Do people really think PIP claimants are fraudsters?!

[Greedybilly]

As someone with a chronic illness in the middle of claiming PIP I think it's important to point out it's very stressful to go through the process and actually get the benefit.
To those who were inferring it's an easy blag - I would say yes there will always be a few scammers who claim fraudulently ( though god knows how tbh?) the majority have to struggle for years/go through appeals/give up.
Just saying this for balance as I feel MN is turning slghtly into the Daily Fail.

And I have a relative that is similarly disabled and of course she lives with her parents. Where else would they live? And there are no claims for any government money being made because they have no expenses. They get treatment from the NHS. £110 of free money a week would be good to save towards her future, but is that a good use of taxpayers funds?

Obviously it’s more difficult for those with a disability and/or chronic illness to be in employment, considering the discrimination and other barriers such people face e.g lack of flexibility and reasonable adjustments. No shit Sherlock.

There is no expectation to have a job or not have one with PIP.

You're comparing apples and oranges

Obviously it’s more difficult for those with a disability and/or chronic illness to be in employment, considering the discrimination and other barriers such people face e.g lack of flexibility and reasonable adjustments. No shit Sherlock
Nobody is disputing this. The point is that there is an incentive to claim PIP when you claim UC.

How? They are two very different benefits.

I said what is she supposed to live ON? Not with.

And there are expenses. Lots of them. She sometimes will see a counsellor. Oc we pay. She sees a psychiatrist. There’s nothing on the nhs. We have to pay. She isn’t earning. Who’s supposed to support her? If she goes anywhere one of us has to go with her. This can entail cost.

And there are no claims for any government money being made because they have no expenses.

Please share how she manages to live on fresh air

People do definitely manage to claim it fraudulently. Of course they do. The fact the forms are long and that’s it’s a lot of hurdles to jump doesn’t mean people don’t still manage to falsely get it. I know someone who has.
I however have tried and failed. Cos I’m eligible but am apparently not good at saying the right things.

when i claimed DLA for DS initially.. i submitted the following documents to 'prove need' as you put it.
His EHCP
His Ed Psych Reports from 1, 2, and 3 yrs prior.
OT assessment and clinical records from 6 months of OT & PT done by their team.
An assessment done by an Autism expert that was bought in to observe him in school
His diagnosis/assessments from CAMhs for his autism & ADHD
The Paediatricians report based on the above OT/PT assessments.

There was no 'tailoring' going on. It was all done via observation and interaction with numerous experts who had access to him for hours at a time over a period of 6 years.

my only contact from UC is once a year i have to update the education status of my two teenagers, and my income for the year... same as i did for Tax Credits.

I'm not sure what hoops you think UC make you jump through once you're awarded it as a parent claiming Carers Allowance.

So you’re saying that the professionals who provide evidence are lying? Because the evidence is what is used to determine the award. There is usually a substantial amount of this provided, by different Consultants / health care professionals who are registered with professional bodies and bound by codes of ethics.

Yes please do.

I wonder how many more lies and rumours, and full out bullshit @vivainsomnia is going to spout and us debunk before they give up?

I've just had my reassessment and surprise surprise, my brain is still injured and I'm still deaf. I've been this way for 50 years so I think it's safe to say I'm not going to get any better. Maybe I should ask the DWP what miracle cure they think there is as the neurologists can't seem to find one.

There was no 'tailoring' going on. It was all done via observation and interaction with numerous experts who had access to him for hours at a time over a period of 6 years
Nothing that I write is personal and shouldn't take it as such. I'm in no way for the abolition of PIP. On the opposite, I think disabled people could receive more.

My comments refer to the growing number of people who got to know or get the help to complete the process giving them a high chance to become in receipt of them when many with the same afflictions would never get anywhere with it or even consider applying.

Over the tears, I've been quite shocked of posts I've read here and on other boards asking for advice as to what to do with savings accumulated from DLA/PIP payments not used fir what it is intended to be used for. Everyday use. They claim because they can and somehow tick the right boxes.

These are a MINORITY but a growing one. Disabilities have in no ways grown at the rate of PIP awards, so something is not right along the way of the process.

I do believe that the vast majority of people eho claim genuinely believe they should be entitled and believe they have extra needs. The concerns is about the perception of what justifies an extra need.

It similar to weight. 50 years ago, what was considered a normal weight and what was an average one is very different to what it is now. Someone who is a size 14-16 today genuinely believe they are not overweight because this weight has become the norm even if it is likely to not be a healthy one.

We can't afford what has become the new norm for believing one deserves extra funding for their needs. I also don't think it helps in anyway those who could get better but whose condition is normalised, which getting PIP for is part of.

When I had my assessment I was told there's no medical reasons why I can't drive and that I'd chosen not to

Except I've never and will never pass the eye test. My parents were told when I was 3 I'd never drive

At the time I was on medication which caused tiredness and affected my concentration.

I'm not sure what hoops you think UC make you jump through once you're awarded it as a parent claiming Carers Allowance
No offense but you are exactly proving my point. Your child claims DLA. This opens directly the door to you being able to claim CA without needing to evidence anything. This in turn pitstou in the light touch group with a 12 months review only.

Now take a parent with kids who are 12 and 13. No disability. Do you think mum would be able to get UC monthly without evidencing a large number of job applications weekly? Justifying why after 12 months she still doesn't have a job.

The difference between the two mum is one has a child who claim DLA and the other not. That's one of the number of benefits that come with a DLA claim that cumulatively can be a definite incentive for parents to do everything to tick the right boxes.

No of course not. Im saying the applicants lie and successfully convince the experts. The person I know who gets it said she absolutely couldnt do this and couldnt do that, needed help with xyz. I know for a fact she really doesnt. As far as I know she was successful in getting it with very little (if any) input from any experts - only the telephone call she had with capita.

This sounds like more unsubstantiated hearsay to me. You absolutely need evidence from medical professionals to evidence your claim, and considering most disability / chronic illness have measurable tests then it is highly unlikely that sneaky claimants are able to pull the wool over the eyes of Consultants! It sounds as though you don’t know as much about this particular case as you think you do. Most people aren’t going to be going into detail about their PIP claim, often due to feelings of shame caused by stigmatised attitudes displayed in this thread.

Everyone seems to vaguely know one person who claims when they don’t need to, and manages to get evidence which entitles them to an award. I think it’s more likely that you simply don’t know enough about that persons life and struggles, rather than draw a conclusion that everyone is out to scam the system based on one flawed anecdote.

You absolutely need evidence from medical professionals to evidence your claim, and considering most disability / chronic illness have measurable tests then it is highly unlikely that sneaky claimants are able to pull the wool over the eyes of Consultants!
Unlike medics who work for whoever are commissioned to undertake PIP assessment, clinicians who see patients in clinics are NOT trained to evaluate and judge what patients tell them. It is part of their oath that they should consider what they are told by their patients is the truth.

If I go and see my respiratory consultant and tell him that I get totally out of breath after walking 5 minutes, that's what they'll write in their report. They are not going to write 'patient told me they get out of breath after 5 minutes but frankly, I get the feeling that are lying and I suspect they could walk 10 minutes and would be fine if it was to go to the pub for a beer'.

My child isn’t earning because they are at uni. Is there somewhere we can claim so they have something to live on? Given they have moved out their living costs are actually really substantial.

No of course there isn’t! They are my child so I fund them! Like you fund your child. And if my child is unable to work for whatever reason at any age I’ll fund them. They can live with me if they’re desperate. The extra cost of an extra mouth to feed is totally minimal. It’s called being a parent. It’s what parents do.

You think parents really have the money to pay for things for their disabled child?

You may have the extra money to support a disabled child but not everyone does

Anyone claiming PIP for mental health using it pay for EXTRA psychological and psychiatric help is using the money for what it is intended for.

It IS not to pay for every day living expenses.

Of course, when challenged, claimants will come up with thi gs they justify to be specifically for needs and wouldn't be things they would pay for if not disabled but this is a claim I can't help but being skeptical about.

@Viviennemary You are really showing your ignorance here. You don’t understand how things work.

I am a Consultant who does provide such letters. If I do not think a patient is displaying a particular symptom, I simply won’t include this in my report. We are not mindless automatons who just write whatever patients tell us to! In your example, your respiratory consultant will be able to perform tests to determine lung capacity in order to best understand any difficulties with exertion/walking. The idea that doctors will just write whatever the patient says is laughable and completely incorrect.

Ahh fair play. I'll call PIP today and say sack off my claim please. I am the child of my parents, so I will tell them they have to fund me for the rest of my life.