Has anyone been for PIP assessment? I went yesterday not sure how it went i will have to wait to find out. But the Questions i was asked was pointless they only asked what i had written on the application to confirm what i had written, They have been in contact with my specialist who has confirmed my condition and spoken to other medical people i have seen to me it was pointless. They have all the information they need so why do they need to see you? The exercises they asked me to do where mainly pointless as they were ones that my condition is not effected by and the ones that were i could not do. Has anyone managed to get PIP for Psoriatic Arthritis or am i wasting my time?
I have been awarded PIP (upper mobility and lower daily living) each test is scored and you must get a certain number of points to get any money. Did you look up the scores before the assessment? The person that does the assessment does not know if you will be awared anything but gives a record of findings, this is then looked at. On the plus side any award given will be back dated to the date the claim was received, so you may get a large payout as it is such a long process. Good luck, remember there is hope, people have had PIP for Psoriatic Arthritis.
Hi Pippie
No i didnt realise i could look at the scoring, oh well i will just have wait to see if i get it or not. Thanks for the info
Hi Robert
I too receive PIP upper rate of the care component, nothing for mobility which I have appealed against so waiting to hear on that score. If you are not awarded it, appeal. Getting in touch with the Disability Employment Adviser at your local Jobcentre. Best thing I ever did
Thanks sheila
Good to know people have got pip just put in claim for my son
Hi Sheila how did your appeal go ? i've just put in one today, my husband had the standard rate mobility yet when he told them he's been diagnosed with Psioratic Arthritis which has made his mobility worse, he's lost it
Hi Paula,
my appeal was successful, so I now get higher rate for care and lower rate for mobility, it's odd that Pippie received it the other way round lower for care and upper rate for mobility but PsA is a strange condition which affects us all differently. I was retired from my job on grounds of capability due to ill health in Oct 2014 yet the pension provider refused my application for ill health retirement and 2 subsequent appeals. Another battle for me, as if life isn't hard enough. I think because it is a rare condition that not enough is known about it and that's why things are so very hard. It seems that only recently the medical profession are realising it is not the poor relation of rheumatoid arthritis - I mean no disrespect to folk with RA. If I can be of any help please respond or ask your husband to. You sound like a caring supportive lady, we need that. My husband is fantastic, I feel extremely blessed. Best wishes x
Thankyou sheila how long did it take to be sorted ? I'm at the mandatory reconsideration stage at the moment. I am so angry he was given 10 points for mobility when he first claimed when he hurt his back and now he's got worse with PA they've took it off him x
Hi Paula,
okay, I had 2 separate incidents which I will give you as much info as I can remember:
1. 2013 - applied for DLA (pre PIP days) I was awarded lower rate mobility, nothing for the care ccomponent, or whatever it was called then. My trade union rep thought this was very unfair as I had been confined to a wheelchair at times during 2012-13. I too went through mandatory review without success so I went to tribunal. The outcome of which was successful, the process was much better than I anticipated all I had to do was be completely honest. The ttribunal panel consisted of 3 people, one was a clinician, can't recall what the others were. I received their decision on the day.
2. Earlier this year, when PIP replaced DLA in my area, I was awarded upper rate care component but nothing for mobility. I went to mandatory appeal, attended a medical and received a positive outcome within 6 weeks.
Paula - 2 things to stress - I received loads of support from my TU rep and Disability EEmployment Advisor from the local jobcentre. You can't do this alone.
Send lots and lots and lotsof eevidence, rheumy reports, GP letters, stuff from PAPAA and other national charities. Even if your appeal has been sent in, keep sending evidence, just mark it with your reference no. I'm not going to fib, I spent lots of time and energy doing this. DWP quite correctly are rigorous, it's public funds after all.
If you would like my email address please pm me; I will do my best to help. PsA overwhelmed me, I needed and received help and it will be my pleasure to pass this on.
Thankyou so much sheila that's very helpful, we've been to the jobcentre today and asked about a disability employment advisor and was told that they can't help with this. We're going to see our gp tomorrow to aak him to write a letter for us, I've also got an email from PAPAA and a copy of their Web page. My daughter is now writing a letter explaining what she see's her dad go through on a daily basis. I'm going to phone his rheumatologist helpline tomorrow to see if they can give him a letter. I just hope it's enough, the both of us are really down and depressed at the minute, we could do with some good news.
I have no idea how to pm you lol I'm new on here.
Hi Paula,
click on the little grey envelope, top left under my name. That way you can send a private message which will be seen only by me. We will be able to communicate easier rather than a public forum. Disappointing about your jobcentre, perhaps try again and hope that you get someone more helpful. The stuff you're doing is really positive, I hope someone else on this forum may suggest other things to help you both.
Hi Robert, just came across your discussion. I have psoriatic arthritis, and osteoarthritis. I was getting the lower DLA, but my joints have got worse, so I notified the DLA, and was told I would have to apply for
PIP, this I did. I have to have a assessment on 18th February 2016. I am quite worried, as I'm not very good at explaining myself!! I agree with you, as I have given them my rheumatologist name, and orthopaedic doctors
name. Did you get PIP after?
Hi Fran,
if you get in a fluster when talking about yourself, as I do, make notes beforehand. Very useful as there's nothing worse than leaving such an appointment thinking "oh why didn't I say that?". Please read through my posts to Robert and Paula above, if you want any further help, please ask away!
Hi Fran yes i was awarded PIP. The interview is all about you and how you cope on a daily basis. I took all my notes with me just in case they didnt have them all, They will ask you to do some basic exercises/movements If you are like me you will have good and bad days, However do not feel you have to do them (the more you CANT do the better. Just tell them you cant or it hurts too much to do it. Explain how your medication effects you how you have to use painkillers to get through the day etc. Ensure that the interview is within their guidelines IE there is a distance you are allowed to travel to it if it is more than their guidelines then inform them and the same for the time it takes to get there. Any other information you need feel free to ask
Thanks Robert, I just hope my nerves don't get the better of me. I'm alright on the phone, but I always seem to say stupid things when face to face. I have my 3 monthly appointment with my rheumatologist next week, so will ask him if he can help me in anyway. Thanks again
Hi Fran your very welcome it seems that our kind government are trying to stop or remove as much benefits from people that deserve it, I have a mate that was born with Cerebal Paulsy they have taken his PIP away and his mobility car too, So you need to make it clear how difficult life is for you not on a average day but on your worse days, I can struggle to cut my food on bad days and you can forget me cooking as it takes too long for me to prepare a meal so my wife does it all they will ask you questions like can you bathe yourself dress yourself cook etc if you struggle then tell them, include how much pain you suffer not only doing these tasks but how it affects you after they will ask about your mobility how far you can walk / if you can do stairs etc. The system is not fair but you have to play the game as they do. Less you can do the more you get as sad as it is.
Hi Robert,
how ya doing? I've just pm'd Fran with exactly same Q&A's! I've just started a new injection, Stelara. Early days, this one takes about 6 months before you get the benefit. Struggling with severe pain, been on Prednisolone since Nov, to try to minimise inflammation. No fun at all. Currently receiving hydrotherapy X2 per week which helps. Sx
Hi Sheila not so bad last few weeks i have had more than the normal pain i think that is down to the weather, I am taking more than normal painkillers to get through the day, there was a post about LDN that i found interesting which i am going to look into. I have not heard of the medication your on now, I am still on MTX and Sulfasalazinewhich doe not really seem to making it any better but i dont feel much worse apart from pain it maybe the weather or it could be me getting used to the meds, Hope the new stuff works for you
I don't understand this system, I've always worked on and off since I was 16, but finished work last November as pain was getting so bad, the times I've phoned the rheumatology helpline in tears asking if I can come in for a steriod injection. All my medication that included methotrexate, simponi injection, was put on hold last December to give my stomach chance to recover, as I have IBS, and the medication was really making my stomach so painful, even though I've been on methotrexate for 5 years. My rheumatologist is now going to try me on new medication next week. It's so hard to explain to people how much pain you can be in, because on the outside you don't look too bad.