Hello there
I was wondering if anyone else who has cll and compromised immune system has been successful in claiming pip? If so please could you give me some advice as I am finding it really difficult to get them to understand how this impacts my life. Any help would be appreciated
Thank you
Hi Hen…….
The main PIP qualifying criteria are:
You have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability.
You have difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around.
You expect the difficulties to last for at least 12 months from when they started.
Having a cancer diagnosis like a blood cancer including a compromised immune system is not an automatic criteria to get PIP……. it’s all about having a condition or illness that has a significant effect on your daily living…. and require help to do daily tasks.
It took me 14+ years after my initial Lymphoma diagnosis with a reduced immune system to eventually accumulate the 12 point in both the everyday tasks and getting around criteria to be awarded PIP……… This was triggered by the effects of my chemo and radiotherapy……. My PIP award was further enhanced due to my 2 Allograft Stem Cell Transplants…… as I ended up in a wheelchair and was not able to drive…… could not dress myself or make food.
Hi Hen
I don’t have the same type of cancer but I do have experience of claiming pip, and Mike has already given you some good advice.
In order to qualify for pip, you need to be able to demonstrate, with supporting evidence, how your condition impacts on your life in the areas of daily living and mobility which make up the two components of the award.
This link shows the descriptors used to assess your claim, so the best thing to do is read through these and assess how they apply to your own life/situation.
If you want to make a claim, the best thing is to call the DWP to request a claim form. Any award made is backdated to the date you asked for these forms, which is helpful as the claim process can take some time. I applied in April and finally got awarded PiP in August and have been through the review process prior to my award finishing so I’m aware there are big backlogs in the system.
As the award is not based on a diagnosis, it’s best to try to gather as much evidence as possible to support you with how your condition affects your life. For example, I had letters from my gp, oncologist/surgeon, mental health counsellor and also my partner who takes care of me, along with a list of prescribed daily medications.
It can be a difficult process to claim PIP so my advice would be to prepare well before submitting a claim, and consider getting help to complete the form from charities that can offer help with this. I wish you the best for a successful claim.
Sarah xx
