To be terrified about PIP?

[BobbyBiscuits]

I've tried to blank all this out for ages, but today it hit me when the government basically are saying I'm going to (they want me to) have my PIP cut off?
My main illnesses are severe depressive disorder, general anxiety disorder and severe anorexia. I've severe PTSD symptoms and also think I may have ADHD but have not been able to get diagnosed due to phobia of MH services since I got sectioned.
I now have physical symptoms also and severe osteperosis which I put on my last forms. But had no assessment for several years.
I'm praying this is BS from the Tories and they can't do it anyway as they'll be kicked out.
Or could labour still continue this assault against disabled people?
It would halve my already tiny income, other half is from ESA, and they could kick me off that too even though I can't do anything!?

What do people think?

A taxi can absolutely be a direct expense from disability. Some people are unable to use public transport for accessibility or mobility reasons, for instance. Some people are unable to go to the supermarket themselves for the same reasons - and I'm sure you know that having your groceries delivered costs more. Household bills are also often more expensive for people with disabilities - they may need to have their heating up higher or need more electricity to run medical equipment. I wish I was surprised that you do not know this, but I'm not.

No, it is there to level up the expenses of being disabled. If someone chooses to sacrifice going out, or paying for new catheter tubes in order to pay their gas bill, or buy their child a full school uniform instead, that is rightly their choice.
The idea is that they have the same choices as the non disabled.

Basically we are supposed to have equality, not be forced into the margins by the parsimonious who believe disability should equal charity or control of our lives.

It's desperate voter bait.

No they are getting sicker because they are not being given the therapy they need. Many people need NHS expertise, some therapy is quite specialised and simply couldn’t be covered by PIP.

Sorry that doesn’t make sense.

So you can receive PIP even if you have no direct expenses from disability?

agree, very worrying. DC has no physical disabilities but is severely learning disabled. I am very worried what it will mean for her future.

It does sound like they are targeting those with anxiety and depression, talk about giving vouchers for therapy etc..? Not sure how this will work as finding a good therapist that has appointments is pretty impossible?

I have 2 adult DC’s who are on PIP, eldest was lucky to get a life long claim before they changed it but with 10 year check, dd has a ASD diagnosis but also have mobility issues, claiming PIP was hard work and they tried to say dd was more capable than she is, we had to ask for a reconsideration and provided them with more evidence (doctors letters, physio, occupational therapist) and then they agreed she was entitled to it.

Dd2 is severely autistic, almost non verbal, needs 24 hour supervision, attends SEN provision so her claim was pretty easy.

My concern is the talk of proving where the moneys spent and the use of vouchers. Dd2 has a care worker who takes her out once a week, I give the carer cash to take dd to a cafe or to a museum…cinema etc, money for fuel, parking….how would this be proved? How would a voucher pay for these things?

I am going through diagnosis myself for ADHD and ASD, I don’t plan on claiming PIP as I don’t feel I need it or would tick enough boxes. The only thing that’s stopping me working is the fact I have to care for Dd2 and I’m often exhausted. I don’t feel I would benefit from PIP in a way it would help me with my disability.

I do feel things need to change with the way PIP is claimed and how the process is dealt with, more and more people are getting diagnosed with ASD, ADHD, depression and anxiety but do they all really need money from PIP to help them with their disability/illness? Surely the government should be looking at ways to make workplaces better places for those on the spectrum and for those suffering with mental health issues?

Exact same situation as someone I know.
she’s registered blind, husband had a brand new BMW. They found out they could get a mobility vehicle so sold their vehicle and got it. Which is now a a flashy brand new 23 plate Volkswagen. She doesn’t drive (obviously) it but he just uses it as his main car to get to and back from work. He’s bragging about his new flashy car and how he’s made loads of money from selling his old car. How was it never flagged up they didn’t need this?

You get points depending on what you can or cannot do. There is a standard rate or an enhanced rate. It's not about how much it costs you (how would you even calculate that?). You don't hand in receipts.

I can assure you, for many PIP will never nowhere near cover the cost of the disability.

Link to consultation - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/disability-benefits-system-to-be-overhauled-as-consultation-launched-on-personal-independence-payment--2

You trade in the mobility payment for a mobility car, i.e. you lose the money. You often have to make a down payment. It's not a 'free' car.

says a lot about you to be jealous of someone blind accessing a car through the mobility scheme. Lowlife

I like the idea they're proposing that if a condition is said to be life long they won't ask for reassessment. That's long overdue.

That’s not the same situation, if a person is registered blind they have a disability that’s easily proven, it’s nothing like claiming to be so depressed you can’t leave the house. Of course it’s ok for her to use her mobility component to get a mobility car and of course it’s ok that her dh sold his car. He shouldn’t be using the mobility car for work but he’s allowed to drive it if it benefits his DW and he may argue that driving it to work does benefit his DW as he’s earning money to feed her. I hate how people assume disabled people are getting a free car, the price of a mobility car is pretty much the same as hiring/loaning a car or having a car on finance, the disabled person pays for it from the mobility component.

Read the post, if me being annoyed that someone who DOESNT need a mobility vehicle is able to claim one when they had a perfectly functioning really nice car prior to this. Who DOESNT use it it but their partner just uses it to go back and from work and is bragging about it makes me a low life then fine. However this proves the point that this needs to be means tested and needs and over haul.

I think some people will surprise themselves and get a job when faced with no money

But that is not how it works. you qualify based on disability. Not on wealth or lack of. pip isn't means tested. what is so hard to understand? and if she is blind, she hardly an drive the car herself!

It does make you a low life. They obviously couldn’t afford the car they had or they wouldn’t have traded in the money they would have received from mobility for a mobility car. They have done nothing wrong, it’s really none of your business and I’m sure you don’t know their financial situation at all.

It doesn’t. Being disabled doesn’t mean you’re beyond reproach.

I find threads like these so depressing - the prejudice and misinformation is astounding
I am yet another person who works FT and claims PIP
The main extra costs of my disability are covered by PIP and very occasionally when I can afford it I pay for private treatments which improve my quality of life, without this I probably couldn’t work the hours of job I do
I would far rather have good health, no disabilities and not claim PIP
please feel free to swap

If PIP had to cover the ACTUAL costs of peoples disabilities, I can assure you that government expenditure on PIP would quadruple or more.

The idea of refunding or providing vouchers is hysterical, honestly - they can't manage to do the paperwork for a simple 'no I have not got any better, yes my lifelong, life limiting, incurable health problem is still lifelong, life limiting and incurable', inside 19 months!

Who on earth thinks they'll be able to turn around applications (because you sure as hell will not be able to, nor would want to, spend money without prior approval!!) for vital equipment, therapy, private treatment, in a time frame that keeps humans alive, in work where relevant, functional...

It would end up as in the US, with people arguing endlessly for equipment they've been told they need by a professional, that the desk-jockey says isn't on an approved list so they can't have, and waiting months or years for unsuitable alternatives.

If there are 'too many people getting PIP' then they need to look at why MORE people are disabled!

Fewer people successfully claim PIP now than claimed DLA, the aim of the change over was to reduce successful applications by around 20% even though the figures showed the fraud rate was less than 1%.

So if too many people are getting PIP that suggests too many people are genuinely disabled and need PIP and why is that? Poor health services, toxic work culture, awful government pitting the nation against one another...

Ironically my MH was fine until I had to explain to an assessor that on the days where I can't wipe my own ass no I can't just 'hop in the shower'

But hey, vouchers for therapy will totally fix that 🙄

Sadly I don’t think it will ever change. There will always be people who assume people are fraudulently claiming benefits and there will always be people that have no idea because they have not experienced disability. Sadly the people that get to make the decisions (government) also don’t have a clue.

What will the assessors do in this new scheme if someone has depression and still works because the routine of working keeps them going? Would that qualify or disqualify them from claiming?

The funny thing is I do know their financial situation as they are VERY open about it, i have repeatedly mentioned them bragging as that’s exactly what they do. Often they say stuff like “have booked another holiday as need to spend xyz before x date as can’t have it in the bank for too long”

also yes legally registered blind but very easily able to use a mobile phone with no adjustments so it gets to a point where something doesn’t add up and like I said needs to be looked at.

Ill people can’t decide what treatment they need or find it. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack. There are so many shit councillors dressed up as therapists and so many types. You need several psychiatry sessions and a referral to the correct quality therapy to get well. This is why so many young people are languishing ill, they’re not getting it even after several suicide attempts. If will be a complete waste of tax payers money saying here is a voucher, off you trot and sort your treatment out.

How about the government focus on sorting the mental health sector they broke and giving young people the treatment they need. Young people want to be well and in work but they’re not being helped to.