1. Community
  2. General
  3. Benefits and Allowances

What to do now

Posted , 6 users are following.

Forestflower
Forestflower

Had my pip reward review and got a decision. They’re gonna keep me on same amount of money and carry on my award.

Thing is I feel like I’m entitled to more and after having the face to face and requested and received the medical report from the accessor I feel like he dumbed down my case and didn’t really take into account how things affect me.

When I first was awarded j had depression and anxiety. 

Was awarded £200 a month for 2 years. Low moods, self harm, unable to go out anywhere alone, mum (my career) did all my shopping and spenditure and made sure I kept on top of meds and hygeune and therapy ect.

Now a year later, I have new diagnosis of ptsd bpd and gad on top of the anxiety and depression.

Things have got worse. 

And I still can’t go out anywhere alone or take responsibility for my money, need prompting to take medication, to bath, to get out of bed because depression is very debilitating some days.

I cannot cook on my own as history of self harm and impulse.. I also suffer with a lot of brain fog and my mind switches off so I can be cooking something and forget and then there’s opportunity for danger ect

I cannot go out alone at all, not even to my local shop because my panic attacks are so strong that I end up passing out.

I am in dialect behavioural therapy for my BPD and on high does medication.

I feel like my case wasn’t taken seriously enough.  I literally live inside my house because the stress of panic attacks are so strong and I’ve ended up having panic disorder over having a panic attack or having something happen to me whilst out socially.

The accessor literally just basically said I need prompting to be able to cook, and prompting to be able to carry out and follow a journey which is bull.

It’s not a case of planning a rout and then off I go, I have to know days even weeks before, I need to know what time where we will stop, how long we will be out, will I have an escape rout home if I have an attack... now to me that is not just needing prompting!

Also, with the cooking and self care.. again it’s not a case of my career sayin ok you need to make dinner now or hey, maybe you should have a bath today— she has to cook for me because I don’t eat properly and even if she does cook sometimes we argue because I’m just not hungry when I’m having a bad day, I’ve already broken 2 cookers from minor fires trying to cook and then forgetting and being distracted and have countless burns from my clumsiness. I never learnt how to cook properly anyway because when I was at the age of learning to cook for myself I was a heavy self harmer and no one trusted me., knifes were removed from the kitchen, I even had to ASK for a shaving razor when I needed one and had to have the bathroom door open while bathing because I was so addicted to self harming when I was at my lowest.

My days consist of waking up about 6am I have a few fags and a cup of tea. Then go back to bed or sit on the sofa and watch videos that cheer me up or listen to guided mindfulness tapes because if I don’t concentrate on something productive to help me stay calm then I’m spending every minute either breaking down about how s**t my life is and how much control my mind has over my “life” or I’m verging panic attacks all the time thinking something is wrong with me physically and that I’m going to die or need to go to hospital. Yes, now I’ve started therapy I try to be more productive with my time, so I sometimes fill out worksheets given from therapy, or listen to binary music to balance my emotions whilst trying an exercise tutorial to try and get my body releasing endorphins- but even then it’s that nagging feeling of not wanting to be here. 

If I eat I feel fat, if I don’t eat I’m scared I’ll die so I have to distract myself from “reality” so I don’t need to eat.

I don’t want to die I’m scared to take my life but I don’t NOT want to be here more days than not and if it wasn’t for my health anxiety and fear of death and pain then I wouldn’t be here.. 

I’m alive but I’m not living. I’m 22 and I’ve never been able to work from my anxiety and ibs.. I’ve never been out to a club or a bar, never gone shopping alone, never cooked a full meal safely, never achieved anything and been able to stick to it because my mind is so treaters that I’ve had to create a safe place inside of it where I can live out my life inside my box room and be safe from myself.

But yet, I just need prompting to eat and go out and I’m abit irritated and impatient?!

Am I over reacting in feeling completely let down by this guy? Do I have a leg to stand on asking for a reconsideration? 

Am I within my rights to challenge the decision?

I need advice.

I need reassurance or a kick up the arse one way or another because I’ve been trying for over 10 years to get better and I finally get a diagnosis after struggling for years to talk about my life and my issues for a guy in a tie to turn around and say that I’m basically fine?

Can they lower my money/take away my award if I challenge this? And if I chose to, who can I turn to for help to do it because I haven’t got a clue and to be honest if I try and do it without someone who knows what they are doing, I’ll just mess it up anyway.

Please help/: 

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • Southernbelle
    Southernbelle Forestflower

    Posted

    You can appeal and ask for a reassessment, but yes it can result in a downgrading of your award so it’s a chance you take. 
    • Forestflower
      Forestflower Southernbelle

      Posted

      See this is why I am confused because I spoke to dwp on the phone and the woman said they cannot lower it or take it away only refuse to higher it and stay at same level or higher it /:
  • Twiglet.12
    Twiglet.12 Forestflower

    Posted

    Hi Forestflower, so what were you awarded last time and what have you been awarded this time?

    Twiglet,

    • Forestflower
      Forestflower Twiglet.12

      Posted

      2 years pip £200 a month 

      This time it’s £200 a month and another assessment in 18 months 

  • denise15811
    denise15811 Forestflower

    Posted

    Hi,

    Yes, you have every right to ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration and you have 1 month from the date of the decision to request this. You can indeed lose everything you already have and they will look at the whole award again and not just part of it.It can also stay the same or be increased. You'll need to put your request in writing stating what you disagree with and what you think you should have been awarded. If you haven't got a copy of the assessment report then ring DWP and ask them to send this to you. This will help you write the MR letter. Did you send in evidence to support your claim? Great if you did but more will be needed for the MR.

    You also need to consider that most MR 80% infact remain the same. The likelyhood of you having to take it to Tribunal is extremely high. 65% of those who appear at their Tribunal have a decision in their favour. So if you do decide to appeal and you get this far i'd strongly advice you to attend in person.

    Remember also that PIP isn't awarded based on a diagnosis, it's how those conditions affect you daily. When writing that MR try to stick to the facts as much as possible and avoid wandering off onto on the lies that were stated. You need them to read that letter and not get bored of the length it is. I know that sounds really harsh but it's true.

    Only you can decide what to do. CAB are very good at helping with this sort of this or google a disability advice centre near you. You need to bear in mind that most of them are very busy and they may not be able to fit an appointment in the time you have. If you do decide to ask for the MR have a ring around to see who is available to help. Also gather more evidence before ringing to request that MR. Once you ring to request they will give a 1 month from that day of asking. Good luck.

    • ginger26
      ginger26 denise15811

      Posted

      It's ok going to tribunal denise I applied before exmas and still waiting rang them they are so far behind told me could be 12 month and said I can come at a mins notice but hey ho still waitinh

    • denise15811
      denise15811 ginger26

      Posted

      Yes, Tribunal backlogs are huge right across the country, so i heard. Telling them you can go at short notice will hopefully make it a little quicker.
    • Forestflower
      Forestflower denise15811

      Posted

      So I sent in my diagnosis and assessment by physiatrist.

      I also sent in a letter from my career.

      And bought in my medications.

      I don’t know what else I could gather for evidence? 

      I have the assessor report yes 

  • ginger26
    ginger26 Forestflower

    Posted

    Stick with what you have you don't want to appeal and lose like a lot are

  • Twiglet.12
    Twiglet.12 Forestflower

    Posted

    Hi all, I went to tribunal in April 2016, I was awarded Standard daily living and Standard mobility. having to reapply again this time after asking for a MR, I was not awarded mobility but only standard daily living.

    I received my letter last week and it says that I have been awarded until November 2021, they have also paid me what they owed me from September 2017, I have spoken with my welfare officer and i have decided to except the decision as I don't want it any further.

  • Forestflower
    Forestflower

    Posted

    Thankyou for all your advise everyone. I think I’m going to stick with what I have 
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.