‘Having to fight the Government as well as my condition was ridiculous’

THE GRUELLING appeal process when she was knocked back for PIP made mother-of-four and multiple sclerosis sufferer Jennifer Robinson,

inset, feel like she was “useless,” “lying” and “being punished”, she said.

Her diagnosis with the relapsing remitting form of the neurological condition two years ago came as she was suffering with depression following the premature birth of her youngest child, and what followed, in her words, was “a year of torment”.

After years of symptoms, including nerve pain and the loss of sight in her left eye, which led to her being forced to give up her cleaning business, Mrs Robinson, 32, of Scarborough, applied for PIP in August 2016, shortly after she was diagnosed.

After an assessment, she received zero points for PIP, and after a mandatory reconsideration saw the decision upheld, she went to an appeal.

It took 11 months to get to the tribunal, where she was awarded PIP indefinitely, with a higher rate of daily living allowance and standard rate of mobility support.

She said: “I’d only just been through the turmoil of a diagnosis and was already fighting hard to live my life. So having to then fight the Government as well was ridiculous. It wasn’t just me that was affected, it was four children, two of whom were under two at the time.” She said she found the whole process “degrading”.

“I couldn’t even fill the forms in myself as I couldn’t hold a pen, I thought I was going to lose everything, my home, my car,” she said.

A DWP spokesperson said: “We are committed to ensuring that people with health conditions get the support they’re entitled to. Decisions are made following consideration of all the information provided by the claimant at the time. Where decisions are overturned at appeal this is usually because the claimant has provided more information on their condition.”