PIP is a lifeline for me as a disabled person. Here's a great way to claim for the DWP benefit

Being disabled is expensive. I have often said that just getting the help that I need is a job in itself, never mind the financial issues caused by my disability. I have bipolar disorder – a variable and lifelong severe mental illness – and I have various costs associated with my disability that people without disabilities do not have. 

Benefits like personal independence payment (PIP) really help with those costs, but also help me be entitled to things such as a disabled persons railcard. PIP is an excellent passport to lots of other schemes, and also gives me validation that yes, I am disabled.

As a benefit, it is unusual in that it is not means-tested – you can have any income and your PIP is unaffected. This is because disabled people with full time jobs still have more expenses than non-disabled people. The benefit can also help with other welfare benefits so it is definitely worth having.

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Having an invisible disability can sometimes make asking for help even harder – it can be difficult to prove our difficulties, and often it can feel like the system sets us up to fail. It is important that all disabled people are given the knowledge and tools to get the best out of life, and this includes those of us who have an invisible disability.

Over the last couple of years I have been lucky enough to be able to help create the Turn2us PIP Helper – an amazing online tool that is designed alongside disabled people to help people apply for PIP. As people who have experienced claiming PIP we were able to input our thoughts and feelings about the development of the tool at all stages, and we really were listened to and included in the process.

• What benefits can I claim?

If you are offered the chance to take part in any work like this – often called co-production or lived experience work – I highly recommend it. Many people reading this will have hugely valuable experience that can help in shaping services for others like them. I have found that it gives me something positive that has come out of my difficulties. I also ask that anyone who is involved in creating and running services keep the experiences of the users of their services to the very front of their mind, and consult those who will be affected by their work at every stage.

It was very important to Turn2us that we were part of the team, because the best people to advise on anything are those who have actually experienced it. I really felt that my input was valued and I am very proud of the tool that was created.

The Turn2us PIP Helper is an online tool that takes you step by step through the whole process, from a quick tool to see if you may be entitled, right through to information on appeals and renewals. It is free and entirely confidential – you have the choice to save your progress if you like but that information doesn’t go anywhere else. The helper is a great way to make claiming for PIP much easier and less daunting. There is also information on the tool about other people and organisations that may be able to help.

There is also lots of help for your wellbeing during what can be a difficult process – listing your difficulties can be hard as often we like to look on the bright side at what we can do, instead of focussing on what we can’t. The creators of the tool all felt it was very important to provide this support to minimise the harm that the application process can do.

If you think you may be entitled – you need to have an illness or disability that is expected to last for 12 months or more and affects your daily living, mobility, or both – have a look on the website to find your next steps. There is help out there and you are not alone.

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