Claiming PIP for mental health when working?

[SockMobster]

OK. I realise that I am posting this in AIBU and it may not be the best place but I need opinions from people (please just try and share them nicely).

Basically, had a crap twenty years and now have now also got a diagnosis of complex PTSD, Dissociative Disorder and Complex Needs (which relates to trust).

I am living in a shit situation (safe, but shit), and when I discussed this on another thread it was suggested that I claim PIP. I am going to claim it, and I think I hit three of the categories on a bad day - the thing that concerns me is this, on a bad day I can still do my job (I just modify it a bit so I don't have to be near triggers or people), but I can't do that with most of life... On a very bad day, there is no way I can do my job, but I am getting better at coping with them and they now don't last all day.

Therefore AIBU to still put in an application for PIP even though I work?

Do you live alone? Is so, do you have carers or other help coming in regularly?

No, I live in a room with three other people in a hostel with staff 24/7 though this is out of financial necessity (I can't manage the finances to get a deposit together for my own room) rather than I need people 24/7 to help with my daily care needs.

Money and finance are a huge trigger for him, This is me, money is such a freaking huge issue and through absolutely no fault of my own a lot of the time. I will contact fightback - thank you!

You should definitely try. It won't affect any other benefits or anything if they say no. My dh has just applied for MH reasons as well and we aren't exactly hopeful about it.
If you can get access to welfare rights somewhere they can help with filling in the horrible form you get. They know what sort of things the DWP will be looking for and what is likely to help your claim.

ReallyRatherMiffed
Is that so?! Because my husband got a letter the other day saying his application had been rejected as the form wasn't in on time. Had to get a mandatory reconsideration. We assumed that as a welfare rights guy filled it in for us and sent it off that he had sent it late... But will now have to check with welfare rights guy.

just asked if you live alone as DH was on Pip a while ago and as far as I remember, we went into quite some detail how I helped him on a daily basis (he would have needed carers if he wouldn't have had me). He needed reminding to take medication. Struggled with self care (but that was a physical thing) so needed help with bathing, I had to do all the cooking, cleaning, shopping...

cjferg - yes, it really is so! When I contacted them to tell them I had proof to say that they HAD got it in time they said that it simply hadn’t been inputted onto their system in time. No apology (pat for course) but they did then process the claim as it ‘wasn’t my error’.

I always advise getting help from relevant charities filling out the forms, but send them yourself, pay that bit extra to get it copied and signed for - in the long term it’s worth it. Charities are fab, but SO snowed under for your own peace of mind do that last bit entirely yourself.

ReallyRatherMiffed
That really does not surprise me in all honesty...

It's not really through a charity, it's a service provided by my housing association, will need to check whether they have any record of when it was sent. It did seem ridiculous though because it was the 24th of January we had the appointment to fill it in. And the guy has been amazingly helpful in all other ways. Gonna be so angry if it's the DWP fucking things up again.

(sorry for hijacking your thread OP!)

If you apply ask your GP or psych to write in support and give specific details which relate to the descriptors on the claim form. You may have to pay for this but the PIP assessors are a canny bunch of bastards. It says on the form to not get letters as they will write to the medics themselves if they need further info...like fuck they will. So if you include as many letters describing your condition plus a letter supporting your claim they can’t actually ignore it. A letter explaining about the medication decision will help rather than saying ‘no meds’.

Also, if you are very fragile just beware that claiming PIP is stressful. They can ask you to go to somewhere really inconvenient for your assessment ( you can change it once), give you a totally unpleasant assessor ( I complained), completely lie on their assessment form ( ask to see it when you get your knock back) etc etc.

So get support from the start in completing the forms and going to the appointments. If you feel unfairly treated get support in appealing.

Op my advice is apply- lay it all out and get as much evidence as possible.
I applied last year and was refused- despite me being an inpatient for mh crisis. I have bipolar, so it’s not like it’s ever going to go away. At that point it was rapid cycling.

I now have an award of pip due to physical health deterioration, again something which will never improve and actually it’ll get worse over time.
They awarded without it going to mandatory reconsideration, I was clear in how I detailed my forms (took photos before I sent them off too) and before meeting with the assessor I made sure to carefully go over what I’d written so I didn’t miss anything out.
I can honestly say that the woman I had couldn’t have been nicer and whilst she did a physical exercise with me in the meeting, she also provided something for my chair so the meeting would be in some way slightly more bearable and details of where I could get further help and support- I realise however that this is the exception not the rule

I get enhanced rate care PIP and have always been looking for work or working. I'm about to renew with a job though so we'll see how that goes.

Morally no issue at all, of course you should be entitled to it. But I am a mental health worker who has supported several people with similar diagnosis through applications and they are very hard work. The process is complex and difficult.

So for me the question shouldn't be whether you should or not but rather do you want to? Can you manage this stress. If you apply and they turn you down, how will you feel. If you apply, they ask you to come to a meeting and you dissociate, how will you cope. It's not about what others think, it's about what's best for you.

One of my adult children gets PIP for bipolar type 2. She has a range of issues including depression, suicide attempts, self harm, spending and drug use, eating disorders etc. She used to work full time then she relapsed and can't work now. She also gets ESA.

Applying for and appealing PIP is a complete nightmare and the assessors are not fit for the job.

I feel for anyone having to negotiate this minefield. Best wishes.

As above, obviously I can't say whether or not you'd be eligible or get it in your personal circumstances (my general advice would be give as much external evidence as possible, give specific details, and if it varies, state that (and then go into further detail).

But you would absolutely not be unreasonable to apply or claim it whilst working, and it is absolutely possible to do so. I worked at DWP (in the fraud area, as a researcher) whilst receiving PIP for mental health problems. No issue whatsoever. I still had a severe MH problem, and it still had a severe impact on my life.