Client stories

Sharon, 63, lives with her husband in social housing. Due to her ongoing health conditions, she is unfit to work. She is diagnosed with osteoarthritis in her neck, spine, knees and hands. She also suffers with severe anxiety and depression.

Sharon has been receiving PIP (Personal Independence Payment) since 2016 at the rate of enhanced daily living and standard mobility, totalling £137.25 per week. Following a PIP review in April 2023, Sharon’s award was decreased to standard daily living (£72.65 weekly) and no mobility component. She made contact with North Bristol Advice for help to challenge the decision.

When Sharon met with the appeals caseworker, she was anxious about the process and felt as though the DWP were treating her unfairly, since this wasn’t the first time they had reduced her award following a PIP review.

Over the following months, our adviser assisted Sharon with lodging her appeal. We obtained Sharon’s medical records and additional evidence to support her appeal. We then wrote a submission on behalf of Sharon to send to the Tribunal with the additional evidence. NBAC was named as her representative.

The hearing date was scheduled for July 2024, 12 months after initially lodging the appeal. During the 12 months, Sharon expressed that due to the excessive wait time she felt incredibly anxious and had a few moments where she wished to withdraw.

Sharon’s mental health was impacted so severely that she could not sleep the night before the hearing and was sick as a result of the built-up anxiety. She felt uncomfortable about the fact that she would need to discuss her health conditions and their impact on her life in great detail to strangers in a court setting.

On the day of the hearing, the Tribunal clerk called NBAC just 2 hours before the hearing to inform us that the Tribunal and DWP had come to an agreement and awarded all points which were argued in the submission. Sharon was awarded the enhanced rate for both the daily living (£108.55 weekly) and mobility (£75.75 weekly) components dating from 2023 to 2030 and a back payment amounting to £2,932.25.

“There has been a distinct change in my mental health and well-being simply by there being someone in my corner, someone helping me fight. Just having someone else care + help is a much-needed support for chronically ill people – better than any financial gain!”