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?

Well, no, obviously not, why would they? DLA is for actual children. If they were caring for them there are other benefits such as carers allowance and the individual themselves would be eligible for PIP. I'm not sure what pointyou're making? (Edited for a typo, sorry)

Ok,
So yes, I accept there is a level of abuse of the system. Any system is vulnerable to this.

the DWP publish fraud rates for various benefits and the rate for PIP is 0.1%

the rate for universal credit is 12.9%

source:

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/zero-percent-fraud-rate-for-pip,-dwp-figures-show

so if the concern is abuse of the system then universal credit (or pension credit or indeed almost any other benefit) would be a better target.

in terms of cars and blue badges - blue badges are given out by local councils and it’s a totally separate application process and different for each council.
I got my blue badge about ten years before I got my motability car - via an in person assessment in case anyone is worried I was fraudulent.

i think most councils will passport through high rate mobility PIP to be an automatic blue badge but zi don’t know and there are a lot of councils out there.

there are 3.07 million people with a blue badge

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/blue-badge-scheme-statistics-april-2024-to-march-2025/blue-badge-scheme-statistics-april-2024-to-march-2025

and motability cars are 860,000 so the number of blue badges is massively more than motability cars.

https://news.mo.co.uk/news/scheme-customers

Not sure what point you’re making.

I literally said my point- if Labour get in and overhaul the benefits system, I hope there is more support for struggling families with profoundly disabled children. Not sure how you missed that

Great so those with autism, ADHD and severe MH difficulties.

Yes? Why wouldn't they, based on what I have said?

Because, honestly, many people know someone who is taking the piss with ADHD.

My relative was recently diagnosed with ADHD (she's held down an impressive international career) and is on a reasonable salary again after changing career (55K) and she claimed 2K for her home adaptations which she spent on a chair to allow her to fidget a bit.....

She also recently told me she was going to 'play the ADHD card' with an interview to see if they'd give her more flexibility.

Just because someone is diagnosed (and therefore eligible for PIP or funding or whatever) doesn't magically give them perfect morals.

And again diagnosis does not give you PIP, need does.

Again a diagnosis doesnt mean someone is automatically eligible for DLA/ PIP

It isn't getting through, is it?

Where's that brick wall.

Two wrongs don’t make a right!

I do live in the real world. I have a DD, who now lives in a specialist care home, but for years before that, had domiciliary care workers coming to our house to look after her. I must have watched hundreds of care workers in action, given the high turnover of staff. Her care home is the market leader in her county for pay, and the staff have extensive training. I don’t want to see the job market flooded with the cheapest and most unsuitable people possible.

It’s othering to suggest the solution to one of society’s problems is to treat care home residents, as second class citizens, who don’t have human rights and can be subjected to neglect.

You have misunderstood: you were likely told there was a “link” between them, I.e. correlation. We all know correlation is not causation.

@Octavia64 PIP fraud rates are 0.1% because cases aren’t robustly investigated. No system has only 0.1% fraud, it’s statistically impossible. What if UC fraud rates are indicative of where PIP fraud is at? That makes more sense, given the significant numbers, myself included, who know someone who is taking the piss. 12.9% fraud - in the last 5 years - is sobering, and believable.

Should PIP be means tested? I know someone who has recently downsized to a £1m house (to give herself cash, likely to be around 400-500k. She receives very generous spousal maintenance from an Ex and claims PIP, plus has a mobility car. She could be more active but won't because that will impact her PIP assessment. I feel that she has no incentive to try to do more.

However she has 4 holidays a year and that is genuinely not an exaggeration. She doesn't use her savings to live because she has sufficient benefits, lives mortgage free and plans to spend, spend,spend.

I think means tearing must be brought in.

There are more ways to claim UC fraudulently than there are PIP.

Because the current welfare/benefits bill is far in excess of the tax revenue from those still working... something has to give.

But why as ever should disabled people face the brunt of these cuts?

I can see that being a possible reform.

there’s a couple of issues with it - mostly that it is genuinely hard to order a wheelchair adapted vehicle from anyone other than motability.

that’s why I went through the whole PIP process. I don’t strictly need the money but I did need an adapted car and at the moment it’s pretty much motability or nothing.

i think they should do a bit like with child benefit where you “notionally” get it so they know how many children there are etc.

pip does gateway to a few things - disabled rail card, some councils do automatic blue badge.

Its only PIP thats means tested and if she hss disabillity car that means shes getting about £450 a month i it hard to believe she can live on that a month without touching her savings and also going on 4 holidays a month
Something doesnt add up ...

We advised my daughter not to go down the mobility car route, it really isn’t a great deal. It’s a car you don’t own or PIP monthly payments.

Most likely because that's the diagnosis most self diagnosed at home, also autism. They're the big umbrella ehich many MH issues come under so that's the first approach I think?

As PIP is the only non means-tested disability benefit, I'm not wild on the idea of means-testing. If it is brought in, it should be done solely on that person's income, not household income, and not assets - for all the scenarios such as the one you mention, there are 100s of others where people are claiming PIP after a major, probably life-changimg event (mine was a stroke on top of a growing collection of co-morbidities). I can promise you that worrying about money and the prospect of having to move or possibly adapt your home does not help recovery!

It's a great deal if you need an adapted car or a WAV.

Tbf i think its different for different people my son is on his second mobilty car
We havent had to pay an advanced payment for either but we havent needed any adaptions either
But its whats works for the individual.

Self diagnosis isn’t a diagnosis and ND isn’t MH.