Family member awarded enhanced pip - AIBU?

[Orangecrocs]

My family member has just been awarded enhanced pip in both living and mobility components.
Shes told me that she’s twisted the truth during the assessment and told the assessor that she has lots of pain and can’t really walk at all, but she walks all the time as I see her out and about - we live in a hilly area. I know people who are in a wheelchair and struggle to get enhanced rate - so I really don’t understand how she’s managed this.
I know people will say mind your own business but she’s told me she’s actually lied to them.

No idea. I'm not entirely sure what AI can and can't do. But the DWP don't care about individual transactions in the sense of spying on what people are spending their money on and it would be against people's rights to start that kind of level of intrusion.

Are you saying that it isn't real?

They don't just hand out pip.

They will have looked at her records

Yip those lying disabled schemers.
Sick of reading this pish anyone that's involved in claiming knows the stress of claiming,the constant updates,phone assessments,the ludicrous questions.my wife has a birth defect one leg shorter than the other..was asked is that on one leg or both...DOH!!!.and that's not on top of other physical progressive conditions.

The thing is with PIP is it is based on your worst days. I get enhanced mobility and standard living. To look at me you would not think there is nothing wrong with me. But I have complex mental health issues and have done for many years, GAD, OCD. I also have fibromyalgia and chronic pain. Some days I can go out and do normal things and then walk 3/4 miles (might take me a very long time due to pain. Some days I can't leave th house due to anxiety, some days I can't drive on my own due to panic and some days I cant get out of bed or put my socks on without help. If she really has bended the truth that that's shameful but if she's based it on her worst days and has more worse days then good days then I don't see an issue.

Certainly, some very heartfelt and sobering stories of just how broken the system is.

Sounds as if ypur Mum’s too brave and positive for her own good, Nothing. Thank god she’s got you.

Could you maybe do some role-play, with you as the assessor, to get her to answer more realistically instead of down-playing her problems? She may find it hard to admit how bad it is. But with some gentle encouragement you could help her cope more successfully with her next assessment.

Best of luck to you both.

No benefits fraud.

Report it. If there is no issue it won’t affect her but if she has actually lied they will catch her out.

There was a woman in the press recently who was claiming enhanced PIP saying she couldn’t walk and was running every day! They recorded her over several days and weeks to prove it wasn’t just a good day.
PIP fraud should be reported as it’s only for people who really are very affected in everyday life by their condition.

I would wait a few weeks then report her. Some people need a carer with them 24/7 but even they struggle to get enhanced rate. People like her piss me off.

It is shameful of her, but the country isn’t on its knees because of that, that’s a tired old trope rolled out by certain tabloids. Don’t fall for it.

The problem is how do you weed out the minority who may be exaggerating, without hurting those in genuine need, it's not possible.
Especially with invisible mental health conditions.
I would much rather know that a safety net was spread far and wide, even if it did catch a few who didn't actually need it.
These types of posts are just an attempt to get people worked up about those receiving benefits, so they will welcome any planned future changes to criteria.

Claiming PIP doesn't mean incapacity for work. It is not an out-of-work benefit. It is to help with the added costs of a disability: e.g. the need to take taxis, or have a specially adapted car, or to pay for help with specific tasks. Many people who claim PIP can work and do work.

Have you not read all the posts? As usual for this sort of thread it has sunk into a deep shithole of ableism and scapegoating of people on disability benefits.

The killer is the poster who said neurological conditions are easy to fake.

Have a nice evening.

If you really believed that and knew anything about the information and statistics and context of claiming PIP and the LCW/LCWRA element of UC, you would know that this was a very strange hill to die on, as there are already more than plenty of barriers up for claiming disability benefits, and successful fraudulent cases are extremely low, and it is not a huge, life changing sum of money received.

And yet successive governments have said the welfare bill needs to be tackled because it’s way too high and the numbers applying for LCWRA and PIP and DLA keep rising and it’s not sustainable any more.

This. I'm in the process of applying for PİP and would much rather be able to do the better paid admin work, if my condition allowed.

I'm also applying for DLA for my daughter and the paediatrician had the cheek to say that a lot of parents seek autism diagnosis just for the benefits. Because the amount you get for DLA really amounts to the number of hours you put into the intense parenting of a neurodiverse child, alongside all the admin which goes into applying for DLA every couple of years. I think people could find much better and easier ways of trying to make a few extra quid a month if they were able to.

My DH gets PIP and he had to supply medical reports.

Then they need to sort out the waiting lists

That’s not true I had to give medical evidence from my consultants, drug lists, proof, not all based on what I said. Then a 2 hour f2f interview. My friend just had brain tumour removed got declined PIP only now asking for reconsideration after her consultant said it was the same as a brain injury. So not easy to get PIP.

You ARE allowed to join in activities when you're in pain, although it can be difficult.

I've just "managed" to have a weekend away. I know I look ok sitting at breakfast, walking with my stroller and using the seat on it every few minutes.

But boy, was it a bloody struggle and painful.
Painkillers help.

Try not to be judgemental......

I honestly think they'll look at changing the descriptor that so many people seem to get enhanced rates for not being able to leave the house. I'm shocked by the number of people getting it yet when you ring them they always seem to be out and about or on holiday. The whole system needs a shake up and re-assessments done asap, not that that will happen.

Nope. That particular petition closed for lack of support. State pension is administered by the DWP Pensions Service and enshrined in law as a universal, non-means tested benefit available to all, so long as they have made the requisite National Insurance contributions or credits.

Rates of people claiming disability benefits and not working due to sickness are way way higher than other comparable European countries. It is unsustainable.

How DARE they go on holiday??????