0 points for PIP? (advice please)

[Catastropher]

Sorry I didn’t know where else to put this. I have autism and I haven’t worked for eight years because of it. I also have stomach issues. I applied for PIP and the DWP has rejected my application with 0 points.

I have no cognitive impairment because I drive a car.

I have no difficulty planning journeys because I drive a car and walk the dog round the block. Also I attended the assessment (which they forced me to attend otherwise I couldn’t get PIP).

I am able to cook and wash and budget etc (despite me saying I struggle) because I’m not cognitively impaired and I drive a car (a complex task).

There is no evidence of MH support (I’m on duloxetine and had 2 courses of therapy in the past year).

There is no evidence of nutritional support (I’m permanently under a dietitian, annual hospital reviews and blood tests, permanent prescriptions for vitamin supplements, bone scans every couple of years).

They said I can converse fully without prompting. I am diagnosed with autism!

I don’t know what else to do at this point. Does anyone have any advice please?

It’s ridiculous. Just ask my GP? Letters are useless, there’s no way to know they’re legitimate.

But the DWP don't tend to ask GP's. Far better to gather the medical evidence yourself. Not surprised you were awarded zero points if you didn't even attempt to do this tbh.

The burden of proof is on you though. Supply the paperwork and get the benefit, or don't supply it and don't get the benefit.

Hi OP. They wrote similar nonsense for me.
I ride my bicycle to work, which takes less than 5 minutes and they essentially said that demonstrated I could do a whole load of other things. And because I had the aerobic capacity to walk up 2 flights of stairs, that meant I could cook no problem. I had to explain to them why the ability to walk up stairs had nothing to do with my ability to cook. It's not like cooking a meal is an aerobic..... !

My DH prompts me to eat. I have a specialised diet that excludes certain things. This makes shopping extra difficult. Due to my autism I struggle with executive function and changing task - to me it’s preferable not to eat vs the hassle of cooking. I sent in my repeat prescription with meds listed. The assessor verbally noted that I am very thin. But then wrote that there’s no evidence of any dietary issues?

Ok a few things .

I have Pip for my Ds( I am his appointee) he has Asd and adhd .

you need to firstly ask for a copy of the report and how to apply for MR .

look at each category - for example what are your issues with food , can you cook daily or not - can you cook on stove , just microwave - my Ds has set fire cooking in a microwave so now we have a microwave he just presses 30 seconds at a time. Do you have evidence from the dietician. Can dietician write supporting evidence .you need to dispute every point of appropriate.

Do get a n appointment with CAB if you can .

Excuse me wtf? How do they know I’m telling the truth then? That’s absolutely insane.

Well I don't know many people who have the means or inclination to falsify medical documents. You need to have your unique hospital number etc on it which is on all hospital letters. I expect they do check a sample of documents to check they are authentic. It's not exactly insane to expect people to be honest and photocopy a few documents is it?

@Catastropher you definitely need to at least request a copy of your summary care record to support your claim, they can contact your GP if there is anything they suspect is incorrect but they don't do it routinely. I really think you need to seek some support to complete your mandatory reconsideration, your diagnosis and your word alone is not enough for them to award you.

Ah. This is why you’ve been turned down. You will need to include a lot of evidence with your form to support the restrictions you’re claiming.

It’s straightforward to obtain a copy of your gp records via a SAR if you don’t have copies of the letters. That will be a helpful start.

The DWP rarely contact the professionals named on the form and won’t go looking for evidence, unfortunately, you will have to provide it.

‘Knocking up’ letters in photoshop would be fraud and could even carry a prison sentence. So it wouldn’t be a very wise thing to do.

That is the problem. You need to provide the evidence that proves what you’re saying.

My child didn't get enough points at first. After requesting a copy a copy of the assessment, it turned out the assessor had wrote down lots of incorrect information (wrong gender, said they attended on their own with problems, answered all the questions on their own).
The mandatory review came to the same conclusion so we went for an appeal.
13 months later, I got a phone call today they had been awarded PIP so we didn't have to attend the appeal.

Go through the process of mandatory review then appeal but use the CAB or someone familiar with the process. Good luck.

I scored 0 points on my first try and at mandatory reconsideration. I now receive high rate care and low rate mobility.

What they mean here is that you didn’t supply supporting evidence.

They don't want people to give up but you do need to recognise what is required to qualify for PIP. It's not just a case of "I've lost a leg give me money" because lots of people with one leg operate independently and without issue in society. What you need to do it say "I've got one leg and have had to move home from my 5th floor flat with a broken lift because I have problems climbing the stairs. I can't wash properly because I only have a bath and can't get in and out of it safely because I've also got a frozen shoulder" etc etc.

That is obvious 🙄

Have you ever claimed PIP? Because if not, you are likely to be unfamiliar with the flat out lies that the assessors tell about claimants.

PIP is designed to make it almost impossible to get it unless you appeal. Which is why the Tories changed it from DLA.

Most refusals ARE overturned at appeal. So what does that tell you?

There is no point in appealing the decision unless you provide the evidence needed, op. That might not be what you want to hear but it’s a fact. The tribunal panel aren’t going to contact your GP either, they will simply conclude that the evidence is insufficient.

Hospital letters, appointment letters etc have your NHS number and the medical professional’s details all over them. Falsifying them would take a great deal of work and would be a serious offence. What you’re saying is a bit like saying ‘why do employers ask for your qualification certificates, when you could just produce a fake certificate on the computer? Why don’t they contact your schools and universities and ask them all about you?’ - it just doesn’t work that way.

If you managed to converse with them at assessment without prompting I guess they see you could do it. I think on the nutrition question it's about being able to eat and swallow food or needing a feeding peg. I don't think the criteria makes reference to being low in a vitamin. Loads of people are low in Vitamin D.

No idea if you can cook a meal or bath yourself. Did you have any evidence from healthcare specialist as to what you can do?

I think cognitive impairment refers to learning disabilities and if you can read. You need to send in evidence because you know they don't believe anything anyone ever tells them.

This isn’t correct. Except for the needing evidence part.

The assessor was correct. They haven't lied. There is no evidence of specialist dietary input because you didn't supply any evidence. You telling them is not evidence. Evidence is the documents from the specialists with the diagnosis and treatment /support plans. There's been some great advice on this thread, but you need to realise that in order to claim pip you need to be able to show evidence that your condition affects your day to day life significantly. And it's you that has to supply the evidence.

They can’t just take your word for it, as others have said you need to provide evidence. Providing evidence of difficulties is as important as filling in the PIP form and going for the assessment.
You can probably ask your GP surgery if they have copies of letters than you don’t have.

But it's not about diet. It's can you feed yourself. Can you swallow food. Do you need a feeding peg. Look at the scoring criteria. It says nothing about diets or dieticians. It's not about what you've been diagnosed with. It's about can you eat food.

Have you looked here to see how many points you feel you should have been awarded?
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/MigratedDocuments/adviceguide/pip-9-table-of-activities-descriptors-and-points.pdf

Here are the mobility questions for those who can walk. Did you drive yourself to the assessment, if so that why you scored 0 on that part.

As PPs have said the best way to be successful is to provide evidence in the way of reports verifying the day to day activities you cannot do independently.
So you need to ask the HCPs involved in your care to provide reports detailing how your medical conditions affect your daily functioning. For example the dietitian will need to confirm you need assistance to eat or take nutrition yourself

Yes, you do need to provide evidence of what you are saying plus names of professionals who can confirm your information. These are rules and to fill the form correctly you have to follow the rules.
PPs are right, being autistic doesn’t mean you qualify for PIP automatically. You have to show how you struggle with ordinary everyday life and how you can’t do simple tasks to care about yourself and to function.
Maybe National Autistic society has a telephone line and can advise you? Otherwise FB groups are indeed very helpful.