Why are ADHD benefits in the firing line?

[FunStork]

I've been seeing this a lot recently.

Feels like the media is very much against ADHD benefits claims.

Why is that the one that seems to be getting all the focus?

Another one from BBC Verify tonight:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c24ym9yd8p6o

Is this an orchestrated campaign?

How many is 'many people' though? Realistically how much money are true benefits cheats costing the country? If we crack down on the system because of them, then people who actually need support will suffer as a result. How much money is that worth it for?

Meanwhile there are people wealthy enough that they generate more than an average full time income by doing nothing, just in interest alone from having their wealth sat in a bank account. Who dodge taxes and use loopholes. I just think there are so many better ways to recoup tax money, I don't see why people are so obsessed with 'benefit cheats'. We should be looking up.

You can say what you want on the form you still need evidence
And far more than a quick Gp mums says letter

Depends how good they are- there are even tik toks telling you what to say.

Exactly this.

The report actually agrees in part with what I have already said. Outcomes for many children with ADHD have deteriorated.

School attendance for all children has fallen across the board since COVID. Given the additional challenges ADHD can bring, it wouldn't be surprising if children with ADHD saw an even bigger fall while still following the same overall trend. That is not necessarily proof of an ADHD specific problem. It might simply be that whatever the underlying issue is has a bigger impact on those with ADHD.

The report assumes the answer is that schools are failing children with ADHD and that more support is needed. That may be part of the explanation, but it doesn't rule out other factors such as changing attitudes, expectations, incentives, the normalisation of non attendance, etc., none of which are mentioned in the report. It also doesn't explain why some countries don't appear to be experiencing the same outcomes for children with ADHD.

We need to understand the reasons, not just assume that handing out cash to individuals solves the problem Few problems are that simple.

Like most of the problem with our society, it's people knowing one thing about a person and imagining them as a charicature based on that, rather than seeing complete, individual people.

They hear 'benefits for ADHD' and think of a stereotype - someone gaming the system, loudly proclaiming their kids' diagnoses for attention, sitting around watching TV all day simply because they don't want to work, etc etc. "We all know people like that" - maybe you do, or maybe you're only seeing part of the picture.

Two examples.

A good friend of mine has moderate ADHD. He can't hold down any kind of structured role - he's very clever and likeable but doesn't get things done because he has no concept of a deadline and has emotional outbursts when overwhelmed. He's ex-army but never got far up the ranks for this reason and has the usual additional challenges of ex-Forces personnel in the workforce. He does now work in a self-employed capacity, and is very good at it (he's fantastic with people, caring and very creative) but only because his wife helps him with the admin and time management.

I keep in touch with a young lad I tutored years ago, now in his 20s, who has more severe ADHD (alongside dyspraxia) and can't work. Or, more to the point, can't hold down a job. He's not safe in a manual role due to the combination of dyspraxia and complete lack of danger awareness, and he doesn't last long in non-manual roles because his lack of executive function means he doesn't get tasks done independently. He will quite literally wander into a building site without a helmet and have no idea he's doing anything unsafe until told. He's unable to focus - it's not a choice he's making.

I'm not saying there aren't people taking the mickey. Wherever there's something for 'free', there's someone gaming it. But the mass mockery of absolutely everyone with ADHD needs to stop. It's funny how if there's something wrong with your heart, it's seen as serious, but if part of your brain isn't adequately functioning it's seen as your fault.

It means nothing without evidence

Maybe because every man and his dog is being diagnosed with ADHD now. We can’t start subsidising the majority of the population.

For the umpteenth time we dont
It goes off need not disgnosis.

I admire Sara Davies but my 18yo nephew must have a different ADHD to her then! He cannot get his head around money, for a start. He is intelligent and articulate but can’t focus. When I read that article she talks about putting support in for herself! He can’t even organise meeting friends. I love my DN to bits and we are in the most difficult of situations (his mum died, his dad has left the country) and I would dearly love him to find an outlet for his strengths. The activities he loves stopped at 18, whereas he still has a younger brain (around 15) now he is thrown into the world of adulthood. What I am struggling with is, as another poster mentioned, the fact that everything hinges on passing exams. He felt such a failure keep failing English GCSE. I would love someone to take a chance on him - he’s loyal and always wants to please - but that doesn’t happen now. Many times I’ve thought of starting my own thread, but it’s so outing. I’ve also seen it happen before, a friend was widowed when her (now diagnosed bi-polar) son was 15 and he’s slipped through the cracks for many years now.

Because the assessment is online, nothing face to face and AI will tell you how to answer the questions so you qualify.

And ADHD doesn't stop you working.
I know some people with it who are directors.
It's not a condition that always means you can't work.

They need medical evidence to back up any claim. It is not difficult to understand that, yet some posters seem to not want to acknowledge that simple fact.

You don't,
Someone I know- close friend- did the assessment online and would have qualified.

Yet they don't need to claim as they have a high powered job and adjust their behaviour using strategies to perform at work.

People say this but it's not my experience at all. Despite a lot of evidence I was told there were things I could do / had no difficulties do. My evidence said the complete opposite

We don’t have the data on how many standalone cases are approved for PIP so nobody knows.

my working assumption would be that at least some of those 100,000 have other conditions.

The assessment is not in person.
It asks questions online like 'Do you experience this' (tick box)
etc.

You can lie.

I know for a fact that one is getting £500-600.

He does everything that my DC does, in fact he seems to cope better than many people his age.

I’m confused as to what that money is supposed to be helping him with and what’s worse is that he knows he can’t get a job because his parents told him his money will stop.

I’m confused as to what that money is supposed to be helping him with and what’s worse is that he knows he can’t get a job because his parents told him his money will stop.

Eh?

If he gets a job he will earn more than PIP

Oh we must have been writing our posts at the same time and you are describing my nephew who I’ve just posted about! Your post made me cry - he is like this. Always interested, always wanting to help. He has a 2 month break from college stretching ahead of him but is unable to plan.

Autism is a lifelong condition. With support needs ranging from 5% to 100%. anxiety is a short lived condition 90% of which should be treated and over in months.

No not at all, I think there are varying degrees as it’s a spectrum and yes some will need benefits support (and I am on the pro benefits side overall here) but it seems to be (unless the news is lying - which it often does I guess) that many are claiming when in reality they don’t need it - I’m pretty sure I saw a quote somewhere on this thread and I’ve also heard people myself say ‘well everyone else is claiming so why wouldn’t I’ and I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do.

do you not agree? Or are you happy for anyone and everyone to claim and see our benefits system be drained until there’s nothing left?

He can’t plan a break from university and you’re putting it on the same level of someone who’s got serious physical illness jokes

The total bill for working age sickness and disability benefits has been increasing rapidly since 2020. It currently stands at £58bn and has been projected to rise to £78bn by 2030, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

More than 100,000 people with ADHD as their main condition now receive Personal Independence Payments (Pip), the latest government figures show, an increase of 40% in these cases since Labour came to power two years ago.

The current welfare bill is not sustainable.
We are paying more out in welfare each year than tax receipts.
The country is bankrupt but no one wants to talk about that.

People who have saved get interest. There is nothing wrong in that and the interest is taxed at 20 or 40%. That's taxing money again that they have worked for, or invested (at their own risk.)

Meanwhile there are people wealthy enough that they generate more than an average full time income by doing nothing

Yes and how many are that? A drop in the ocean.

If they get £30K pa in interest that usually comes from working hard for decades or taking a risk with their money ( and possibly losing it all.) in investments.

You don't fix the system by penalising people who earn and save.

But that’s the most frustrating thing.

I know of lots of people who are seemingly eligible for help but can’t seem to get it.

I know of an adult dwarf/little person who had her benefits stopped because she didn’t drive and the walk to work was too far for her (it wouldn’t have been for an average height person) and the job centre stopped her money.

But a 16yo boy is who is physically and mentally competent is already saying that he can’t ever get a job else he’ll lose his benefits.

I think that’s why things like ADHD are being targeted because the evidence needed is basically knowing the right things to say.

What assessment? They either went through the process, or they did not. Anybody can go online to see if they would qualify for PIP, in theory, that does not mean that once they go through the actual process, they will though. Did your friend fill in the form, and have an actual assessment, either in person, or on the phone? If he did not, then how would you know if he did indeed qualify for any help?