Is it moral for me to claim disability?

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I’m autistic and was diagnosed as an adult. I’m really struggling to accept my diagnosis because I feel like some of my symptoms might be improved and the diagnosis is so common I’m not sure it’s real anymore or if it’s just my personality, an illness or the way I was raised or a combination of all those things. I’m verbal, not aggressive, and able to reflect on my difficulties. But I’ve experienced being ostracised, targeted, threatened, and have had problems at work. It feels like I’m in trouble almost every week. I have a very small number of friends who understand me well, and I often need someone to explain or defend my behaviour for me. I also experience severe bowel issues.

I was advised that I would need a lot of professional help to address my behaviours and reduce being a target, but that support doesn’t exist on the NHS. I’m wondering whether claiming might make some of that support accessible for me.

I am aware that this benefit is often associated with children with more severe autism, such as non-verbal children in nappies, but I’m wondering whether it’s morally right for adults like me to claim.

Because the issues you experience don't come with an additional cost to living your life. The payments aren't based on your diagnosis, hence forms not being targeted to mental 'disabilities' Vs physical ones. The questions are designed to assess how functionally capable you are. It sounds like you are functionally capable, hence not relating to any of the questions.

I would argue that social issues are not the kind of thing the payments are aimed at curing or helping with.

Not really my son has autism and severe learning disabilities, he transfers to PIP this year he needs full assistance with every aspect of daily living ,and is completely unable to travel anywhere independently, but has no physical disabilities.

Does your child not get High rate ?
My teen is severely autistic ,and non verbsl and got MRC at three for 13 years LRM was added on at five ,,as he got older it became increasingly apparent the level of his needs to cut a long story short I did a COC and took it to tribunal when he was 9 and he was immediately awarded HRC and HRM.

Of course it isnt immoral to claim pip.
I would certainly look into it.
The benefits and work website has lots of useful information.
It is a long form to fill out and not a easy process but worth while if you qualify.
I have 2 austic DDs one gets higher rate on both but we had a lot of medical evidence to support the applocation.
The other has lower rate mobility only, we have less external evidence. The fact she was at uni and could drive was held against her as they said she had no intelectual difficulties -which is true but she does have severe difficulties in communication, misunderstanding, anxiety etc (as does my other DD who was awarded highest levels)
It can seem a bit random as to how they score it. The more external evidence you have the better. Even emails or appraisals from work may help you. Or if you have a good relationship a supporting statement from a colleague or manager.
I suspect the communication category and mixing with other people would be the ones where you would gain points.

Nah, I wouldn’t claim if I were you.

I’m not sure I can claim that’s very disappointing

Why not have a conversation with NAS about support for your social skills. https://www.autism.org.uk/contact-us Is there a branch in your area? They will also be familiar with PIP. Standard rate for daily living if you qualified is just under £74 per week so it would not replace a salary.

It is possible for people to get high rate mobility and nothing for care because they are unable to walk at all.

my friend is in this situation and she works full time. She works for an autism charity and is involved in the training dogs for autism programme.

i have another friend who is blind and has been blind from birth. He gets low rate care. He does some occasional part time work promoting swimming because he has been a (competitive) swimmer since he was very young.

i am disabled myself due to an accident and I use a wheelchair. I taught in secondary schools for over ten years after my accident, from a wheelchair.

the inability to walk does not make you immediately unemployable.

My job doesn't require cooking....
My job doesn't require standing up...
I mean really?! My job requires creativity, empathy, patience and people skills, all of which I'm good at. It doesn't require me to be able to chop vegetables, safely use an oven, or shower unaided.
I don't get why people think there's a fixed hierarchy of abilities, and that in this hierarchy, having a job always comes above being able to feed yourself.

You don't need to stop work to claim PIP but you do need to have as much evidence as possible on how your workplace is adapted for you to work and adaptions you have in place . The questions are more aimed at a physical disability but it's dependant on the amount of points you get at the assessment . It's likely that you will need to appeal the first decision and you will need as much evidence as humanely possible to get it. If you don't have any extra costs due to your disability I'm not sure it's worth doing the claim. It's all not a quick process it took me 2 years from applying to get a tribunal and to win it and it's horrifically stressful.

Stress is the last thing that I need.

I wonder if the ‘Access to work’ scheme maybe suitable for you?

https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work

Despite the general idea that claiming PIP is really easy and anyone can get it, that is not the case in my experience.
Having said that I have an adult child who was awarded DLA for autism when they were 2 until they were 16 with no renewals needed. When they applied for PIP they were given it without even needing an assessment.
But my other autistic child who had received high rate DLA got 0 points when applying for PIP.
Personally I have dissociative identity disorder. I put in my PIP application originally for PTSD and depression (was under the mental health crisis team as suicidal) and got turned down. Then put in a new application 18months later after the DID diagnosis. The initial assessment letter came back with 0 points and basically said "you said XXX but I do not believe that you are affected in this way", for every single answer, despite it being there in my diagnosis letter. I got 0 points at mandatory reconsideration, despite being under the care of the crisis team at that point,, with the reasoning "you aren't bad enough to need help" and I am now waiting for an appeal.
you may be lucky, but if you do apply, be prepared for a long fight.

Personal Independence Payment https://share.google/QVDzTotppHw5ZvrDv

This may help.

Arguably the PIP form does create a hierarchy of abilities. And rightly they put personal care and food at the top.

The PIP markers are so strict and I struggle to think of a job that would allow that, that’s all I’m saying. Obviously I’m wrong as people out there do work and receive it.

I agree with a previous poster in regards to trying to access some therapy to help you come to terms with your diagnosis, autism isn’t over diagnosed in any way and your feelings of fraud etc are very common 💐

I don’t think you would be qualify for pip, but I do wonder if you are doing the right kind of job? What field are you in? Maybe a career change might help you?

I do this job for a living, and I can confirm that any suggestion of assessors getting a bonus for every claim they reject, is utter shite.

File it in the same category as driving examiners having to fail a certain number of people per day.

🙄

You’re talking nonsense - PIP assessors do NOT get bonuses for every claim they refuse.

They don’t.

There's no harm in submitting an application. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. It sounds as if you need a mentor at work?

Also try and befriend some other NTs. They won't be offended by direct communication and will understand your sensitivities. Are there local groups? Fb?

You could also follow thrivewithrhys on Instagram.

Meh, I don't think that it is moral, or immoral if you feel that you want to try to claim PIP OP. Are you going to call the DWP for the form?

A tribunal is held in a courtroom. With a judge, a doctor and a disability expert. I have been turned down 6 times by DWP over many years, and won at 6 tribunals.
I had to attend every time, making me more unwell each time and causing a new diagnosis of anxiety. The system is brutal.

It depends how your ASD affects you and if you meet the criteria. Not everyone does. I also have ASD and also ADHD and I have looked at PIP and the criteria and I do meet some of it so am thinking about putting in a claim to see if they think I meet it, but I may not. The things I think I’d get points for is needing support/prompting for medication, finances, washing and some support for unfamiliar journeys/public transport. If you don’t need support for these then you’re unlikely to qualify.

Mine is 8. We are in the midst of the appeal/tribunal process and unsurprisingly they’ve dragged their heels and declined at every opportunity.