Should I even bother applying for PIP for my daughter?

[Mizzi]

I never applied for DLA because it took years to get her diagnosis and I didn't really know much about it.

But she is now 16 and diagnosed with Autism and an eating disorder. She doesn't go out with her friends. Won't eat in public. She suffered SA trauma and is having therapy for that. She's had 3 different types of therapy via the NHS.
She won't go out alone, we have to drive her everywhere. She barely eats, is seeing the eating disorder clinic. Covered in self harm scars.

She doesn't attend school anymore. She just goes in for a wellness check with the counsellor 1 hour a week.

But I keep reading about how PIP is getting culled and reduced and I don't know if i can put her through an assessment for it to be denied or removed after a few months?

You absolutely should. My teen dd has autism and extreme associated anxiety. She’s never left the house without me or her older sibling. We were awarded it.

The things they look at when considering a PIP claim:

The activities
There are 12 activities.
Daily living activities are:

• Activity 1: Preparing food
• Activity 2: Eating and drinking
• Activity 3: Managing your treatments
• Activity 4: Washing and bathing
• Activity 5: Using the toilet and managing incontinence
• Activity 6: Dressing and undressing
• Activity 7: Talking, listening and understanding
• Activity 8: Reading
• Activity 9: Mixing with other people
• Activity 10: Managing money

Mobility activities are:

• Activity 11: Planning and following a journey
• Activity 12: Moving around

You haven't mentioned anything that would suggest your DD would struggle with any of the above, with the possible exception of Activity 9: Mixing with other people, which she chooses not to do, from what you've said.

What 'specialist' food do you have to buy her that's so expensive? You've said she hardly eats, so whatever it is, she can't get through much of it.

This helper is a step by step guide on how to apply pip.turn2us.org.uk/

Apply and when you inevitably get turned down, follow through with the appeal. Just about every claim is initially refused. Those that aren't serious will not appeal as thats too much like hard work.

Two out of three of mine get PIP for autism, without getting turned down. Mind you, we did claim DLA for them when they were kids.

Don't ask, don't get is my motto.

Op has nothing to loose by filling bin the form . Some situations are more complex than a list of stuff

Just a small example physically my ds could make a basic meal . But he also couldn't because he was self harming so couldn't be left with a knife... not saying this is that case for op. There could be something simlar. She choices now to socialise is that an actual choice or is it due to her needs etc .

Regardless op has nothing to loose by filling in the form. Dla/pip will decide.

God yes. Apply. Appeal. mn is great at supporting.

Glad you’ve applied Op. Will keep my fingers crossed for you.

No idea why any poster here thinks they can reject your child’s application based on a handful of MN posts. If it were that easy to assess they could reduce the paperwork.

• Activity 1: Preparing food - NEVER, she wont touch any uncooked food. This is explicitly stated in her eating disorder diagnosis. Thaat she isnunable to prepeare any meals because of a fear of uncooked food.
• Activity 2: Eating and drinking - Wouldnt eat at all in school or have breakfast so ate first time at 4pm on school days. Is no longer attending school but doesnt eat at all until food is brought to her as it just doesnt occour to her and she cant cook for herself. Again, explicitly stated in her diagnosis that she needs rwminding to eat.
• Activity 3: Managing your treatments - Shes too young to be on antidepresents but i have to give her the multivitamin she needs daily and she cant attend any appointments alone. She cant go in the appointments alone or travel to them aline.
• Activity 4: Washing and bathing. Can physically do these things herself but needs to be told to go an have a shower as she just wouldnt off her own back. Not the normal teeanage thing. Like she would go 3 minths and not do it because she doesnt like getting wet.
• Activity 5: Using the toilet and managing incontinence. No issues here.
• Activity 6: Dressing and undressing. Again is capable of dressing herself physically but she gets obsessed with certain clothes and will want to stay in the day and night and i have to bribe her to get changed so i can wash her clothes. Will stay in dirty/smelly clothes for days on end. Doenst change underwear etc.
• Activity 7: Talking, listening and understanding. Really, really struggles with communication. Selectivly mute with people she doenst know. Will just stare at her hands and look at me to answer for her. If i dont she just ignores person. Unable to go to till alone at shops or place an order at a fast food place.
• Activity 8: Reading. No issues here.
• Activity 9: Mixing with other people. Doesn't do this much anymore. She used to go see her friends but in the last 6 months shes just stopped. Avoids socialising and has left school because she couldnt cope with all the people.
• Activity 10: Managing money. She cannot do this. She has a concept of what moneybis and she understands it but just compulsivly spends any money she has on her latest special interests. Ive had to take her bank card off her and give her a set allowance and give her small amounts of her savings because if she had access to 400 quid now it would be gone by tomorrow.

Mobility activities are:

• Activity 11: Planning and following a journey. Needs assistance 100% of the time. Won't go anywhere without somebody to navigate the journey for her.
• Activity 12: Moving around. No issues here.

She eats a Dr Oetker ristorante pizza each evening and alphabites or smiley faces. Or Mcdonalds.
If the pizzas arent on offer thwyre about £3 each. And i cant cut them in half as she has to have it looking the same each night or she wont eat it. And galf a bag of smiles or alphabites. And if i give her less she wont touch it because it doenst look the same aas normal.

I have an old post in AMA about her eating habits, she has ARFID.

Sorry for my typos im having an dematitis flare up on my hands aand its hard to type!