PIP for high functioning autism?

[Saramia]

The specialist who diagnosed me with autism told me to apply for PIP. I struggle with social situations and people exclude me because they don’t like me. This makes it difficult to get a job because employers also don’t like me. When I have managed to get work, I’ve been sacked for being “weird”, eg sitting in the cupboard on my lunch break because it’s dark and nobody can talk to me.

I applied for PIP but got 0 points because I’m functional and independent. I have no physical disabilities. I can cook, eat, wash and dress myself. I can drive and with the help of satnav I can get around (going to unfamiliar places makes me anxious but I have ways to cope with that). I can read and I’m qualified to postgraduate level. I can express and understand verbal information - I don’t like talking to people and it makes me anxious and they dislike me, but the PIP criteria are focused on whether I CAN do it, and I can. To get even a single point you have to use an aid or appliance to communicate, or receive support with communicating, and I don’t.

There’s nothing in the PIP criteria which covers “I can force myself to talk to people for a short period and we can understand each other, but afterwards I’ll be shaking and possibly have a meltdown, and I certainly can’t cope with being exposed to people for an 8 hour shift every day”. PIP is only focused on the first part - ie I CAN do it. It makes no provision for the meltdown I have after forcing myself to do it, or the constant anxiety I feel if others are around and might try to speak to me.

I went back to my GP and she said “but you’re unable to work due to autism so you should get PIP?” But it seems that PIP doesn’t actually cover my difficulties. It’s for people who CAN’T function - it’s not for people who can force themselves to function but experience great anxiety and panic whilst doing so. It’s not for people who can function but get discriminated against by others and that’s why they don’t function. PIP is to pay for care needs - it’s not for people who don’t specifically need care but are excluded from work due to their disability, and it’s not for people who need money to live on because they’re not working due to their disability.

I have the option to appeal the decision and they’ve booked me in for a face to face meeting, but I’m considering cancelling because I don’t feel like I can show any evidence that I’m unable to function. Because I can function. Maybe only for short periods, with a lot of anxiety, and I frequently get discriminated against and blocked from what I want to do, but in the most basic sense I CAN function. Which seems to indicate that I’m not entitled to any benefits?

A holiday, day trips and the theatre aren't familiar journeys

and to focus on when they're in burn out

My ASD dd has been in burnout for 11 months. No school, no independence, too exhausted to do anything. Burnout isn’t just a 2 week thing.

I have scoliosis. It doesn't stop me living my life but I get a lot of backache if I stand up for a while. Sometimes if it's really bad I may need to lie down for a bit. Is there a benefit I can apply for?

Yes you can, it is called PIP. You are being impacted by your condition. That is what is important, and what they look at when they grant an award.

No one is saying they are? If someone can’t follow the route of a familiar journey without help they can’t do it for an unfamiliar journey.

For instance I would imagine someone who is severely vision impaired would qualify under this category. Surely you’re not saying they shouldn’t go on holidays, day trips or to the theatre? PIP may be paying for someone to accompany them, when but for their disability they could have gone alone.

I was replying to someone who apparently gets high rate pip.and spends it on holidays day trips and going to the theatre and I'm struggling to understand if this person is telling the truth how as it doesn't fit in the descriptors for high rate

And 2 pp have now explained to you how they DO fit the descriptors, whether you agree or understand

If she was granted an award, then that is all anyone needs to understand. This is the reason some people with disabilities struggle in silence. They fear being open about the help they may need, or receive, due to judgment from other people, not understanding, and not believing.

Do you honestly believe a person who has come on to social media to tell everyone that they get high rate pip and use it to go on holidays, day trips and the theatre. Their either lying on here or commiting fraud. Their are only 2 ways to get high rate mobility. One is not being able to walk more then 20 metres which they have said they can the other is not being able to go to unfamiliar places which rules out holidays, day trips and the theatre ect. Why are you sticking up for a person who is implying disabled people are living the life of luxury.

Poster wasn’t making that point, they were making the point that so many of us seem to have some kind of affliction now (including me) that if we all claimed, or struggled to work, there literally wouldn’t be the money to pay benefits to start with. The system relies on those of us who are willing to stretch ourselves, stretching ourselves. And if you say ‘but you shouldn’t have to…’ then you’ve totally missed the point of my post.

Do you actually believe that or do you think its more likely she's come on here to make out disabled people are living the life of luxury and the tax payer is funding disabled peoples holidays

Honestly I don’t know if I’m entitled to anything. The doctor told me to apply because my disability was affecting my ability to work. He said PIP would help me to access counselling, social skills training, food deliveries, support with housework, etc.

I’m not interested in a wider conversation about who should or should not get PIP, or what it should be spent on. I only wanted to ask if anyone else gets PIP for autism, how and why (or why not). Because my doctors are saying I should get it but the assessors are saying no.

It does not rule out holidays, day trips and the theatre out.

The criteria is that they can't follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog, or an orientation aid.

My children could go on a holiday, day trip, or theatre trip, as long as I am with them. They don't, because currently they can't cope with those things. But they could, and would still meet the descriptor.

If someone is so anxious that they can't leave the house, they only get 10 points and standard mobility.

I was answering her question literally. As I have stated before it is not the condition, but the impact on the person of it. She is being impacted. If she does not wish to apply for help with that, it is up to her, that does not mean that everybody else with scoliosis should do the same.

The direct answer to your question is 'yes'. 2 of my daughters get it for ASD. They get it because their ASD stops them from functioning independently. It stops them from interacting without support. DD2 scored, IIRC, 26 points for care and 12 points for mobility.

Exactly you need 12 points for high rate. Holidays aren't familiar journeys. 12 points is you can't travel to places you know without another person it's only 10 points to travel to an unfamiliar place with another person which is low rate mobility. The person was saying they get high rate

When your children get to a point they can go on holidays with you you will have to inform pip of the changes as it will mean their only entitled to low rate mobility

It's clearly stated

I'm sticking up for ALL people full stop who have to deal with ignorance from strangers with a completely fixed mindset no matter how many times they get an explanation. Happy to do so. Disabled people are disadvantaged through no fault of their own and get no say in it. They aren't living the life of luxury. But I can see there is no changing your mind so I just hope my words on here perhaps makes someone who does have an open mind think differently

Your making no sense as you clearly haven't read the full thread or understand the descriptors of pip. I hope one day you understand the realities of being disabled and how expensive and isolating it is and we are not spending high rate pip on holidays

I think you’re missing the point. If someone can’t go to a familiar place without help, it doesn’t mean they can’t go to an unfamiliar place at all.

No it won't. 12 points is if they need to be accompanied even on familiar routes. 10 points is if they can be unaccompanied on familiar routes but need to be accompanied on unfamiliar routes. Going on holiday would be unfamiliar and someone who needs to be accompanied on familiar routes will naturally still need to be accompanied on unfamiliar routes, it stands to reason.

My daughters are perfectly at liberty to take a holiday. They wouldn't, because they don't like being away from home, but taking a holiday is not incompatible with receiving high rate mobility because you need someone with you.

It isn't helpful to state opinions as if they are facts.

You can't travel to a new place without someone else is 10 points. It's as clear as day how are you not understanding this

Yes, and you can’t travel to a familiar place without someone else is 12 points.

If you can’t travel to a familiar place without someone else AND can’t travel to an unfamiliar place without someone else it’s also 12 points.

Careful, your assumptions are showing. I do know the realities of being disabled, thanks but good to know you wish that on strangers even if I wasn't already. Nice. People who have disabilities also are allowed to disagree with you... Because you're disagreeing with facts and I have provided you with the evidence from the pip descriptors. I can't help you understand the familiar vs unfamiliar working if you don't already by now, other pp have tried to explain also.

I also work within the pip realm so more than understand that one too.

If you don't spend it on holidays, that's great. If you do spend it on holidays, that's great. I'm not the one judging how disabled people spend money the state has agreed they're entitled to

Look at the picture I shared its 10 points omg