PIP fraud is 0% says DWP

[Blackcats7]

The DWP latest report on benefit fraud states PIP fraud is 0% so all the mumsnetters who believe disabled people are scamming them out of their cash can sleep easy.

I don't think I've ever seen a mumsnet post saying that people on pip are scammers?

Have there been many threads about fraudulent PIP claims?

Well considering how hard it is to get and the terrible anxiety and impact on health it has I'm glad to read this.

On the other side, there's not much scope for any fraud. Claimants don't bother trying contest something being disallowed.
They're too ill, too ill equipped to deal with the inhumane way this is all given out.

The suffering is a disgrace.

The fraud is on their side. Not even looking at evidence.

I'm going through some DWP stuff at the moment and I'll be perfectly honest I'm suffering. I'm so ill mentally.

There's no help to fill in the forms and even if you can get the help it doesn't mean it gets assessed properly.

That's quite a figure. Statistically speaking, that's actually batshit. Where are the screenshots from? It would be a handy stat to have if we could find an official source.

PIP is such a PITA to get, I can easily believe the fraud rate is tiny, but they still do prosecute the odd case of outright fraud, (like the runner woman with M&S in Scotland in court this month) so it seems odd that a bald 0% is being quoted anywhere.

It does get just swept in with the OTT "people are getting free money" allegations. A lot of people don't even understand what the different benefits are.

Do you have a link to your source please?

The source is from Benefits and Work. I can’t link but a google of their site should find the info.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fraud-and-error-in-the-benefit-system-financial-year-2023-to-2024-estimates/fraud-and-error-in-the-benefit-system-financial-year-ending-fye-2024

Oh god sorry - she had MS (not M&S).

Thank you.

Thanks @Lougle - very interesting.

That is extraordinary. I haven't got time to nose into the methodology but I'm sure others will.

The amount of estimated unclaimed benefits is massive. Funny how they don't make a huge effort to tell people what help they are entitled to.

I have been through a PIP assessment and got the transcripts. I had it agreed I could record the meeting but they made excuses not to at the last minute.

The assessor outright lied about things I had said/done during the assessment.

I was too ill to fight it even though it was grossly immoral and doubtless illegal what happened that day. I had CFS so badly at that point I couldn't safely look after my toddler, stand up to chop an onion or walk more than 100 feet.

I carried on working pt as no other money was coming from anywhere as a safety net. I think it is likely that this made the CFS a long term illness.

I should really have stopped working or taken sick leave but it was a very presentee culture under previous boss and I was worried they might manage me out of my job.

It's a terrible and bullying system PIP, where nurse assessors are paid bonuses for every claim rejected. I knew a nurse who went to a Capita presentation. She said her and other nurses walked out as what they were being asked to do was immoral and against her code of ethics as a nurse. Being asked to lie about claimant basically.

DLA is quite tough to apply for but at least you can send whatever evidence you have (DS had a pile of paperwork 2.5 cm thick).

PIP seems to be your word against theirs, e.g. don't bother sending a diagnosis letter we only want to know if you can do x (and how do you prove/disprove that??)

How can they estimate undetected crime/fraud?

How can they estimate fraud by Capita employees??

Its quite an interesting report and it does explain the methodology.

(And i have seen lots if posters suggest that levels of fraud for PIP are high. Lots of posts saying how their aunt, friend, cousin gets a free car and loads of money and there is nothing wrong with them or parents faking autism in their children to get benefits)

@ImPunbelievable @TwattyMcFuckFace
Yes it's thrown about a lot, and this thread will probably bring along the usual PIP goaders.
On another current thread, a woman is being castigated that she can't be legitimately claiming PIP for autism and CA, and be raising a family if she has been deemed unable to work.
If she's managing it through marital and family support, that should be being used to work instead.

Lots of further suggestions from a group of posters that because they can manipulate random pre-screening autism tests on the internet, the whole diagnostic process needs overhauling because people might understand the questions and 'cheat.'

Parents can't fake autism in children to get benefits. DLA is very robust in terms of wanting a lot of evidence to support any disability/SEN.

Multiple reports from clinical psychs, EP's or paediatricians would not say a child has autism if there were no observations or evidence to back it up. Ditto EHCP. Likewise testimony from someone who knows the child. DLA are really looking for someone independent like a SENCO, Brownies leader or professional who can vouch that the difficulties are seen by more than only the family.

It took us 8 full working days (weekends) to fill in the form and sort out documentation/evidence. It is time consuming and quite demanding.

I don't know why people think it's so simple anyone can claim it just by telling lies. It is nowhere near that simple to play the system. In fact it's hard enough to prove need for PIP or DLA when you are genuinely sick or disabled! I was just glad that work were much more accepting. Their occupational nurses could see/hear straight away that what I described was accurate and truthful. They are well experienced at interviewing people.

Not aimed at you @Elleherd just my tuppence worth into the conversation.

Makes me quite cross. People can be cynical about others and yet naive about how the benefits system works.

On another current thread, a woman is being castigated that she can't be legitimately claiming PIP for autism and CA, and be raising a family if she has been deemed unable to work.
If she's managing it through marital and family support, that should be being used to work instead.

Eurgh. What is wrong with people?

I’ve definitely seen posters say people are claiming to have ADHD to get PIP.

When you know first hand how hard it is to claim when you have a condition where your struggles are easily proven it’s actually laughable to think that the above is happening. To prove legitimate struggles through ADHD is almost impossible never mind fake ones.

Bollocks they get bonuses🙄 my friend was a pip assessor….35k ….it’s shit money for a shit job

If they're not paid bonuses why else are they lying and writing the opposite of what people tell them?

They tell the story they hear I guess

Believe me, I so know.
I go onto those threads to try and back up some of the beleaguered posters trying to defend themselves.. I have an adult Ds with ASD who needs substantial home support to work, but who's never claimed any benefit, and was pulled from the school system, so none of their normal claims really work.

I managed forever without but these days claim PIP as (visibly) multiply physically disabled, in order to continue to work.

The goaders believe what suits them, rather than being ill informed, and are especially out in force currently, because there's a GE in sight, a genuine issue of the growth in benefit claims especially amongst the young, assisted dying is on the cards, and punching down is their favorite sport. "We can't afford it, is their favorite cry."
TBF there is a mounting problem that needs sorting out, but we have two answers, sort out the multitude of things wrong with the NHS, education, housing, wages, zero hours contracts, child care, wealth distribution, etc or clamp down and batter the on the people needing them.

I accept I'm not considered "economically viable" by them, but that's because they know the cost of everything and the value of absolutely nothing.

No they tell the story they want to hear.

I for example told them I can't drive due to my poor vision. (Only a handful of people with my diagnosis can drive) She wrote that I'd chosen not to. She wrote that before she even carried out an eye test which proved I don't have enough vision. I'm nowhere near the minimum standard for driving.

I've reported the same person for fraudulently claiming PIP at least 3 times now and the DWP do nothing about it! He's had multiple people reporting him!