WIBU to ask our MP for help with DD's PIP claim

[Joanie78]

Am at my wit's end... DD is 18, has autism ("high functioning"). History of suicide attempts and self-harm, which I also posted about, as she is having difficulties accessing care. She has also been diagnosed with PTSD-like symptoms. She applied for PIP and was refused it, aside for about £20 a week for mobility. I really think she should have got it. For example, she goes days without eating because she forgets but they said she can cook a meal because she sometimes eats cereal. She had to drop out of uni because she couldn't cope with it. Can't manage finaces at all. DD can't work at the moment as her mental health is so poor and even if she was in a better place she has such bad anxiety and gets so exhausted from masking she would really struggle to hold down a job. One of the reasons for not giving her PIP is because she isn't on antidepressants or any other psychiatric medication. Will our MP (Labour, if it matters) be able to help if we email them? Never contacted an MP before and not sure if all their time is now spent with covid-related work. DD's quality of life is so poor at the moment Thank you.

A lot will depend on your MP.

A good MP will be able to signpost you to people who can help you properly.

Has it gone to appeal yet?

If you haven’t done a mandatory reconsideration then you should do that then appeal first of all , the citizens advice have people who can help with the forms too

Is she getting basic rate of UC already as not working?
Has gp signed a not fit to work note?

You need to contact a welfare rights officer who can advise you and can help with the appeal process. I doubt your MP can do much.

Citizens Advice can advise on welfare rights but it may be better to get advice from an autism or mental health specific welfare rights service if you can

Why isn’t she on any medication for her anxiety? I don’t know a huge amount of about autism, but I suffer with anxiety and have also suffered with depression and medication was a life line for me when I was at my lowest. Is there any reason she’s not been given any?

When did you get told she hasn't got it? Are you still in time to do a mandatory reconsideration notice? You can ask for an extension too - if you phone them.

If you've got time to do a mandatory reconsideration notice then go through each point and tell them why you think they are wrong...

For instance one of the questions is about taking mediaction isn't it?

You need to say "x cannot take her own mediction - she needs prompting to take this at the right time of day and in the right quantities. If she is not prompted she does not take the mediction and this results in an instability of her mental health which leads in turn to suicidal thoughts etc etc" - even better if you can say "this is outlined in medical report ...."

Same with eating - "x needs prompting to eat and to prepare food for herself - if she is not prompted or helped to make food then she will often skip meals - this leads to .... etc etc..

Same with the finances. "X cannot budget accordingly and spread her funds out to meet her needs. She is likely to spend a months' money in one go not realising that this means she won't be able to buy food pay bills, rent etc - this in turns leads to high anxiety caused by demand letters and a failure to look after herself - no funds to buy food can lead to ....

Do you see where I am going here?

There's a guide here...

focusondisability.co.uk/benefits-and-allowances/pip-assessment-points-a-guide/

Work out your answers (without lying) to fit the points you need in each section...

...ALWAYS talk about the worst day - such as going food shopping if she has taken all her drugs and had breakfast and is feeling great - no problem - what if she is anxious and depressed and feeling suicidal - she'll need help won't she?

Not sure if this helps you - I do a lot of PIP claims in my job - 100% award success rate at the moment!

No GP has not signed her off. As she was a student till last week. Can a GP sign you off work if you don't have a job?

Your GP can provide a sick/fit note if you are expected to look for work - I've got one for a client who hasn't worked since June.

Not on any medication currently because GPs didn't want to prescribe as she has other health issues too and the practice was worried about medication interefering. Also she feels like PTSD should be treated with talking therapies (which she is on waiting list for) not medication. She tried various antidepressants (SSRIs and another type, can't remember which) in the past but felt awful on them.

Definitely try your MP. Mine has been incredibly helpful with more than one issue.

If your MP is decent and has good caseworkers, they will absolutely help you figure this out.

I just got PIP on my third attempt with different illnesses but similarly hidden disabilities. What worked for me in the end was getting a well written, well argued letter from a GP at my practice. Previously I had had letters which listed the drugs I’m on and conditions I’m diagnosed with but nothing else.... by the third attempt I was desperate and I made an appointment and just poured my heart out to this duty GP that I had never seen before. She was amazing and distilled all of that frustration and worry from me into a letter, arguing that in her professional opinion I needed the PIP to increase my quality of life. She also listed my conditions and drugs but I believe it was the opinion of her as a professional that swung it. Might be worth making an appointment with your daughters GP and accompanying her to it to try and get across how desperate you are. Good luck, it’s a shit process.

Thank you Quinnie. And could she claim UC whilst waiting for PIP or can you only claim that if you're fit to work?! Benefits system is awfully hard to navigate.

What really pisses me off is that the assessor was really nice on the phone, said how hard it must be for DD when she started self-harming during the phonecall due to the stress of it all... Then wrote up a totally inaccurate summary making DD out to be much more able than she is. Two-faced!

Thank you MostDisputes - maybe we will make a GP appt first of all. I am glad your GP was able to help you x

Have a look at www.a1benefitsupport.com it's free, you join via fb but they are amazingly helpful if you can't get to a welfare rights atm

Thank you Quinnie for your longer post which I just saw. That is incredibly helpful and we really appreciate it. I was there the whole time supporting DD and I thought that we did ok in getting our points across but we need to link it back more I think.

We only got the letter (saying her award was for mobility only) about 3 days ago so we are in the period.

Your daughter sounds distressingly like mine, @Joanie78. Its utterly utterly awful trying to support her, because you can see the wonderful person she is inside, but the bloody horrible illnesses just prevent her seeing that.

We applied for PIP for my DD this year, after she came out of hospital, and she was granted it. I wrote the form very carefully - i didnt lie, but i talked about her worst days, and the consequences of her worst days. For example, although DD is perfectly capable physically of opening a blister pack and swallowing a tablet, i said that she was not capable of administering her own medication, because she has taken repeated overdoses when she has free access to her own medication.

They did a phone interview as well. DD has extreme anxiety about talking on the phone, even to her dad, and she was able to tell the interviewer that she needed me to be there to support her and to help her answer if she was struggling. The interviewer had no problem with that, so i was able to remind DD of the things we'd put in the form.

Its a ridiculously complex process, but once you figure out how to navigate it, its manageable. The most dispiriting thing is filling in that bloody form with all the awful negative aspects of your child's life.

Thank you Pistol - I have not heard of welfare rights but will join the facebook group. Am so furious and sad!!!

Funny - it is awful and my entire waking day is spent worrying about DD and how her life will pan out. I am sure that the phonecall assessment is what tipped her over the edge and made her leave uni, because she had to describe in detail how, as she put it, "shit I am everything". It brought it all home. It is very cruel.

Please do get good benefits advice - hopefully your mp can help

Uc and pip are separate and can be claimed at the same time.

If your Dd is unfit for work then her GP can give her for notes and she can claim for new-style ESA, it’s very tricky to navigate so please do ask your MP for help

The benefits and work website is also a goldmine of good information and help

@Joanie78

Thank you Quinnie for your longer post which I just saw. That is incredibly helpful and we really appreciate it. I was there the whole time supporting DD and I thought that we did ok in getting our points across but we need to link it back more I think.

We only got the letter (saying her award was for mobility only) about 3 days ago so we are in the period.

You are still within time then

Please don’t be downhearted/ sadly mandatory reconsideration and appeal are very much just part of the process for many, many people now

Yes I would try your MP, if they are good (and more importantly the case workers who will do the actual work in most cases) then it may be some help. Try and frame your email as clearly as possible saying what you are specifically asking them to do. Good luck

Please do not just write about the worst days. It is important your daughter gives an honest view of her life.

If she just describes the worst days she runs the risk of committing fraud. Imagine someone claiming they can't walk 20m (because on a bad day they can't) but are investigated and caught walking 20m - They would likely be convicted of fraud.

My MP was brilliant when I lost my enhanced PIP award, she took my case to the parliamentary group for welfare benefits & won me the award back again. Make sure you supply them with all the information you used when applying & copies or the assessor's award & awards notice letter.

Lyralalala thank you, we did try and get ESA but because she hasn't worked for more than about 4 weeks she isn't eligible that is what the letter said anyway. I understand that there is 2 types of ESA though... So am really confused.