What do you spend your PIP on?

[Penguinno]

I've just been awarded the higher level of both elements and I am really struggling to know how I am meant to be spending it to help my daily living or mobility? I was awarded the mobility section for mental health.

Is a cleaner something I could spend it on? I can't find any information on what I should or should not do with it.

Anything you like, it’s your money.
If a cleaner will make your life better then that’s a ideal use of the money in my book!

You can spend it on whatever you like. There are no rules. I am on the highest rates of both elements on an ongoing award and mine goes on a motability car which I love and the rest goes into the general household income pot. Bills, spending etc etc.

You can spend it on what you want.. but if you have been awarded high rate on both elements presumably you need a lot of support or struggle to leave the house independently eg need to use taxis and need significant help with cooking, cleaning etc so anything that helps with any of those things.

I struggle with day to day things and basically most days don't leave the house. The reason I thought about the cleaner was because I seem to always have to do cleaning and it may mean I could try and get out.

I didn't realise you can spend it on anything.

I think you can spend it on anything you like?
No restrictions, no lones going to check.
DD has DLA and we've put it towards finding private assessments and therapy appointments as CAMHS are useless!

Noones!

I do want to try and use it to improve my life somehow.

My ds gets both elements at HR of pip. It comes to me as he can't manage it and he wants it to.

It goes on him swimming and also towards household costs so I can work less hours to care for him.

He agrees with this because if I worked FT/ longer hours he need to pay for carer.

It's your money.

My prescriptions and contact lenses. It's only the lowest rate though and I don't work.

Meant to add - it's your money send it on what you want to improve your life.

What about gym membership or a club or hobby? Something to help improve your MH?

Spend it on whatever will improve your life the most.

I spend mine mostly on private medical appointments / procedures, tbh. Pretty boring, but it does help me! Some goes on other medical stuff that isn't covered by prescription, like specialist skin treatments and expensive prebiotics.

What ^ said.
Whatever makes your life easier.
Have a think about if you would like someone to come in to help you with whatever you need (in which case a career), or if the cleaning is something you really need help with.
Take some time to think it over, but I would urge you to make sure anyone who comes into your home is insured, to protect you and them.
I know what you probably had to go through to get it, so take the time to think now what you really need, and go for it!

FFS, carer, not career!

Do you have children?

I use mine to pay for classes and therapy as NHS have peculiar restrictions on mental health services (namely CSA & DV survivors are not catered for unless they’ve accessed specialised help from charities govt give a bit of funding too and expect to do all the heavy lifting other places.

If a cleaner helps you, if you can’t manage public transport, if singing helps overcome speech issues, clothes need adapting, extra heating or wigs or different food during chemo etc

There is no ‘right’ answer plenty of judgement from certain quarters tho PIP is just meant to cover costs to help you have as ‘normal’ a life as possible without being disadvantaged by excessive costs for any adjustments you need.

So if a cleaner will help you manage then that is totally what its for.

No children.

I hadn't thought about the insurance bit.

I don't need to spend it I realise, and I do need to save some of it for things like taxi from hospital etc.

I would quite like to start swimming so maybe I can look at that.

I really wish there was like a pay for a friend thing sort of to have some one to spend time with and do things but it seems this does not exist.

Thank you for all the suggestions.

My late partner's used to go on taxi fares as he couldn't manage public transport.

@Penguinno I'm not necessarily recommending this as it can be tricky to achieve and I don't want to raise false expectations, but speaking from personal experience - if you're very cautious and picky about hiring a carer, and you hire them partly to (for example) accompany you to places, then it can over time eventually become very 'friend-like', even though of course, you are still paying them! One of my former carers I now count as a good friend (she doesn't work for me any more), and I'm still in touch with, and very fond of, another one too.

Again, not saying I recommend aiming for this, just that it's not impossible.

If you are struggling to pay for bills and food - use it for that. If you don't need it for that then use it for whatever you like - you don't have to show receipts.

Cleaner, gym, swimming, cinema, dishwasher, new shower fitted, tumble dryer, window cleaner, councilling or save it up for a few days away.

Basically anything that will help you to do less (if that's your difficulties) or something nice, that makes you feel better (if it's for the mind)

I get hr mobility and mr care.

Mine goes into the general pot but I like to think it goes towards something other than the wine bill so it goes on our cleaners as there's no way I could clean properly (I can only do stuff at kitchen worktop height) and it's a huge boost to us all - dh works very long hours as a GP. Ds (19) is my "wheels" in that he drives me to appointments, does the food shop with me etc (he's currently a home carer and works shifts so we work round each other - and he's using his experience as my carer for his application for nursing this year). So the rest of the money goes on petrol, and upkeep of his car. He'll take me places if I'm meeting friends eg for lunch, picks up my prescriptions, all that sort of stuff.

You can use it for whatever you want, no one is going to check. But I feel better knowing that it goes to making our (my) life easier. I don't work.

So how about you leave it for a while, still doing your cleaning, and then think about it?
Don't feel you need to make a decision or start spending it just now. Look on it as a fund that you can use to make your life better, when you know what you want to do with it.
It's important to understand that if you save some of it against future expenses that's ok too.

When you say to pay for a friend, do you mean companionship? So someone to go for a coffee with or a walk etc? If so, this is something that is available as a paid for service.

Definetly think about the key challenging aspects of your current situation. From what you've written it seems (loosely) to be

1. Energy levels - and using most of your spare energy on domestic chores

1. Company

1. Exercise

So paying a cleaner (who could do it all inc laundry and bed sheet changes) will in turn may leave you with more energy to exercise, and doing a regular swim class / aquafit etc will provide the start of the social element.

Either way, you have the money to spend on anything which will ease the burdens of your current physical or mental state.

@Penguinno

I've just been awarded the higher level of both elements and I am really struggling to know how I am meant to be spending it to help my daily living or mobility? I was awarded the mobility section for mental health.

Is a cleaner something I could spend it on? I can't find any information on what I should or should not do with it.

I'm applying for PIP, can I ask for any advice?

Well done on getting it x If you like cleaning advice to help there's lots on Youtube x FlyLady Chaos clean also