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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

PIP, disabilities and working

62 replies

RestUp · 17/05/2021 00:03

Yep totally unreasonable. Move on.

Just wondering what disabilities you have and if claiming PIP was easy.

Seems such a minefield!

OP posts:
ChangePart1 · 17/05/2021 12:11

Thanks @Babyroobs. I have no plans to apply for it again as I don’t need the funds anymore, however during the years I did desperately need help I was very bitter that I wasn’t allowed it despite being apparently entitled to it. I was literally disabled by it and struggling to maintain a job due to sick days with the incredible pain. Ended up having to declare bankruptcy as I couldn’t get any help at all and ran out of sick pay and things spiralled.

The benefits system is such a mess.

ChangePart1 · 17/05/2021 12:13

@KizzyMoo

It’s a real shame your old manager was lacking in insight and empathy. Not a great thing when you’re managing a team or in a position to be making decisions about other people’s lives. Unfortunately hardship does harden some people and make them less compassionate towards others, a bit of a ‘I had it much worse than you so pull yourself together’. For others it gives them more insight into suffering and makes them a more caring and open minded person.

RestUp · 17/05/2021 13:35

Thanks all, great advice. I sent off the forms this morning.

OP posts:
Whiskyinajar · 17/05/2021 13:39

@RestUp

Thanks all, great advice. I sent off the forms this morning.
Good luck and if they say no initially then go through the appeals process.
uncomfortablydumb53 · 17/05/2021 14:18

I have claimed DLA and PIP and realise I am lucky to have received the enhanced rates of both components and kept them, although there is no longer a lifetime award
I have Cerebral Palsy which has deteriorated over the years and I now use a Walker
My best advice would be to get CAB to complete the forms with you( if open at the moment) as they know exactly the right key words to meet the descriptors

C8H10N4O2 · 17/05/2021 15:09

OP, if you haven't found already done so try to find a support group or organisation which represents your condition(s). They are likely to be able to provide more targeted advice and support about the ins and outs of navigating the system. Every condition seems to fall foul of some of the "gotchas' but mental health and conditions which are chronic and unpredictable seem to fall foul of the useless assessment process most frequently.

Peace43 · 17/05/2021 15:15

I work a full time job but have a chronic fatigue condition. I don't claim PIP but I can fully see how someone would need additional, potentially costly, support and work full time. I have a cleaner, dog walker and get my meals pre-prepared / easy prep. My 10 year old helps with cooking. I don't currently get laundry service but it's on my list to look into. Basically I work and I rest and if there is any spare energy (and often there isn't) I spend it on fun stuff. The rest of my life I pay someone else to manage!

Lovemusic33 · 17/05/2021 15:38

It’s not easy. My daughter was moved from DLA over to PIP this year, she has autism, hypermobility, hypertonia, dyspraxia and possible ADHD. She had been claiming DLA middle rate care and lower rate mobility since the age of 5 so I thought it would be pretty easy moving over to PIP. She was forced to speak on the phone during an interview where they tore her apart, when the report came (which I asked for) it made me so angry, I implied that everything my dd had told them was a lie and that because she was capable of doing A levels that she couldn’t possibly have all the issues she spoke about, she scored 2 points so was refused PIP, we appealed and eventually she was given enhanced rate for care and mobility. It took a year altogether, mainly due to covid and having to appeal. My daughter will be capable of working (in the right work setting), work doesn’t really have anything to do with it but obviously if you mention being able to do certain things at work they will use that to say you are capable of other things.

BlankTimes · 17/05/2021 17:03

because she was capable of doing A levels that she couldn’t possibly have all the issues she spoke about

There were pages of this type of thing with DD's F2F a few years ago and they all followed a particular pattern.

I believe they are erroneous assumptions, where the assessor notes a single fact like 'attended Mainstream school without extra support' and from that the assessor then extrapolates a series of tasks and actions they are adamant that the person is perfectly capable of doing because of the single fact they have stated. Then the DWP treat the Assessor's Report like The Word Of God and refuse to see reason.

I'd never expected to read anything like that and was horrified at those sorts of tactics, but I went through every word of the assessor's report and I unpicked every one of those erroneous assumptions and explained why they were wrong, backed up with as much evidence as I could find.

Another subject on the 'erroneous assumptions' list I heard of was being asked if you had a dog. All the claimant needed to say was Yes, that's it, just one word and from that all of this and more would be assumed and written into the Assessor's report.

Claimant has a dog.
Therefore because looking after a dog involves walking it at least twice daily, Claimant cannot have any difficulty with walking at all, also no difficulty clipping lead to collar and holding lead to control dog, so no hand, wrist, arm or shoulder mobility issues.
Claimant can bend down to stroke the dog and groom the dog therefore claimant has no issues with a bad back, neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand issues, or motor skills and grip needed for using grooming brushes etc.
Claimant can feed the dog therefore has no issues with remembering to do things at set times without prompting.
Claimant can take the dog to the vet so claimant has no issues with organisational skills needed to book and turn up at appointment, dispense any medication given and complete payment. Claimant can make and complete the journey to and from the vet.
Claimant can easily get in and out of a chair when they let the dog in and out of the garden, once more no hip, arm or leg use impairment. Hand mobility is not impaired as this action involves unlocking a door, using the handle to open and close the door and locking it again.

I'm sure there are more assumptions that can be made from tasks dog-owners undertake, but the example above is just to give anyone who has not seen this type of "reasoning" before a good idea of what to expect.

At no point would the assessor ASK if anyone else in the household walked or groomed the dog or took it to the vet, it was only ever assumed that the claimant did all of those tasks.

Be ready to expect these erroneous assumptions and be ready to challenge them with as much evidence as you can find.

DarlingWithoutYou · 17/05/2021 17:30

Best of luck, OP, hope you get it.

I applied back in December and still haven't had my assessment. Mine is for mental health problems; OCD, emetophobia, agoraphobia. I had evidence letters from my psychiatrist, therapist and doctor. I've also been in hospital for the past 9 months as I got sectioned (getting discharged in two weeks) . Even with all that, I still expect to be declined after all the research I've done. So I'm prepared to appeal.

Becca19962014 · 17/05/2021 18:58

@BlankTimes It's not the assessors who do the assumptions most of the time it's the program they use which does that for them to "save time" writing the report.

There was someone on here some years ago who worked as an assessor and they explained it all very clearly. They didn't last long in the job which they got thinking they could make a difference but were unable to as there are also a lot of targets that are forced on assessors as well.

Boredoutmymind · 17/05/2021 19:45

@Nat69999 so sorry about your experience.
I had a similar bad experience with incapacity benefit years ago and it just terrifies you.
If anyone needs someone to be with them for assessments you can pay for a carer for the day if you have no one to help.
I did this, was money well spent.

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