PIP

Interestingly, I got a blue badge immediately after applying. The process wasn't difficult for me but I don't know if it was because I met the criteria to automatically qualify for a blue badge without additional information which I got from my PIP award. That said, I know these things can vary from person to person with how hard/easy it can be to get.

I agree that PIP forms can be fairly straightforward too, although soul-destroyingly stressful to go through and relay all that information. I needed to recover afterwards.

I’ve honestly never met anyone I thought was fibbing to get pip, and know many eligible claimants.

I think a lot of the problem here lies with people's opinions of who should get PIP - I don't necessarily think the judgement comes from someone thinking a claimant is lying, just that they don't think you should get PIP if you are not a stereotypical disabled person- basically a wheelchair user.

I remember years ago a woman I Kew ranting about her sil getting a free car and there was 'fuck all wrong with her' - actually the sil had some quite bad back problems. Walked with a stick, attended regular medical appointments and was absolutely ticking the correct boxes for PIP. Her nasty sil just thought she was 'at it' because she could walk.

I suspect many people with a whole variety of conditions are judged the same, as is evident from the OP.

I have told no one I get ADP or that my car is motability (if they cared that much they can pay a small fee to check its tax band) but while I know my conditions are genuine and medically evidenced, I'm not willing to open myself up to judgement by othered because I can walk

I’ve honestly never met anyone I thought was fibbing to get pip, and know many eligible claimants. I find the forms deeply depressing but not impossible to fill out. It was fairly straightforward. Trying to access a blue badge on the other hand was shockingly hard work.

I’ve honestly never met anyone I thought was fibbing to get pip, and know many eligible claimants. I find the forms deeply depressing but not impossible to fill out. It was fairly straightforward. Trying to access a blue badge on the other hand was shockingly hard work.

Fibro could easily score points under 11 (planning and following the route of a journey) due to brain fog and effects of pain.

...

PIP regs also specify that you must be able to do an activity safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly, and within a reasonable time period, so if someone gets panic attacks when out alone, they may not meet the "safely" test for planning and following a journey, or if they can only walk slowly, or walk the relevant distance once and are then too knackered to do it again for a couple of days, they'll get awarded points

Yes but other things are considered.

One can't say that they can't plan a journey, for example, or suffer distress while out and about or are not able to walk more than 20m for the majority of days and are still able to go out and work full time, go on holidays, etc at least without clear evidence of support with these issues while doing so. Without support or aids, it can't be majority of days then if for the majority of days, they're still able to do things they can't do. So it isn't as clear-cut as just having these illnesses if they don't seem to affect you the majority of the time.

It isn't far-fetched to wonder how some people get it or get enhanced rates if you know them well enough to know some things about them that may clash with the descriptors.

Possibly, OP's friend has said that she has major adaptations and support at work and also her husband does everything/most things for her at home for the majority of the time at least. Still interesting to meet enhanced points.

[Disclosure: I have a few diagnosed disabilities both hidden and visible myself and also have dc with diagnosed disabilities. We finally applied and started receiving disability benefits since this year (first attempt) after living with these illnesses and conditions all our lives. So if anything, we've missed out on claiming what we're entitled to, so my posts aren't judging genuine claimants. I know the process all too well. I've also seen some fibbers. I won't hide that it happens].

@Drdoomish it’s not easy but not impossible. I have filled out PIP and DLA forms and they are long but so is reading a book or learning how a new washing machine or tv works. Broken down into steps it’s possible to most things and disabled people tend to know that. She must pay her other bills or have someone who does.

I agree with@Floralsofa

The other descriptor other pp have mentioned is not being able to move around/go out due to psychological distress. To get enhanced mobility, for the majority of days, her answers must have clciked with any of these options, atleast:

This:

Needs prompting to be able to undertake any journey to avoid overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant.

And this:

Can stand and then move unaided more than 20 metres but no more than 50 metres.

OR

This:

Cannot plan the route of a journey.

And this:

Can stand and then move more than 50 metres but no more than 200 metres, either aided or unaided.

OR

Only this:

Can stand and then move more than 1 metre but no more than 20 metres, either aided or unaided.

OR:

Only this:

Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid.

OR

Only this:

Cannot, either aided or unaided, – (i) stand; or (ii) move more than 1 metre.

To be in a full time (I assume) management position and get enhanced daily living and mobility is interesting.

Anyone can get PIP if they meet the descriptors, regardless of their income and expenses though, although I think that should be reviewed. Disability benefits should be for people it actually affects the cost of their day to day lives (for the majority of days) and not just because you can claim it.

Doing it every other/third day @TomeTome will increase the recovery time, as she can't just box it away in her head on the rest days. It'll still take her energy with brain processing power.

The “means test all benefits” wonks have never thought it through- it’s just ranting bloke in the pub “logic”.

Really?

So I should quit work and claim other benefits to access PIP? Go without private support treatments like neurophysio so my progressive neurological condition deteriorates faster? Then the state can fund my fulltime care! Awesome plan!

My PIP funds a cleaner, food supplements and neurophysio. It allows me to function without my husband becoming my carer instead of working. All of which keep me and my husband paying tax (and he's a higher rate tax payer, you're welcome).

Try and engage your thinking brain.

Isn’t it amazing how many people share all their financial affairs with their neighbours? Especially details like their spending on holidays?

Of course holidays are compulsory and a basic human right on MN. Unless you have so much as walked past a benefit office in the last five years.

The problem here imo is that's without PIP it is very hard to 'prove' you are disabled. The 'I'm registered disabled' is bullshit, there is no national register - some local councils I believe still stick your name on a list but there for their own purposes and won't help if you are trying to access a disabled space or service anywhere but with them.

You often find the criteria for proving disability will be if you are registered blind, claim PIP/DLA/Scottish equivalents or have a blue badge. I get adult disability payment in Scotland, I'm not blind and the council is batshit so they won't give me a blue badge (to park my motability car!) so the only way I can evidence disability is the fact that I get the benefit. My income isn't high but if it were there would be no change in the way I prove I'm disabled.

Not judgemental…..ok then.

Totally agree. I would happily hand over the Pip money if it meant my life limited son could hand over his condition.
It takes one car accident, one bad illness, one slip on the stairs and anyone could end up with life long illness, disability.
The world would be so much easier if people would stop being so bloody judgemental over the sake of a few hundred pounds ( which trust me doesn’t cover the extra costs involved in my sons condition)

MumblesParty

And we all know it would the squeezed middle impacted the most.

We are on an ok wage and my dd gets enhanced pip. Her costs are massive even before loss of earnings from the ok salary and impact on our careers and additional costs to us. Most of her pip covers things like her hugely expensive food, heating, travel, MH costs alone. So you can look at our ok income but it’s actually hugely less due to additional costs, loss of earnings etc on top. I’m paying £300 a month alone for therapy for me so I can keep going and not crumble, going unpaid 1 day next week due to appointments( some times with long periods of hospitalisation we’ve lost far more), then there are additional travel costs and parking fees during hospitalisation etc etc. We have to fund our son through uni because the thresholds for full loans are so low. Without her pip contribution he wouldn’t be at uni end of and his life has already been impacted hugely by her conditions.

www.scope.org.uk/campaigns/extra-costs/disability-price-tag-2023/

This Scope article clearly explains the additional costs of disability. Hth

I don’t think disability benefits or education or health or the legal system or the cost of roads and waste disposal etc should be means tested. Income tax already sorts that out.

As a general comment, I don’t think we tax the highest earners enough. And I mean those in the multi millionaire bracket. All that money could be pumped back into the NHS / public services which would help society as a whole. But then I guess you get into the whole communism type debate - does it incentivise people to work less / do less if we take more to make things more equal? Making PIP available to everyone acknowledges that having a disability makes anyone’s life more difficult, even if you’re incredibly rich.

I don’t think there’s an easy answer to any of it really.

Well in that vein we could say support for disabled people isn’t money and give them the support they need to level the playing field. We’ve chosen to do it this way, I would imagine primarily because it’s cheaper.

I use some of my pip for a holiday. There's a firework display near me once a year for a few nights. I struggle with loud and sudden noise. I go away for a few nights to get some peace.

*I actually do have two chronic debilitating conditions. One which is serious. I'm lucky enough to have a stable job so financially I'm managing.

Thanks for the judgment though 🙄*

Well it's hardly judgement, is it? I made an assumption, based on the scant information your post. I assumed your life must be free of significant health issues as you sounded so crashingly ignorant of the potentially debilitating nature of someone else's illness. You have decided that you don't need to apply for PIP because you earn enough money to live on. That's great. But it doesn't mean your 'friend' is wrong.

PIP/DLA are paid purely on health grounds, and not on income/savings. Millionaire David Cameron (justifiably) claimed it for his disabled son.

Many on those benefits work. It is to pay for the extra costs of disability.

Fibro is very painful - don’t envy someone with it.

Education isn’t money, it’s education. People use the state school system for many reasons, not just because they can’t afford private school. So you couldn’t ever had a system that said above a certain income people couldn’t access state schools.

Naff off OP. Your sort of judgement is exactly why I don’t tell people either and I’m not going to justify it online. However, please have my PIP but you have to have my epilepsy as well. If a few quid means that much to you then take it. It will mean that you can’t drive, can’t be left unsupervised to have a bath (just to name a couple) But hey, go for it.