Diary of a benefit claimant.

It’s difficult isn’t it, when you’ve always worked hard and carried on regardless? The automatic default setting is ‘Yes, I’ll manage’. You must give yourself a good talking to before your assessment! Recite a hundred times ‘No I can’t’ to get used to it!

Thank you.
That really is something I need to remember.
I seem to have this inbuilt need to say "well, I suppose I could do that..." rather than just saying nope! Can't do it!
I'm sure I made that mistake a good few times in the pip assessment.

I had an assessment after my daughter died, so I gather it is just about whether I can stand, walk, engage with others, etc.
The emphasis on what I can do, in other words.
I'm dreading this one more than anything so far. Sigh.

Miss Adventure, do remember that if you cannot do something safely, and reliably, then say you cannot do them.

If it is for Fitness for Work, it won’t involve any of the things StarDreamer suggested last night.

Always always appeal

Miss Adventure, are you taking letters from doctor, hospital consultants if you have them, anything to help back you up.
Sorry if someone has already said this.
Also you must explain how you feel on your worst day, not your best. I kept trying to tell my brother this. It isn't cheating the system, otherwise they will expect you to work, when clearly you cannot.

Whiff, if you are refused please do appeal. My brother was refused first time around but got it on appeal . So to was a close friend. They do not seem to care what is wrong with people. It makes such a difference having that extra money.
Good luck to you both.

It allows for my grandson, too, growstuff, that's the extra on top of my jobseekers.

MissAdventure Just a word of caution ... if you're receiving £604 per month Jobseeker's Allowance, you're already receiving something extra for something (not sure what). Standard JSA (or its UC equivalent) is £77 per week.

Good news Whiff. Hope it all goes well for you and for MissA.

That's brilliant news, Whiff.

The person I spoke to was really very nice, for what it's worth.

I may change my opinion on that, down the line, though.

If you're able, it's recommended that you record the call, and it is allowed, too.
You just have to tell the person at the start .

Had a message yesterday saying I have a telephone assessment for PIP on the 5th July. I took a photo copy of my claim form and will make sure I have that on the table in front of me plus all my letters from various neurologists . Fingers crossed I will finally be able to get some financial help after being refused the last 34 years because my condition had no name until April this year. And it's hereditary and rare. Thank goodness my neurologist had my blood genetically tested or I still wouldn't know what was wrong with me. But having a name for my condition has helped me find help from others all over the world with it . Than goodness for my brilliant new neurologist .

Reading all your helpful advice has helped me . If I am refused already decided I will appeal. Thank you all again ?

Well, if it comes to it, if you have a pen and paper you could try creative writing and train and work from home. Short stories for women's magazines, poems and so on. Even if you could not sell any you would still be being seen to having activity.

I was in the system jobseeking and they do not sanction people for not getting a job because no jobseeker can get a job if the employer does not make an offer.

Likewise with literacy, if they want someone to go on a literacy course, they might sanction if the person does not turn up, but not if they go but can't do it.

All the talk on the television from time to time about sanctioning people for not accepting a job offer rarely mentions the rules that a person is allowed to refuse a job that is against their religion or conscience and a person is allowed to refuse a job if the person considers it damaging to his or her health.

MissAdventure, is there absolutely no one who could go with you. it would be good if someone could, both for your own physical support, and perhaps to help explain how your condition affects you, makes you unable to work presently.
are there any disability rights groups local to you, that you could contact for advice or advocacy.
all the best.
did you ever go to any GN meet-ups. could any of us go with you, depending on area. just a thought.

I think it is based more on physical ability, rather than actual medical results.
I don't have diabetes, I do have high blood pressure, but the point they want to get to is can I stand? Yes.
Can I lift my arms above my head? Yes.
Did I have the wherewithal to attend the appointment? Yes.
Can I engage with others? Yes.

Lovely!! I can work!!!

It could possibly be a full medical, a discussion and also blood pressure, stethoscope, urine sample (supplied in privacy) (into which a special disposable dipstick is put as a broad screen and a diabetes check) a balance between establishing whether someone is fit for work and trying to make sure that the system has not missed anything medical.

Sort of integrated between DWP and NHS.

It's downstairs, so that won't be a problem. (Except I can barely walk)

Yes, I think this will be more medically based; lifting arms and so on.

I have a letter with all the details, (including covid guidance) but I haven't read it yet.

My table is awash with piles and piles of paperwork, which I must go through.

Is this a medical one with a doctor?

I seem to remember something somewhere that if the person attending would have problems going up stairs then the people there need advance notice so as to have the assessment take place on the ground floor.

I don't know (and it is not my business to know and I am not asking) whether going up stairs would be a problem for you, I'm just mentioning the stated process if a ground floor meeting is what is wanted.

Do COVID-19 retrictions still apply?

www.gov.uk/government/publications/attending-a-face-to-face-health-assessment-during-covid-19

That web page is atill there and no update saying otherwise.

As far as my precautions go, COVID-19 is still a threat.

www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-covid-alert-level

The threat level is still 3 (epidemic) but it seems widespread that many people are acting as if it has gone away.

An update.

I have another assessment next week, and I have to go in person for this one.

Preferable to take someone with me (except I don't have anyone)

If I "pass" this one, then I will not be pestered to attend training courses, and look for jobs, and will also get a bit more money than at present, which would be welcome.

I'm in debt up to my eyeballs, havent been able to look after grandson, and just generally feel awful.

£604 a month jobseekers allowance, and I have now been awarded council tax benefit £12 (not sure if that's per week or month)

My job coach told me he had been told to encourage me into training sessions and so on, but he had marked me down as unable to - which is the absolute truth.

To MissAdventure

I have just seen this article.

I am not sure if it has anything you don't already know about, but on the basis of better to know twice than not at all, here is a link.

www.mirror.co.uk/money/universal-credit-claimants-see-payments-27251798

grannyactivist thank you for replying. I am a patient person so will just wait and see what happens.

icanhandthemback

Honestly, StarDreamer, I don't care what gender you are. Sorry I called you a she if it offends.

No it did not offend at all. If I had seen your post earlier I would have replied and mentioned being male, not for a childhood-like "I'm not a girl!" just for clarity.

Honestly, StarDreamer, I don't care what gender you are. Sorry I called you a she if it offends.

Whiff I’m afraid it’s impossible to give timetables regarding the processing of PIP applications because every area works to a different schedule. My most recent PIP Appeal was held during Covid and was therefore conducted by telephone. All the participants dialled in from our own homes and I must say I found it very hard not to actually be with my client. In fact the criteria was very strict and we were not allowed to be in a room where another person was present or could overhear our conversation. The result was posted very quickly though (we won) and the award was backdated to the date of the claim.

For the avoidance of doubt I only teturned to the computer at 14:36 as I have been getting my Tesco grocery delivery in and before that moving the previous week's grocery out of quarantine so that the quarantine area was ready for the new delivery of grocery to be placed there. So I had no opportunity to have replied to icanhandthemback to clarify the situation.

Anyway, what is the problem, a man can show kindness and try to help.