In view of your circumstances, I'd suggest getting a referral to your nearest food bank since that should be able to reduce food costs while waiting for the tribunal to take place:

https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/

The thought had crossed my mind, but thankfully it is not that desperate as yet. Sadly even if it was I wouldn't be able to a) make the bus journey alone. The drivers here are appalling and it simply is too painful. I used to be a bus driver along that route, and I never had a complaint about my driving.
And b) I wouldn't even be able to carry the food back anyway. Most days I am unable to even carry a single can of food in one hand without dropping it, or needing to put it down quickly. Not a chance of being able to carry 3 days worth of food.
And c) I would prefer to let people with literally no food use these places before me, I do at least have some food in here albeit not what I want but I can at least afford beans right now so I can feed myself- just not to how I would like to be able to.

Some people around here let their kids eat breakfast at school who pay for it as they simply do not have the money to pay for their children to eat breakfast. Sad how its always the vulnerable who suffer and the fat cats line their pockets getting richer. The poor kids looks so skinny. And with the new cuts its going to get worse.

Still not heard anything. I'm away this weekend. Part of me hopes I don't get a text tomorrow telling me they've made a decision!

I'm so confused right now. Every month I have been sending a fit note for as long as I have been on ESA (currently pending a home visit date I'll add). Last week i sent my fit note to cover the next two payments (one if which was due yesterday). Went to bank, nothing there.

So I rang the DWP and explained and the man said "oh its a system error, we'll get that processed today", great I thought. End of day, no money in account.

Ring today and a woman said that apparently the information on my medical note had been "altered" and that I have to supply a NEW medical note. I was confused, altered how exactly? Apparently the dates were altered.

I said well okay but why wasn't I told this yesterday instead of being told the funds would go in, they just persisted to say about a renewed note. Wtf?

And to rub it in that bit more, esa appointment for 3rd November came today. Shi....

Phepia are you saying that you and your husband and children rely totaĺlly on your benefits to eat ?
.Do you claim any tax credits either working or child and if you don't you need to apply for them,and I'm sure you will be claiming family allowance for your children.

Are you saying its just yourself that can't eat properly due to the lack of your pip or is it all of you?

I've never heard of a tribunal not going ahead because your rep wasn't there if it were me because you have been waiting so long I would have let the tribunal go ahead, was your husband there with you or were you on your own?

I hope you get the result you want from your tribunal ,in the mean time keep up with the weightloss as you have previosly said you needed to for health reasons a and I hope the decision with your ess goes your way too .

Maybe you should consider having a carer too Phepia as you sound as though you are not able to mansge to do much on your own,who looks after you when your husband is at work ie to eat drink etc

Let us know how you get on Phepia

Thank you hun

My Mum has just been awarded enhanced on both Daily and Mobility, So that's a good result. Weird thing is my Carers Allowance hasn't gone into my bank this week, The letter we got stated that nothing would change with my Carers Allowance, Anyone had this before?

And she's lied on almost every single bloody thing on my report. I've apparently got no problems communicating; despite it saying the complete opposite on hospital letters. My friend told her the opposite too. Apparently, I've got no problems cooking a meal, despite having no sense of smell or being unable to tell if food is cooked.

She also said I've got no problems following an unfamiliar journey; despite needing a mobility cane with me.

She might as well be talking about someone else.

She's contradicted herself on a lot of things.

I'm not sure what your condition is but I'll try to help.

Have you looked at exactly what the report says? Communicating verbally is usually about sensory or physical issues. Do you have hearing aids etc?

The Planning and Following a Journey is not about mobility, it's a cogntive or sensory activity. Is your cane for walking or a white cane for sight issues?

That kind of thing.

I'm partially sighted, mildly deaf, (not enough to require hearing aids - but need something similar because of issues with tinnitus) Autistic and have various other issues with my hearing.

My white cane is for my sight problems. I have various issues getting around safely. I can't hear where cars are coming from, I wander off a lot and can't judge speed of traffic, which makes crossing roads difficult.

She contradicts herself a lot. For example, I apparently have no problems reading standard size print; but can't read anything smaller than font size 24. Standard size print (what you read) is font size 12. The last time I could read that was, oh, 11 years ago.

I apaprently have no problems communicating. Um, I took a friend to my assessment. He explains that his background is in communication. He then said more than once that in his opinion (and I've got an email from him saying similar) I've got problems communicating. He says I don't quite pronnounce certain letters properly. (I'm finding I'm having to repeat myself more and more recently because some people just don't understand what I'm saying)

Apparently, my hearing's within the normal ranges too. Um, it's not and it hasn't been since 2012. You can't tell that just by doing a test where you tell me to repeat words. My main problem is when there's background noise. Certain sounds (of words) sound like other sounds as well.

If you haven't already then maybe get professional advice but I'll tell you what I can:

The Communicating Verbally would usually be if you need aids - which you don't, or help from someone else to communicate (for example someone who knows BSL). I'm not sure if you fall into any of those categories.

As far as I understand it it isn't if you have an issue but whether that issue prevents you from carrying out certain activities AND (and I think this is often forgotten) falls with the rigid parameters of the PIP rules. If you don't use an aid or need someone else to assist/support you then you don't score points. It's a very narrow set or criteria.

These are the categories:

7. Communicating verbally.
a. Can express and understand verbal information unaided. 0 points.
b. Needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to speak or hear. 2 points.
c. Needs communication support to be able to express or understand complex verbal information. 4 points.
d. Needs communication support to be able to express or understand basic verbal information. 8 points.
e. Cannot express or understand verbal information at all even with communication support. 12 points.

So they look at each one and decide which, if any, category you fall into.

Does that make sense? Sorry if I'm not being clear

EDIT I just concentrated on Communicating here. If you need more help please say. Also I think the scores are wrong here. e is certainly not 12 points

That makes sense, thanks. My friend said I should fall into 7c - I take a lot of things literally and he finds that if he was to explain something to his friends, he needs to explain it to me differently, (in plain English) because it just won't make sense to me at all.

My brain doesn't process sound properly either - what you say and what I hear are two different things. It's even worse when there's background noise.

Because I spoke and heard her at my assessment, I've got no problems, apparently. Yet, I'm constantly repeating myself (and becoming frustrated) because not everyone understands me when I talk.

That might be worth pursuing. I have more notes but not with me unfortunately. I'll get them tomorrow and if it would help I'll post again.

I did find this:

Communication support means support from another person trained or
experienced in communicating with people with specific communication
needs (for example, a sign language interpreter); or someone directly
experienced in communicating with the claimant themselves (for
example, a family member).
Individuals who cannot express or understand verbal information and
would need communication support to do so should receive the
appropriate descriptor even if they do not have access to this support.
For example, a deaf person who cannot communicate verbally and does
not use sign language might need another person to support them in
another way – such as by writing verbal information down – even if they do not routinely have such help.

However please remember the support would need to be 'for the majority of the time'.

Sorry, I saw you added something extra. Did you provide medical evidence of this difficulty? So not of the general issue, or not just that, but specifically that issue of needing someone to give you support to enable you to 'receive and understand'.

It's crazy but that is how detailed you have to be.

Thanks. On the letter which they have, it does state that I have problems communicating and does talk about my issues with background noise.

I can't use BSL due to my vision and I've got enough hearing (just) that it's not an issue usually. It's mostly needing help for complex stuff. I can't for example, go to hospital appointments without someone because (aside from the fact that I'll get lost getting around there) I won't understand a word that's being said.

I've now requested my medical notes to see if there's anything more written in there about my hearing difficulties. I have a feeling there won't be.

Because I couldn't produce my certificate of visual impairment, (it's about 9 years old and I've moved three times since then) it seems as though she doesn't think my vision is that bad. And apaprently, I read a letter. She means the one I passed to my friend to see if he could find something on there.

Biit odd that when she did the eye sight test, my vision came up as severe enough to be partially sighted, (which I am registered as; just not too sure where my documents are) yet, her report seems to question whether my vision is really as bad as I'm making it out to be. It's one of the reasons (as well as medication side effects) I can't drive.

I'll dig the paperwork out and post tomorrow again.

You need someone to represent you really. Citizens Advice or similar.

Keep in mind the categories and that it has to be the majority of the time. And you need medical evidence of each specific issue. I'd even go as far as to say the letter about your vision is too old. You and I know you won't have experienced a miracle and regained sight but the older the proof the less robust it is.

I know my letter about my vision is too old, hence not submitting it. I was tested in April at the eye hospital; so shall ask my surgery for that letter. She did argue that because I couldn't produce it or the yellow card from social services, I'm probably not registered. I know I'm registered and have been for 9 years.

It's not really about being registered as something though. There are 3 things to kep in mind:

1. proving you have that condition/restriction - so either showing them at the assessment or with an up to date piece of medical evidence. Of course if you are also registered that is a help to them agreeeing you have the restriction. It's always good to have lots of stuff.

2. convincing them the condition affects your ability to carry out various tasks/activities. So again with reading there is a score for needing aids such as magnifiers, then a higher score if you need someone to read for you.

3. convincing them it is for the majority of the time.

Also it's worth bearing in mind the assessor does not make the final decision.

You said you got the report from the assessor. Does that mean you have had your final decision from the DWP?

If you would rather I PMd you please say.

Well what a ****ing surprised. I've not been awarded PIP at all.

Complaint to ATOS and DWP has gone in. I had to check with my friend whether he really had to prompt me to do something, because apparently, he didn't. He had to. If you want me to do something, you have to spell it out to me. She asked me what line of the eye chart I can read and didn't tell me to read it. He then told me she wanted me to read it. But apparently, that doesn't mean (despite him stating I take things liteerally) I have problems communicating.

I had to check whether she asked to see the magnifier I use. I don't remember being asked and neither does he.

I apparently have no problems with understanding language. My friend has to change how he talks to me compared to other people because he knows I won't understand what he really means.

My reconsideration has been done.

I've contacted my HA to ask their benefits advisor (DIAC who filled in my forms were useless) for advise. She's out of the office until Tuesday. The chap I spoke to, has MS and is on PIP himself. He told me he got more success filling in the form himself. I can't do that because of my language difficulties.

Bit odd that I was allowed a home visit; but apaprently don't have mobility difficulties. (I can walk, it's the safety aspect of it and getting from A to B without getting lost)

In which case, and if an appeal needs to be made, the thing to do is get experienced experienced help from any one of the nearest citizens advice bureau, local council benefit advice unit or community law centre depending upon what is available locally.

Thank. Cab won't help because they didn't fill the forms in.

As mentioned in my post above yours, I've contacted my HA in regards to my reconsideration..

CAB didn't fill my form in either but they filled in the application for an appeal and represented me at the tribunal.

I don't think it would have been successful if it had not been for him, he was an absolute star.

Many CABs aren't able to represent people at tribunals (depends on their staff and their funding), but in my experience (as an advisor) they will always help people to draft MRs or appeals, whether or not they helped with the original claim.

I've now phoned PIP and have also talked to my mum. PIP are aware I've sent in my reconsideration and am waiting on medical records to send in.

My mum wasn't impressed. She's agreed to write a letter for me. I am beginning to wish I'd asked her to do the forms for me instead of DIAC.

I'm still not sure if I'm classed as having a long term condition or not, or if when I have to go on Universal Credit it will mean I get reassessed?
I got an indefinite ESA claim, and did have DLA but that will probably change when I have to apply for PIP.

It's the uncertainty that worries me.