There's too much animosity towards benefit recipients.

[Threadkillacilla]

Any and every flavour of benefit recipient, disabled, pensioner, out of work, low paid, single parent etc etc.
There's a mean and nasty cohort on mumsnet who are vitriolic in their hatred for them all.
What do people want instead of giving people a basic level of existence?
What do they think will happen without benefits?

Daily Fail fans. Liars. Wind up merchants. Arseholes. Unfortunately they keep remembering to suck in oxygen between their random hate posts. You've got to remember these maggots are probably faking functioning normality and friendliness out there in real life, they probably park on double yellows though

Which would you rather have
1 consultant assigned to you or
1 private contractor assessor + 1 DWP decision maker?

The first option is actually cheaper to the taxpayer than the second…..of course lots of DWP staff will lose their jobs but we need doctors more than we need paper pushing decision makers and idiot assessors who get bonuses for every claimant they give zero points to.

I know a lady in her 60s that has Albinism. She is registered blind as a result. It is a genetic disorder, and there is no treatment or reason for her to have a consultant. She just plods on through life as she knows no different.
She is still absolutely entiled to PIP.

I’d rather consultants were left to treat patients not spend hours assessing PIP that others can do for them.

Ok let’s say that happens, the government can only legislate to change the minimum wage. So only the lower earners. They can’t control what private companies choose to pay their staff as long as it isn’t below that. How is it enforceable?

Given the current backlogs, it's going to be impractical for every person disability benefits to be under a consultant.

Often you are refused PIP if you only have a GP treating you.

A lot of disabled people don't even have that.

@Onnabugeisha

I think you are conflating disability with ill health. My 18 year old is fit as a fiddle. Hasnt been near a doctor in years. He gets PIP.

This is the thing though - people with conditions that will never change or improve and need extra support are treated to regular reviews for PIP regardless, which is stressful for the claimant and generates costly bureaucracy.

As I recall, under the old DLA system there could be lifetime awards that recognised that bar some cheap and effective scientific breakthrough they would always need that extra support.

As reported, by service users, the PIP system is hardly fit for purpose. It fails to provide the support it promised and ties up assessors, claimants and tribunals in processes that ultimately cost more money on top of back payments etc.

Of all the benefits to “bash” ( not that I think any should be) PIP is absolutely the wrong target. IMHO.

I think it also is effected by the people who pay so much into a system they can not access and then assume the reason for this is it is being used up by those on benefits.

For example if you go to any a and e a large portion of people will be those there due to substance misuse. This in itself is a complex area but easily interpreted as self inflicted.

A small proportion of society uses up a large proportion of public resources, the police, fire, ambulance etc. the majority of people who live chaotic / dysfunctional lives are on benefits but there is a reason they are this way and it is usually due to the society that benefits from them being that way. Again a complex issue but it's just easier to point the finger and blame

Especially with artificial limbs, new eye implants…you could be sitting at home unaware of something that could help and your GP being too overworked to flag you up now that some treatment is possible.

It's pretty obvious if some has an artificial limb, what could a consultant possibly say that would help?

I'm in Scotland and have a 10 year ADP award of enhanced for both elements. Common sense seems to have been applied and it states that my disabilities are not likely to change in the short term so a 10 year review is appropriate.

The DWP could learn a lot from how Scotland is proceeding with their new system.

10 years is also the longest you get under PIP

10 years is also the longest you get under PIP

It's rare to get that though, comparatively.

I didn't have a 10 year PIP award.

@actualnamechange

That sounds eminently sensible and reasonable, and I’m relieved for you.

Yes it does sound as though the DWP could learn from this.

Unfortunately I have a friend who is 'unable' to work and gets disability benefits.
However said friend also will stop taking their meds in the 3 weeks lead up to their reassessments meaning by the time they get to them they are much much worse then they are when all is controlled on said meds.
This friend worked in an office job however said they are unable to sit/stand to do this anymore however can go for days out to London etc, do gardening, baking, crafting.
I do care for this friend but she clearly cheats the system. Is she better off for it... no she gets the same as a person on minimum wage but there is no reason she cannot sit at a desk to work as she was doing before, especially with WFH. She also gets a mobility car (not that it is adapted in anyway) which happens to be a very expensive Audi with lots of optional extras such as heated seats, parking cameras, full leather interior etc.

So yes there are those who get away with cheating the system and it is frustrating for those who are raring the same/similar amounts but I don't know how this can be improved

THIS! ⬆️ As a disabled, widowed parent who is forced to rely on benefits after previously having a career and a (fully working) family previous to my DH's death, I have noticed it immensely. The middle classes will coyly deny it and try gaslight you into believing you're imagining it and therefore it's you that's in the wrong, but you're 100% correct OP and it genuinely hurts & saddens me often

BIL is on disability he has a condition that means he is only ever going to get worse, is almost bed bound and will eventually die from it. I don't know if it's still the case now but he used to still have to be assessed to make sure he qualified for benefits every so often. It was absolutely ridiculous.

Name change obviously.

As a person who works for DWP in counter fraud... @bloodyplanes you are wrong.

DWP follow up all reports of benefit fraud, unfortunately a lot of our time is taken up by malicious reporting by petty neighbours, relatives, and ex partners.

Stop bashing claimants many of whom are on the bones of their arses and trying their best to survive, let alone have the energy or motivation to thrive.

Excuse me, how exactly do you know that she is unable to sit at a desk???? Many severe disabilities are invisible - mine included! I am in agony constantly and some days I can go out for the day. The next day however, I can’t even stand for more than a moment.
I too have a 'very expensive Audi' on Motability. What you fail to realise, is that these higher end cars still cost the same as any other lease! The Audis on Motability (especially automatics) cost £3-4,000 upfront and like all Motability cars, you pay £275 every 4 weeks so they are NOT free!!!!!!!

You sound bitter, judgmental & jealous. You are definitely no friend.....

I am only ever going to get worse in terms of my physical disabilities. My autism and adhd will never go away.

I am due review in February and I'm terrified they'll take my pip away which means I won't get my blue badge which means I'll be fucked.

@DWPComplianceOfficer im not bashing genuine claimants but people who claim money they are not entitled to to get out of having to earn a living and if you work for the DWP you will know that there are plenty of those! If you class a phone call telling someone they have been reported for benefit fraud, asking them a few questions to which they are hardly going to answer truthfully if they are committing fraud as " following up a report" then yes you do!

The benefits system is flawed and needs a massive overhaul.

In my previous job, I legally defended individuals accused of benefit fraud, and obviously had access to prosecution documentation.

I do not recognise the version of events presented by @DWPComplianceOfficer .

*Correction, £258 every 4 weeks is currently what it costs to have a Motability car after the upfront payment. That's £3,354 a year and the leases are for 3 years, so that's £10,062+£3/4,000 paid by the claimant to drive that 'very expensive Audi'

Whilst yes, the money comes from the DWP, it's no different than using your PIP to go and sign up to a regular lease elsewhere. It is honestly about time this bitterness & jealousy of Motability users, stopped as it's completely unfounded