NC for this.
DH has severe mental illness, when he is well he can work full time but struggles to sustain this long term. When he is poorly he barely functions at all and certainly can't work. Currently he is working part time which is sustainable health wise but tight financially. Prior to becominģ unwell the first time he was self employed and so was not entitled to ESA when he became unwell due to my earnings being above threshold. Despite me having a good wage the sudden drop in income meant than we ran up debt. We had almost paid that off when he became unwell again last year and not realising that this time he was entitled to ESA missed out on claiming that and again ended up in debt.
DHs CPN suggested he may be eligable for PIP and when we looked into it he seems to score in for the higher rate based on the criteria. If he got this it would allow him to continue working part time comfortably, but we are aware thats not really what its meant for. Its intended to be used to help him with his independance, but the things he needs help with are things like prompting him to eat, wash, take tablets and montioring his condition, all of which are easy enough for me to do for him and cost nothing. I suppose though if it allowed him to stay in work and not get too ill to work again that in its way would be helping him to stay independant.
I think my views are coloured as I work with serverly physically and mentally disabled people and DH is so much more able than any of them. We also worry what people would think if they knew he was claiming. I earn a desent wage, he works part time nmw, we both drive, have 2 (ancient) cars and rent a nice house in an okish area. If it wasn't for the debts from when DH was ill we would be comfortably off, and I think we both feel that there are others who are more deserving/in need than us.