Won My Tribunal Today!!

After being told that I didn't qualify for PIP when I migrated from DLA. I appealed and had my tribunal this morning.

They were a lot nicer than when I last attended a tribunal 6 years ago, but still left feeling totally drained and in tears.

My points were increased from 7 points to 12 for Daily Living and 4 points to 12 for Mobility until 2019. So, now on Enhanced Rate for both.

As was previously on Lower Rate Care & Higher Rate Mobility when on DLA, this was a double victory as not only won my tribunal, but was given a better Daily Living than I was expecting.

I couldn't have done this without all of the brilliant information on this site. Over the last 6 years you have helped me go from no benefit to where I am today.

Thank you so so much.

I was on DLA with the highest rate for personal care and lower rate for mobility and had a lifetime award. I suffer from chronic long-standing mental health problems.
I was asked to claim for PIP on 16th January 2016. I did not have a face to face assessment. In spite of the information on my PIP form, and overwhelming medical evidence, I was awarded 11 points for daily living and nothing else.The DM took 60 minutes to come to her decision and write it up. Given the amount of information supplied I believe no one could have read it all in that period of time. Moreover, the answers I gave for the descriptors, and the supporting medical evidence, were consistently ignored in the scores the DM gave my claim.
The mandatory reconsideration upheld the original DM's decision.
I attended a tribunal and have been awarded enhanced rate for both daily living and mobility. The tribunal's scores were 27 and 12 respectively. They have also given me a lifetime award.They only had the paperwork which had been sent to DWP. No further evidence was submitted.
During this 6 month period my mental health has deteriorated dramatically.
I feel too ill to celebrate. This process has been dismissive, cruel, arbitrary and onerous.
If my original form had been read and processed correctly none of this would have been necessary.

hi vicky , congrats to you for getting what you deserve,, ive just sent off for my appeal 2 weeks ago,, i suffer MH ,and agrophobia ,oestio athritus,, had 2 point for daily and 4 for mobility, .anyway was wondering if you attended your appeal or was it paper,,as i have agrophobia and am housbound i origanaly ticked the oral hearing but now am going to have to go for the paper appeal now as there no way i can attend . its lovely to read people getting the results they hoped for well done ,

Thanks Alison,
I'm also housebound. I went with my carer so had moral support even though he wasn't asked to say anything.
I was lucky enough to find a benefits' advisor who prepared all the appeal paperwork for me. By that stage, I had lost the ability to function enough to do it. I'm sure you can identify with that. Her advice was that attending the tribunal in person had a greater chance of success than not going.
I don't want to minimise how impossible it feels to leave the house, but I would try to attend if at all remotely possible. If you have a friend,support worker or family member who can accompany you then that might help you to leave the house. I have to admit that right up to the last minute I felt that I couldn't go.
I phoned the court service, the day before my appeal, and asked if I could have a taxi there and back. They were really nice, very understanding and booked it all for me. This eradicated the need for claim forms etc. It also meant that there was that tiny bit more pressure to leave the house as a taxi was waiting.
It sounds as if your claim has been dismissed by DWP as callously, and unnecessarily, as mine was.
By the time I reached the building, in which the hearing was going to take place, I was in a terrible state. I couldn't cope with the waiting room and one of the staff found somewhere quiet for us to sit.
The tribunal panel were really sensitive and one of them was a consultant psychiatrist. I was worried that if it was doctor, with no experience of m/h problems, that I'd be misunderstood and my problems minimised etc. The panel were completely impartial and fair. They told me that I could take time out if I needed to and were especially keen not to make the situation any worse for me.
The psychiatrist asked a couple of questions about my inability to leave the house, but the main thrust of the few questions asked were about how the PIP process had affected me. They told me that I should never have been put through this ordeal.
I'm happy for you to contact me again via this forum if I can offer any additional advice, information or support.