This is how they do it

[paffuto]

I thought MN's might be interested to see how "they" are cutting disabled benefits. Son 24 has severe autism and lives in supported living. He has received DLA since the age of 4 or 5 and is in the support group for esa which means he is not required to work. Has just been changed to PIP and given 0 points, a drop of £320 a month. So now his family, his Carers and Social Workers are going to have to fight for him. Letters cancelling his direct debits will have to be written (he can't write) because there might not be enough money in his bank account to pay all his bills. The council will have to do a reassessment to reduce his contribution towards his supported accommodation. His GP needs to be called and will probably prescribe meds because son is now a wreck. Any future dwp assessments will now require home visits, there is 0 chance of ever getting him to another one. For one of the PIP evidences we used Social Care Report. And here is a few examples of they did it: Social Care - son has an inability to manage and plan bus journey's unaided. PIP decision - I decided you can plan and follow the route of a journey unaided. Social Care - without care support in situ son would be at risk of self neglect. Will only wash every 2-3 days. PIP decision - you wash daily and dress in clean clothing. Social Care - reports on anxiety when going out. PIP decision - you report anxiety going out, however you do not take medication for anxiety. And the whole letter is like this. WTF????!!!!

Oh yeah, and the letter also told him his DLA will end in a couple of weeks. I just wanted to show people how they are doing it. Easy as pie wasn't it? Anyone could do that job, anyone without integrity, professionalism and a conscience that is!!

One of his care staff said he'd heard they were given bonuses for removing people from benefits. Can anyone who does this job let me know if that's true please?

That is truly horrendous. It is shameful that as a society we allow this to happen. Im so sorry for you and your child.

It is a bloody joke. Awful situation.

I am currently appealing on behalf of my son who has similar issues and a similar report of things he can do which he really can't.

Current wait for appeal to come to court - 56 weeks! Yep, over a year. He is a 22 year old man with no income or means of supporting himself and he has to wait over a year. What do they actually think he is living on?

Sorry to wade in with our situation but I know and I sympathise.

The wording in that letter is the same as the one my son received. It's like a script. The conclusions reached were definitely not based on anything that he did or said during the assessment.
In his case, he was threatened with losing his PIP because his condition prevented him attending. He attended the third appointment offered, and they cut it off anyway, as attending proved he was able to work...
But, yes, sadly, that wording is very familiar.

I am finding what is happening a lot is the help isn't available, the mental health team refused to get involved with my son and then the fact he is not receiving help is then used to state he isn't that in need.

It is horrendous but unfortunately the government and media have been building the case against disabled people for long time so people are not outraged and calling for change, those on benefits are too ill/not mental capacity too fight for themselves. We hear about all the benefit scammers and how much money this costs the country, this does happen but these new cruel measures they now have in place cost millions more to implement than they ever lost in fraud. Penalising the wrong people. I was lucky to get PIP (below level I should have but too worried to appeal), a lady I know who is house bound at least 95% of time and in severe pain and unable to care for herself was left with no money for over year until court case. She got it back dated but if it wasn’t for her elderly parents (in 80s) she would have been in serious trouble, possibly killed her. It’s truly disgusting. I hope your son gets the correct decision soon

Sorry, early morning so that post is terribly written. Hopefully you get the gist of what I was trying too say

That is so upsetting to read, OP.

How do people who design these new policies sleep at night?

It is so true that it’s always disabled people who are at the bottom of the pile and it infuriates me.

Keep fighting. My husband’s letter said that he wasn’t under the care of mental health professionals when we sent his 4-6 monthly psychiatrist reports from the previous two years....

You do have to wonder how that PIP assessor feels having written stuff they know to be nonsense that will take virtually everything away from a disabled person.

However, the main fault lies with a system that puts assessments into the hands of untrained people and incentivises them to do their utmost to minimise and deny disabilities. We have to put in place a government that is prepared to say this is intolerable and to put it right.

I've heard it described as "The war against the disabled" and it couldn't be more true. Its sickening.

OP i hope you get the help you and your child need, like a PP said waiting times for appeal are ridiculous. Dont give up, you shouldn't have to fight so hard for what you're entitled to

Oh ridiculous.my friends 18 year old went to a pip assessment
The first question was how does your autism effect you?
It doesn't he said. Came out with 0 points.

I have a friend who works on appeals and has said most rejections get overturned, because they turn out to have been legitimate claims. They’re relying on you not having the energy to push for it. Keep fighting! It’s ATOS that are the problem, or at least the austerity objective they’ve been given by the Tories.

You need to appeal. I appealed for a family member and the decision was overturned. All money was paid back and backdated.

However, people who don't have someone to write for them when they wrongly have their benefits cut or deal with their finances until things are resolved, are vulnerable to ending up on the street. This is how it happens.

Might not be the same for Autism, but as an example, someone who has a severe mental health illness, may not accept they have a mental illness or that they are not capable of certain self care activities. They may tell the assessor they are not unwell at all.

I meant to say the assessors are meant to be medical practitioners but in my relatives case the assessor was from a totally unrelated field of healthcare. We pointed this out in the appeal. It was some time ago now and I can't remember how we knew this was the case.

please please when writing the forms before assessment add extra pages & spend as much time possible on filling in form Answer all questions & think how you can adapt your answers to each question for each point DO NOT leave any questions or points unanswered - the more you write the more likely it will be difficult to deny you - & get help to fill in forms - by having a good informative form you may overcome a negative assessment by providing proof. always use examples of issues in their everyday life -re hospital & medical treatment - use any ongoing therapy or support that is relevant to the persons condition even if it isn't strictly medical - I am so sorry that this has happened to so many people & it is rivetingly unfair

& if the person has difficulty in communication state on form at front that they need help at interview

This makes me so angry! I'm so sorry for what is happening to you and your son.

Yup. DD too. Was receiving PIP now nothing. The report was full of lies. ‘You answered all the questions correctly blah blah’. No she bloody didn’t. She sat quivering in silence then guessed and got them all wildly wrong because she was so anxious. Took days for her to talk again afterwards and now we have to appeal and go through it all again.

That's awful. I'm no expert by any means, but I think I read in the Guardian recently that most appeals in this situation are successful. Get yourself some advice and get fighting!

My ds has aspergers/anxiety, has pip, used to get full support at school, taxi etc. Now doing his A levels- no extra help

Why? Because if you're capable of doing an a level you dont need any help!??!

Please appeal. Appeal this decision. Get advice from Carers UK or Disability Rights UK , but appeal the decision. if you have to challenge the social care report, do so.

70% of appeals are successful but many people do not appeal because the process is so stressful. Yet, as you have shown, the consequences of individuals with disabilities losing the financial support they need is even mre stressful

You are correct. The PIP assessors actually lie. I would not have thought it true until actually experiencing it.

DD1 is recovering from very severe anorexia. She applied for PIP upon her discharge from hospital (tube fed) at a time when she was entirely dependent upon me to provide every single morsel of food and sip of drink. She was unable to prepare food (not able even to carry it to the table, not able even to pour a glass of juice). I had to prompt every mouthful she ate and watch her continuously, while she did so, not even glance away. The PIP report stated that she had reported she required “help” in preparing meals and that she was able to eat without assistance. This was in direct contravention of what she said (I was there) and of what her consultant psychiatrist said in a letter of support. It was blatant lies.

The assessor also said she was able to carry her coat. Which was not only unnecessary to her claim but was also untrue as she was cold (as a result of her condition) and did not remove her coat at all.

A reconsideration was not successful, but within days of lodging an appeal she was informed the DWP was awarding her PIP at the higher rate.

I really feel for you. DD1 is recovering now. I know your son’s situation is permanent. So not the same. The treatment of vulnerable people by the DWP is an absolute disgrace.

I am confident you will successful on appeal. But that is not the point. The DWP should be absolutely ashamed.