Does anyone claim PIP for mental health disorders?

[BackAgainSlimLady]

Wondering if I can get help financially for this.

For context; I have generalise anxiety, severe health anxiety, panic disorder, social phobia and depression (I know, I’m all shades of fcked up)

I’ve recently quit my 9-5 job as the stress and anxiety of it all was just too much, on top of being a parent to two young children aswell.

I have however resolved it with a super relaxed new job, it’s only 10 hours a week, a couple hours each evening, fits around school ect. It’s much more easy on my mind for now.

but - money is an issue. We’re super super tight now I’m not getting a full wage. We’re literally living to the penny with no savings ect. But I just could hack it anymore and DH knew I wouldn’t be here now if I carried on.

I do see the PIP place says you can claim for mental health.. but surely it’s not as easy as “I suffer from XYZ” “yep sure here’s some money”

so my question is, if you claim PIP for mental health, how/why/what was needed? I’m trying to get a feel for whether I’d be entitled or not.

thanks in advance ☺️

You're wrong, as it happens.
A lot of people are awarded PIP for anxiety and depression.
It all depends on how it affects you.

Also, PIP doesn't decide if you're fit for work or not. Lots of people who work claim PIP.

Severe anxiety, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, APD and Autism - nope have never had a penny from the social

I had to give up full time work back in "99 when I had a complete breakdown, after trying a staggered return to work a year later , it was too much for me so I quit. Since then I have just worked NMW jobs, very part time, usually/preferably on Zero hour contracts, so if I was struggling I didn't force myself to go - Ive had a lot of jobs since '99

Pip is awarded on how your condition affects you, can you get dressed, bath, toilet, cook a meal, remember to take meds, plan a journey etc etc etc and yes, mostly I can, other then the times when Im having a crisis and I can barely function, but they are short periods, not mostly

If you're prepared to go to tribunal you might be successful, it's hard to get otherwise. I have supported a family member at tribunal, and you have to be very honest and it's stressful, but worth it in the end.
The panel on the tribunal are completely unbiased, unlike the DWP, who try to trip you up at every turn so they don't have to pay you.
The judge saw how disabled my relative was though, and was lovely.

You won’t get far claiming for ‘mental health’ if you’re rejecting meds.

No offence, but no assessor with experience of disabling illnesses will believe you suffer from anything else but daily stress.

Be careful what you wish for.

Yes. My husband gets both components for paranoid schizophrenia

You need to get a copy of the descriptors cab could help with this and the form. You need to score 8 points across the care ones to get the care element and 8 points across the mobility ones to get that element. You can score if you can’t do the activity reliably that means safely repeatedly and in reasonable time. You have to meet at least one scoring descriptor for 50% of the time.

You gave up your 9-5 before you tried medication? That really was not wise at all.

This is a really important discussion. Many people with mental health conditions aren’t aware that PIP can support them, even if their struggles are not always visible. Opening up conversations like this helps reduce the stigma and gives others the confidence to explore what they may be entitled to. Thank you for raising such a valuable topic.
Read More.... Robert Smith

Yes you can claim PIP for mental health . The court ruling in 2017 was a win for people who have mental health problems and who claim PIP
However the money needed to come from somewhere.
What the DWP did to get the money to pay PIP claimants PIP for mental health is they took it away from other claimants.
These were claimants who had stage 3 or 4 cancer, people in wheelchairs, people with double amputations, people with stage 3 to 4 emphysema or heart disease Multiple sclerosis, diabites, skin disease the list goes on.
Of all the people who are sick long term in the uk there is a list of who is elgible.
Mental health is the number one reason and everyone who wants to claim PIP for mental health now can do so.
Personally I think we have lost the meaning of what being disabled actually is.
Theres a difference between " doing this gives me anxiety" and " I am not physically able to do things"
Iread a thread on reddit about it and one person was saying all they all they need to get top rate PIP for mental health was a letter from his girlfriend and he got a 5 year "soft touch" and thats enough proof that your to ill to work but a cancer diangosis or an amputaion is not?
How is a letter written by someone you are having sex with more important than a clinical diagnosis or doctors letter?
Nope thats not right and a study shows that over 60% of people in the uk are getting pissed off with all these able bodies people claiming pip fopr mental health while people in wheelchairs and people who only have a few years left to live and are in pain are shoved onto jobseekers allowence
Thats not right its JUST NOT RIGHT

Have you tried therapy? Medication? How do all those conditions affect your daily life and mobility?

@BeAgileRubyTurtle I'm not sure you can lump people together like that. All 3 of my DDs get enhanced rate for both elements. I was lucky that I have masses of recent paperwork to support their claims, so they didn't have to have an assessment. I don't think they are any less deserving than anyone else who is disabled.

It doesn't sound from your posts like you would score enough points, but do do the calculator and check. I just did it for my 16yo who was getting DLA but she doesn't score enough points for PIP.

There is another benefit for people who don't qualify for PIP but have limited capability for work and that's the LCWRA element of UC. I've helped people to get that who couldn't work at all, you need to take continuous fit notes from your GP to get 'signed off job searching and then after that they assess your work capability and you may be able to get the LCWRA element. I guess it would be the same process if you can only work part time. If you're part time but on a high salary you might qualify but not actually get any though.

I don’t take medication because I have extreme anxiety about taking medication, new foods/products ect. I have an extreme fear of allergic reactions which I think is part of my health anxiety.

I do go to high intensity therapy weekly.

Some days are better than others. I work for 10 hours a week and sometimes I go to work with no problem at all. Other times i have to really force myself and I’m in constant fear, it’s exhausting worrying about it all day, then I get home and I’m just so tired from being on edge all day. I never wanted to not-work. I enjoy working. But the pressure it puts on my mental health isn’t normal at the moment but I also can’t afford to not work for a period of time to try and help myself. I just feel like I’m in a vicious, endless cycle.

Bloody hell, that’s outrageous and maddening! I receive PIP because I have two Incurable cancers and am on systemic chemo. The chemo affects my mobility and ability to think coherently. It makes me sick and wipes my white cell and platelet count out. I’m fatigued as mentally exhausted from trying to stay alive. If I ever found out someone got PIP with only a letter or worse still, no evidence from a clinician, I would be fucking furious! And, many of my cancer buddies ( on Chemo) are struggling to successfully claim PIP!

PIP isn't an out of work benefit. I wish people would read up on this before posting nonsense.

I hope the therapy works for you because I’m not being funny, but you may hit a time when you may well need medication of some description, then what? I didn’t expect to get cancer 4 times. Without the meds I would be dead much sooner.

Look at the PIP descriptors. You will soon know if you may be entitled to PIP. CAB should be able to help too.

I do, but I have bipolar disorder and have been under the care of community mental health team for approximately 20 years. I’ve also been hospitalised at various stages, with my last inpatient stay being held under section for three months.
So yes, you can get PIP for poor mental health but you need to demonstrate how it impacts your day to day living as per the descriptors on the claim form. You’ll also need evidence from your dr/consultant to back this up.

I agree I have stage 2 to 3 emphysema next stage will be stage 4 which is terminal
I can't climb stairs. I can't walk for more than 5 minutes I've collapsed on the street. I've been in hospital on ventilation
And still I'm not allowed to claim pip because im " not ill enough " I've only got 5 years left to live maximum im only 53
So yes when healthy, young able bodied people claim top rate pip for mental health it makes me angry when im reminded that people in wheelchairs or the terminally ill with just a few years left to live claim jobseekers??
THATS WRONG

I agree I have stage 2 to 3 emphysema next stage will be stage 4 which is terminal
I can't climb stairs. I can't walk for more than 5 minutes I've collapsed on the street. I've been in hospital on ventilation
And still I'm not allowed to claim pip because im " not ill enough " I've only got 5 years left to live maximum im only 53
So yes when healthy, young able bodied people claim top rate pip for mental health it makes me angry when im reminded that people in wheelchairs or the terminally ill with just a few years left to live claim jobseekers??
THATS WRONG

From your posts your wouldnt score enough points if at all.
Maybe try for LWRCA under UC, i think that would be more appropriate.

How many claiming Pip for mental health work?
None of them do From the ones I have met and I work around people who claim PIP for this reason and NONE of them work
I've seen people in wheelchairs and other disabilities work
So able bodied people can't work and they can live off benefits their whole lives while people like me pay for it working everyday with a terminal illness.
Also I was a dental nurse for the NHS for years which sharpens the blow.
Also let's be honest for just one minute.
Kier starmer let's young. Woke left wing people on pip for mental health so that they can spend their days protesting for antifa.
He does this because he LIKES antifa so he wants them fed housed and happy where as older voters don't trust starmer and they are never going to vote for labour so hes just going to starve us out .
I wish some people would see the bigger picture and see how manipulated people are being.
Old disabled ,terminally I'll people can't claim PIP REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY WORK OR NOT
While older physically disabled are being taken off pip it's being awarded to young, healthy people who have NO physical disabilities and who's mental health problems are not severe.
Sometimes you just have to ask
Why? It's unusual to take sickness benefits away from people who are old and sick and terminally ill and give it to young healthy people
THATS NOT A NORMAL SOCIETY

I don’t think the ill claim job seekers, but ESA instead? I’ve just applied as my SSP has expired. Im on Chemo and can’t work at present.

Have you been denied pip?
Surely your condition affects your day to day life; mobility etc? Have you appealed?

At the end of the day, as we know it’s all about how our condition affect our day to day life and ability to complete certain tasks. If the assessor doesn’t think a persons condition affects them enough, points won’t be awarded.

I'm being taken off pip BECAUSE I have stage 3 to 4 emphysema
That's why they are taking it off me.
A court ruling in 2017 where mental health charities took the government to court this was the outcome.
Everyone who has mental health problems can now be awarded PIP with no assessments or doctors letters.
The money came from older people who are terminally ill
It's that simple.
You can't just let fit young healthy people spend their whole lives on benefits because they feel a bit sad or anxious without it harming people who are terminally ill or who have severe disability issues or cancer.
There's just not enough money.
Personally I think we need to take away the subjective language of
" how your condition affects you"
And go back to Clinical Diagnosis, doctors letters. X rays as proof you have something wrong with you

Wow, so you were claiming PIP, but now they are stopping it as you’ve gone from stage 3 to 4? That’s crazy and unfair!

I thought if you were terminal, that’s an automatic successful claim? No assessment needed?