PIP survey - intriguing!

[SurveyServus]

Hi all

I've just been sent (in the post) an invitation to take part in a survey regarding Personal Independence Payment. It's being done on behalf of the DWP. Apparently they have randomly selected over 60,000 people who claim PIP.

It's called the "Areas of Extra Costs Survey". Apparently it's to identify the sort of extra costs disabled people face to overcome barriers to participating in society. (<- my paraphrasing.)

Presumably this is part of proposals to change PIP.

It's good that they are actually asking disabled people. It's also good that they are considering what actually costs money to inform how to target funds.

But I am concerned it's going to be one of those surveys with limited response options or no questions that cover where the money is actually needed.

Sharing here as I thought it might be of interest to posters.

@WeylandYutanithere may be more existing PIP recipients forced to use benefit to meet increasing costs but that does not mean that new claimants without qualifying disability are automatically entitled to PIP because of COL. Crap wages and benefits are irrelevant. They wouldn’t qualify for PIP so the issue is moot. The issue is that those who after assessment qualified for PIP, and relied on carers who as a result qualified for CA will no longer do so, not because their their needs have reduced but rules have changed. Resulting in a financial loss of many thousands per year. With no realistic opportunity of replacing benefit with work. Which employer will take on a person who is impacted by disability to the extent they needed a carer before the new 4 point rule?

I decided not to take part in the survey. This was not because I couldn’t justify anything that I spend, but because it’s really nothing to do with anyone. The deadline for the survey end was today 20/06/2025. This afternoon I had an angina attack and was feeling really washed out. Surprise, the phone rings and my wife answered at it was a representative of Verian. My wife told them that I was ill but they were insistent on speaking with me. I took the call and explained that I had just had an angina attack and they apologised profusely and ended the call. I mean, can’t they just take no for an answer and leave people alone. It’s supposed to be voluntary for goodness sake. If I hadn’t had the attack before they called I would probably had one shortly after as stress is a major contributing factor.

I think there should be a different approach. With severely disabled people getting more and lower payment levels phased out.

I've had another follow up letter asking me to participate. Offering more money. Me thinks not.

The lower payment level was phased out?

No, I think that she is saying that the lower payments should be phased out. Which funny enough, I have heard that being said before, so in effect, just having a higher rate, and nothing else.

Can you explain why you hold this view?

Just trying to understand as to my way of thinking this all-or-nothing approach isn't actually helpful. People with a disability that affects their daily life including earning potential wouldn't get any support because they wouldn't be considered "disabled enough" and would be extremely vulnerable and consigned to poverty as a result.

@Erabus Jeepers! That's awful.. Sorry to hear that you are unwell. When someone wants to get hold of you so badly, despite your circumstances, it's never for your good, but for theirs. Get well soon

I think based on what you say and my experience that they may have had a poor response to the survey. Basically it was all too ambiguous for me and questioned parts of PIP that is not supposed to be under review (Mobility element). After my personal experiences with the DWP and third parties I don’t really trust the motives of any of them. Do you know that they actually disregard or ignore medical evidence furnished by the NHS and are known to employ so called experts who know little to nothing about the applicants condition. Why trust their survey to be fair and just?

Thanks for your concern. To be fair I wasn’t really upset by the call and they did terminate it as soon as they knew my current circumstances, but it’s not really the way to pursue this and I feel sure that it would have distressed many people had it happened to them. It’s supposed to be voluntary and I feel that they are being too aggressive in their approach.

Regarding this green paper. Several points and personal experience:
The whole thing is obscene. I have nothing but contempt for an authority that uses NHS trained staff, (who should be at the NHS working, but prefer the hours at assessment centres)to do the thousands of assessments they will have to pay for when poorly people are forced to appeal, (If they don’t kill themselves or simply die while they wait). My sister has MS. She scores 2/3s in all categories, but not 4 in one. I care for her. Totally unpaid. No carers allowance permitted, because I have just become a pensioner and pensioners can’t get that. I can scarcely keep my own body and soul going to look after my granddaughter so that my daughter can work (NHS nurse). Most people won’t score 4 in one category. My sister is seriously considering suicide! I absolutely despair! Consider the irony of my family working for NHS while another member of family is considering suicide because of this green paper.
This is not only a cruel cost cutting exercise, like the winter fuel payment, (PS they will say that some of us can have that back, because cutting disability benefits will save more and they want to sweeten you) it’s going to be akin to murder if the green paper is voted in, without getting anyones hands dirty in gas chambers. It will also put more weight on local authorities in your area that are already struggling. Anyone who believes this could, in any way, shape, or form, could be a good thing, needs to have their head examined.
In addition, it is not true that we don’t have enough money. It is simply not being managed properly or well. Sir Kier Starmer has already gotten rid of most of the opposition to this in his party. What does that tell you? This is NOT democracy.

Its interesting I was having a look at the Family resources survey which is paid for by the DWP and run since the 1980s. Apparently very nearly 1 in 4 of the population would consider themselves disabled as per the equality act definition which is up a lot on previous years.

I do wonder if the arguement is being made that such a large proportion of people are disabled to some extent and they can’t afford to support everyone so should be reserved for most severely disabled?

Yet another call from Verian about this PIP survey. Wife took the call and told them I was ill again. They then said that they wouldn’t call anymore. The wife asked them why they kept bothering me and was told that usually you had to call Verian to opt out of the survey. I was enraged so I grabbed the phone and told the caller that it was totally voluntary and I didn’t need to opt out because I never opted in. I was told that this was a moot point as they were opting me out as they had explained to my wife. I mean really, would you want to deal with these people?

But 1 in 4 won't be entitled to disability benefits (including child DLA and attendance allowance for over 66s)

Obviously the incentive is financial but if you have ever had dealings with the DWP you would know that it’s incredibly difficult to get your point across over anything and they tend to ignore any documentation which is evidence of conditions even if it’s from the NHS, and the opinion of a specialist based upon things such as scans, X-rays or other diagnostic tools. I know little of the Equality Act relating to disability but assume that it’s mainly concerned with discrimination. I would also think that if you were to ask the average person on the street what the equality act was and how it relates to disability I would be surprised if they actually knew much at all about it.

Besides it’s really all about setting a bar with absolute criteria and doesn’t from what I can see have a wholistic approach to disability. The problem is, is that the bar is set pretty high as it is. Medical opinions count for next to nothing and you a trolled and assessed by “Medical Experts” who know next to nothing about how a disability affects you, and that’s what PIP is basically about. Not the condition but how it affects the individual.

it is awarded after through assessments so why move the goal post when it’s almost impossible to score in the first place? Answer, to save expenditure and make things more difficult for the disabled and disadvantaged of our country.

Expenditure could be easily made in other areas such as reducing migration and the bill for housing everyone who comes over on a dingy but it’s not as pc as disabled bashing.

Sorry expenditures easily saved in other way was what I meant to write in the last paragraph but I am sure you get my drift.

I'm sure the government could afford pip if decisions were right the first time and those of us with incurable disabilities weren't having to be reassessed

I think the idea of giving vouchers instead of money is ridiculous. Are they going to give out vouchers to cover every possible expense? Not just shopping,but electricity,gas, buying stuff online,a daily newspaper,your mobile phone bill,water bill,paying the window cleaner,or if one of your household appliances such as a washing machine,needed replacing? I doubt it very much. I just don't see how it could work. The only reason they would want to give out vouchers is so they can keep tabs on what disabled people buy, and also to make them feel belittled. Just another attempt by this vile government to demonise the sick and disabled.