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.

The purpose of pip is to pay for the added costs related to disability...I have always been 'groomed' with nails and hair done ...the difference now is that my disability means I can no longer do those things myself . Please explain why pip shouldn't be used for those things .?
I

because we're meant to suffer, and to shuffle around in rags while being filthy for having the audacity to be disabled.

Again the UC comparison is a bad one. It isn't a benefit that you are only eligible for because you have significant needs. Everyone is equally entitled to UC as long as they meet objective thresholds.

Many disabled people claim UC and disability benefits. It isn't like we are always talking about two separate groups of people here.

Also many people have to submit expenses. It isn't dehumanising. I have a business and have to do this to the HMRC. Many people need to do this for their employees to claim back expenses.

@Marshmallow4545 How many PIP forms have you filled in? How many assessments have you attended? How many supporting statements have you provided for claimants?

Jesus fucking christ. Read the fucking room

This place is a pit of pure venom sometimes. Ffs.

Thanks for the memo

im a human. Not a business.

There are two ways to answer your question:

1. Currently the system allows to spend your PIP money however you like. If you say you want to spend it on nail appointments, hair appointments and expensive holidays then this is permitted.

1. I think that the general population would not find this to be a good use of public money when there are people struggling to eat and heat their house. We live in a democracy and public opinion influences policy change. Ultimately I think restrictions will be added in the not too far future that probably will restrict this kind of use of PIP in the same way that those with shit teeth have to pay for fillings and those with crap eyes have to fund their own contact lenses. Sadly the state cannot insulate us all from the full effects of the health lottery we all play.

I know but so are the individuals that work for a business that have to expense all their petrol, food and drink etc that they use as part of their job.

What is your point?

Just answer the questions.

Maybe you could answer her question

No, I don't have to so I won't but let's put it this way. I've had more contact with the process than you probably expect.

I don't know if people think people are fraudsters as such more that some people including those in government think that pip shouldn't be given for conditions like depression, anxiety, adhd and to people with less severe autisim. I think many people feel issues like depression and anxiety are often short term or intermittent or that people with adhd should learn to cope with their difficulties and find adaptations and coping strategies.

Please note I am not saying this is what I think but it is the kind of rhetoric I hear. Personally I think it is really difficult to get pip by faking it and I think the government also know that so the question they are grappling with is should they make it harder to get for certain conditions?

Child benefit is for a specific reason too. How can we be sure that parents are spending it as intended? Vouchers would mean it is definitely going to the costs of raising a child and nothing else.

If you aren't disabled, I don't think you get to tell those who are what is or isn't dehumanising.

You won’t answer @Marshmallow4545 because the answer, quite clearly, is zero.

It is blatantly obvious from your posts that you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about when it comes to the benefits system. The fact you state that it isn’t dehumanising for disabled people to have to itemise their disability expenses, in your hypothetical reality, shows that you understand nothing about the system. There is a considerable amount of peer reviewed research into the harms of PIP assessments experienced by claimants, including humiliation, re-traumatisation and suicidation. Your suggestion of inflicting more dehumanising bureaucracy onto disabled people is tone deaf and illogical. All this would serve is to create more psychological distress and suffering, more fatigue and pain and ultimately cost the government MORE money. Thankfully we are not living in the Gilead society you seem to want.

I was also going to ask you how many disability reform consultations you have been involved in, and how many benefit systems and processes you have re-designed. Thankfully I am sure the answer to these questions is also a big fat zero.

Ah yeah because business expenses is just the same.

You have no idea at all do you

You don’t know if this person is disabled or not l. They clearly said they had some experience with it

Which is why my first words are clearly ''If you aren't disabled''.

For info, the criteria for PIP Enhanced Mobility is 20 metres, not 50.

"No, the two benefits are not comparable for reasons I outlined earlier. Child Benefit is much more akin to the State Pension. They are more general benefits that you don't need justification to obtain or specific evidence."

No I think I have a right to know that parents aren't using it to get pissed in Spoons.

But if you don’t know why say it?

To be fair, even if pp is disabled she still doesn't get to tell other people how to feel. Clearly, some people with disabilities would feel dehumanised.

No, it's not. It's broadly to cover the costs associated with raising a child. You haven't had to evidence specific needs relating to the child to make yourself eligible. Feeding and clothing a child would almost certainly cost more than CB so it's a mute point really as the parent will be spending this money on their child one way or another.