I knew that the day was just around the corner for me when i had to finally put the claim in for PIP after being on DLA for almost half of my entire life, I knew that my DLA wasn't awarded for life anymore due to the new disability changes and also when PIP was introduced, And i would have to go though this awful process for PIP as DLA was now scrapped and i really didn't wanna be put though it as i have seen and Hurd a lot of people loosing there entitlement and i just didn't wanna be one of those people that would loose everything and not being able to live and pay my bills. I really wanted to leave my claim for PIP until the DWP contacted me to change over to PIP as my award was due to end this year (Due to the new benefit changes) and i just took the plunge and i put my claim in for it in January as i just wanted to get it out of the way and sorted with as i knew it would be a very long process and also i didn't wanna do it when my claim officially ended as it is my best friends wedding in September (When my claim ends) and i didn't wanna be worried about it on my friends best wedding, I was reading viva the internet and support groups how people had to go though these awful F2F assessments for PIP and being turned down for it and not getting the right support and i just didn't wanna be one of those loosing everything as my DLA has been with me since 1992 and i cannot complain about DLA because it has been a huge help to me ever since i became disabled and it has allowed me to go out and about and enjoy myself with friends and family on a regular basics and also let me have a social life witch is a great help. As i suffered with Viral Encephalitis when i was 2 and this caused me to have Brain damage from the infection and also caused so many issues that it has left me disabled for the rest of my life, The nurses who was looking after me and treating me suggested to my mom that i should make a claim for DLA as i was in need of support 24 /7 and i wasn't able to walk , talk and i was in a wheelchair when i came of Hospital and the hospital really didn't give no support to my mom to help me with my equipment and other things that i needed so my mom needed something for me to be able to buy the the things that i needed.The Nurses at the hospital almost 20 years ago put the claim in for me and it was a huge success and it enabled my mom to get my equipment that i needed and also to help me get to my hospital appointments as i was always having Hospital and doctors appointments and it was a huge help when my award of DLA was finally sorted it made things so much easier for me and my mom and it give me a chance to let me live a normal and active life when i was older and when i was able to have the allowance for myself, It was a good idea that the nurses who suggested it at the time said about the new disability benefit as i wouldn't be here now and being able to get the things that i want and lead a happy normal life, My allowances wasn't given to me until i was 16 and i was able to spend it anyway i wanted and it was great knowing that i was able to get anything that i wanted. A massive chunk of my DLA allowance was put on some special walking shoes that was made to my size as i do have very wide feet and my walking was very badly effected so i needed some special walking shoes to help me walk again and i would travel down to Glastonbury every few months with my mom and dad to go and get them and they were under £500 a pair and without the allowance i wouldn't be walking today and thanks to DLA i was able to have a some shoes made and be able to walk again and i was so blessed to have these shoes and allowance to help me pay for them,
I finally put the claim in for PIP in January 2017 and i was feeling the pressure then when i rang up and started the process and reading all the comments on the internet and i knew that i should of really of waited until September when the DLA wrote to me asking me to claim for PIP but like i said that i didn't want my friends wedding get in the way of things so thats why i done it earlier! The process on the phone talking to someone was very easy and they understood my needs and then sent me out a claim pack and i had to write everything down and explaining my disabilities (witch was kinda hard) and you only had a few weeks to complete it and send it back and i think that i done mine a few days later and sent it off and i was already feeling the pressure when i knew that i would have a F2F assessment any day and i was feeling very sick also, I explained everything to my mom what i had done and she said that i was stupid and i should of waited and i said to her that i wanted it sotted and done now so i don't need to worry about in September and that was the end of the conversation.
In a few weeks after sending in the claim form i had to go and have a F2F assessment and i was thinking what are they gonna say, what are they gonna do to me and also will they ask me about my disabilities and my medication, I was bricking it by this point and as my Birthday was just around the corner i was feeling super sick and worried and i didn't wanna go for it as i knew something bad was gonna happen. On the day of the assessment i had to take all of my medication , Hospital letters and my glasses and contact lenses and i was asking why do they want all of this information for when they have it on there system already? It wasn't that easy to find a disabled parking space was filled up as it was pouring with rain that day and i was soaked but my mom was able to find one and i walked into the assessment center with my mom and singed myself in. I wasn't looking forward to this at all and within a few minutes the person who was doing my assessment called me and was watching me walk into the room witch was strange! She started to ask me questions about me cooking, washing and bathing , finances , and going out and about and she was also asking me about my illnesses and i had to explain everything little bit of information to her as she didn't have a clue about my hemiplegic migraines and my Viral Encephalitis and my mom was getting really annoyed with her and she nearly walked up and left, She then went on about finances and my mom told her that she has no sense of money and doesn't know how to mange and budget and she really didn't have a care in the word basically and then she just kept asking me questions about this and that and then she asked me about all of my medication witch was about 20 mins explaining everything to her about each one.
The last bit of information was all about my Encephalitis and she still didn't have a clue on what that was and my mom yet again had to explain that to her and my mom had to do all of the talking because i don't know anything what happened to me and yet again she didn't have a clue and also didn't care and my mom told her that the illnesses and disabilities are from the infection and she was writing this all down and i was looking towards my mom and saying that i wanna leave now as i had enough and at the end she asked me to remember a number and asked me to put a letter in a envelop and watched me do it! The last bit was of her looking at my legs and doing exercises like putting my hands behind my head and lifting my legs up and i told her that my right leg can only go so far due to my muscles in the leg and it really hurts when i lift up, She asked me about work and why i wasn't doing any work experience and in full time work and i explained that i wanted to become a carer and i said theres no jobs and i just haven't had the ability to train for the job and it was very hard for me and i couldn't cope! She looked at me and thinking why isn't she working? she didn't have a clue on what i was taking about half of the time and she even had her mobile phone out while she was doling the assessment and was on that more then talking and listing to me. The windows was covered up with blue tissue paper and it was a horrible experience that i wouldn't like to face again, I left the assessment and i was saying to my mom never ever again i wanna go though this even if i am dying it was horrible and then i went down to see my uncle and told him about it and he said that the person who was doing my assessment should of have been awar of my issues and i was then thinking what i am gonna get and what rate?
It didn't take that long for someone to look at my claim just under 2 weeks i believe and i was told on the 19th June what i was awarded and when i was told what i was awarded i was crying and i had never felt so sick in my life and i went so mad because i thought that i would be awarded more because of my disabilities and my issues i felt completely sick and i just wanted to see the person who done my claim and shoot them because it was the wrong decision that they made, I told my mom and she said oh well you haven't lost anything have you? i said no but you told me that i would loose everything and even my step dad said you won't get it and this made me feel even worse while i was waiting for the decision to come though and my depression was at a all time high and i just wanted to end my life because it was so much to take in and also the assessment also kicked of my depression and i was feeling absolutely drained and depressed for over 2 weeks and i didn't wanna do anything even go out to see friends and family i was that unwell that i wanted to put myself in Hospital because this PIP claim. I started to get better and on the 24th June i finally received the letter that i was waiting for and i had a read though it and there are some bits on there that are completely wrong and basically telling lies that i am gonna take it further and Appeal against the decision and see if i can get what i deserve.
I never ever wanna go though this assessment ever again even if i am dying it is very draining with someone like me who has physical disabilities and mental health issues, If my mom wasn't with me on the day of the assessment i would of ended it all because it was the questions and i thought that the people who do these assessments know what your illnesses and disabilities are and the person who was doing mine didn't have a clue and was even lost at some point and needed to check her paperwork, I am not very happy about people claiming high rate so they can get a free car and tax and insurance and theres nothing wrong with them at all, I have been suffering all of my life with my mobility issues and PIP don't give a Shit about my walking difficulties and rather give me less when i should receive more help. I am happy that its all over for the time being and i then will start to process the Appeal witch i hope isn't too long as i want what i am actually entitled to!
PIP needs to take better care on processing claims as they tell lies and tells fibs and they offer the high rate to people who Cleary don't need it and people like me who is suffering who needs it more and cannot get it and it takes the p**s and i am gonna get what is mine i hate fighting all the time for the things that i am entitled to.
