeth gettingonmypip

      Posted

      Yeah. My assessment last year was at same place but it was a different lady who assessed me. She went over the report from last year too. She was really nice. Ive had a text from DWP saying they have all the info they need and are making a decision so hopefully get a letter from them soon. Hoping for good news.
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