Thank you so much for replying to me LakieLady. I was actually quite embarrassed by last night's post. I was a bit drunk and really upset. We phoned the 'home visit team' this morning apparently they have refused a home visit but didn't even have the basic common decency to bother to inform me of this fact. Apparently two faxes from my wonderful respected Doctor will not change their mind. I have an appointment this week down the local centre which we have told them I am not up to going to. (I am just not up to it) They said they will send me a form to fill in when I fail to attend demanding to know why. I poured my heart out in the initial form. I told them everything and I had medical backup. I literally cannot believe how cruel these people are. Their agenda is clear. Save money, destroy poor people.

Had a review with the person who is coming to my Pip tribunal with me yesterday because he wanted to see how I was getting on with the amitriptyline and the gp appointment.
It turns out he had to call the courts as well because the date the tribunal has been set he can't make it.
After trying to talk to someone at the courts he was told he had to write in and get the date changed. He was very surprised at this because he's been able to change the date over the phone before. So the tribunal looks like it won't be the 24th June after all. More anxiety and stress now as I don't know how long it will be before I get a new date through.

Wouldn't be so bad if the amitriptyline has started working, it hasn't so far. 12 days on it right now. Guess I am expecting it to work straight away.

At least I have a appointment this Thursday 28th for the pain clinic, I am hoping he will have some answers as to why the nerve block injections stopped working for me, and if he has something else I can try and get rid of this pain that seems to be part of my life 24/7 now.

Hi All

Quick update to my post,19/3/16.

I had my second hip replaced as scheduled on 22/3 all went great and left hospital on day1 uncomfortable but feeling very optimistic fool that I am!

All going great until 4 weeks later when I tripped over my own feet and dislocated it.
Never have I felt pain as bad ever!!!!

My PIP assessment was still planned for the 22nd and duly at 10.30 on the dot, a woman turned up. The assessment lasted about 6 minutes before she stopped it saying she felt I was not fit enough to continue.

So here I am , playing the waiting game. Luckily ,the new appointment is 9a.m on the 23rd May so I hope that it all goes as planned this time.

In the meantime,I am trying to remain positive as I face emergency physiotherapy and the next 3 months at least doing practically nothing-no bending,twisting,lifting just monotony of months of very boring ,very tedious exercise and careful life.
all very necessary to long term mobility.

Hiya I hope you get the right result and that the PIP assessment wasn't too stressful for you.

You ready so many horror stories I was petrified before going to my PIP assessment but thankfully the man was lovely, he couldn't have been any more nicer and understanding. Xx

Update, started on 10-02-2016,

Just been awarded PIP HRC and HRM.

7

Blimey, that's a good result! Well done.

Don't forget, if you don't have any other adults living with you, you'll now be entitled to some extra on your ESA/JSA.

can anyone tell me how long it took to hear a decision after their assesment for esa!? , i know it varies from area to area and was told it could take between 2-4 weeks , i'm into my 3rd week now and i'm up all night with worry and i'm not sleeping properly because i'm so worried i've failed

On most occasions that I have had to wait for mine it has taken 6-8 weeks, and in one instance I did not even get a decision letter, I just got an increase in benefit that I only knew about by checking my bank account.

As indicated in the post above, things vary so it might take a few weeks to a couple of months depending on how high the workload. Please try not to worry because it's not constructive and you can always get professional help from any one of the Citizens Advice Bureau, local council benefits advice unit or community law centre if you need to appeal a decision and I would suggest getting in touch with them as soon as possible for advice in the event that you do need to appeal.

My husband is in receipt of contribution-based ESA under special rules, and there has been no issue for several weeks. This week, he didn't receive any payment. We had no notification of any problem/change and indeed nothing had changed, so had to chase up the payment on the phone. After three phone conversations with two different people, a few hours later the funds were manually released with no explanation, although we did get the reassurance that there was "nothing wrong with the claim". Really could have done without the stress, but at least it was sorted quickly.

Has anyone had experience of this? Any idea what may have happened? Or is it just one of those things and we now have to keep a vigilant eye every fortnight?

Ime, unfavourable decisions tend to be quicker than favourable ones, so try not to worry.

Mysterious cock-ups happen from time to time, I wouldn't worry. One fortnight, nearly all our ESA clients in the same town got their money late.

It may have had something to do with the bank holiday. Paying loads of people may have cocked up later payments.

Thanks for your reply.

I'm so confused. I had a medical assessment due, I was prepared to go and do whatever they asked, then the day before I received a letter saying it had to be postponed, fair enough I thought.

However now I have a new appointment on a date I simply cannot make (personal reasons) and I rang them to ask if it can be rescheduled but they said no?

What I don't get is, it's okay for them to reschedule me but I'm not allowed to reschedule!? (you get what I mean).

I heard you have one chance of rescheduling an appointment, have they used up my reschedule!?

I'm fed up of saying reschedule.

You still have to give a good reason for the request.

They have a judge?

^^^ This, and it does have to be good reason, e.g. inconvenience to social life coffee meetings won't suffice but having a conflicting hospital appointment with a medical consultant would.

"The DM" in the quote refers to Decision Maker. That is the person that would make the decision on the matter, ie not a junior clerk. Unless you gave that day as one of your "unavailable" days on the form and don't otherwise have a good enough reason, there is not much you can do.

It collides with a GP appointment. Maybe I can reschedule it though, I do need it soon

Okay so I just received an email from them saying that they're now investigating whether I am allowed to have a face to face assessment "in light of recent events". I never asked for one!

Is that their way of saying, "yes your interview will be postponed".

Both now, and in the past, you seem to have a lot of issues all going on together which makes your benefits case more complex.

Therefore, the best advice in this instance is probably to make an appointment at the nearest Citizens Advice Bureau (please put in your postcode here https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ab...advice/advice/) and get assigned a benefits case worker whom you can turn to for advice as and when you need it. I would also suggest taking your DWP paperwork with you to your first CAB consultation session. That way, you will get the best professional advice and help with your particular case.

Good advice to go to Citizens Advice, but many of them aren't able to do case work and don't have benefits case workers. But they will be able to help and advise.

Hello!

Can I ask a little bit of advise about filling in the PIP claim form? I'm not sure if this is the right thread?

The form asks for a list of health conditions. And I'm not sure what to put. I have either IIH or chronic migraine, depending on results of another lumber puncture that I'm waiting for an appointment for. So, I have one of them, but not sure which. And since I can't definitively say which, am I filling out this form a bit prematurely?

I think you can put your symptoms down if you don't have a diagnosis yet.

Thank you! I have a diary of my day to day life, would that help? I'll also put in the letters from my Neurologist that state it's either chronic migraine or IIH.
I'm realising why I really didn't want to apply for PIP.