PIP Frequently Asked Questions

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If your chronic illness that you have had for more than 3 months and will continue for more than 9 months, prevents you from living a ‘normal’ life, then you are entitled to PIP. No specific condition means you will automatically get PIP, this is a MYTH!

It’s not about the medical condition, it’s about the impact to your daily living and mobility. If your life is being impacted by your chronic illness that you have had for more than 3 months and will continue for more than 9 months, prevents you from living a ‘normal’ life, then you are entitled to PIP. No specific condition means you will automatically get PIP, this is a MYTH!

Yes. PIP is designed for those of us with physical conditions, mental health conditions or a combination of the two.

Yes, you can still win PIP if you are able to drive

Yes, you can still win PIP if you are able to work

Yes, you can still win PIP if you have a pet. You will get asked questions about how you look after your pets but you can still win.

It takes ages! Depending on whether you agree with your outcome, it can take months to years.

You log with DWP that you want to make a PIP claim. First you get a 28 page form that is basically asking for your address and GP information. Then they send a 44 page form out for you to complete and return back to them. Then you will be given a date and time for the assessment. Don’t worry if you don’t get your date and time straight away. It takes them ages to book it and send you a letter. After the assessment they will send the report to you (again, it might be a while before you receive this). You will probably disagree with the report, in which case you will send them a Mandatory Reconsideration (appeal) letter. You have 30 days to do this. Then you get invited to the appeal, then again wait for a report. If you still disagree with the report, you will submit a tribunal submissions pack, then wait to be invited to tribunal. If you are getting to this stage you are potentially looking at 1-2 years in total.

Don’t worry about it. PIP is all about the assessment. Whatever you think you have missed or whatever you want to expand on can be discussed in the assessment. The assessment is your key time to get all your important information across.

Yes

Personally, I would not proceed with the call without notice. It is a reasonable request that they give you notice. If you misword something or you are panicking and say something that is not right, they will document it. My advice is to explain it is not a good time, you are not feeling well but if they send you a letter with a time and date you will try your best to you plan your medication/fatigue levels/mental health for the new date and time. Or, explain that you would prefer to have someone with you (partner/friend) so if they send you a letter with a time and date you will make the appropriate arrangements.

PIP look at how you present yourself. If on a normal day you cannot put makeup on then DON’T put it on for the assessment. If on a normal day you cannot wear certain clothes (zips/buttons/laces/tight fitting etc) then DON’T wear them for the assessment. During the assessment if you are trying to explain that you cannot cook for yourself but you turn up with a blow dry and mascara, they are not going to believe you and you won’t get the points.

From the moment you park your car, you are under assessment. They are taking note of how you get into the building, how long it takes you, how you manage getting through doors, how you stand up from the chair you sit in and how you manage to leave after your assessment.

In my experience the majority have been lovely! The ones I have met have mostly been nurses and I found them helpful and full of advice. Some might be inexperienced in some areas but on the whole, they are helpful. I have only had 1 who wasn’t very nice.

It is unlikely you will get the correct points! This is why most people need to do a Mandatory Reconsideration (appeal) to get the right points. It is not personal, it just seems to be the way it is. It is important that you do not give up!

Yes! You cannot record a tribunal though. We recommend you record your assessment yourself and let them know at the beginning of the assessment. Refer to URGENT video for more information: https://shorturl.at/HIMQW

Yes, they like to know in advance. However, if you didn’t know in advance you could record or hadn’t planned on it then make sure you inform them at the beginning of your meeting.

The assessment! How you answer the questions is key! It doesn’t matter how good/bad your form is, it is all about how you communicate in the assessment.

My main advice is just be honest. All we are doing is being honest about how our life is impacted. Yes you have to explain it in a way that meets to the PIP points, but you need to be honest in your answers. I do not agree with lying to win PIP

You need to follow the appeal process, to start with it's a Mandatory Reconsideration and if this does not work the next step is a Tribunal.  Please check out the guides we have on the YouTube channel and please remember you have access to our free templates.

**Answers are based on PERSONAL experience**