Working and pip

[Overwhelmedandcrazy]

I have just completed a pip assessment
however I’m now worried if they will contact my work
work know about my difficulties but not about my depression and I don’t want them knowing either

That simply is not true & is scaremongering vulnerable people.

The only time they would consider that would be if there was evidence as part of a fraud investigation. Fraud investigation into pip is rare.

There’s nowhere on the form to put work or employer details, so how would they know where you work (or even if you do)?

many people work and get PIP, I am a wheelchair user, I work full time, long term recipient of PIP and DLA before that.
Don't worry @Overwhelmedandcrazybut do be prepared to ask for a mandatory reconsideration. My top tip, tell them they ‘haven’t assessed me very well’

I work full time. I've got Multiple Sclerosis, Epilepsy, have Strokes and have a rare brain disorder..

lots of people work and claim pip. depends what you need it for and how you meet the descriptors but from friends's experiences I would be prepared to get rejected and having to appeal. DC was accepted straight away but they have severe learning disabilities and need 24)7 care and help with everything (so not all claims are rejected).

I think I would feel like I’m being dishonest if I went out or something now and that’s what’s bothering me. Currently I don’t and I rarely go to the office but these are things I want to change and I feel like now iv discussed that with them I’d feel like I couldn’t change it or I’d be being dishonest does that make sense? Sounds like I’ll be rejected anyway so that’s ok

I am wondering how that would work. The onus would be on the claimant to prove that they were not assessed properly, which could be difficult.

Disability Rights UK have an excellent guide to all benefits including Pip. Well worth buying. Please don’t be put off applying or even appealing if the claim is rejected.
If your claim is granted, you are expected to let them know if your health improves to the extent that what you originally said was disabling you is no longer the case. So don’t be put off trying to get better either.
If employers have been contacted, it may have been about an Access to Work claim which is not part of a Pip claim. Both schemes are run by Dwp.

If you’ve claimed on the basis of not being able to leave the house most days, then if you got to the point of now being able to leave the house most days you’d put a change of circumstances in at that point

Ok that’s a good point I was honest and said I want to change these things just my health and everything at the minute means I’m not really able to

You’d have to be well enough that you can reliably leave the house on more than half of the days, for at least 3 months, before you need to declare it as a change

It’s keywords they look for (apparently)
in the sense ‘ I cannot walk for 20 meters yet you have said that I can walk up to 200 meters so you must not have assessed me properly’
that sort of thing

The government needs to save money. They'll reject it. You work so you're not the obvious claimant.
Don't cancel it though - you might get lucky.

I was receiving pip for my existing conditions. I then got long covid which makes things worse. Came to the review and I was told I can't have it because I have a job.

They will not contact work but they will ask and ask. Do your best to get what you deserve to support your independence. I never appealed because my mum and fiance were worried about how it would affect my mental health. Have your back up and prepare for the fact the person who assesses you might be really lovely or an extreme arsehole. Any evidence that you haven't yet sent but has appeared since, send it in.

I know this doesn't sound promising or helpful, it's just better to know the truth about the current system and to be prepared. Coming from a girl here who is worse off than she was, had to give up a career and now apparently is deemed fine.

My DD was recently awarded PIP and they didn't call anyone, even the psychiatrist.

Just to balance all the other experiences, we found that it was very straightforward and have it awarded for a few years.