Basically I can't afford the decent food so we are cutting back on everything. Eating alot of stews and such as they can be bulked out for little cost.
My fella can't do the prep for the food as he is exhausted needing to work 15 hour days (coach drivers busy season, lots of day trips)so its left to me, with odd help from one of my sons. The other is either asleep or working so no help there either. The joys of needing to work (boy I wish I was working too)

I finally got my decision for pip today. I only got standard daily living component. The decision letter has knocked me for six. They basically said "you say struggle with this, but we've decided you can do it just fine."
They said they gave me a mental health assesment whilst I was at the assesment, and that I was normal where mental health was was concerned. Totally ignoring my depression, anxiety, and the fact I have tried to take my own life repeatedly. They say I don't have any cognitive issues, yet my neurologist says I have cognitive issues as a result of chronic pain, the medication I'm on and the he legit migraines.

I've been in touch with a local charity, I'm debating whether to appeal or not. I'm terrified I'll lose what I have got. I'm going to weigh up my options, try to get a blue badge without PIP, and try to forget the decision letter. It's been like a kick in the teeth when I'm already down.

I would appeal as if they then said you can't get what they have already given you you have a case to say why did they say that you do need what you have you would be appealing on the grounds that you are much worse than they say also i would ask for their report as it has been know for you to say one thing they say another also sometimes i am sure they don't give you what you should get just so people don't appeal they would say well you can't be that bad so again i say APPEAL APPEAL APPEAL

aww darling.

Appeal. Mental health normal? Erm, clearly not with respect.

You have evidence from a neurologist in regards to cognition.

Appeal this. Don't let this kick you down.

Good luck xxx

Indeed, but, as previously discussed in this thread, anyone considering an appeal ought to at least try and get experienced help from any one of the nearest Citizens Advice Bureau, local council benefits advice unit or community law centre depending upon what is available locally because all that extra help significantly improves the chance of a successful appeal.

I have borderline personality disorder, I have my PIP interview tomorrow. Wish me luck.

I shall - Good luck! (and please bear in mind that there are sources of help out there).

Thank you, well after an hour and a half interview I now have to wait for 4-8 weeks to know if I will get any money.

My treatment for BPD starts in November. I hope I can make it till then.

Hi

I received a letter today for a face to face assessment next month, I'm so anxious about it. I have a couple of questions?

How long after the assessment do you hear from the dwp regarding their decision?

If they decide to move you off esa support group and in to jsa how soon does it take place, I'm terrified that I'll have my money cut without any warning.

Thankyou

Ok for the first question, truth be told nobody can really give you a correct answer. They say it cane take anything from 4-8 weeks but speaking from my own experience it can take a lot longer in my case it once took 13 weeks. I have a friend on the other hand who got his decision in 3 weeks.

As for the second question, see above really about decision time frame. After you receive your decision you then make your choice of appeal, which starts with asking them to reconsider the decision. During which time you will not be entitled to ESA, but after they reconsider you will either be awarded ESA in full and have it backdated, or you will be put on the basic assessment rate whilst you await your appeal. The basic assessment rate is at the same rate as JSA, so you would be no worse off after the manual reconsideration on the assessment rate than you would be on JSA.

If however you decide to not appeal, and I and everyone here will urge you not to choose this option. If you decide not to appeal, it will be then down to you to claim JSA yourself, or if they have done the switch over in your part of the country apply for Universal Credit. They will not just transfer you from ESA to JSA or UC, they want to make you jump through hoops and make the entire thing more stressful for you. As for how long the application process for either JSA or UC takes, this depends on how busy they are, but you should get an appointment within a week after making your initial phone application. With JSA they process things a lot faster and you should be receiving whatever you are entitled to within a couple of weeks. With UC it takes 6 weeks before you start receiving any benefit you are entitled to, but you will be able to ask for an advance payment which is up to half of your monthly benefits. This advanced payment is paid in the form of a loan, which has to be paid back over anywhere from 3 months to a year. Advanced payments are usually made either on the same day you ask for them or within the next couple of days at the latest.

I know this is a lot of information to take in, but its best you have it all rather than just the basics. Once again do not choose option 2, this is what they want you to do and is the reason they tend to award so many people 0 points at assessments.

Can anyone tell me if there is a backlog in the ESA Support group I got the forms which i sent back & they received end of May but have not heard anything from them
When I originally sent forms in I got it for 6 moths but it been much longer than that a extra year so was wondering how long it may be & should I do nothing & wait to they finally contact me

Get a report from your Mental Health Nurse or Social worker.
thats what my Wife did.
Reading it was a bit scary and I said if that's not good enough then nothing will.
It was good enough.

I had a letter today from the benefit part saying I will be getting the ESA Support from 17th August 2016 to 29th November 2016 & about the Christmas Bonus

So I thought are they still looking at the claim or will I have to fill in the forms again (sent in at the end of May)

Well I phoned them up & I don't have to be review again until July 2018 I was in the Support group for a few years now so it seems that they just renewed it

The reason she things it says about only to 29th November it because it notice of change which would be the Christmas Bonus she did say they do reviews between 6 months to 3 years but no longer usually it 1-2 years so i got the 2 years

So I am a happy bunny

I had to renew my ESA claim and I got the letter saying that my benefits were continuing as before, but they had put what looked to be an end date on it, which was only a few months away. This worried me as I had never had an end date on my previous letters.
Well I plucked up courage and rang them. They said it's a new thing and they're only putting end dates on them to stop people, who only have a short term illness and return to work, continuing to use the letter to claim things. She said my benefit would carry on as usual after the end date and would just be renewed without me having to fill out all the forms again. I am in the support group of ESA.

If you don't mind me asking what area are you in I am in Northamptonshire
As i was expecting to have to go for a medical so was wondering if it depends on area if you go for one
So glad that you got yours as well how long have the given you before they review it again

I'm in Folkestone, Kent.
I think it's every couple of years you have to fill out a renewal form. I really can't remember.
For my last ESA assessment I went to a centre in Canterbury, which went well. The original assessment was in Croydon, London. That was awful, I got 0 points and had to appeal, which I won.
I think sometimes you don't have to go to a medical if you have enough supporting evidence for your claim.

I also have PIP and I had a home visit for that, which also went really well.

I also have PIP i won on care but not on mobility I didn't go for a medical last time for the ESA but did have a medical last year on PIP the next review should be my last as if it for 2 years i would retire in that time
I have memory problems along with my issues so i always say if they say i have to go to work they train me one day & have to go over it again the next day lol not that i would go or able to go to work
Wishing you well

Actually I think PIP carries on after you retire as long as you were claiming it before retirement age and that you still meet the criteria. Which will come in very handy for me as I get over £400 a month for it. http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN....pdf?dtrk=true
I know ESA will stop when I reach retirement age and will then receive state pension.

I get my PiP until 2026 i think it is
ESA is less than the current pension that said only if you have enough contributions paid so if you worked before you went sick or had children that you could get family allowance/child benefit then you would get contributions for you can find out if your on course to get the full pension by phoning them or asking online

I'm not sure if I've got a date on my PIP. I'll have to see if I can dig my letters out and have a look.
I'm always getting ESA and PIP mixed up lol.
I think I'll have put enough work years in for full state pension. I'll worry about that nearer the time.

I just looked at my letter i PIP until end of March 2026
ESA they seem very lacks in sending letters telling you how long you have got it for or any info only the letter saying changes of payments so they not very good that way
I never even got a letter saying that they had received my forms & was looking at it

Can anybody confirm whether the ESA medical reports are automatically, ie you don't have to specifically request them, sent out to you ahead of the Decision Assurance call and decision?

Oh great Got to have an assessment for PIP. They said they'll be here between 10.30 and 12.30pm a week Monday. It would have been nice (known bloody full well I have AUtism) for them to have been more specific. And to make it slightly worse for me, it's when the fire alarm testing is. Brilliant. At least it's a home visit.

No they are not & even if asked not always sent & you have to request a 2nd time

I've found my PIP letter. It's got Annual Advice as a title and was sent to me in March, and It's got the date December 2017 on it. I first started claiming PIP in December 2014. So it looks like they're going to review it every 3 years maybe.