Claiming PIP for Osteoarthritis of the knees

PIP is measured against your disabilities, i.e. what you can and cannot do as a result of your condition.

PIP is designed to help with the addition costs of having a disability; in my case it assists with Home Help, deep tissue massage, chiropodist, aids around the home and numerous other essentials. Check out https://www.gov.uk/pip . The application form is 30+ pages long, you will need supporting evidence/reports and will undergo an assessment. It may be useful to contact the CAB as they often help people with applications.

I got PIP for mental health issues for a while. It's worked out on two areas - mobility and social support (each also has a couple of levels of severity). It's completely possible that you could be eligible for some level of both with arthritis. From my experience, I'd suggest making sure you answer the questions on the form and in the assessment interview as if you were talking about the worst of your days. Don't exaggerate necessarily, but do make sure they understand how bad it is at it's worst.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I'd say it doesn't hurt to apply, but it is a lot of work, so make sure that you're up for that and have support around you. It can be a difficult process to go through, depending on the attitude of who assesses you.

Hi @Jenwren

PIP is a working age benefit and your ability to work isn't relevant really. I think you ought to take some advice from someone like Citizen's Advice and think about reapplying.

Have a look at this:

Take care

Hi Penndav

sorry to hear to hear about your knees I have it both mine painful but at least you have the support of you work colleagues it’s amazing that a person who isn’t in our shoes can make a decision about how it affects you I would rather work full time and not have the pain and fear over what happens next I’m currently on sick leave at the moment I don’t have support or compassion from my work colleagues , I would rather continue to pay my way but go to citizens advice ask them to help.

My doctor tells me it’s all documented on my notes as it should be on yours, you should also contact the council for disabled badges your entitled to them fact is you have walking difficulties

good luck and start thinking of yourself because millions of others do, be kind to you and be strong time to start bashing back now , take care

Jona 😊

Just a little note I appealed and my report said I was a liar and don’t sound like I’m in pain it’s believed by certain officials because it’s a way of stopping any help that’s needed

my advice is talk to a welfare rights or cab to save humiliation

Hi @Whiskey26 How did the PIP assessment go? I had a phone one last week.

you sound like me i cant work any more as have it every were big knees severe level 5 bone on bone left the worst but can sit to long or stiffen then awful getting up putting weight on have to hold on to couch or wat ever is near and stand a couple of minutes o cant stand for long as my knees lock then ont want to move so painful. and when first get up can't stand or walk far on 2 crutches dint go out hardly and when i do in car been getting cellulitis in my left leg my veins not working properly and getting little ulcers on leg got a bakers smcyst behind left knee inside shown on scan as well and can't every bend my left leg back wen sitting have to always put it up i have 6 months to get bmi down to 39 at least or less then will do my knees need to be fitter as will get better and get over it betttet but not moving hardlt and stopping smoking 5 years ago medication all contributed to me gaining a lot as never been over weight till now it needs to be down to not put pressure on replacement and get the benefit x

It’s not all negative, I thought my PIP assessor was very fair. I had the 30 page form plus 22 pieces of evidence - hospital discharge notes, list of prescription medications, physio reports, x-Ray results - anything you can think of really. I asked at the time for a full copy of the assessor’s report and was awarded full mobility component with no time limit.

Hi @Penndav

I had severe arthritis of the hip (now replaced). I'm now waiting for a new knee. I applied for PIP for my hip, but was turned down despite the fact that I struggled to walk, could not sit for longer than an hour & had constant back ache. The reason? There was not enough medical evidence from my GP that I was in so much pain or disabled by my condition. I only went to my GP when things got really difficult. Make sure you go to your GP regularly with your knee so that the PIP department can see you are truly struggling. Good Luck

I would love to see my GP regularly but I can’t even get a single appointment I get pushed over to a physio …. Don’t get me wrong they have their place to help us all but they cannot diagnose anything new …. Just had hips xrayed as I can’t wait till January to see rheumatologist … in sooo much pain and it’s spreading down the backs of my legs …. Only just recovering from a torn cuff in shoulder that rheumatologist injected with steroids now this urghhhhh 😭😭😭😭