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UK Personal Independence Payment (PIP) due to hearing loss

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I read somewhere that should you have over mid hearing loss you may be able to claim benefits for this from the UK government.

As I have been funding hearing aids since I was 19 and always preferred over other types I thought I would give it a go, I was expecting them (DWP Assessor) to knock me back but I was quite angry with the terminology used but I suppose that is to be expected if you put your head in the line of fire. :slight_smile:

I was just wondering if anyone in the UK on this forum gets any benefit for PIP purely due to hearing loss?

I also do realise that everyone is different and that people may have a much more severe hearing loss than myself.

5 people in this conversation8 min readJump to latest

Hello @Wiggy90, phone up the DSS, or get someone to phone for you, and ask them for a PIP application form, your claim will be dated from when you phone…I would encourage you to apply for PIP, go to your local CAB office, and get their claims officer to assist you to fill out the form, they are very experienced at filling out claims… Lastly, always appeal everything, unless you get the top rate of PIP, over 69% of appeals are won at tribunal, so don’t be discouraged if the knock you back… Good Luck, Cheers Kev :wink:

I would look at the points system first and see what you think you could get. Easily available on Google.

My friend had a life time award for DLA (old benefit) but only scored two points at tribunal for PIP and you have to score a minimum of eight points. She’s profoundly deaf.

In reply to @kevels55

@kevels55 Many thanks for the information, I will try appealing as you suggested…

I have already had a face to face assessment and explained how I struggle in groups, crowds, announcements while travelling, anyone with strong accents or limited English speaking skills, but the assessor ignored all of this, it was most disheartening…

You have to be really careful with your wording.

You should score two points for wearing hearing aids and if you mentioned that no hearing aid is waterproof and no deaf assistance for fire alarm is waterproof, then you should score two points for showering and bathing as someone would need to be in the house in case of emergency and so on.

Well I have just had a look at the points system and the following strikes me as unfair or not sure which to tick

  1. Engaging with other people face to face*****

9a. Can engage with other people unaided. (0 points) (no I need ’s)

So which option would apply?
9b. Needs prompting to be able to engage with other people. (2 points)

9c. Needs social support to be able to engage with other people. (4 points)

9d. Cannot engage with other people due to such engagement causing either - (i) overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant; or (ii) the claimant to exhibit behaviour which would result in a substantial risk of harm to the claimant or another person. (8 points)

I’d like to be generous and advise 9c (HA’s) but don’t think it’s quite relevant but also think I am being forced into answer as no other option

@Wiggy90 said:

Needs social support to be able to engage with other people. (4 points)

They are very harsh in their assessments these days and you need to think about yourself and relate it to this question that you feel may be relevant to you. The wording of the form and assessment is so important as the assessors are so harsh.

You need to word it about yourself but also word it so you answer this question as well specifically. (And other questions as well.)

Definitely take it to Tribunal tho if you don’t get awarded.

In reply to @Wiggy90

Asking for a Lip Speaker / Interpreter for the assessment, will also score you more points as well even if you don’t use one full time.

Often hearing new people is more difficult to people you already know.

I don’t claim PIP but it’s things I’ve picked up over the years from other deaf people.

Edited

Claiming for pip is very difficult there is a chance if things work out you could get the care component for help with everyday tasks but the mobility is much more differcult there is a test here on this website Take the PIP test366 which could tell you if you are eligible or not before applying. Hope things work out for you

In reply to @Zebras

Hi Ruth, IMO the DSS assessors always score low, it’s in their DNA… In the past, I have even caught them out in blatant lies, and I had proof of their lies… They once told me, via a letter, they didn’t receive my review forms in time, and because of this, I forfeited my claim, even though I had an indefinite award at tribunal for DLA, when I pointed out, I had proof of postage, I sent the forms via recorded delivery, they reinstated my payment, and actually upped the award, they would have been slaughtered at tribunal, this was at a the time of the transition from DLA to PIP, when the DSS/Government tried to move the goal posts! You have to appeal everything, unless you are satisfied with the award, IMO, be suspicious of any award given, you are most likely entitled to a higher award… I recently did an appeal tribunal for someone, I was their representative, you are 100% correct Ruth, everything is in the wording! They had been awarded the lower rate in the care component, and the Lower rate in the mobility component, I disagreed with the assessors scoring on the care component only, on reflection I should have probably appealed both, but I thought there best chance of winning was to appeal the care award, the higher award was granted for 4 years… Result :grin: That little extra, makes such a positive impact in folks lives! Cheers Kev :wink:

Many thanks for your guidance and support, I have completed the re assessment request form, the DWP do not make it easy for you to do this, I am not sure why the request cannot be submitted on the portal rather than posting it, but they do say the easiest way is to call them but my concern then is that all my comments/concerns will be missed and I’ll be back to square one, I’ll go to the post office today and send by recorded delivery…

Will let you know how I get on…

The whole system IMO, is designed to wear you down, in the hope you will capitulate, and give up, the DSS in essence are solely out to save money, so you have to be resilient & pig headed, a PIP claim is a long drawn out affair… You have a distinct advantage though, the tribunal service are acutely aware of the “alleged” devious practices of the DSS, they know the system inside out, so IMO, they are therefore predominantly on your side, and if you present a good application, you are highly likely to get a positive result, at the appeals tribunal stage… I have been to tribunals, where the chairman absolutely slaughtered the DSS, in one instance, he actually said he was going to write a vehement letter of complaint, listing all the points of law, and the terrible mistakes the assessor made! The way the tribunal scores the PIP points system, is entirely fair… The DSS scoring, if I am being generous… Is very questionable! Good Luck @Wiggy90… Cheers Kev :wink:

I get PIP due to my hearing loss.

It is not about the diagnosis. It is about how it affects you. If you are hard of hearing in both ears, then you would be eligible for it.

I would get help from Citizens Advice and read through pipinfo because it is quite a hefty form you have to fill out.

I spent 2 weeks filling it out. I did not need to have an assessment as it was all paper based. I got awarded Higher Rate Daily Living and Low Rate Mobility. I understand I was very lucky, and a lot of people have been having to fight through tooth and nail. The system is messed up.

Good luck.

@craftycrocheter Many thanks for your comments it is really appreciated- so based on your benefits you do not actually get PIP?

I asked for my case to be reexamined because several assumptions were made that I was not happy with like can you answer the door at home without assistance?

They assumed I could but this is not true because if I wasn’t wearing my I wouldn’t hear the door in the first place and then when I answer without my HAs I wouldn’t hear what someone is saying… annoying

So with ref to the benefits you do get do I have to apply for these to a different department?

Many thanks once again for your kind input :nerd_face:

Hi.

I do not get any other benefits other than PIP. I work as well as get PIP.

PIP is not income based so you can get it whether you work or not. I am probably not following what you are saying, so do you get other benefits as well? Do you mean if you get PIP what benefits will you get if you are eventually awarded PIP? With PIP, I also get:

Free Bus Pass, which I had to apply for on the council website. I had to provide my PIP award letter, council tax and a photo.

I think I also got a grant from the council towards my gas and electric bill. As for the answering the door without assistance, I would have explained without my hearing aids, I am unable to hear the door therefore I am also at risk as it could potentially be an intruder trying to get in. Sounds very daft but it is true. They already know you are hard of hearing, and this is how it affects you in your day to day life.

It is hard work and gave me a headache after I filled all the forms out! When it asked do you need assistance showering… the answer is yes. You cannot wear hearing aids in the shower so you are unable to hear fire alarms or any other sounds that potentially alerting you to something that is happening.

Did you have a face to face assessment?

In reply to @craftycrocheter

@craftycrocheter said:

Higher Rate Daily Living and Low Rate Mobility

Apologies for the confusion on my part I thought when you advised the above that meant they were not PIP benefits,.

Yes I had an assessment but I do not understand, the assessor advised I communicated well, but that was of course whilst I was wearing my , she pointed out about the shower and that I could not do it unaided because I would not hear a fire alarm,

I am a little concerned after I just recently read an article which advised that you have to notify PIP if you go on holiday, that may be one of the reasons they didn’t give it to me, although they didn’t say but I go on holiday a lot.

Anyway I am not confident that I will get anything but time will tell and at least I gave it my best shot. :slight_smile:

Many thanks once again for your encouragement…

@craftycrocheter said:

Higher Rate Daily Living and Low Rate Mobility

@Wiggy90 said:

Apologies for the confusion on my part I thought when you advised the above that meant they were not PIP benefits,.

PIP has Standard Daily Living or Enhanced Daily Living and Standard Mobility and Enhanced Mobility only.

@Wiggy90 said:

I am a little concerned after I just recently read an article which advised that you have to notify PIP if you go on holiday,

Pretty sure that’s just aboard for anything over 28 days. UK is fine.

In reply to @Wiggy90

Definitely appeal again. You are entitled to have it! You still live in UK though. I go on plenty of holidays abroad as well and that was also my worry but as Zebras said, only if you are out of the country for longer than 28 days at a time.

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