Benefits explosion- where will it end?

[TheBlueKoala]

"PIP benefits explosion: Anxiety and depression handouts have nearly TRIPLED to £4.3bn since Covid - with autism and ADHD bill hitting £2.2bn and 'back pain' £1.6bn"

Something is not right here. When I have written before on here telling about people I know who claim for anxiety although they have rich social lives (funded by 440£ extra per month from PIP) I've had many people telling me that it's not possible etc. It sure is. How many 16 year olds are claiming PIP for anxiety?

Instead of benefits why not pay for therapy- invest massively in the NHS mental health support so that people with anxiety, adhd and autism can see a therapist regularly to help them. This would make a difference for tje individual and the society. Throwing out money won't.

AINBU- I agree with about
AIBU- No, extra money is always useful

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15510221/PIP-benefits-anxiety-depression-austism-ADHD-pain-Covid-Labour.html

"PIP benefits explosion: Anxiety and depression handouts have nearly TRIPLED to £4.3bn since Covid”

Gosh, I wonder if this might be because Long Covid has disabled a lot of previously healthy people….?

No, but it was still a useless remark

ed. Typo

ADHD absolutely can be a disability as can depression. I used to be a mental health nurse I used to work wuth some patients who were so depressed they couldn't lift their head off the pillow or bring themselves to eat some needed ECT as other treatment was ineffective, I woukd say thst was fairly disabling.

Our culture and life style have to change.

We, as a society. eat rubbish food, we work the longest hours in Europe, we live in tiny cramped overpriced homes and we place ourselves and our children under ridiculous amounts of stress.

We face a mental and physical health epidemic equaled only by the US.

Until that all changes, people will face the same issues and need the same support.

How you tackle the fibbers without taking money from those that need it I don't know. Particularly as paying for more MH nurses to assess the chsncers face-to-face will likely absorb the money you are trying to claim back.

This is the problem. There are people that genuinely deserve it and more but on the flip side there are those that ‘play’ the system in order to avoid work and that is where the problem lies. We have a family living next door, 2 parents and 3 adult children, none of them work, physically they appear to be fit. They are certainly fit to throw parties, BBQ’s, go out etc.. I just find it hard to believe that out of a family of 5 adults not one is able to work

Yay! Another benefit bashing thread. What a refreshing change. 🙄

Not really.

People work different hours.

I don't work Fridays.

Just because I'm replying now doesn't mean I don't work.

Seconded. First thing I do when I see a graph is look at the source.

Well it needs looking at.

Eventually there won't be any money if not enough people are working.

Id love to know how therapy could help my autistic non verbal son who struggles to do basic tasks for himself?

Before my health issues held me back from working full time I was a PA for disabled people and all those that I have worked for and those I have met at day centres etc are 100% worthy of PIP and any of the other benefits that they claim.

However, as someone who has suffered for many years with poor mental health issues, adhd, daily pain from EDS, endometriosis and adenomyosis I do often wonder how so many people are able to claim for the kind of issues which affect millions of people in the UK every day. I have never considered claiming anything.

Whilst I am not dismissing their health issues I do often wonder what would happen if we all claimed pip and similar.

Mind you, if wfh was made more widely available it would help many of us with health issues work longer hours or even full time and less likely to claim. Maybe?

Cheat and are also very open about cheating too!

It's just sad.

There are whole generations of people who just don't work.

We had a patient only 17. Came in with their mum. For a sick note because they will never work because of their ADHD.

Because we have medicalised normal life?

Normal life often throws monstrous things at us. Family issues, death, not doing well at school or work, not being the perfect image as broadcast into our phones 24/7. There's no break from the awful world that taunts people who are less than perfect.
You're allowed to be sad and a bit anxious at times. We need to support people to make good decisions that will help them accept their anxiousness can be managed and that they can live happy successful lives, they just might not look like the filtered artistic version they're forced to absorb.

How is that feasible though? There has to
be a manageable way for assessors to attribute need - surely that is determined by what a medical professional has determined about the condition/diagnosis.
otherwise, you are in a massive grey area and it all becomes impossible to
manage and open to manipulation

It’s because unemployment benefits have been cut to the bone, people have figured out how to claim disability benefits instead. There are literally videos online tutoring people on how to claim. It’s not a coincidence that it’s all the ‘invisible’ disabilities that have skyrocketed.

What a ridiculous comment!

People don’t all work 9-5. I myself am self employed so set my own hours and enjoy every other Friday off

For the umpteenth time, PIP is not an out of work benefit.

I used to disability bash on here. I realised I was 100% wrong and the people here on MN changed my mind. I do not begrudge 99% of the people claiming PIP at all. They need it and it should not be cut. It's difficult enough already.

What if too few people want to, how would it all then be paid for with not enough tax payers?

Yes, but HOW? How could you ‘cheat’ a trained nurse for a whole 2 hours and 20 minute assessment? How could you ‘cheat’ a pile of medical proof?

I’m genuinely intrigued.

Same. Autism, ADHD, dyspraxia, hypermobility, me/cfs, but my first diagnoses were anxiety, depression and back pain, for which I was offered talking therapies and first point physio for years.

Shock horror, none of it worked, arguably made it worse, but historically presents as back pain anxiety and depression, so think the government are just being shady about the presentation of diagnoses.

No but let's face it, statistically most people who claim pip and work only work minimal hours, few work full time.

Oddly, just like one can’t ’pray away the gay’ one also can’t do that with autism, either.

Beautifully written piece of ableism there, OP.

Do you think that the government data is incorrect?