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?

How can you raise more money when the workforce is shrinking because everyone is opting out of the workforce and claiming? What else would you cut?

I'm working.

I claim PIP because more than one of my consultants told me to. It's a gateway benefit.

Can you find an easy way for me to get a BB without having to get letters to send to the council off my medical professionals?

Can you find me an easy way to access the adjustments I need for work without me going into autistic shut down or meltdown because I have to jump through a million hoops?

Can you find me an easy way to access support services that I currently can get as a result of having a PIP award?

Raise money by taxing wealth not just income.

Look at other benefits - triple lock on state pension being the obvious one, but also UC to people with higher incomes. I know people on salaries of more than £60k who are getting some UC.

I’d prefer to raise money and keep benefits as they are, personally, but those are options.

MP's and peers expenses, jolly's and vanity projects straight away!

So plunge people that are unable to work (on UC) but not on PIP.. into more poverty?

I claim UC (LCWRA) and am not on PIP. The proposed changes to the system fucking terrifies me.

Perhaps the government could sue their friends who they paid to provide PPE during the pandemic, whose companies turned out to exist only in a registered name, no factory, no PPE made. They could claw back some millions that way. No need to take from disabled folks.

After all, it's not as if the government could possibly have had any idea whatsoever what their friends were up to when they handed over such large sums of taxpayers money to them, could it?

Also when AI starts devastating the number of jobs available, will you start saying we must limit the number of unemployed receiving unemployment benefit, or do you think the government of the day might be expected to move with the times?

Youre missing the point entirely, opinion doesn’t matter when the money isn’t physically there. So who knows.

Do you know how much was wasted on PPE compared to disability benefits (which are ongoing) or do you want me to pop your bubble? The government are awful but dragging up the PPE thing is a red herring.

Not sure if it's the same with other disabilities but with autism "high functioning" just means having an iq of more than about 70. It doesn't mean their autism is mild. My 9 year old has high functioning autism. He is brilliant at maths but he also eats stones, coins and grass if I take my eye off him. We go out to family parties occasionally and my 9 year old needs more supervision than some people's toddlers.

So what about me? I earn at the rate I do because of the adjustments I get.

How do you propose that I access those without PIP? Because PIP is what made it possible for me to get them?

Well if that's how things end up we will all be turning on each other and it will be survival of the fittest, so you won't have to worry about deciding which disabilities are deserving or less deserving.

MP total spending (salaries, expenses, subsistence) per year — 120 million
PPE deals - £12 billion (one off expense)

Even if we recouped the full PPE figure every year together they would make up less than 20% of spending on disability benefits.

Do any of you actually fact check? I know ‘rich mates/PPE’ is often trotted out but do you check the numbers?

Also, you can’t get sacked for being autistic. it’s illegal.
Yes it is illegal. That doesn’t stop employers doing it. People get illegally sacked all the time, but if the employer makes an excuse they get away with it.

Universal Credit is for if you can't work due to your condition
Unfortunately I’m not eligible for it because DH works. They said he has to support me.

Saramia how did you manage going to university and school?????
I was forced to go to school. I cried every day and had panic attacks. Whilst there I was mute and kept my head down and my eyes on the ground. Nobody ever spoke to me and I was regularly beaten. I coped better at university because I wasn’t being physically attacked. Lectures lasted only 2-3 hours at most, then I could go home. It’s not the same as a job where you have to be there for 8-9 hours every day and you can’t be mute or avoid being spoken to.

You seem to be ok with typing. How about working for a company that has live online chat staff? Virtually every big online store has this.

I am not surprised by some of these comments. Unfortunately it is not uncommon for people to punch down, and disabled people are an easy target. Please don't forget, as a few posters have pointed out, disabled people do contribute to this society, by working, volunteering, etc. We have value, and a life to live. Do not begrudge the little bit of help we may receive. Life can turn on a dime.

I think until we can look at the state of our public services and be proud of how they are we should not begrudge the disability benefits. Some people will always take the piss but should we rob all disabled people off this support because of that fake minority?

I’m already talking to a charity which supports disabled people in finding appropriate work. I don’t need advice on getting a job. That’s not what this thread is about. I requested advice on getting PIP for autism, which (if I am awarded it) I can receive whilst working.

Thanks to everyone who has provided helpful advice. It seems that some autistic people do receive it, whilst others (who sound more disabled) don’t. It’s a total lottery. I’m going to continue with the process because the worst they can do is say no!

Would the pip money be to supplement you because you can’t work? What would it be for if you did work and earn? I’m not trying to be rude- I don’t know much about pip. But I’m assuming those who get pip and work full time use the money for something related to their disability-is this what you would do?

Universal Credit is for if you can't work due to your condition

Unfortunately I’m not eligible for it because DH works. They said he has to support me..

Yes this is true, it's the joint household earnings that are considered. I didn't realize you weren't single when I replied.

I cried every day and had panic attacks.

This was my friends experience at university as a mature student mid 20s, after being bullied into it by DWP. Never physically went there unless it was unavoidable. Ditto speaking to anyone. Used the university mental health counseling services the whole way through. My friend didn't go to school as such, they were allocated to some sort of misbehaving pupils unit because they were an alcoholic due to being unable to leave the house unless drunk, due to anxiety. Rarely attended unless made to. Got MH help and quit alcohol in early 20s. Having scraped a degree the DWP started trying to bully them into working. Ridiculous. Having qualifications has often no bearing on whether a person can work or not.

It's not really any of our business to make someone with a disability feel they have to justify themselves to strangers

I feel the need to point out here that the fraud rate for PIP in 2023 was about 0.2%.

The fraud rate for Universal Credit was about 11.5%.

But, sure, let’s target those pesky disabled people.

All quoted from official government figures - you can check for yourselves: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fraud-and-error-in-the-benefit-system-financial-year-2022-to-2023-estimates/fraud-and-error-in-the-benefit-system-financial-year-ending-fye-2023#universal-credit-overpayments-and-underpayments

Exactly this.

I went through the PIP assessment process on the recommendation of my consultants. I was awarded it right off the bat - I didn't have to go to MR or tribunal. Therefore I am entitled to it. I have been assessed and I am entitled to it.

@GoodnightAdeline
I accept my reply about what to cut first might be a bit facetious. Don't get me wrong I understand the concerns around the rise in claimants, but you simply cant run the health and education system the way it's been run and not expect it to become the end result.
Screaming at individuals on MN trying to understand the system isn't going to make a great deal of difference to the big picture.

I have someone here who has gone from hale and hearty to struggling to breathe and in danger of a stroke or heart attack at any minute. They unexpectedly collapsed one day and are currently off sick, terrified of being managed out, in urgent need of an ablation and probably a pace maker.
They have been told to stay still and do as little as possible but cannot even see a consultant until September despite being considered urgent and due to additional reasons particularly in danger of stroke.
Give them whats needed to keep them running and they are a well earning member of society, don't, and they are headed for permanent disability.
There are huge numbers of others in similar positions. Which part of the population shall we blame for that?

But presumably if you work full time and don’t need money because you can’t work, PIP is awarded because of your disability and to support with that. That’s the whole point. Of course op doesn’t have to explain if she doesn’t want to. But if you need PIP because it supports you with your disability in some way then that’s understandable and of course op should receive it