[dickbParticipant]

I’m having to consider claiming PIP from the DWP but we’ve read some really horrendous stories about the assessment for the allowance. Has anyone tried recently to claim and gone through the assessment with ATOS. Thanks,

Richard

[CarolsymonsParticipant]

Hi Richard
I haven’t had to go through the assessment as luckily I applied before the change to PIP. Even so I had to appeal their first decision which was to award me the lowest rate of DLA. After my appeal they changed it to a higher rate. I know there has been huge dissatisfaction with the assessments and I think I heard that ATOS are giving up the contract to do them as their staff have been verbally abused. Maybe the changes to the assessment provider may be more favourable for you? But…do they pay you the allowance if you are not living in the UK?

Carol

[SalParticipant]

Hi Dick,

My husband has been awarded payments under the PIP. We think he had a relatively easy time of it compared with other stories we have heard. One thing I would strongly recommend is talking it through, or even maybe completing it, with a Macmillan benefits advisor – you can speak to them on the phone, it doesn’t have to be in person. If you have been claiming some other benefits there is a fast-track with the PIP application. We were also told that my husband would not need to have an assessment and we did make it clear on the form that it would be difficult for him to visit an office or clinic if it involved walking for any distance, climbing stairs or sitting for any length of time, owing to his spinal damage and current fracture.

We sent off the form at the beginning of January and got the notice of entitlements, plus back-payments, about a month later. You are supposed to answer the questions according to how you are at the time you are filling in the form, and M was in hospital at the time, feeling pretty rough and in a lot of pain. I don’t know how much difference that made, as it also depends on the information obtained from your GP or consultant.

M is now receiving the higher level payments for daily living and for mobility and the letter says he won’t be assessed again until 2017.

My sister is a Macmillan nurse in another part of the country and she has some terrible stories of people who are in a much worse situation than we are and have had to wait for ages for anything at all to happen, so I do wonder if there might be some variation according to which office processes the forms.

Final tip – make sure you allow plenty of time to fill in the form (which took a few weeks to arrive, but money was backdated to the time M enquired initially). It’s long and mostly requires you to write a lot of detail – not just tick boxes.

Good luck!

Sarah

[dickbParticipant]

Hi Carol,

The DWP website says that expats can claim so long as they have contributed to the system, eg NI payments. As I have worked for 32 years I believe I have contributed enough. If they ask me to attend an assessment that could get interesting as my medics say I must not travel.

Sarah,

One of the things that cropped up in my wife’s research was that cancer patients are treated better than other claiments because they are known to be more vocal and have better support so perhaps that is why some have an easier time than others.

My doctors, being German may need help with the form filling even though their command of English is superb and some things may get lost in translation. They are an excellent team and from what we can gather of a far higher standard than a number of assessment medics used by ATOS.

This action will be more of a last resort for us because our stress levels are pretty high at the moment and we don’t want to compromise any assistance we may get in Germany but unfortunately it does have to be considered.

[bandityogaParticipant]

We sent the form away just before Christmas and were advised it would take 6 to 8 weeks before Ian would be assessed. Phoned at end of January and were advised that the goal posts have changed and will now be a12 to 16 weeks till assessment. Payment will be backdated but I cannot claim carers allowance until Ian receives PIP ? Form was filled in by social worker.

Thinking of contacting our local .mp to complain.

Good luck

Maureen

[dxsParticipant]

Lucky you – us over 65’s are not eligible for PIP.

[Anonymous]

Maybe you ought to consider what you are writing?  I’m only 48, and you think I’m lucky to be receiving DLA, and that I want to claim the higher rate of DLA?  Do you really think that people of my age with MM are lucky to be able to try to claim DLA?

[dickbParticipant]

Hi terry,
Know what you mean being 51, a young daughter, unable to work and little chance of increasing my pension pot – assuming of course I make it that far. However we don’t know DXS’s circumstances.

Our stress levels have been pretty high recently but there is a bit of light now that my MM has stabilised. I’m hoping the medics will sign me off for a few working hours so that at least I can get my foot back in the job market’s door. I don’t know how affected you are but I do really know how crappy it is for people like us who have worked since school, paid into the system without a break and are now being stuffed by the system that is supposed to help us. We just have to get on with it and stuff the rest of them. Our country has become very selfish and greedy in the last 25 years but we can’t change that, we can only try and find our own way around it.

[eveParticipant]

Hi Everyone

I felt compelled to give my input on this,and I can tell you it is so annoying trying to get on line,!!!!

Terry let me explain,when you reach 65, you are entitled to very little,everything except attendance allowance,is considered by the amount of money in your bank account,money that you have worked and saved for your old age!!!
Attendance allowance,is given for personal care,washing dressing and the need for some one to help,I’d you have a career who is of retirement age and gets a pension you do not qualify for careers allowance.

We spend an awful lot of money travelling for my husbands treatment,I can say with petrol plus food parking,it’s around 100 pounds every week!!!
I do not have to tell you about all the extra that are involved,my husband is in hospital,and money is just seeping out ,he needs a chair that is light enough for me to push,as his bottom half of his leg has been amputated,side effect from Myeloma,more money!! I could go on,but I think you get the idea. I think what DXS is trying to say,is after 65, you have paid in to a system for 50 years,worked all you life,live on a small pension,and if you are lucky,have a bit of saving,and you find no help is fourth coming!!! I think we are lucky because we do get full rate AA,many get nothing .

It takes nothing away from you or your claim for pip or dla,but why should it be different for someone over 65 ??????
My husband worked for 50 years,24 as a royal Marine commando ,serving his country,never had a prescription until he was 60 ,so yes I can understand DXS,statement,At the age of 69 he has been written off at the local hospital,it’s either money or age!!!! So we travel 86 miles to Marsden and 86 miles back.as no treatment at local hospital.

So yes Terry you are lucky,no offence ment.Eve

[Anonymous]

Firstly, I’d like to make a public apology to both DXS and of course the ever forthright Eve.

I have to come to the conclusion that I got it wrong in this instance.

I now need to concede that of course I am in deed “lucky”, to be able to attempt to claim the higher rate of care component for DLA (PIP) when the time comes, probably within the next 12 months or so.

This piece of luck fell my way due to not yet being 50 and slowly but surely dyeing of MM.

I’ll remember to ask my Wife to include it on my headstone, “Here lies Terry, boy he was lucky in life”.

My two children who are currently 4 and 6 will hopefully also understand what the above means when they are a couple of years older than what they are today.

At least I can put this mistake right on a public forum, so once again, many many apologies to you both.

Finally, in the words of Mr Spok, to those on the list who are unlucky enough to have reached over 65 so can’t claim quite as much as me, “live long and prosper”.

I’m signing off from the forum as of today, basically because I obviously just don’t get it.

I wish you all many years of good health.

Thanks

The lucky one.

[eveParticipant]

Terry

I did say it takes nothing from you!!!,believe it or not we are on the same roller coaster with the same problems,yes we are old age pensions and you are a young man with a family.

You would be very wrong to sign off from here,because we all understand your position.

I am sorry you find my opinions hard,I was just trying to explain it from the older persons perspective,and I do understand it from your perspective,there is no apology needed,financial it’s hard on everyone,and I would be the first to say take every penny you can get this is your right,
We should not have to jump over hurdles for financial support,or hospital treatment,it’s just a sad fact that we do.
Why not join the under 50 were they could give you support plus many have young children.Eve

[robbojnnParticipant]

it is hard for everyone but without trying to upset anyone i do think certain opinions should be kept to themselves,i myself have young children who do not know the extent  of my disease at all and the thought of leaving them and my wife fills me with tears every time,i want to see them grow up i want to be a grandfather but i know this might not happen, there is financial burden,emotional  rollercoasters with all of us but i come on here for a bit  of friendly chat/advice and i quite frankly i think it is a shame that someone has left this forum(something i’ve found very helpful). lets be there for each other and not judge others or if we do don’t post it. we are all in the same boat loosely speaking and i wish everyone on here good luck with their treatment and speedy recovery

[Author]

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