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.

Absolutely true, they request information from an absolutely miniscule amount of claimants, most of the time the GP doesn't even reply.

There's also no requirement to have any medical evidence at all.

And who has got time to audit over 3 million accounts 🤣🤣

that in itself would cost the tax payer millions

But then we need to also know how the landlords are spending the taxpayers money they receive!

Who decides what is or isn’t appropriate use of the money though? You’ve not even begun to think this through. How do I know? My job includes monitoring people who use Direct Payments for social care services. You have no idea the amount of resources that go into monitoring it. It would make your whole crazy scheme not worth a single damn penny.

Good point. I hope none of the bosom hoikers on here are landlords. Chances are, some of my hard earned tax paying money is going to you. I would like someone to audit to make sure you’re meeting your statutory obligations.

This is surprising as IME you have to send evidence?

They are taking benefit cash out of the bank though which cannot be accounted for.

Good news is that PIP isn’t awarded on diagnosis, it’s awarded on functional abilities. HTH.

You're completely right you know. It makes perfect sense to create an entire new army of jobsworths, combing through everyone's bank account, sending out an alert because Doris has taken out £20 to give her carers the money to nip down the shop for a pint of milk. That'll definitely save the country money...

It is more about having a cashless benefit system that can be audited at any time. Not necessarily about what is justified more about stopping benefits being taken out as cash, stashed or sent abroad.

Who pays cash for anything any more? It’s all done via bank or card payments.

Mind you, as a lot of PIP claimants work you’d have a hard time monitoring what their PIP vs their salary is used for.

I’ve been hearing this since I worked for the DWP 30 years ago, although it was DLA then.

Nothing will change - Labour are still reeling from the rage and poll drop around removing WFA.

Vouchers have always cost a huge amount to administer and fraud is rife.

Oh the shock and the shame. FOUR CHILDREN?! How discusting!

#joking obvs!

There are always people who will abuse the benefits system just as people avoid/evade tax and fiddle their expenses. There are people who rent out their council house as they actually own a home elsewhere. I am sure that some people receive PIP who shouldn't. On the other hand but I support clients to apply for PIP and despite being clearly are eligible very many are turned down. One of my clients was refused PIP as the assessor claimed that he could drive and so couldn't have any issues with his memory. My client had a licence but had not driven for two years as he was unsafe to drive. Another client apparently had no mobility problems despite having had a series of falls including one where he fell into the garden fence!

And?

It's their money.

Oh FFS don't be so rude!

You're right. I'll send 2 back.

I’m not a benefits basher but I’m a realist.
i work in mental health and honesty I am regularly struggling to identify what needs/ treatment someone may require and at the end they will mention they have. PIP review coming up. I took two call just last week from people who wanted a diagnosis as they said PIP had told them they needed one to progress their claim.
I have assessed people in the past who tell me they are severely agoraphobic and never go out then let slip and mention something thats happened on a recent holiday abroad!!
And the number of usually young men who come for assessment and disclose smoking £100 of cannabis a week who admit to using PIP to pay for it. Its madness.
So whilst I do believe the majority of claimants are genuine its certainly not 0% Im afraid!!

The onus is on the claimant to provide the evidence ,and yes many people do apply without evidence and many people also don't have successful claim.s

@Didshejustsaythatoutloud Didn't know you had a medical degree!

No, that’s really not the reason.

That I believe, to many people nowadays claiming mental health to get benefits because it's harder to prove you don't have mental health....

Obviously there's genuine people but they are few & far between!

Sorry but this is bollocks. I was a benefit adviser from 2013 when PIP was first introduced, until quite recently, and with the exception of Covid when face to face assessments were suspended there has always been a requirement for medical evidence. If the claimant doesn’t provide independent medical evidence there is either a face to face assessment or a paper based assessment in cases where the disability is sufficient to be able to make a decision without seeing the claimant.

DWP case managers, who make the decisions on awards of PIP are not medically trained so they ALWAYS need medical guidance - they are not qualified to do so without it.

This is why benefits paid into a benefit bank account with a benefits credit card and a limit on cash withdrawals is a good solution.

Accountability and audit is the key to cutting benefit fraud.

Physical cash is not needed anymore in this society and benefits will catch up.