Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi, I've found this forum as I have been desperately searching for help this afternoon following a difficult hour and a half tribunal hearing over the phone. Please note - I DO NOT find it comfortable to speak on the phone so did ask for a paper hearing which was adjourned in December and the tribunal recommended me to opt for a telephone hearing instead.
Background - I have struggled my whole life, my mental health became so poor in 2018 that it was effecting my daily life so I finally went to my GP to ask for help. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression and prescribed antidepressants and CBT.
I also had a diagnosis of Crohn's Disease and Fybromyalgia at this point. I then made my first application for PIP. This was rejected.
After trying 5 different antidepressants which didn't help and my mental health getting progressively worse I was finally referred for an autism assessment. I received my diagnosis in 2022 and a few months later also received my adhd diagnosis. Now I know why life has always been difficult for me.
Whilst waiting for my autism assessment in August 2021 I reapplied for a new PIP claim which was again rejected. Feeling strongly about this I asked for a mandatory reconsideration wii j was also rejected. Having by then having my diagnoses confirmed I applied to appeal the decision at a tribunal.
This whole process has took 19 months and been the most stressful time of my life. As I mentioned there was a paper tribunal hearing in December 2022 but that was adjourned and the panel recommended I opt for a telephone hearing and they also requested my full medical records from 2020 (which had never been requested before).
I sent all of this in and having chased weekly for a new date today has been the telephone hearing. The tribunal's decision was to agree with the decision of the DWP and I am heartbroken.
I don't know where to go from here, I have no support, I feel like whilst the panel sounds like they're listening and understanding they really don't otherwise how could they reject my claim?
Can anyone help with regards to taking this further? And how I could put a better case forward? I feel so strongly that I deserve this benefit but the difficulties I have in daily life are just not being taken seriously
Unfortunately it's a fact of life that these discretionary awards such as PIP don't go to the people who need them most, but to the people who make the best case for needing them. Again unfortunately, people on the spectrum are often poor communicators.