21 Yr old DD's PIP has been stopped. Desperate for advice

[ForLessThanALatte]

Hoping if I post here lots of people will see it. DD is autistic, has sensory processing disorder, history of suicide attempts and self harm. She is at uni and on her 3rd attempt at 3rd uni. She tried to overdose in her 1st year, woke up after taking pills and really surprised to be alive. She has very severe anxiety and cuts her arms when distressed. Last serious attempt at cutting was a year ago; she ended up getting stiched up in the hospital at 3 am. She never got DLA as CAMHS were useless and didn't diagnose her till very late. We immediately applied for PIP after she got her letter saying she is autistic and initially she got low rate mobility and I queried this and she then got high rate care. The letter was totally crazy - said she says she struggles to cook for herself when she shuts down but 'the telephone assessment showed mo evidence of cognitive impairment'??? Nobody said she had a cognitive impairment she has autism and anxiety and depression. Letter says she showed "adequate memory" and that she "coped well with the assessment and did not sound anxious" - she went mute for 3 days after the assessment cos it made her so distressed. It's like they haven't heard of masking. It says she is not getting any specialist mental health support - she got referred for therapy through the student union. It says she is not taking any medication. This is true but she was on prozac at 14/15, sertraline at 16/17 and quetiapine at 16 also. She hated how these made her feel, bad side effects etc. It is just awful. The letter came today and now it is the bank holiday weekend. Tried calling them today the line would just ring then cut off. She's going to be sick with worry all weekend. It's like the assessor has never heard of masking. She goes for days without eating as executive function is so poor and her mood gets so low but they say she can cut vegetables so that means.. I don't even know. Has anybody got any advice please help x

@mitogoshi I'm really sorry to hear that. Wishing you and your DD the best 💐 and thanks for the heads up...

Thank you for this, very helpful x

You know a lot about PIP? Really?

Do you live in Narnia?

I don't know if anyone has said this already, I gave up looking at all posts as it seems people are more interested in why DD needs it than offering advice like you've asked. Assessors reports are notorious for being inaccurate. I have PIP as I'm severely physically disabled, and have so far had 3 assessments over the last 9/10 years. The assessors reports have always said things that don't even apply to me, and several inaccuracies, as if they are talking about a completely different person. The last one thankfully still recognised enough of my needs to stay on enhanced but still missed a lot out. You need to do a Mandatory Reconsideration, which in all likelihood will be turned down, and then appeal that too. Benefits and Work website has lots of guides and advice to help with Mandatory Reconsideration, and also Citizens Advice Bureau can help. I wish you and your DD luck

It has been acknowledged on lots of threads the inconsistencies that people have encountered when reading the assessors report. There seems to be a lottery on who is lucky enough to get a true reflection of their difficulties in these reports, and then the correct award, due to this. There are so many people out there, who do not have the energy to challenge these reports.

Yes, if you are already struggling with life through disabilities its not surprising it gets too much dealing with it, especially when you are constantly reading that you don't deserve it, it's only for "really" disabled people, you are condemning yourself to a life on benefits, no wonder people give up on.

🤣🤣🤣

Well someone who actually assesses it confirmed my original point- does not meet threshold!
just because you don’t like what I am saying doesn’t make it wrong- just not want you want to hear.

Oh yeah, because PIP assessors are knowledgeable and unbiased.

Except that the tribunal overturns more than 70% of all PIP assessments, ignoring all those PIP applicants who did not have the energy to appeal. That makes PIP assessors as a bunch pretty rubbish at their jobs.

Oh wait, maybe you should also be a PIP assessor. Will fit right in with your putting politics and targets above supporting disabled persons.

It doesn’t matter what you think of PIP assessors- they are the ones making the decision 🙈

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-statistics-to-january-2024/personal-independence-payment-official-statistics-to-january-2024#:~:text=8%25%20of%20initial%20decisions%20following,overturned%20at%20a%20tribunal%20hearing

tribunal over turns 3%.

stop giving false hope.

• "70% of the DWP decisions cleared at a tribunal hearing were “overturned” (which is where the decision is revised in favour of the customer)"

@Janedoe82 There you go. From the exact same link and just about the line you quoted.

Stop presenting misleading and incomplete facts to support your political hobby horse.

What arrogance. Just like a PIP assessor. Except they don't make the final decisions. The Tribunal does.

Thank god for Rule of Law.

And seem to be making the wrong ones, from the stats that show them being overturned in droves, at tribunal, at considerable costs, and back payments. It is a farce. The system needs to be looked at, and fixed imo.

I think you are misunderstanding the stats. See image attached

Decisions can be changed by the dwp to a positive one before tribunal but claims are not 'bulk rejected' or even rejected (who would they even be rejected by?)

Anyone who applies to the tribunal will be heard unless they (the claimant) chooses to not carry on with it. The dwp or tribunal service can not reject it.

Therefore it is 70% of claims that are upheld at tribunal

Stop telling lies.

I am not telling lies! The stats are there. Most are rejected at mandatory reconsideration. Yes you can keep going but the majority do not. Presumably as they feel they are unlikely to win

The bulk are rejected by who? The DWP, that bastion of unbiased and considered decisions.

Well not awarded!

@ForLessThanALatte my son is in a similar situation to your daughter and we have found DSA was helpful with regard to showing he had continuing support and help. He got lots of new equipment to aid study and has a mentor. He also gets allocated extra time for exams. He is going into his last year in sept. He also has an ehcp.
I did all the paperwork for it for him.
If I can help in any way drop me a message.

Yes, the whole DWP process of rejection, followed by second rejection at Mandatory Consideration followed by appeal is designed to grind down the applicant so that they do not reach the appeal.

That is why the DWP introduced the intermediate stage of Mandatory Reconsideration. To give the DWP another chance to gaslight the applicant into disbelieving they have a strong case by the DWP literally lying and ignoring the evidence.

That is why it is 70% success at Tribunal. But the applicant needs to believe in themselves and their case to get there in this war of attrition. An applicant who is already ground down by life and self-esteem in tatters trying to cope with their disability, including poor executive function, cognitive abilities and physical limitations.

The PIP assessors and the DWP really know what they are doing to meet government targets.