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?

They very often say no.
You have to take them to a tribunal.
Over 70% of the DWP's decisions are reversed on appeal.

Did you look at the website I linked on the first page?
https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk

And you are absolutely entitled to PIP.

You just need to learn how to fill the forms in.

One it doesn't fit the descriptors so is fraud. Two their is a significant amount of people who begrudge disabled people getting pip and its not helpful to say its spent on holidays and going to the theatre when the majority of people aren't using it for that. It's the same when people say the money given for children's lunches is spent on alcohol and cigarettes its not true in 99% of cases and its not helpful to people who need that money

If it is part of how your disability presents, I apologise. But if not, you really need to work on your comprehension skills. Numerous pp have explained

do you not think people in wheelchairs who are unable to stand , go on holidays?

Those things absolutely are covered under the pip criteria.

I haven’t read the full thread but I work in this area. Please don’t take to heart what’s written in the assessment report. They are usually awful and are not applying the criteria correctly.

You need to ask for a mandatory reconsideration of the decision, and if possible do this with help.

The organisation mentioned upthread - Personal Independence Payment Professionals (PIPPs) will offer some free initial advice but also have legally qualified advocates who can draft your MR for you and advise on evidence to include.

Exactly. I was going to say that earlier, but honestly did not think that the poster needed that pointed out to them. On reflection, I think that I was wrong. Unless I have misunderstood something.

The answer to your question op, is that many autistic people with similar issues to those you describe, do receive PIP.

Many people are turned down initially.

If that's the case then I apologise but I thought you posted earlier on in the thread that you could walk more then 20 metres which then only left you not being able to go to unfamiliar places to get high rate pip

It doesn’t matter if they can walk more than 20 metres. They have to be able to do it repeatedly, reliably, safely and in a timely manner.

Following.

Yes, this.

Please don't give up. Keep pushing. You are most definitely entitled to help. It is utterly shameful that people are denied benefits because they 'look' as if they're doing ok, when their situation is in fact much more complex. It isn't fair that you have to know the right jargon and exactly how to jump through all the hoops in order to satisfy both an assessor and a decision maker.

Yes PIP is expensive, but it's needed because people can't get state funded direct help anymore. The poster with scoliosis could use PIP for private physio because NHS physio is months of waiting then dire. Couple of sessions and you're out. OP could use it to fund private counselling as NHS cannot cope with the volume of people needing mental health help. My DHs NHS hearing aids very very basic. They broke and he was without any for 8 months due to no appointments. Now he has PIP he gets private ones, much better, quicker to fix.

I'll be honest OP people applying for PIP who just fancy a bit of extra money is making it really hard for the people with serious ongoing physical health issues. We are all being treated like scammers now because the number of people applying for things like anxiety or high functioning autism is becoming unmanageable. I agree with a previous poster - this benefit should be for the most in need people, not just people who find life tough and want extra cash. That's life.

The clampdown on benefits that is coming is making me afraid for the future. I will depend on these benefits to survive because I have a severe, incurable condition which is disabling me more month by month. Too many people are claiming PIP now and the people who really need it are going to be the ones punished for it.

My DH who does not get PIP has been having NHS physio for 3 years. Only a session once every 6-8 weeks with exercises to do in between. It is far superior to the various private physios we tried.

That's great but if others weren't getting pip and using it for private physio your husband potentially wouldn't be able to get it on the nhs as waiting lists would suddenly double. People on pip who use it as intended actually save the nhs a significant amount of money which often balances out the cost

I am challenging the idea that private physio is always better. It is not. Often it is worse. Private physio is better for sports injuries, NHS physio is often better for medical issues where they work as part of a team. There just are not enough physios. We would be better employing more NHS physios.

Physio is luckily something I don't need but I assumed it was similar to other areas of the nhs where its usually the same people all my consultants do nhs and private work the only difference with private is its quicker

@Differentstarts maybe in some areas of medicine but not our experience. The NHS physios had a far greater understanding of the issues and only worked in the relevant medical specialism.

I think that this sort of thinking, of which you are obviously not alone, is worrying. It can foster a belief, that if left unchecked, can have people judging, and deciding who they believe is worthy of this help, and who is not, and then resenting people based on those beliefs. The PIP system is rigorous, and difficult to navigate. You only have to read the amount of threads, where people have told of their experiences in applying for it. People have to have evidence, not just write whatever, and have nothing to back it up.

I fall right in the cracks
Enough health conditions that working 40hrs a week means some nights I just go to bed and don't eat
Not unwell enough for PIP
None of the PIP questions apply to me really

Once a week I take a medication with 24hrs of flu symptoms as a side effect (faint, nausea, fever, shiver/sweat, bone pain and a headache)
Immunocompromised
A condition that causes painful abscesses

I get PIP. I am entitled to one NHS physio every 12 weeks.

I use my PIP to pay for a private session every week with the same physio as I see on the NHS.

Well, I don't specifically "use my PIP" because it all goes into the same pot of money, but if I wanted to divide up what I use PIP for then that's part of what it would be allocated to.

PIP is not only for physical health issues.

I'm ashamed to say bil just got approved for PIP for his diabetes. He takes pills which are nhs funded but doesn't have any additional needs, just has to watch what he eats on and in between the multiple cruises he goes on, part funded by the benefit no doubt as it's £400 pm.

When I questioned it he answered that he's paid taxes and is entitled. I'd love to know what he wrote on that form, I know he was refused first time and pushed for it.

I just hope they don't see his Insta account.. or maybe I do.