I've finally received word from the DWP today regarding my PIP appeal and they've refused to reinstate it again - although I don't know how to accept the validity of a write-up that starts with "you attended the assessment alone" when my wife came with me.
It seems they've again confused my ability to "engage with crowds" when working and potentially mask my anxiety in an interview (because I'm an actor) with a raft of medical evidence put in front of them to the contrary.
The DWP's PIP assessors are clearly unable to understand the subtlety of depression and aren't astute enough to know you can be a performer and suffer from it acutely. And it's their job to know this. Meanwhile, I have to withstand their demeaning attitude to my condition and the impact that goes with fighting to make them understand its validity.
As the mental health welfare benefits advisor who assists me with my claim put it in an email to them: "I can only assume that undue weight was given to Mr Ephgrave’s profession as a comedian even though PIP is not concerned with functioning at work or ability to work."
Parity between mental & physical health, my arse.
It seems they've again confused my ability to "engage with crowds" when working and potentially mask my anxiety in an interview (because I'm an actor) with a raft of medical evidence put in front of them to the contrary.
The DWP's PIP assessors are clearly unable to understand the subtlety of depression and aren't astute enough to know you can be a performer and suffer from it acutely. And it's their job to know this. Meanwhile, I have to withstand their demeaning attitude to my condition and the impact that goes with fighting to make them understand its validity.
As the mental health welfare benefits advisor who assists me with my claim put it in an email to them: "I can only assume that undue weight was given to Mr Ephgrave’s profession as a comedian even though PIP is not concerned with functioning at work or ability to work."
Parity between mental & physical health, my arse.