The government denied me disability benefit because I could “probably make a sandwich”

I allegedly didn’t look tired enough at my assessment to convince them that my Multiple Sclerosis-induced fatigue is real.

By Amy Mackelden

It’s probably time for me to give up on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) – the non-means-tested benefit designed to support individuals with disabilities and long-term health conditions. I was deemed unentitled to PIP, despite having Multiple Sclerosis (MS), after a ten-month process, from initial application to the court appeal at which I represented myself, and lost.

The PIP benefit is renowned for being difficult to claim, and many applicants have waited much longer than I did, and faced extreme financial hardship as a result.