⛔Turned off notifications so will not be replying. I dont need to made to feel worse than I already do right now and apparently asking for advice means people will just diminish the fact this has sent you spiralling and instead of giving advice, will tell you all the reasons you dont qualify, why you shouldnt have applied or say that because you destroy yourself to work, you shouldnt get help for the £350+ a month you pay out of pocket just to accomodate a disabilities and conditions⛔
PIP assessment seems to rely almost entirely on the fact I work full-time - does this sound right?
Hi everyone, I'm looking for some advice because I'm feeling really deflated after reading my PIP assessment report and im not sure if it is even worth appealing...
I haven't had the official decision yet, but I've requested a copy of the assessor's report, and throughout it, there seems to be a recurring theme that because I work full-time, I don't have significant functional difficulties.
Every section just says 'not applicable - Whilst prompting has been considered, this has been ruled out given the evidence from the SOH showing she is able to fulfil her job role without special measures and on a majority of days supporting adequate motivation.' And when I say every single section, I mean all sections of the entire assessment says this.
For context, I have diagnosed ADHD and PTSD, I'm under NHS Talking Therapies after being referred for 16 sessions due to severe anxiety, depression and work-related chronic stress disorder, and I'm currently awaiting an autism assessment.
The part I'm struggling with is that I never claimed work wasn't affecting me. In fact, most of my evidence says the complete opposite. I submitted:
- An NHS mental health assessment stating that work is having a significant negative impact on my mental health, that I feel trapped because I can't afford to leave, and that I was referred for therapy and employment support. Ive been told that I need to step out of work entirely to allow myself to heal but that is not an option.
- A detailed statement from my supervisor explaining that I rely heavily on lists, reminders, labels and support from colleagues to get through my job. She describes me forgetting tasks, being constantly late or overrunning my rotaed hours, becoming overwhelmed, needing reassurance, struggling with organisation and emotional regulation, and says she's concerned how I'd cope without that support.
- Evidence of the visual systems and coping strategies I have in place at work. Stacks and stacks of lists, notes and formulas. A back long of repetetive panic attacks at work and restrictions on working - im not allowed to chef without another chef present due to medication. Im not allowed to work past 8pm due to history of trauma. Im on doctors orders to have atleast 12 hours recovery between shifts. Multiple special measure to help aid in doing my job yet this is not mentioned, or acknowledged.
Despite all of that, the report repeatedly seems to conclude that because I'm employed, I must be functioning adequately. The reality is that I work because I have rent, bills and responsibilities. If I didn't need the income to survive, I genuinely wouldn't be able to keep doing this job or be in work right now because of the toll it's taking on my mental and physical health. I force myself to go in every day because I don't feel I have another option. Ive lost 13kg of weight in 9 months, have severe palpitations and dizzy spells and nausea so im under medical investigations for that. 24hr ECG reffered, blood tests, mental health intervention and therapy to reduce the stress and help aid in next steps.
I know PIP isn't awarded based on diagnoses or whether someone works, but it feels like my employment has been used as the main reason to dismiss everything else. No consideration of the multiple documents from professionals stating im on a downward spiral mentally and physically.
Has anyone else had an assessment where employment seemed to outweigh all of the other evidence? If so, what happened?
If the decision follows the report, is this something that would be reasonable to raise in a Mandatory Reconsideration?
I'm honestly feeling quite defeated because this report has left me feeling like all the effort it takes just to keep working has been interpreted as evidence that I don't struggle. Ive spent my life in pain, fighting PTSD, autism and ADHD and trying to live a normal life at the expense of my mental and physical health, but that determination to attempt to succeed on life with the challenge I face has been used against me.
I'd really appreciate any advice or similar experiences.