Thread by @FatiguedStill

Last night I spoke with my friend's husband who's a PIP assessor, for advice about my upcoming PIP review, and was given some useful insights about how the process works from the inside, including specifics about ME and long Covid 🧵

People with ME and long Covid will only receive points for cooking, washing and dressing. It's unlikely we'll receive points in any other activity.

Few applicants will be awarded points for eating and drinking. It's viewed that if you can grip cutlery, no matter how much pain you're in or how long it takes you to eat, then you are independent. Only applicants with eating disorders or a paralytic hand will be awarded points.

Anyone who drives will never be awarded the full 8 points for cooking, because the ability to maneuver a steering wheel (apparently) indicates some ability to use cooking utensils. If you mention driving, at most you'll be awarded 4 points (requiring assistance) for cooking.

With dressing, it is unhelpful to say you need to sit down while dressing because even able-bodied people do this. Talk about how long it takes you and how many breaks you need to demonstrate that you cannot dress reliably.

PIP assessors ask about hobbies because able-bodied people have the spoons to have lots of hobbies, whereas many disabled people don't, such as people with ME spending lots of time in bed. Hobbies indicate independence. Any question about hobbies is there to catch you out.

There's a rumour that PIP assessors are given targets of how many people to deny PIP. My friend's husband has never been told to do this. He did say that if someone is granting an unusually high amount of PIP then their cases will be heavily audited.

He said that he doesn't necessarily agree with the criteria, and there's been times that he's been audited and felt that the auditor's decision was unfair, but those are the rules.

He said that often it's down to the luck of who you have assessing you, because one assessor could award 2 points for dressing while another could award 8 points.

He did say that he was surprised that I was awarded 0 points at my assessment and only 4 points for daily living at tribunal.

He said the assessor and tribunal should not have used my ability to work one day a week in the office against me because a person with ME sitting behind a desk once a week is not indicative of their ability to cook, wash and dress,

And, even if it was manual labour, one day a week is less than 50% of a person's time, so if that person is doing manual labour one day a week then bedbound for the other six days of the week, then they cannot perform manual labour reliably.

He emphasised that wording is important. If you have a relative or friend caring for you, such as cooking you meals, emphasise that they are doing it because they have to and that you would be unable to cook for yourself if required.

He said to be honest and do not overestimate your ability. If you are struggling, describe your struggles in great detail.

I hope this helps - and remember, always emphasise your worst days!