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.

This is exactly my experience. Some people have to fight so hard to get what they should get, others i am totally baffled how they ever get awarded. I have seen one person openly lie to a PIP tribunal about her mobility.

You’re missing the point. For the purposes of PIP, if the medical evidence of the condition doesn’t support what the claimant is saying, then benefit won’t be awarded. If a MH professional can’t verify that what the claimant says is true, then they shouldn’t support it. But if the likelihood is that the condition means what they say is likely to be true at least 50% of the time, then it’s likely they would qualify for some level of award. I don’t think many people realise how high the bar is set to qualify for PIP solely on MH grounds.

OMG no I don’t! I am saying that if people say they are unable to leave the house without it causing them overwhelming distress then it would be unusual for that person to go on holiday!

@HelpMePlease32 how do you get enhanced mobility though? I was told it is for when you can't walk the length of a bus unaided.

Is the DWP naive, then? The rate of PIP fraud is so low, the DWP have recorded it as 0%.

Is the DWP naive, then? The rate of PIP fraud is so low, the DWP have recorded it as 0%.

Not when you’re talking about mental health conditions. Some people are so severely affected by their mental health that it causes overwhelming agoraphobic distress. If this applies for at least 50% of the time, then they would qualify for some level of award.

So it might be that they can't leave the house without someone to assist them. Which would meet the criteria for a PIP award.

My hairdresser has managed to claim pip. She is literally on her feet all day and goes to the gym three times a week. She spent the whole of my last three hour appointment telling another person in the salon how to answer the questions to get the right result.

Must clearly be for mental health issues then ?

Yes, that's true, thank you.

I’m not surprised people exaggerate because it’s so very difficult to qualify for that even people who throughly deserve it by any reasonable person’s assessment are refused. That’s why so many refusals are over turned at tribunal.

Yes there are people that genuinely don’t deserve it, but on the flip side I know a few who do 100% deserve it and have been refused several times so don’t bother again because the process is so dehumanising and gruelling.

It’s not so clear cut. The DWP will do everything in their power to prevent paying out, making up lies and twisting people’s words, making them out to be a fraud when they are no such thing!

Haven't read the thread but since being on MN I've been amazed at how many people seem to a) tell their whole extended family, neighbours, friends, hairdressers etc their very personal health and/or financial information, and b) happily tell all these people they're committing fraud.

That aside, re your family member OP. Maybe she feels embarrassed about her health issues and/or need for benefits - so is pretending to you that she's doesn't need the help. That scenario is sadly not uncommon.

It's awful some people feel that way but sadly some do. Probably because there's still a lot of prejudice about ill health and disability, and separately about needing benefits.

No, they’re definitely not naive. The rate of fraud and DWP error is around 0.1% for disability benefits. They don’t award benefit on the basis that something that can’t be proven could be true. The medical evidence has to support what the claimant says. If it doesn’t benefit is unlikely to be awarded unless the balance of probability is significantly in favour of the client - mostly based on other observations which support what’s being said. Many people here not realising that at a face to face assessment the claimant is not only being judged on the medical evidence, but also what the assessor observes about their overall behaviour on the day - demeanour, mood, appearance, etc.

I can't remember the last time I heard anyone have a face to face assessment ? not since before lockdown anyway.

No, mobility. Apparently she’s always in pain she just pushes on through - apart from the fact that she actually admitted this isn’t true

Well according to most people on this thread there is no PIP fraud so go figure

One of the descriptors is "leaving the house causes overwhelming psychological distress" which I scored full points for as in my case I'm unable to do it alone, I can't drive somewhere alone, or follow a route on my own because of my panic and anxiety, I also have fibromyalgia and was awarded it on the basis that it is can be incredibly difficult on my worst days for me to walk 200 meters or I can do it but I would be in pain, it would take me an unreasonable amount of time and the after effects of doing that activity. Just to add, I didn't provide any medical info on my application. I'm not sure whether they did infact contact my GP or my therapist.

Face to face aassessments were restarted in May 2021. DWP announced that wherever possible assessments would either be by phone or paper based. Face-to-face assessments are still widely carried out where a decision cannot be made using other methods. Increasingly DWP are also utilising video calling using various apps, which also qualify as a face to face.

No -one is saying there is no PIP fraud. There is a level of fraud attached to most benefits. But the rate of fraud in disability benefits is low - around 0.1% because the eligibility criteria, checks and balances are applied more stringently.

Not no fraud, but the fraud rate is very low. According to DWP, not posters on this thread.

None of that means anything. It is how it affects her which is important. Why don't you ask those that you know "on the fiddle", what they wrote on their form

Report her. Pisses me off that some people blatantly lie like this, and others can't get the basic help or dignity they need

I didn't get mine until they'd been sent my entire medical history since age 18.

PIP is notoriously difficult to get. You can't just go online, meet the markers then get it. You're questioned over everything. Well, I was. Records spoke for themselves though.

I used to assess and not everyone had supporting evidence. We could ring the GP, however, with under an hour to assess and write up few assessors ever followed up even when it was clearly fraudulent. I would guess there is large scale fraud with PIP. My old nurse manager claimed it for a back problem but still worked full time.