I knew that the day was just around the corner for me when i had to finally put theclaim in for PIP after being on DLA for almost 25 years of my life,I knew that my DLA wasn't awarded for life anymore due to the new terms and conditions of the new disability changes by DWP and i would have to face the dreaded assessment to see if i would qualify for the new benefit. I knew that DLA was being replaced with PIP and i just didn't wanna face it all and carry on as normal as i never had a issue with my current claim for DLA and everything was paid on time and it was great, I have been reading months before i actually put my claim in for PIP that there was a lot of people loosing there entitlement and just living on the normal weekly rate and not being able to pay bills and live, I just didn't wanna be one of those people who would face the chop and loosing everything and not being able to pay my bills and rent.My current claim for DLA doesn't run out as i am awarded it for life but due to these new changes by the DWP that i just had to wait until September 2017 when the DWP would send me the details over to claim for DLA. As my claim was running out the i deiced that i would apply for PIP myself rather then the DWP contact me about claiming as i wanted it done and sorted before September as i have a big event coming up and i didn't wanna have that worrying me and upsetting me on a very special day! I finally apply in January 2017 and they asked me a few questions over the phone about my disabilities and illnesses and told me that i would need to fill a form out and send it back within a weeks to see if i would be able to claim for the new benefit. The form was completely different to DLA and there were more paperwork that i had ever seen just to apply for the new disability benefit and i don't know how i managed to fill the form out without my mums help i do not know but i sent it all back and then i waited for a assessment letter to arrive to see a health professional.I was reading viva the internet and support groups how people had to go though these awful assessments to claim PIP and being turned down for it and not getting the right support and needs for each person who had a disability and also not understanding about there illnesses!My DLA has been with me since 1992 and i am very thankful to the people who actually put the claim in for me almost 25 years ago to help with my needs and disability, Back then DLA was just being introduced and as i was just coming out of hospital i didn't know anything about the new benefit at all and i wasn't well at all as the Encephalitis damaged my brain so much that i wasn't able to talk and walk until i was about 10 and i was in a really bad way until then. I cannot really complain about DLA as it has helped with a lot of my equipment over the years and without it it would of been very hard for my mom to look after me and also has helped me to have social life to go out with friends and family and get the things that i love so much,The assessment for PIP was one of the worse that i have ever experienced for calming any kinda benefit and i must say that i would never ever wanna be put though it ever again even if it is a check up as they were horrible and very rude to me and also didn't have a clue about my disability and illnesses, I had to attend my assessment at the docks (witch was new to me as i have never been there for anything) of course my mum went with me to the appointment as i cannot remember half of my life and when i became ill so it was very important that she came with me. The person who was doing my assessment was looking at me while i was walking into the assessment room and when i sat down and saw that there was paper towel covering the glass on the door and i was looking at my mom and she was looking me saying whats going to happen,The person introduced herself and then the assessment began and then she asked me about my illness and disabilities and i could only say the bits that i could actually remember and then asked about my lifestyle and also my home life and what i do on a regular basics. They also asked me about why i am not in work and why i haven't been employed for a few years and i explained why i couldn't work and the person thought that i was just fat and lazy and i didn't wanna work, This isn't true at all and i would love to go to work as i was telling them but when someone has very serious Migraines it is impossible! Next they asked me about my cooking and looking after my appearance and how i get in and out of the bath and explained that i do have problems as it does get slippy when i have had a bath or shower and i could easily fall over and they really didn't take a notice of it really and just was typing all the information about what i was telling them. When they asked about my finances they didn't have a clue as i have had money problems in the pass and i went insolvent they asked who payed for it and how i became insolvent and by this time my mom said that she was gonna get up and leave as the person was just getting on our nerves and it was making me feel very unwell. This person went on and on and when i showed my medication to them i had to explain what each tablet was for and then i was asked why do i take medication for my Migraines and a injection kit as you don't need both? I said that i need both as my Migraines are so bad that the tablets don't stay in my body when i am sick so the injection kit is very important to me and i need it on me just incase of a attack. I explained all about my Migraines to them and they didn't have a clue and they have never Hurd of them before and i am thinking that they are proper medical people they should know about these Migraines, As i was coming up to the end they asked my encephalitis and then my depression and they still didn't have a clue on what that was and then they asked me to remember some items and i didn't have a clue and then they decided to use there phone on the assessment witch i thought was very rude.
As i was coming out of the assessment room the person who was taking the medical watched me walk from the room to the corridor and when i had the letter back to say that they were watching me i was very shocked that they were watching me, when i was walking to car after the assessment i started to feel kinda sick and worried to see what the outcome would be and i said to my mom that i was feeling very unwell and things for me were getting very bad for me as i had lost interest in a lot of things and i wanted to stay indoors and not been seen by anyone as i was feeling very unwell with my depression at this stage and i wanted to stay in bed and not get up and do anything for a leat 3 weeks until i started to feel better in myself! A few weeks passed and there was no letter to say what i had been awarded and i was thinking was i am gonna loose everything as i didn't want this to happen as i have bills to pay and other bits and i was worried as hell, On June 19th my claim was officially accepted and i was awarded PIP and i was slightly relived that it was all over and i hadn't lost anything and i would be able to carry on as normal but there were lies on the form for sure and i am still not happy with the paperwork that was done on my behalf. I am very slowly getting it looked at once again and to see if i can have it looked at again as i am not happy with some of the points that they have awarded me on my behalf especially my budgeting side of things, The person who carried out my assessment was very rude and very unpleasant to talk to and they didn't have a clue on what type of disabilities that i have got and also about my encephalitis and i thought that these people were health professionals who knows about these kinda disabilities and illnesses,
I am kinda glad that it is all over and done with for the next few years and i can carry on and enjoy my life without carrying on and suffering with these assessments, There has been a change when i get my newbenefit and that is i will get paid on Fridays now and it was very worrying for me as i am used to have payments on a Tuesday and it really messed up everything for me but i have found out that it would be so much better for me and i can easily go out on the weekend and spend time with my best friend and go into town witch is even better, I am so sad that my DLA has now ended after 25 years and it has helped me for so long since 1992 and has allowed me to have my equipment witch i needed 24 /7 and also it allowed me to go and have a social life and to see my friends and family and it allowed me to have a normal life with someone who was now disabled and have the things that i needed like clothes and shoes without this benefit i would of be stuck and i would be struggling if the staff and the nurses didn't put the claim in for me over 25 yearsago! i am truly thankful to the staff and nurses at the hospital who made the claim for me almost have a decade a go for DLA and also all the paperwork involved.
