PIP form

vampire I do hope your appointment went well and that you're safely back home taking a big breath of relief that it's over.

I really hope you've had a good outcome vq and whatever happened wasn't too stressful

My son was turned down BTW which is what I was expecting.

Any news yet, [vampirequeen]

Do not fill forms like this in for yourself. Go to your local CAB abd get them to help you.

Thank you for all the support. I had to go to the assessment centre. The stress started to really build from Saturday and I self harmed many times. Wednesday morning I had to hurt myself quite a lot in order to release the tension. DH had to virtually drag me to the car and then from the car park into the building. The panic attack started in the car park and quickly got worse. Everyone was so nice. They took me into a room away from the understandable stares from other people in the waiting room. I couldn't come out of the attack but two nurses or at least I think they were nurses were livid. They told DH that I should never have been forced to attend an assessment and one phoned the powers that be whilst we were there. She told them I was too ill to be there and they were causing me intense psychological distress. They were very concerned about the self harm but I had to do that to get there.

The upshot is that 'someone' is going to look at my form again and try to make a decision based on that and a form that the ladies complete but if they can't then they'll arrange a home visit.

So now I'm stressing about what decision they'll make. I wish they'd leave me alone.

Keeping fingers crossed that they decide in your favour and do not stop your benefits, vampire, or expect you to have more assessment.
That always used to amuse me, that my husband could not get anywhere he could be assessed or go to work anyway unless I or someone else took him.
At least with the nurses' information, you have extra ammunition.
Good luck.

Vampirequeen can you not get a letter from your doctor to say that you are not well enough to attend an assesment?

So sad but angry that you are having to go through all this.
I have a member of my extended family who self harms and it is hard for us to understand how causing yourself pain brings relief but I know it is so.
I suppose you and you alone have a measure of control over what is happening to you that no-one else can.

I was speaking to someone recently who has MS, remitting/re-occurring type. Unfortunately he had his PIP assessment on a 'good' day, so the assessor wrote on the form that the applicant seemed to be able to do most things on the day of the assessment and the PIP payment was withdrawn.

It has now been reinstated, but how ignorant (or determined to turn down the aaplicant)the assessor was, not to understand the nature of the disease they were assessing.

I'm so sorry to hear you had to go through all that, vampirequeen.
I have supported a relative through this and know how frightening it can be. Try to put it out of your mind until you hear from them.

I offered to get a letter from my GP, M0nica but was told that wasn't sufficient. They were determined that I attend the assessment.

The system is set up to stop your benefits. If I hadn't got there they would have stopped my benefits automatically. It's a no win situation for the claimant.

vampirequeen I absolutely agree, that PIP assessments are set up with the intention of refusing benefit if at all possible.

I have a friend who has recently retired from chairing appeal tribunals and what he has to say on the subject of these asessments is unprintable.The success rate of those making appeals bears this out. For that reason at one point the government did try to abolish them, but, thank God, had to back track.

It's so cruel but it's what we've come to expect from this government.....and previous governments. The measure of a society is how it cares for it's young, old and sick. Sadly ours seems to be lacking in compassion for those in need whilst giving to those who already have plenty.