[the truth]

Friend I know has had a letter and hes panicking he may lose his DLA?PIPS, any tips on how to go about applying to keep PIPS for someone with mental health issues?

[Toy Soldier]

Best tip that I heard that is honest and not trying to make things seem worse, is to always meet people as you are on your worst day.

This is a huge part of the problem with mental health. People go the these official meetings, understandably, not wanting to be embarrassed. So they scrub up, dress their best, gather all their strength and go in looking as strong as they can.

But then of course the people meeting them assume that this is them on a normal day, think they look OK, that they can cope. They don't understand how much energy it's taking for that one meeting. That they will be exhausted later, that they might struggle to get out of bed at all the next day.

So basically... You can't put on a show. You have to be clear about what life is like on the worst days and the normal days. Not the best days.

[Cherie]

Thus might help

http://www.focusondisability.org.uk/...nt-points.html

[Vicky.]

Honestly, tell them not to worry too much about it as they are likely to be failed, no matter how much evidence they have or how good/bad they are on the day. This may sound defeatist but its best to go into it knowing how ****ed up the system is than to expect them to be honest then have the report crush you when you read it at a later date and find out the advisor lied their ass off. But the tribunal is much nicer to people and actually has qualified professionals on rather than random people with vaguely medical backgrounds.

Advice..take as much evidence as possible. Try to get assessment in own home (their doctor can request this) and do not under any circumstances minimize their condition. Look out for trick questions too.

[Vicky.]

For mental health too...they will mark you down as fit if you do not have greasy hair, if you have on clean clothes, if your fingernails are cut and clean...and so on. Its ridiculous.

[smudgie]

Biggest advice I can give, ask for a home visit.
You get a more understanding person rather than some pen pusher.

[joeysteele]

What all have said before the truth, I really hope your friend is successful.

Has he made the call to apply yet, if so if someone is with him when he does that is a good start.

Get from anyone connected with his care anything you can, a Doctors letter, advise a social worker if he has one.
You should be able to, and get a home visit, making sure someone is there at the time too.

You do get the better, (if there is such a thing on these horrendous assessments), individual coming out than going to be assessed at their appointed place.

You have to list everything that prevents him functioning properly and as he should, hold nothing back.
If he is anxious he needs to demonstrate that.
If he cannot really do the things they ask, say so and answer thinking on the lines could he do this regularly or not.

They will do their best to try to trip people up and be able to look at reducing care payments or even stopping them.

Which is why, it is best someone is there with them.
If the house is in any way untidy at all usually, then have it so when they come, do not have him looking organised, if he usually is not.
The points of personal care too are important, if he looks clean, smartly dressed etc;, they will mark him down for that.

If he has any difficulty expressing himself with others or dealing with any changes that come up in life, then make sure that is relayed to them.
If he really is nervous and worried and due to any mental health issue, usually could not deal with this himself, then he needs someone there to help speak for him.
If he has problems facing outside due to his mental health issue, make sure that is expressed strongly too.

It is hard to advise not knowing the full details of his illness but certainly not to tell any lies is important however,underplaying his condition too is a big mistake as well.
So even with depression,I don't know his mental health issue,however depression makes functioning a daily chore in itself
You can be just ok for an hour or hours then slide really quickly,
Getting up can be easy one day and not the next, concentration can be fine for a short time, then slip after minutes.

So whatever is his condition/s, do not underplay them.

Insisting on a home visit, such as saying he could not go the centre himself and no one could take him there,should get a home visit.
If there is a problem there and there should not be, he could get his Doctor or social worker to insist on his behalf.

It is better if someone could be there when they come and they will tell you a day and time,that demonstrates he needs care too and can only see things through with support of another.

It is shocking, when people already have DLA that they have to go through this rather than just be transferred to PIP.
With all the added stress this new assessment brings again to people.

I hope you have been given some pointers, everyone who has posted here has made good points as to this.
He must never however say he could do something if he could not do it regularly,anyone can maybe do something once but not regularly.

Anyway, I wish you and he the best of luck and that all works out okay for him.