DLA dropped to standard despite new diagnosis

Ttd62

So today I had a review with a doctor ,my dla was dropped from full to standard when I changed to pip,
Although I still have two damaged discs to my lumbar spine with my sciatic nerve trapped in them, I have now been diagnosed with ptsd, this was originally diagnosed in 2017  will this effect my pip  I have just had 9 mths of meetings with a psychologist which because of ruling within the mental health for NHS I now have to have a break for 12 mths from treatment but still very low mood  tired all the time anxiety and nightmares tears on a daily basis.
Thanks in advance. 

thespiceman

Hello @Ttd62   Pleased to meet you welcome.

Thank you for joining and sharing.

I am one of the team of community champions who help and advise new members.

Sorry to hear about your illness.

I am unsure of an answer to your question.  There will be members of our community who will be in touch or a member of our team.

I would advise speak to CAB for further advice and information.

Please take care.

@thespiceman

Pippa_Alumni

Hi @Ttd62, and a warm welcome to the community!

Thanks for sharing this with us, and I'm sorry to hear about your past PIP experiences. It's impossible for anybody to say what the outcome of your review will be, but fingers crossed it's what you're hoping for. Do feel free to keep us updated and if you have any questions, do let us know. Our members will advise where they can!

Does your GP know about how you're feeling at the moment?

poppy123456

Hi,

PIP isn't about a diagnosis, it's how those conditions affect your ability to carry out the activities based on the PIP descriptors.

mossycow

That's true but it often feels linked to a professional justifying and giving evidence to those pip descriptors. 

Keep on at it  it is worth it even if only to know you have done all you can.

Have you let PIP know that your situation has changed? 

BenefitsTrainingCo

Ttd62,

It's very hard to say whether your PIP award is correct. As Poppy says, it depends on points that you score in various activities, although it's also very true that the actual result is often dependent on the health professional's judgement as well, unfortunately (ie the person who did your assessment). You could

challenge your PIP decision if you think it was wrong (especially if it was quite recent)

Ask for a change to your PIP decision if you think things have got worse recently (you should expect to be reassessed though)

leave things as they are.

Really up to you, but to help you decide, you could take the PIP self-test. The PTSD diagnosis in itself isn't as relevant as how your condition affects you. If you have problems engaging with people for example, then that is relevant. I would take the self test and if that suggests you should get a higher award, then decide what to do about the original decision (whether to challenge it or ask for a change). The diagnosis is helpful when it comes to providing evidence about your condition.

Will