Applying for PIP support

Sorry I didn't read your OP properly before I wrote my reply.

Yes you should absolutely bother to write how it affects you even if you did have a ton of evidence (though you might have more evidence than you think).

Applying for PIP is an extremely legalistic process and writing how it affects you is where you translate your real world experiences into the legalistic framework that PIP is assessed by. It is highly recommended that you get some actual legal help to fill out the form. Yes this sounds crazy because it is crazy. There are specialist charities who help to fill out the form based on caselaw. It cost me around £120, I was lucky to have access to this money upfront without borrowing it, it's a couple of week's worth of PIP payment to save yourself excess stress and trauma, it minimises your chance of going to appeal.

But I don't feel comfortable pushing something that costs you money. Just understand that writing how it affects you is essential and it is a legalistic process. If you have the mind for it you can research the way that PIP is assessed, it is highly structured. It's like an alternate reality. There is no limit to how much you can write, you can write a whole separate document and send it with the application form as long as you write something like "see additional pages" in each box.

You can call for a deadline extension. The limit seems to be around 3 extensions.

You can also keep a PIP diary where you write how it affects you each day and add this as evidence. Be aware that you need to prove that you are affected at least 50% of the days. So don't send in a 10 day PIP diary if you were really struggling for 6 days but wrote "fine" for 4 days.

When you write about how it affects you imagine yourself of your very worst days, of course to be actually filling out the form at all you need to be kind of functional, so don't describe yourself as you are writing it, cast your mind back to your worst days in relation to the activity in the question and base your answer on what was happening for you on those days. And then go through each one of your diagnoses and describe how each one limits your ability to do said activity. You suffer from depression and anxiety? Okay, so you struggle to go to the doctors because you can't find the motivation to move and you're extremely anxious about what will happen when you get there.

Please remember that whilst you have a genuine need for PIP, PIP is not set up to intelligently and thoughtfully assess your genuine need. Just like an A level History exam tests your ability to pass an exam and not your passion and understanding of history, PIP is exactly the same. You know you have a genuine need, now you need to pass this surreal and complex test in order to meet that need. Understanding this will not only increase your chances of success but it should also hopefully relieve some of the mental distress involved in making this application.

I have not found out if I've been successful yet, but this is everything I have learned from experienced people so far. I think If I'm not successful it will probably be down to my failure to follow my own advice.

Take care of yourself and I wish you the very best of luck. I don't often log in here but feel free to send me a DM and I'll be happy to share any resources and knowledge I have.

You can also keep a PIP diary for evidence. If you have diagnoses for autism, IBS, anxiety and depression that's already a good amount of evidence. Any correspondence with work/college if relevant about how these have affected you would help; and you can ask sympathetic people to write a letter detailing adjustments you need. Receipts for things that help you like taxis, take aways, can also be used.

You can send the CAB a message and they will reply with a list of different things that can be used as evidence. This can also be pictures of adaptive equipment. For example for me I took a picture of my tinted glasses, cap, and earplugs.

I recently sent off my application. I was strongly advised to get professional help to fill in my application. Not just the CAB, literally someone versed in PIP case law to draft out the application for you. Basically you have an appointment, they ask you questions, then they write your answers in a way that fits with the way that PIP is assessed. It's extremely legalistic. It should be possible, I've been told, that in taking this route you can avoid having to appeal. I don't regret taking this advice but it was a nightmare for me. But still better than doing it alone.

One big mistake I made was to listen to advice from everywhere to make the first phonecall as soon as possible because your PIP is backdated to that date. Nobody told me that this would set the clock ticking for a deadline. You only have one month to fill out the form. For me this is no time at all. And the deadline ended up being close to Christmas, when I had tried to clear my diary so I could mentally prepare for seeing my family. I ended up getting three extensions. For the last extension I had to get a manager to approve my extension and he made it sound like that was the last extension I was going to get. It was the first week of the year. So both me and the person helping me were working on it over Christmas. It was extremely stressful.

I had a lot of trouble checking the draft I was sent. The person helping me wrote a draft based on my answers and asked me to check it for accuracy. My autistic brain pulled the whole thing apart and I sent them back pages and pages of corrections and extensive re-writes, some of which were totally unnecessary. So that's what we were dealing with over Christmas. The charity had a huge caseload so they were too busy for me to be able to call-up this person and discuss the details, so I was working blind. I actually tried to start applying about 5 years ago but after looking into it I was ironically just too unwell to make the application at that stage- I find the whole thing upsetting, thinking about myself in that kind of way, I just find it upsetting and difficult. Anyway, I did it in the end.

I don't know what the result will be. But the biggest lesson I have is that you should decide for yourself a reasonable deadline for when you can comfortably get it done, and then make the phonecall one month ahead of that deadline. 

If anybody wants to know the name of the agency I used then DM me, I'm not going to advertise on here. It cost me around £120.

You say you don't have a lot of evidence, so I think that is even more reason to provide a written explanation of how you are affected by your autism, IBS, and your anxiety and depression.

As Shardovan said, it can be a good idea to include supporting evidence from someone who knows you well (friend, relative, etc), and has a good understanding of how your physical and mental health issues affect your daily life.

It's 100% worth trying, and it sounds like you deserve and need that support. 

My own experience of PIP applying so far is that the first assessment is really an attempt to discourage you, and insufficient points will be awarded. (exceptions are, for the autistic, rare as I understand it)

However, you are then entitled to a mandatory reconsideration which you must ask for. Please don't give up after 'round one' and do ask for the MR as that seems to be where they begin to take you seriously. It's also where you should produce additional evidence if you have it - even if that's a letter from a sibling, parent, whoever can give an account of your struggles and their role in helping you. 

I'm going through my MR process now, and have no idea how it will go. If it fails to get me PIP, I'll try the tribunal/hearing that is the third and final 'round' one is allowed in the process. That supposedly has someone with a disability (ideally autism) on the panel, so is probably where some real nuance of understanding of your lived experience would come in. And, fingers crossed for you, they'd then give you the points you need. 

Best of luck. I hope you don't need to jump through all three hoops, but if you do... keep up the fight!  

Ah that makes sense. Cheers!

'CAB' is Citizen's Advice Bureau - took me a second as well!

I am following this thread because I am in the process as well (25 year old male).

I have anxiety and depression, but a GP has not diagnosed me. Does anyone know how they diagnose you with mental health issues?

What does CAB stand for?

From what I have read online, you can send evidence to them after you send the form.