My Personal Independence Payment Interview (PIP) – Update

As most of you will know I had my Personal Independence Payment interview two weeks ago.

If you want to find out more of what PIP stands for, here is the official link: Personal Independence Payment Gov UK

I wrote about my interview, the post you will find here:  My Personal Independence Payment Interview

rejected

I was pretty devastated to find out not long ago that my PIP application was rejected.  I had waited a year for the interview, yet in two weeks I received a letter with my rejection.

It does fill one with a sense of resentment, frustration and upset.

The letter was fairly straight forward, acknowledging that I have a long term health condition and or disability, yet I didn’t score enough points to warrant getting any help.

The next stage was to write back noting why I thought their decision was wrong.  I did this but only after going to Richmond Aid, who have people who specifically help out in what to write and how to write one’s response.  I sent various supporting papers and this has gone in the post.

It is like walking through treacle uphill.  The woman at the centre was lovely but the constant emotional upheaval of it all and the constant sense of trying to justify oneself unfortunately opened up the dam in front of her, though I am sure she is used to it, it took me by surprise, but having a good old cry was somewhat cathartic.

Seeing as she has lots of experience I was curious to know what the questions like cook a basic meal meant?  She answered it means putting a pre-made small dish in the microwave.  This doesn’t take in to account having a family, nor the desire to not want to fill oneself with ready made packet meals all the time.  I think one should have a right to decide on what level of healthy eating one should be allowed as a person and as a family.  For instance however, though I can do ‘other’ types of cooking, my kids have to mash, they have to grate.

Though I can walk around a shop, I can’t drive to it, nor carry the bags around, so I need someone to help me with this.  This isn’t taken in to account.

It seems if you have two arms that work, ie lift up and down, or two legs that can move 200 yards, you don’t need help.  It doesn’t seem to take in to account that one has middle bits, ie a back, a thorax, that when certain things are done with such limbs it can have a knock on effect afterwards.  It seems to be based very much on what you can do at the time.  Certain people have conditions where they pay with pain afterwards, not at the actual time, so therefore, I don’t count, or my pain doesn’t seem to count.

So that is the update, my letter is sent off and I shall wait now.

Today is my first day to go off to the Pain Management Clinic daily for three weeks.

I am excited yet nervous at the same time.

Thank you for reading, I will keep you updated on any responses re the PIP.

Justine xx

 © Justine Nagaur