PIP Fraud- now even the DWP staff themselves are it!

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Clifford Redman, 57, claimed he had severe mobility issues and needed daily help - but he was caught out after being filmed going to the gym and on long walks https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2105390/dwp-fraudster-claimed-19k-caught-gym

Tip of the iceberg, serious reform needed.

No. If they have needs the state should provide services to meet that need.

It would also be a right ball ache as a disabled person. Some of us already have enough admin to do

Again with the should.

Maybe they should but it isn't likely to happen any time soon so if a parent needs help for their child and their needs are high enough, that is what DLA is for.

That’s not what HMRC official figures estimated. Look at the ‘tax gap’. 40bn evaded. 26bn from small and medium sized enterprises.

Obvious wind-up merchant is obvious.

Everyone is only one bad fall, accident or new illness away from disability ..thinking it’s ok for people to suffer in poverty because the few fiddle the system is ridiculous …turn your attention to the billions not paid by corporations and the very rich and leave people living at poverty levels of income to struggle on without judgement.
Attacking the disabled is a dog whistle for people who can’t see the whole picture of our society and just cruel ..maybe post about the number of people terminally ill denied PIP 🤦‍♀️

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/sep/05/nigel-farage-uses-private-company-to-pay-less-tax-on-gb-news-earnings

This is not illegal (it should be) but it absolutely is immoral. Companies like this one actively encourage rich people to avoid paying tax in their countries of residence. But hey, let's go after disabled people instead.

Funny how no one has mentioned the millions going unclaimed each year

The NHS isn't underfunded due to PIP claimants. It's underfunded due to 14 years of Tories.

It takes a PIP worker to catch a PIP worker fraudster I guess.

I remember having to go to tribunal to fight for DLA for my mum, it wasn’t easy. Especially with a mum who used to downplay her pain to the decision maker due to pride.

This was in the early 2000s so no online advice or support.

I don’t think I would have been able to fight much for her in the current climate.

i don’t claim but health conditions are variable
my neighbours would see me going off to work, exercising, chatting away to them and walking fine

what they don’t see - and this isn’t bad enough as such to apply for PIP

the endometriosis that has been so bad I’ve had to ring an ambulance because I can’t get off the floor
the GCSF injections which give me disgusting side effects but I do to try and keep my immune system up
the spinal surgery for a condition that nearly paralysed that had gym and physio as part of my recovery
the fatigue that means I often need to sleep all weekend in order to work FT because I can’t afford to drop my hours

This.

Heartily sick of these benefit bashing threads. Its just ignorance.

The thing is, I’m not one of those. I used to have to claim benefits when I couldn’t work due to very serious mental illness. This was in pre-PIP days. I’ve worked since, but often in very undemanding jobs because of my MH. Hence my question about PIP.

You could do with a bit of empathy yourself. Maybe admit that your assumptions about me are as incorrect as the ones people usually make about benefit claimants.

I was in hospital for 4 months after a severe fracture where I wasn’t permitted to walk in any way….therapy ??? 🤣🤣🤣 because people don’t believe in funding the NHS that just doesn’t exist …waited 4 months to be sent an appointment to learn to walk again…I complained to get pathetic generic group physio for 4/5 weeks …a weekly appointment…you live in a dreamworld if you think care for disability is covered by the NHS. You do know if a limb is amputated you are given a hook for an arm and a useless prosthetic on the NHS…thank the heavens you have no idea of the reality of disability…your awareness is a joke

The state does provide a lot.

However it isn’t as simple as NHS should provide. The needs of disabled people vary massively. For example one my DS costs is thermal socks at £15 a pair because he has no feeling in one foot. These wear out quickly because he needs a splint because he can’t control the foot as it doesn’t connect to his brain.

he needs adaptions to his car because with no feeling in his leg he can’t drive with it.

Trainers (we are loving the invention of sketchers slip ons) that he can get on with said splint and also without laces because he can’t reach his feet due to the spasticity in his legs.

Cooking equipment like wide handles as he has a poor grip (muscle atrophy in his hands) and a tremor.

clothing that’s accessible for him, goes over his splint and doesn’t slip down when in his wheelchair.

It’s not always medical support. It’s not always therapy. And it’s not always cost effective to set up departments that meet such a wide range of needs or contracts with companies for such a wide range of needs when only a small population of those that receive PIP or have a short term need will require that service.

It’s also worth remembering that by being able to fund some things also saves the NHS money as it keeps people fit and healthy and out of hospital. When we know the biggest cost to the NHS is obesity it makes sense not to have disabled people stuck at home with no access to facilities or exercise.

Also all the time people are buying and paying doe these services they are putting money back into the economy.

Of someone receive pip and employs their own cleaner and PA (who is self employed) who pays tax and NI and puts their wages into the economy it’s cheaper than someone from SS needing to assess, them needing to fund it, paying PAYe and sickness benefits and paying for the training, the trainers wages etc.

No one disagree that there needs to be reform of a lot of the current systems.

But most people realise it’s not asylum seekers and disabled people who are the cause of the problems and neither will stopping them be the cure.

Sorry, but hard no. If you have been there, then you are the last person on this thread who should be asking 'so what do you spend your PIP on if 'all' you have is mental health?'. Things have changed a lot since the pre-PIP days - and not for the better in terms of what support is available for MH if you aren't floridly psychotic or suicidally depressed. The bar for getting an inpatient bed is higher than it has ever been (I work for a MH Trust in a non-clinical capacity).

You shouldn't be making assumptions about someone who is currently claiming PIP for MH because actually, you have not walked a mile in their shoes. I have no regrets about calling you out for your lack of understanding, especially since you of all people should know so much better.

People aren't going to accept disabled people and those with conditions and mental health issues in the workplace or the places they use and spend their hard earned money in.

I've never been unemployed, but I have a couple of issues that means I deliver the service I do differently. People do not want to be served by me. They do not want to work with me. They call me thick, stupid, lazy and incompetent. I'm not delivering a life altering service, I'm not hurting or inconveniencing them, I'm just a bit different.

If you think people like me must work because they can, then are you going to accept them serving you? Working alongside you? Be accepting and tolerant?

My experience, no, no you're not, you're going ridicule them and make their lives hell. Complain about them and insist they shouldn't be doing the job because you don't like it. Look at how many people get their knickers in a twist if a cashier doesn't make eye contact for example.

You want disabled people out working? Then accept them in society or stfu.

I also work my arse off and do you know what helps me do that? My PIP payments. Without them I wouldn't be able to work as much as I do and no doubt you'd be moaning about people claiming benefits when they could work. For many of us on PIP, no matter what we do it's never good enough for some.

The DWP is not going to believe you have ADHD unless you have a formal diagnosis.

According to ChatGPT there are 75,000 PIP claimants whose primary condition is ADHD. That is about 2% of all claimants.

You're right to say that ADHD doesn't usually impair your ability to walk or get dressed. It most definitely can severely impact your ability to plan journeys because people with ADHD tend to have very poor executive functioning, which means things like planning and time management are difficult or even impossible. Depending on how severe a person's executive functioning is, I could definitely see on some cases somebody with ADHD would get enough points on the PIP form in this area to be awarded.

That's just one example . ADHD is a very significant medical diagnosis.

I would not hesitate to report all of them.

Oh and I’ve thought of another thing.

People hate the number of second homes being used for air b and b because of the housing crisis.

Air b and b is cheaper than hotel. But if you’re disabled yojnditen have to pay for a hotel because you can get an accessible room and disabled parking onsite. That money goes back into the economy and keeps people employed in the hospitality sector. Rather than lines the pockets of those who can afford one home and more.

Also where to stay. So many places are out of bounds because of the terrain or geographical nature of it (hills). So someone buys an electric wheelchair or all terrain wheelchair - again putting money into the economy from their PIP. They can then access more areas. They then Spend in tourist areas which often rely on trust trade for employment and local services. If they stayed at home doing nothing this wouldn’t happen.

People getting PIP aren’t day on money. They are putting it back into the economy and helping it.

No-ones demonising people that are genuinely ill - but the high level of fraud means that the billions spent annually is unsustainable and there won't be funds for the truly ill.

But I still don't understand what they'd need so much money paid to them each month.

It’s 1%. Maybe a little higher but it’s not enough for those claiming fraudulently being the reason this country is struggling.

It’s just the small number of people in the population of 68m who claim PIP or are claiming asylum are easy distractions from the actual cause.

Poor governance.

To the poster who asked what PIP can be spent on in cases of mental health, you would be surprised. Apart from the obvious therapy, which would eat up most of it very quickly, there are plenty of everyday expenses. My son gets DLA for OCD (also IBD, but obviously that’s physical) He has showers that last up to two hours. He uses a quarter of a bottle of liquid soap every time he washes his hands, which is frequent. He will only eat certain foods he sees as safe. They are in individual packets and containers that can be poured out without me touching them. So separate food from the rest of the family, which is expensive. I regularly have to throw food away and start again because he thinks I have breathed on it. He will discard an item of clothing after wearing it once or twice because it’s contaminated. I have a whole drawer full of clothes I’m hoping he’ll wear when he’s better, if he hasn’t grown out of them. He will put on an item of clothing, then take it straight off because it has a piece of fluff or a hair on it. Same with bedding, so lots and lots of extra washing. Dozens of antibacterial wipes used by him every day. I could go on. And on. But it would get very boring and repetitive. It all adds up, believe me. I’m sure people with other mental health conditions have expenses that, while not the same, are similarly unusual and unthought of by most.