Guides For Claimants

PIP Claims and Reviews on physical health, mental health and learning difficulties grounds
140 page guide to PIP claims, medicals and the PIP review form (AR1/1043 and AR2 light touch review form).

The PIP Guide takes you step-by-step through the entire claim and review process.  There is highly detailed, box-by-box guidance on what evidence is required in the PIP2 'How Your Disability Affects You' form, along with sample answers.  There are also detailed explanations of key concepts such as reliability, safety and supervision and aids and appliances. There are sections on contentious issues such as how your ability to drive can be misused when assessing you.

There are full details of the different assessment types - Face-to-face, telephone, video and paper - how to prepare for them and the types of questions that will be asked.

When it is time for your award to be reviewed, the guide takes you through the process for completing the AR1 or AR2 review form.

I've been awarded PIP, what else can I claim?
14 page guide to other benefits you may be able to claim if you are awarded PIP.

PIP Sample medical report
Our own sample version of a PIP PA4 medical report form

PIP GP Notes
A copy of the PIP descriptors you can take your GP to ask them to select which ones they think apply to you, add any comments and sign and date as evidence for your claim or appeal. Just take the pages you need.

UC/ESA and PIP overlap
A chart showing the degree of overlap between UC/ESA and PIP descriptors. This is something that will become increasingly important if combined assessments are introduced, as is currently being planned. Many thanks to Gordon, our moderator, for creating this.

Carer's Allowance
A 23 page guide to claiming carer's Allowance and challenging overpayments

Short supplementary guides to claiming PIP for a range of specific conditions, with case studies and additional information about how each condition may impact on daily living and mobility activities.

Not everyone wants to keep a diary of the effects of their condition, but many claimants do find them useful, either to help with completing the PIP ‘How your disability affects you' form or to submit as additional evidence.

Our sample extracts covering mental and physical health conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, anxiety and depression and our templates will make sure you do the best possible job of keeping a PIP diary.

You can also download templates to create your own diary:

Guide to PIP appeals
A 23 page guide on challenging PIP decisions through Mandatory Reconsideration and Appeal.

The Best Possible Support For Clients With PIP Mandatory Reconsiderations and Appeals
A detailed 49 page guide that can be used by claimants and support workers alike to challenge PIP decisions via mandatory reconsideration and appeal.

PIP mandatory reconsideration and appeal submissions
A 33 page guide to PIP mandatory reconsideration and appeal submissions and sample submissions for health conditions: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Anxiety & depression; Schizophrenia; Mobility problems; Fibromyalgia; Anxiety disorder, depression & agoraphobia and; Osteoarthritis & obesity

Best possible ways to challenge a PIP medical report
A 24 page guide to challenging a DWP Health Professional's PIP medical report, includes over 50 grounds for appeal and sample text.

ESA and UC Claims for Physical, Mental Health and Learning Difficulties: a guide to the work capability assessment.
152 page, fully comprehensive guide to the assessment procedure on physical, mental health and learning difficulties grounds for employment & support allowance and universal credit.

The guide takes readers through the entire process of claiming ESA or UC with a health condition or disability. Amongst many other things, it looks at:

• How to start a claim
• The different routes into the work-related activity group – with or without points
• Should you be in the support group/ have LCWRA because a descriptor applies to you?
• Four ways to get into the support group without using the descriptors
• The very important ‘substantial risk’ rules
• How to show you score points even if you can actually do an activity
• How to complete every box in the ESA50 or UC50 questionnaire
• How to prepare for any sort of assessment
• What happens at the assessment

Successful ESA to UC Managed Migration
This 52 page guide takes you through the whole migration process, warning of potential pitfalls and ensuring that you are better informed than many of the DWP staff you may have to deal with along the way.

Amongst other things we explain how to

• prepare for migration even before receiving your notice arrives
• do a trial run through of the complete form 
• ask for an extension of the deadline if you need one
• decide the best time to make your claim after you get your notice
• understand what the options are for proving your identity
• challenge an unfair or unlawful claimant commitment, including using the cooling-off period to buy time
• understand how your UC award is calculated
• request reasonable adjustments, such as not having to travel to a jobcentre
• use complaints to get fair treatment
• avoid sanctions

ESA to UC - A guide to migration
A 28 page overview of the process of natural and managed migration from employment and support allowance to universal credit.

ESA and UC mandatory reconsiderations and appeals
43 page guide to mandatory reconsiderations and appeals for ESA and UC.

ESA and UC Mandatory Reconsideration And Appeal Submissions
26 page guide to writing mandatory reconsideration requests, completing ESA appeal forms and writing submissions for an ESA tribunal.

Permitted work and working while on universal credit due to sickness or disability
9 page guide to doing permitted work whilst claiming ESA, universal credit or incapacity benefit.

Ways to prevent and overturn ESA and UC sanctions
30 page guide to ESA and UC sanctions

The Best Possible Disability Living Allowance Claims For Children On Physical and Mental Health Grounds
A 74 page guide to DLA claims for children.

The Best Possible Disability Living Allowance Renewal Claims For Adults On Physical Health Grounds
A 58 page guide to DLA renewal claims for adults with a physical health condition

The Best Possible Disability Living Allowance Renewal Claims For Adults On Mental Health Grounds
A 50pageto DLA renewal claims for adults with a mental health condition

70 Questions You’re Likely To Be Asked At Your DLA assessment

The Best Possible Support For Clients With DLA and AA Mandatory Reconsiderations and Appeals
This 46 page guide can be used by claimants and support workers alike to challenge DLA decisions.

Giving Persuasive Information About How Far You Can Walk
13 page guide.

Claiming attendance allowance
Detailed guide to claiming attendance allowance on physical or mental health grounds.