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 it also caused me so many issues that it has left me disabled for the rest of my life, The nurses who was looking after me and treating at the time suggested to my mom that she should make a claim for DLA for me as i was in need of support 24/7 and i wasn't able to walk , talk and look after myself and i was also 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 alsoI 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 sorted 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 as it was filled up as it was also pouring down with rain that day and i was soaked. my mum was able to find a parking space outside the assessment center.i walked into the assessment center with my mom and singed myself inI wasn't looking forward to this at all and within a few minutes waiting the person who was doing my assessment called me in and she was watching my every single move while i was walking into the room and i found this kinda strange, She started to ask me questions about my disabilities and what i can and cannot do basically, And i had to explain to them all about my illnesses and my Migraines as the person who was doing the assessment didn't have a clue on what my disabilities were. My mum personally was getting really annoyed with her and she nearly got up and left as she was so demanding and wanted to know every little bit of my personal information.
She then went on about finances and i said to my mom i cannot answer any of these questions as my mom knows that i have no sense of money and budgeting at all, So my mum explained to her that she has no understanding of it and she even went insolvent because of it and the person really didn't give a toss basically that i went bankrupt for 15k when i was 20 and just kept asking me questions that i could not answer for myself. 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 of me explaining everything to her about each one.The last bit of information was all about my Encephalitis and she didn't have a clue on what it that was and my mom must of been there for about 30 mins explaining it to her what happens to the brain and also the illnesses and disabilities it caused me to have , My mom had to do all of the talking for me as i don't know everything what happened to me and my mom was there when i fell ill with the infection.As she was writing this all down on her computer and i was looking towards my mom and i said to her that i wanna leave now as i have had enough and i am really stressed out and i cannot take any more, Nearly at the end of the assessment she then asked me to remember a number and also asked me to show her how i manage to put a letter in a envelope 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 and she also had asked me to lift my leg to the highest level i could go and i was in chronic pain and then i just gave in and i told her to stop,
She then asked me about work and why i wasn't doing any kinda work experience or full time employment and i had explained to her that i wanted to become a full time carer and get the highest qualification in care and as there isn't a lot of care jobs going around my are at the moment and also i haven't done a lot of training for the work that i wanted to do and also it was very demanding and i just couldn't cope with it all. I have tried to have a full time job i explained to her but i just cannot cope with the responsibilities and keeping a job. And as she looked at me thinking why isn't she working in the first place?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 experience 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 aware 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 and it was all complete lies about my claim,
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 the post 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 in the first place 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 all of the questions that i needed to explain everything to her and i thought that the people who are doing these assessments knew what your illnesses and disabilities are all about, The person who was doing mine F2F didn't have a clue on anything and she was even lost at some point that she needed to check her paperworkI 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 toPIP 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.
