Yeah, I'd submit the diary.

They don't care the diagnosis. All they want to know is "how does your illness or disability mean you meet the criteria?"

Ah thank you. That's exactly what I needed to hear.

Yes, all they care about is their limited range of criteria and whether you hit those criteria, or not. My husband has a whole range of issues that their questions don't even touch on - so some of the most debilitating aspects of his problems, score in 0 points - because they really are only scoring you on that narrow range of criteria.

This is the clearest layout of it I've seen and we used this to construct our argument for Mandatory Reconsideration, recently:

http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/pip/indexxx.php

You can see precisely which points you get for what.

DLA took into account everything but this only cares about how you hit these 'goals' or not.

Bear this in mind, as well:


I managed to get higher rate on both sides of PIP for my son - and although people say they aren't interested in diagnoses (and they aren't), in the end he got it because of "Extra information from the GP". That extra information was in fact a piece of paper with only 4 words on it. My son's diagnosis. Nothing about how it affects him (mainly because my son was diagnosed in 1996, and has never been to the GP for it again as it is a condition that there is no real therapy/medication for).

So although people say they don't care what you have - it is random and badly implemented and you might get someone who counts a piece of paper with 4 words on it as a lengthy discussion of whether you can perform the 'tasks'.

All bets are off, in other words.

Find a local Disability Rights Group and let them help you fill in the form. If it goes to MR then appeal (which it often does) then they can help you. If they do't help you fill in the original form you are unlikely to get help if you need it later, for an appeal as many are snowed under and will only help their own clients.

The Group who helped me with my son's forms, had a waiting list of 4 weeks. And you have to get the forms back within 4 weeks of the date on them (after they've spent a week or two slowly winging their way to you). So we squeaked in luckily, with only a day or so to spare. So seek help now.

The reasonable time period is something about it taking more than double a non-disabled person.

You only need help 50% of the time and it only has to be reasonable.

The person reading your form won't assume anything. I, for example, have a rare visual impairment which causes a pretty common problem (amongst other things, I'm colourblind and have another condition because of it) which whilst this is documented in anything you find online, the person reading my form won't make that assumption - not every single person is colourblind or has the other diagnosis.

This morning I received an ESA50 in the post, on the letter it states that I need to fill in the questionnaire and return it by 14th July. Each time I've spoken to the dwp they have said that my last assessment covered the period from March 2014 until the end of September 2016. I'm now very confused and worried why I've been sent an ESA50 this early.

Presumably that's because, as a government department, they don't do competent, joined up thinking. You can try to speak to them again about this inconsistency but if they ultimately want the form back by 14 July then comply with their wishes to avoid benefit sanctions, etc.

What I'd suggest doing is looking through this thread and at the various free fill-in guides that are available for both physical and mental health issues. In addition, if you still feel you need help to fill in the form and make the strongest case then by all means seek help as soon as possible from the nearest Citizens Advice Bureau, local council benefits advice unit or community law centre depending what is available locally to you.

so i'm into my 5th week of not hearing anything after my medical, so today i thought i'd ring for the first time to see if their was an update just for my piece of mind, and i can honestly say i spoke to the most rude and nasty woman ever! she started mouthing off saying she couldn't understand why i rang because they don't like to give timescales, she said most cases are resolved within 3 weeks but it can take longer, she took my details and said theirs nothing on the system and then went on to tell me about the timescales again, at this point i was shaking with anger! , i explained to her i found her rude and abrupt! , i said i'm ringing because i was advised to contact for an update if after 4 weeks i'd not heard anything, and that i'm well aware it can take a long time and that i don't appreciate being spoken to like a child when i suffer from severe depression and anxiety and i was asking for an update as it's causing me sleepless nights worrying i've failed and it's piece of mind for me, well she couldn't have cared less and just said if theirs nothing else i can help you with, then goodbye!!

I'm my son's appointee, so did all the form filling and phone calls. (The fact he has an appointee should have told them all they needed to know). I rang up several times to check on progress and once got this really vicious, unpleasant woman - maybe the same one you got! She was very rude, abrupt and uncommunicative. So ten minutes later I rang again, got a different person and they were helpful and told me what I needed to know, no problem.

I know it's a pain in the arse when you might be on hold and pressing 6000 different numers for half an hour, but if you can face it, the best thing to do is ring right back. You might get an actual humanoid!

Have had the same experience last week phoning re Carer's Allowance. I rang. An abrupt and rude man. He gave me 'advice' that seemed kosher, despite his unpleasant phone manner, and advised me to ring PIP about something before he'd even process my claim. (They'd ahd the online form for weeks without writing to tell me they were not bothering to process it til I did something else...) PIP told me what 5 mins' research on the internet had already told me - that the man's advice was totally incorrect. Within half an hour, I was back on the phone to them - this time a different person who knew what she was doing (sounded like a Manager, in fact), knew instantly that the earlier 'adviser' had given out weird and wrong info, pt it all right on the system, gave me sound advice... job done.

These people are very badly trained I guess, as they are so variable.

I've never had anyone nasty on the phone as it's on the system that I record all phone calls,
I also start off telling them about it being on the system about me recording the phone call, it's what people need to do just to stop this kind of thing and stop the lies.

Question about going away:
I'm in England and am due to go to Scotland for a few days in September / October. I assume they (ESA / DLA) need to know? The gov.uk website just mentioned abroad / outside of Great Britian.

I am somewhat angry that with the impending medical assessment looming and colliding on a day I have an appointment, they won't reschedule. What makes me even more mad is how, unless I hadn't have emailed them around 3 weeks ago (which was when my first assessment date was) I would'nt have actually known it had been cancelled without that correspondence. Because on the exact date (three weeks ago) it was due, I received a letter notifying me of a rescheduled date and time.

Yet when I need to reschedule because of my health, it's a no-no?

Again, I suspect it is down to the individual you get on the other end of the phone. There is an ESA/PIP applicants' support group on FB. Many people there seem to have had similar experiences to you, and sometimes if they phone back, they will get a kind and accomodating person. Sometimes, not. The whole thing is a lottery.

Just been sent a letter to apply for PIP. Not looking forward to this at all.

Esa50 came today, luckily I kept a copy of my last one so just need to tweak it abit then I can send it off.
Getting this has not helped with stress and depression at all, Gp finally decided I was suffering from depression after all.. He has been upping the amitriptyline each time I visit but it still seems to have been no help so far.
I also have my PiP tribunal on the 24th June, so I have that to make my stress levels sky high right now.
Made even worse by the fact that my representative can't make that day so he asked the courts to change it, which they have refused to do. So that isn't helping things.
My pain clinic doctor has told me I have to try his nerve block injections again, even though they didn't do anything for the pain at the last one, failing that a pain management course once my depression has stabilised.
The way I am right now its a good job I have no nice alcohol in the house cuz its perfect at helping me forget stuff (shame I can't take it with the painkillers and antidepressants anyway)

Yes I'd probably agree with that tbh.

As it happens, they have rescheduled me...again (but this time it's okay because I had a GP appointment the same day, but still, THEY have rescheduled twice now)

No they don't need to know, it is only a few days. If you were on JSA they may need to know, but ESA no, and DLA definitely not.

That's good to know, thanks

Apparently they have been sending them out 6 months before
it seems since the new company have taken over the backlogs in many areas for both ESA/DLA-PIP have been dramatically reduced.

that last 18 months ATOS were in charge the clear cut cases were just being sent back to the DWP. until the new companies took over and a lot of people who didn't have a face to face first time on the ESA50's they are now having it.

its worth remembering these will be viewed as new applications to its vital you provide as much detail as the first time.

I'd put both, eg "? IIH/chronic migraine" and explain that you're awaiting tests that will confirm the diagnosis.

PIP is all about how your illness affects your ability to do stuff, and not really about what's wrong with you.

Thank you. And thank you too to Hogzilla.
I filled it in and sent it last week. I included my 3 month pain diary and a 2 week day to day living diary. And also some letters from my Neurologist, ophthalmologist and haematologist. None are really definitive on diagnosis, but do detail the issues I'm having and details about my vision loss and blood disorders. It's just all so nerve wracking. I can't function, but I don't think there's ever been a point where I've actually told any of my consultants how much I struggle in detail. Nobody is really interested in my living conditions, just the symptoms.

I feel like I'm setting myself up for a fall.

ETA because I forgot the most important bit:
If I continue the day to day living diary, as well as the pain one, would I be able to take them to the consultation?

And when it asked about issues getting to the centre for the meeting, I said I'd be unable to on a migraine day (25 migraine days a month on average). I keep reading about how difficult it is to rearrange an appointment, and I'm not going to know whether I can leave the house or not till its time to go. Can you arrange home visits? Would they likely give me a home visit or am I screwed?

This came up with a GP years ago. She said that in general, they don't know how your disability affects you; aside maybe a few things. So, I had to ask for a referral because I am really struggling with reading and there was no obvious reason (ie, I don't appear to be losing any vision) for this.

I had a friend start to go through PIP forms with me. How bloody depressing. Very useful though.

I always see a locum at my GP's, and they are useless for me. I always have to start from the beginning and I get the feeling they really don't know how to help. One sent me off to A&E with suspected meningitis, and I hadn't even gone about the migraine I had, just for the review and dose increase on the amitriptyline.

I know how you feel with the reading (and writing). Some days I feel like I've lost all ability to English!

Hi

The GP forms the dwp send out invariably come back blank aside from name and diagnosis.

Yes keep your diary going. You can submit it on the day to be sent off by the assessor to be included with your other evidence

With regards home visits. Very hard to get one and best requested by your GP if they're amenable. You only get 1 chance to reschedule at the centre even if you're unwell (which by the nature of the business seems harsh) However the centres will overbook and send people away but that's ok..very unfair

I was on ESA for a couple of months until I had my assessment which I got 0 points in which I took to tribunal and they upheld DWP decision. I signed onto Universal Credit but I am having real troubles with my health.

I am hearing impaired which I inherited biologically from my mothers side of the family. Over the past few years I feel my condition is getting worse and worse and in the past 6 months ago is getting significantly worse.

I have been working with my GP to get a diagnosis and have only recently been referred to a specialist.

My problem is I don't feel I am fit for work. Obviously my hearing has gotten significantly worse.

I have constant tinnitus, am sensitive to sound and have sound distortion where sounds and voice are almost robotic and artifical. My ears feel under pressure like when you go up in an aeroplane. I get migrains. I have unsteadiness/vertigo/dizzyness/clumsiness episodes. I have concentration difficulty and a tendency to get hung up on what words I am trying to say.

I have a horrible UC advisor she is very by the book and apparently I cannot claim for ESA because it is something I have already claimed for in the past yet they are expecting me to do 35 hours job search a week and apply for anything and everything I can.

I go to Remploy to see an advisor and even he has noticed a change in me and he said how was I supposed to go for interviews when I am clearly unwell and wouldn't be able to function in an interview let alone in the work place.

I don't know what I can do, UC advisor, UC Call Centre, ESA, all don't care and the one person that does (my Remploy advisor) is basically powerless. It could take up to 18 weeks to get a specialist appointment and I can't sit in front of a computer 6 hours a day when I cant concentrate, have bad migraines, etc..

So since I'm in between diagnosis, I can't rely on that?

I'm dreading this. I don't even know if I'll be capable of getting to the centre. M realising that to get anywhere with this condition I have to put myself through torture first.