My own fault

[mancity75]

Hiya everyone.I applied for pip 12 months ago.And finally had my assessmemt in november.i was awarded standard mobility but not daily living.I just felt ashamed to admit i had incontinence problems.So didnt explain the full extent of my problems.I requested a mandatory reconsideration and have sent the letter to Dwp explaining my reasons adding the assessor wasnt at fault i was.will i be refused as its my own fault?the whole process and struggling financially is only adding to my problems.Im not sleeping through worry of them refusing and how im going to manage financially.anyone advice pls and thank you ? x

[sandyp196]

hi, im really not sure where you stand with the appeal, because your in effect giving additional information that yo werent assessed on for the original claim.
im sure someone willcome along and help you with this

i do fully understand where your coming from though. When i first got ill and lost my job i couldnt accept my limitations. I felt a lot of shame that i could no longer support myself and my daughter and was having to claim benefits for the first time.

it took me a few years and several esa appeals before i realised there was no room for pride, well at least for that one hour of assessment. I had been playing down my illness and normalising it. Looking back im not surprised i kept getting turned down. It was only when i got outside support i realised what i was doing.

i am a proud person and iv worked all my life but for assessments i tell the ugly truth. it even upsets me to do it, but i know i have too. There is nothing wrong with being proud but you need financial assistance too. Its not your fault you need that. You dont have to see these assessors again so just hold onto that fact.

im so sorry your worrying now. Id be lying if i said you might have some complications here with your claim, but its nothing that cant be sorted. The worst scenario is you may have to start your claim again if want to add new information, but someone else here can give you proper advice. i only know what i have picked up from reading other threads, and that is im unsure if you can give additional info at appeal stage. but perhaps your doctor could support you and say how hard it is for you to talk about your health problems. Im sure this is true for a lot of us, and perhaps PIP make allowances for that. xx

[mancity75]

Thank you.I did tell her about it but not the extent of it and didnt feel i had the chance to explain myself on other things.but when i got outside i knew i should have.She asked how i slept n i said was normal.Got home told my son he said its not normal to ave a cpl of hours a night or not sleep for a cpl of days. i thought about things id said n not said n started picking up on things that do affect me but i hadnt noticed so much. couldnt give her times it took in minutes cos i dont think about timing myself i just know the things i try n do or can do just takes ages.My esa assessment was a cpl of weeks later n i was dreading going there as id been told they were harsh. before i went it was a rough week for me n had about 4 hours sleep in 3 days.I wasnt tired but felt drained.i just told her everything,not that i felt i had to or i was thinkin about point scoring etc maybe because id realised how difficult my "normal" life actually is because id had time to think after the pip assessment n noticed things i hadnt before..obviously on the surface i know i cant lift things,cant walk far,stand too long etc.i have overactive thyroid.which is why they wont operate on me.it was really high n they said they couldnt guarantee id come through surgery.which is why its taking so long to sort me out.ive had treatment n thats still ongoing so until thats sorted i cant ave my op.but its not why i cant go to work and it dawned on me at the esa assessment.how thats affected me and i hadnt even mentioned it at the pip assessment.Il just have to hope someone does ring and i get the chance to explain it a bit better.Ive always worked.its alright having a week off but this is getting on for 2 years n i dont know when im going to be sorted.so if it means going to appeal then il have to.because im constantly stressed about money,bills,food etc etc.i dont need it on top of everything else.the longer it goes on the more im worrying.its getting me down...ive still got a job to go back to...for now anyway.None of us expected me to be off this long.But once ive had my op wether its there for me or not il be straight back to work once ive recovered.Everythings getting me down just lately.The system needs changing Not everyone can go back to work after illness or whatever.Which is hard if youve always had a job.so for the process to take this long is ridiculous and very stressful.i wouldnt have known about points and how much detail you have to go into etc if it wasnt for forums like this.not everyone has access to computers so can only imagine how many really do need the extra support but have been refused cos they dont know how thorough you have to be and get refused because ya a point short etc.thanks for the advice il just keep my bits crossed

[neleh1978]

I feel the same I played my suffering down a bit as I didnt want them to think I was lazy or couldnt look after my 3 young boys (I thought what if they ring social services) I said I could do the shopping which I cant and I said I walked my children to school but I only do it now and then as its to painful and I have to drive, I don't know what to do now because they may think im asking them to look at my claim because iv not scores enough points, I dontknow what to do now.

[mancity75]

Awww neleh i wish i had a solution for ya,ive been reading all the forums,theres another one called fightback who help aswell.worth a look,but citizens advice could help too.i didnt know about the points ya get and all that.just embarassment got in the way of me going into detail.im constantly stressed about it,from waking up to going to bed.ive always worked and just need a bit of help whilst im off.soon as ive had my operation il be going back into work.its a nightmare and because of the backlogs to then have to wait for a reconsideration,i just dont know when its gonna end.really hope you get sorted hun xx