To be frightened about the Government’s plans for benefits reform?

[PilgorTheGoat]

I am one of the millions of people currently on long term sickness benefits. I receive the LCWRA element of UC and PIP due to poor mental health and autism. I have severe anxiety and depression and I am awaiting an appointment to see if I also have PTSD due to sexual abuse in my childhood.

I have tried every element of support offered to me. I’m maxed out on 2 different types of antidepressants. I have had back-to-back (excluding the 6 month wait in between) 12 week sessions of counselling offered via the NHS. I am on a waiting list for intensive CBT due to my possible PTSD. I am currently having twice weekly private, video counselling appointments.

I can’t leave my house alone due to panic attacks. I struggle to meet my own care needs and my husband has to do a lot of the work for us both (although he works full time). I have a very understanding friend whom I force myself to go for a short walk with twice a week in order to stop myself becoming completely imprisoned at home but I find this very distressing and we have to take the same route each time.

I am so, so scared about the government’s plans to end sickness benefits for people like me. We don’t have a load of spare cash, we’re just about getting by. There is no support available. I’ve taken everything offered and my husband has been very proactive in seeking out other services for me to be involved with. I’d love to be better, I’d love not to live in fear but there is no help.

Well said.
Im sure everything will have to be scrutinised and by everything, yes that means all benefits.

So, for mental health you just need to claim the following:

Needs prompting to be able to either prepare or cook a simple meal. (Points=2)

Needs prompting to be able to take nutrition. (Points=4)

Needs either (Points=2) - i. prompting to be able to dress, undress or determine appropriate circumstances for remaining clothed; or ii. prompting or assistance to be able to select appropriate clothing.

Needs communication support to be able to express or understand basic verbal information. (Points=8)

Needs prompting to be able to read or understand basic written information. (Points=4)

• Cannot engage with other people due to such engagement causing either (Points=8) –i.
• overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant; or
• ii.
• the claimant to exhibit behaviour which would result in a substantial risk of harm to the claimant or another person.

Cannot make any budgeting decisions at all. (Points=6)

Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid. (Points=12)

I really don't think it seems that hard to make a successful claim based upon the points awarded for claiming you can't leave the house, budget, talk face to face, etc.

If you don't think it seems hard to make a successful claim you've understood nothing on this thread.

You get the standard rate if you score between eight and 11 points for your daily living needs in the PIP test. You get the enhanced rate if you score 12 points or more. You automatically qualify for the enhanced rate of the daily living component if you are terminally ill.

Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid. (Points=12)
__

So all you need to claim is that you can't leave the house on your own due to anxiety and you get 12 points and the enhanced rate.

You can't seriously tell me that this isn't massively open to abuse and isn't being abused.

Posters have already explained, multiple times, that you need a lot of medical evidence to back up what is said on these forms@ThisOldThang . They do not just take people's at their word, and nothing else.

I think they seriously need to look at that leaving the house alone descriptor. I suspect it will be tweaked.

And what medical evidence is there for anxiety except somebody telling their doctor they suffer from anxiety?

They could be on medication relating to their anxiety, undergoing cbt, etc.

Medication prescribed because you've told your doctor you have anxiety and CBT for the same.

So a ten minute GP appointment to get a prescription and then a referral for CBT when the medication you've thrown in the bin isn't working.

Uninformed and offensive.

I've been prescribed anti depressants in the past. It really was a ten minute GP appointment.

I see, no matter what is said, your mind is made up already. Ok everybody claiming for these conditions is a lying fraudster. There, happy now?

Why do you feel the need to make such ridiculous arguments?

The refusal to accept the system is wide open to abuse is bizarre.

Someone who has only ever seen their GP for anxiety (or any MH issue really) is going to find it very hard to have a successful PIP claim.

The sort of evidence needed will be stuff from psychiatrists, psychotherapists, CPNs etc. And evidence of medications taken, therapy being carried out, section papers. And the professionals involved in your care will be able to confirm your difficulties.

And even then, people still get turned down.

People do not self diagnose MH, see their GP for 10 minutes, and then go on to get PIP.

Your refusal to accept that you need evidence to claim PIP is bizarre. You’ve been told by people like me who actually complete these forms for our jobs that you’re incorrect. Of course there is scope for abuse, it’s argue it’s not “wide open” but that’s your choice of wording. You’re completely unprepared to listen to those who know. You can write what you like on the form but without evidence, you’re not getting awarded the money. I think this is fair enough, by the way.

You can’t just claim this is your life, you have to have documented evidence signed by consultants. Usually it is 100s of pages worth. And for mental health, it has to be no older than 6 months before you apply. PIP takes so long to assess, that DWP often asks for more evidence if a few months have passed and the evidence is “too old” by the time it gets to a decision maker.

Also, on the needs support to understand basic verbal communication- if you have the level of understanding of a 2 year old, you can’t get this.

On the understanding basic written information, if you can read and understand basic signs like the names of roads, or ‘exit’ or “stairs” or “lift” you can’t get these points.

On cannot make basic budgeting decisions- if you can do a shop at the co op or know if you can pay your bus fare you can’t get these points. I have known people who cannot tell if they are getting the correct change who don’t get this because the reply is just use contactless…..

Generally, if the three above do apply, you’d have a POA for your carer who does everything for you.

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip/success-rates

Writer’s cramp, 29%? Bloody hell.

The DWP record every successful PIP claim under one of over 500 different health conditions, depending on which one they think is your main source of points. The table below shows what percentage of claims for each condition are successful…

29% means that 71% were unsuccessful.

Also, most PIP applicants have multiple conditions, so the 29% who got PIP with writers cramp being the source of the most points, likely had numerous other mild conditions that taken together added up to meeting a threshold.

The news doesn’t ever mention this. They write sensational rubbish like “people with any of these conditions can get £809 a month in PIP!!”

How many points do you need @ThisOldThang i can’t find it anywhere.
Im taking notes 😃

ADHD = 49%
Anxiety Disorders - Other / Type Not Known = 38.60%
Back Pain - Non Specific (Mechanical) = 56.20%
Back Pain - Specific - Other / Type Not Known = 68.80%
Depressive Disorder = 50.70%
Migraine = 26.70%
Munchausen Syndrome = 57.10% (literally rewarded for faking illnesses!!!)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) = 54.30%
Phobia - Social = 44.70%
Phobia - Specific = 45.60%
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) = 58.20%

You need 12 points for the higher rate payout.

ThisOldThang
And what medical evidence is there for anxiety except somebody telling their doctor they suffer from anxiety?

Pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, how much you are sweating. You won't get PIP by telling your GP you are anxious.
Anxiety is often a symptom of illness including heart disease, thyroid problems and diabetes, so they should order tests to rule out a physical cause.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6526963

@ThisOldThang
Panic attacks from anxiety are as debilitating as and often mistaken for heart attacks.
Anxiety can also cause days long episodes of vomiting
Anxiety can cause people to go mute
Anxiety can cause fainting spells
Anxiety can cause hypertension
Anxiety can cause inability to answer a phone or open your front door or read your emails/messages/post
Anxiety can lead to agoraphobia
Anxiety can destroy relationships leading to being sacked
Anxiety can make you physically unable to go to work
Anxiety can cause impulsive and reckless behaviours (ie wasting police time by misuse of 999, going into debt from buying unnecessary things due to fears)
Anxiety can cause strange phobias that restrict your life- like can’t turn on the hob to cook because the house might explode, or can’t use a knife because might cut off a finger and bleed to death, can’t drive because might hit a child.

There is usually a medical history showing physical and psycho-social impacts of anxiety that is submitted as evidence.

You can’t get PIP for simply being a worrier. The anxiety has to be at the level of a disorder where it significantly impacts your ability to accomplish daily living tasks.