PIP Appeal Success!

Facing the initial PIP assessment was a big enough ordeal. Aside from a physical condition, I have multiple mental health issues so the thought of the assessment alone was enough to contend with. However it went surprisingly well and I thought my health issues had been taken fully into account.

Unfortunately I only received 8 points for daily living and 4 for mobility which was a reduction in my benefit. I should warn you that the DWP did NOT give me a full month to submit further evidence for the mandatory reconsideration stage. Therefore they reconsidered before they received my letter which further explained my health conditions.

After receiving such unfair treatment by the DWP, I decided to appeal my PIP award. I was about as pessimistic as a person could get and was absolutely dreading my appeal date.

When the day arrived, I was able to keep it together and answer all the appropriate questions. I won't pretend it was an easy or comfortable experience. I just did my best to stay calm and polite and stick to the point without digressing too much. Having short notes I made alongside me really helped to keep my mind focused on exactly what I needed to articulate. They did seem to appreciate my input but I wasn't particularly hopeful.

As you can imagine, it came as a great shock to me that I was awarded the enhanced rate for both daily living AND mobility! I received double the points I initially received for daily living and triple for mobility. I honestly still can't believe it!

It does feel like a victory specifically on mental health grounds which is my dominant disability. I feel that the needs of people with mental health conditions are often overlooked leaving the sufferer feeling even more isolated than before. Having an 'invisible illness,' whether that be physical, mental or even both, can make life very challenging and you're not always taken seriously. Clearly the panel at my tribunal did which I'm beyond grateful for. They wrote that my oral account and the medical evidence were the main deciding factors.

I would like to thank this site so much for helping me to get what I am entitled to. Your guides were so helpful and the support you give is invaluable. This process has been extremely stressful and overwhelming for me but I now have no regrets.

Good luck to everyone on here. It's such a tough process to go through but don't give up x

That's great news Esmay! Well done for persevering until you got the award you deserved. Thanks for letting us know and for your kind words about B+W

Well done Esmay on winning your battle. I agree with your comments about the needs of mental health sufferers being overlooked. I was quite lucky with my ESA assessment, I think the assessor had some knowledge of mental health issues and provided a very good report. However not so lucky with my Pip report, assessor doesnt have a clue so it really is pot luck as to who you get. Hope you can start to relax and enjoy some down time now this ordeal is over. Take care, all the best