The Ultimate Guide to Gathering Evidence for Your PIP Appeal

Answer first: Evidence wins PIP appeals. Go beyond diagnosis to show functional impact on PIP daily living and mobility activities. Use a structured diary, targeted medical letters, and clear statements from people who help you. Tie everything to whether you can do tasks safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly, and within a reasonable time.

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Beyond the Diagnosis: How to Prove “Impact on Daily Life”

PIP is about how your condition affects what you can reliably do day to day, not the label for your condition.

- **Multiple Sclerosis (MS)** - Impact example: “On most days, fatigue forces me to lie down for 2 hours after preparing a simple meal. I forget steps and risk burning food. I need prompting and supervision to prepare food safely.” - Link to descriptors: Preparing food, taking nutrition, washing/bathing, managing therapy, moving around. - **Arthritis** - Impact example: “I cannot grip or lift pans due to hand pain; I use a microwave and pre‑chopped food. Dressing takes 25 minutes and I need help with socks and fastenings.” - Link to descriptors: Preparing food, dressing/undressing, bathing, toilet needs, moving around. - **Amputation (lower limb)** - Impact example: “On prosthetic‑use days I can move short distances indoors with a stick, but falls risk requires supervision in the shower. On non‑use days I need help transferring and cannot prepare a hot meal safely.” - Link to descriptors: Moving around, bathing, transferring, preparing food, toilet needs.

Always describe frequency (how often), duration (how long), variability (good/bad days), and risks (falls, burns, confusion, overwhelming distress).

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How to Write a PIP Diary That Works

Aim for 2–6 weeks. Be honest, specific, and consistent.

Daily Diary Template

``` Date: Sleep quality (hours, interruptions): Pain/fatigue/anxiety (0–10): Activities attempted (prep food, wash, dress, meds, budgeting, social, travel): What help/aids were needed (prompting, supervision, physical help, aids/adaptations): Time taken vs a typical person (e.g., 3× longer): Accidents/near‑misses (falls, burns, mix‑ups): Good/bad day? Why? Notes on therapy/medication and side‑effects: ```

Weekly Summary

- How many bad/average/good days? - Tasks you could not do safely or repeatedly - How many times you needed help or supervision - Any appointments, changes in treatment, or flares

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Getting the Right Information from Your GP

Ask for a short letter that addresses function, not just diagnosis.

Provide your GP with a one‑page brief:

- Your key symptoms and how they affect specific PIP activities. - The tests: safely, acceptable standard, repeatedly, reasonable time. - Examples: “Needs prompting to prepare food; uses microwave due to hand weakness; therapy requires assistance most days.” - Frequency and variability: “Bad days 4–5 per week; tasks take 3× as long; risk of falls in bathroom.”

GP Letter Prompt Sheet (give to your GP)

- Diagnosis and treatment summary - Functional limitations in activities: - Preparing food, taking nutrition, managing therapy - Washing/bathing, dressing, toilet needs - Communication, reading, engaging with others - Budgeting, planning journeys, moving around - Whether assistance, prompting, or supervision is needed - Whether difficulties are longstanding and expected to persist - Side‑effects of medication or therapy that affect function

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Letters from Family and Carers: What Should They Say?

Encourage supporters to be specific and factual.

Supporter Statement Template

``` Name & relationship: How often I see/help the claimant: What I have directly observed (with dates/examples): • Cooking: I supervise due to leaving hob on; I carry hot pans. • Washing: I assist with balance; install shower chair; wait outside bathroom. • Medication: I prompt daily and organise dosette box due to memory issues. • Mobility: I walk with them outside; they stop after ~20 metres and need rest. Frequency/variability: number of bad days per week; triggers; flares. Risks and safety concerns I’ve witnessed (falls, burns, confusion, distress). My contact details and permission to contact me if needed. Signed and dated. ```

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Packaging Your Evidence for Maximum Impact

- **Organise by activity/descriptor**: a section per activity with diary extracts, medical lines, and supporter quotes. - **Use headings and bullet points**; highlight key phrases. - **Cross‑reference**: “See Diary 12/06 for burn incident; see GP letter para 3 on supervision.” - **Quality over quantity**: a sharp 15‑page pack beats 100 pages of generic notes.

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Final Pre‑Submission Checklist

- [ ] Diary covers at least 14 days, including bad days - [ ] GP/specialist letters address function, not just diagnosis - [ ] Supporter statements include dates, frequency, and risks - [ ] Evidence mapped to descriptors and ‘safely/acceptable/repeatedly/time’ tests - [ ] Assessor errors identified and corrected in covering note - [ ] Copies saved; deadlines calendared