changes to PIP qualification. effect on carers

[needasxhool]

Is anyone worrying about the need to score at leat 4 points to qualify for PIP. My eldest has severe learning difficulties . Cannot cook a meal, cannot be left alone, cannot wash the hair, cannot deal with money (can only count up to 10 with both hands). Is on high rate care as we scored quite highly but only one area got 4 points. If we don't get that at the the reassessment in a 2 years, I couldn't get carers allowance. It's someone with severe cognitive delays who then won't qualify for anything apart from mobility. It's not just the loss of PIP but the loss of CA too and the associated other gateway benefits. It's someone who needs 24 care/supervision. How do others think they will cope? Its chromosome disorder causing severe mental impairment and not a case of being 'a bit sad'. I am really scared for the future. There hasn't been much discussion about the domino effect it will have. How do others think they will cope? I think I will need to push for a placement in a care home then as we cannot just live of nothing whilst caring 70-80h per week and DC cannot be left unsupervised to go to work.

Yes i was just thinking about this today. It won't affect me but will affect a lot of my work clients who I help to claim and obviously will impact their carers. When is your son's next renewal, they are saying they won't re-assess those with long term conditions that aren't going to get better, so this may benefit you.

that won't help if we don't qualify anymore as we are one of those who score a lot of points but across the field as opposed to high scores in just some categories.

If your child continues to need that help, they should still score a 4.

But I do feel terrible for those that qualify based on all 2s. I used to be a PSW for people with severe health conditions and learning disabilities that massively limited them, the majority of which only qualified for Pip based on all 2s. They needed someone there to help with every area of their lives, else everything would fall apart.

The "needs aids/prompting" descriptors (which generally are the 2s) should not be underestimated. These people who need aids and someone around for prompting and help are some of the most severely affected, especially with learning disabilities.

Not getting PIP and so not being able to afford or access care will have a massive negative impact on these people... And then the government will have an entire shit storm on their hands.

Yes. On paper my son is very independent. He can cook his own food, make a hot drink, order his meds and take them without prompts. He does all his own self care. Hell he even makes his own bed. He can read fluently and follow instructions. He has what they call a 'spiky profile'

Yet he cannot be left alone. He is supported at all times. He cannot leave the house by himself. He only attends day services for one day a week (( which costs him £40 a day. )) as they feel that's all he can manage. A pip assessor would have a field day with him as he appears so capable.

He's at home full time now. His dad cares for him whilst I work, he receives full pip and enhanced UC. He pays £40 a week for his one day of day services and I take £110 per week towards food and utilities. His dad receives carers allowance. The main cost is keeping him busy. He has an active mind and that needs stimulating which is expensive. So most of the rest goes on getting him out the house. It works out at around £220 a week to cover all activities and transport for 2 adults which looks like loads for most people. Hell I probably don't spend that a month but I'm not at home full time either. Most of his dads carers allowance inevitably goes on these trips too. As he ends up buying food and drink or whatever. And of course out of that he also has to cover his other expenses. Such as clothes and things to occupy him at home.

I work. We don't receive any help from the government. We own our own home so everything comes out of my crap wage of around £1500 per month because my hours are unreliable. I've been looking for a second job or one of better set hours but not getting anywhere so far. My sons dad has also been looking for something that will fit around our responsibilities at home. This has had a massive impact on me financially. Yet on paper we have an OK income albeit for 3 adults. It in no way compares to what we'd have coming in or what we'd have going out if we both worked full time.

Care support services here are shocking. We've been through it with other family members where their adult dc have been granted something like 10 hours a week support (( which means they only leave the house for 10 hours per week. )) or staffing shortages have meant they aren't able to leave the house at all. For days at a time. My ds would not cope with this. So for him we're putting off the inevitable for as long as we can. The thought of his money being reduced and how it will impact his day to day life is bloody terrifying.

I agree that it’s not been thought through enough. People who care for loved ones save the country millions but if they are forced back into full time work because the recipient doesn’t meet the criteria what happens to them? It’s not as if they will suddenly be able to get by without any help because they were only awarded 2 points. It’s not just about pushing disabled people back into work it’s the carers as well and there’s not enough jobs now so I don’t know how they expect this to happen.

My daughter is on high rate dla ( care and mobility )
looking at pip she will only score 2 across each cat - so would have qualified and now won’t.

she is independent, she is now 11. She is academic, she has 0 behavioural problems but she does have a range of medical conditions that means it affects her daily life. She has multiple tubes, multiple surgeries, and is classed as life threatening sick. The under 22 situ is making me sick as well.

I also think a massive issue is the fact that Kier Starmers view of disability is skewed because of his mother. He sees those only in need of high care needs as those who are bedbound and incapable. Yet most aren't. How the hell is an adult who needs to be prompted to wipe their own arse or have a wash not seen as outside of the norm ?

This is going to impact those who have severe learning difficulties the most. Who are unable to manipulate the words on a form and don't quite reach the threshold and that's just vile.

I think that the impact on carers allowance and the like has definitely been considered by the government. They’re not saying it out loud (because they couldn’t), but by cutting PIP awards down so much, they know that CA and similar benefits will drop drastically too. It’s like cutting a flower at the stem. All the leaves (carers allowance etc) are removed as well.

This is very much a sink or swim scenario for most people. I mentioned on another thread that it doesn’t actually matter to the state whether the people do sink or swim because they’ll save money regardless; either they’ll swim, find work/training and contribute to the economy, or they’ll die (through suicide, I bet) and that costs nothing to the government.

OP it does sound like your child should retain the PIP.

Yes they'll be hoping carers find work too even if just part time.

then social care will have to step up massively which will just wipe out any saving the current cuts bring, and given the high cost of care by social care as opposed to unpaid family carers, it's gonna cost a lot more. Just will just have to be funded by a different department and not the DWP.

I think so. After all, you can’t live on fresh air.

I think the entire point of these changes (aside from saving money) is very much a “watch how quickly people can find work after all!” thing.

But how can carers find work if the person they care for can't be left alone? It is ridiculous. As pp said, unpaid carers save the state an absolute fortune. I am so tired of rules being made by people who have no clue.

Except they must know the jobs aren't there. 1.75 million claiming benefits with job search requirements according to January stats, less than one million jobs available. Where are all these sick and/or disabled people and their carers going to get jobs?

If you’re the government, the answer is to take one of those jobs or look at education/training. Or maybe self-employment.