Change in circumstance

General health and lifestyle
1

Hi all

At the moment l receive the standard rate pip and the standard disability. My last f2f was in january and although l did not agree with a lot written in my report l waw just happy l was getting some help.

I am 44 and 3 years ago my life changed when l developed Ostioarthritis in my hips. Until.then l has worked from the day l left school full time and was now a bank manager.

I had both hips replaced one in dec 2015 and the other feb 2016.. i spent months at home recovering and developed bad depression and anxiety which was just the start of my downwards spiral. My knee's started giving me pain and after xrays l again was told my knees both needed replaced. I had my 1st done in august 2016 and tgen decided l needed a break from surgery as l had 3 major ops in the space of a year l had developed a fear of going out my home. My husband became my career and l so wanted to get my old self back. So l returned to work but had to give up my position as my head was nit clear enough and it was to much stress. I could only manage to do 3 days a week and changed my hours to part time but it was my last grasp at being normal. In this time l applied for pip telling them all what had happened and that.l now slept on couch everynight my moods were awful as arthritis had took over my life. My husband went part time so that he was there to care for me when l needed which was a lotvlike showering and making food he did all my medication for me and had also took ovef finances. We do not go out anywhere we can not go holidays l have lost the confident person l used to be. I gave all the evidence l could to the dwp including letters from my surgeon and doctors and my persin that accesed me for a disability badge. Bearing in mind l still sufffer a lot of pain from the knee that needs replaced so take stong medication everyday. I hardly sleep its in and off day and night but just recently l got very bad pain in my ankle and found out the OA had now soread to it and l urgently needed surgery to get my ankle fused. I gave now informed dwp about my change in corcumstances since january and have sent them the new evidence of even my surgeon saying l should be getting a mobility rate meaning the enhanced rate as mt condition was getting worse all the time. I am off work again as l.have just had ankle surgery but l had to sit and go through the full pip form again adding on that my condition was getting worse l was not sure if l could ever return to work and l cant drive the manual car that l have because of my ankles. I am now seeing a specialist to see if l have an underlying condition that has brought this arthritis into my life in past 3 years.

I hated doing the form again and when l matched it to the points awarded to me the 1st time around there was loads of questions l got no marks out of 8 when l clearly deserved 4 at least. I was 2 points away fo the enhanced rate that if l got would help me get an automatic car.

I am dreading the f2f again and dont think its even needed since my other was just january. But l know l will which will be very hard considering l am.housebound with a cast on for 15 weeks.

Why do they make it so hard for genuine cases like mine. I rely on.my pip.now but l have got to go through all this stress again because l have got worse.. the systems all wrong 😕

2

It's very stressful, i completely agree. The problem is if someone reports any changes they'll then send you the full "PIP2" form. Where as if you wait till your review you get sent the short version of the form. For the mobility you now need to prove that you can't walk 20 metres regularly, reliable, without pain and discomfort but i don't think not being able to drive your manual car would be enough. You'll most likely be asked to attend another f2f assessment as most people are. It will be the same process as the first one you had. Hopefully you won't be waiting too long and the outcome will be in your favour. Good luck and please do let us know.

3

Thanks Denise because l have been thriugh it all before with the 1st time l.know what to expect at the f2f. I am not just doing it because of the car its the fact my mobility has got a lot lot worse and l can't even go out the house at all now partly because of pain and unable to walk anybmore than a few meters. I am currently in a cast and have had ankle fusion done but that does change that l an in constant pain due to mt knee that needs replaced and the surgeon thinks that the arthritis moving to all joints in my body its just a matter of timevit goes to my other ankle and l still have a knee replaacement ti get done.

The fact is ny conditions just getting worse after 2 joint replacemenrmts 2 years if pain and unable to walk more than a metre or two. I have a letter of evidence from my surgeon about it and it does mention on it that it would be easier for me to get a mobiliry car as l would manage at least to drive a bit when l feel ok. But they basically done me out of points in my 1st form on a few of the questions they never gave me any points when l clearly was due 2 to 4 for the question. The fact l have worked all my life and then suddenly my life suddenly has been turned upside down l cant do most things l used to and without my husband l would need a carer they still want to stress me to the max by making me go through this all again is terrible. It took me 2 weeks to fill.the form out again as l.have no concentrarltion because of the pain and the fact l have to take morphine to cope with pain. Do they think l want my life to be over at 44 as l have no quality of life and my husband has had to live it with me its not fair.

L x

4

I'm not sure that your surgeon mentioning "it'll be easier for you to get a mobility car" will help you. You're going to need more proof than this for Enhanced Mobility.

I know the feeling about pain. I take morphine and have done for 3 years, it doesn't help a great deal but no idea what i'd do if i didn't take it.

There's nothing much you can do but wait for that assessment like the last time. Hopefully for you they won't take what you have away from you and you'll get a possitive outcome. Good luck.