PIP for Anxiety

[IntelligenceIsFree]

AIBU to clear things up?

The current nasty rhetoric around disabled people at the moment is astounding. Society needs to be reminded that we are ALL one illness or accident away from disability.

Everyone knows someone who is gaming the system, yet the PIP fraud rate is extremely low. The public demonising, does not match the reality.

The hot topic is “anxiety” and how people with “anxiety” are gaming the system, getting “free” cars and robbing tax payers; this is being constantly fed through media, news articles and so on.

This is simply not true. The people spouting this nonsense clearly have no idea how PIP works. Nobody gets PIP without strong medical evidence. Nobody.

Before anyone posts “my neighbour got PIP just by telling lies”. No, they did not. That’s not how it works.

People need to be educated properly on how benefits work, how they are awarded and what the criteria for mobility cars actually is; the cars are not in fact free.

People need to be educated on the fact that there is anxiety, which every human suffers from at some point, and then there are anxiety DISORDERS which are entirely different and can be life changing and debilitating. Hence, the need and entitlement for PIP.

Brenda down the road who feels too anxious to go to Bingo on a Friday night is NOT getting PIP ❌

Mary up the lane who has such severe OCD that she cannot leave her own home for fear that she will die, IS getting PIP .✅

There’s a huge difference.

The current turning on disabled people is shameful and we are living in a country full of hate because Bob (and his Uncle) are annoyed that they are paying tax to “support all of these scroungers”.

Bob (and his Uncle), needs to hope that they never get cancer, or suffer life changing trauma or have an unfortunate accident to avoid being served a huge scrounged humble pie.

I do not suffer from anxiety but as a human, I am pleased we have a system in society to support the most vulnerable people who need it. Life can happen to anyone.

And when that 10% leave for climes which don’t penalise success, who do you imagine is going to make up for all the tax they pay?

I don't think it's a coincidence that more people are in receipt of benefits when mental health support has been stripped to the bare bone.. People need help, not judgement.

Thanks for answering. Does he not get any of that from the NHS? Or am I being a bit naive in thinking the NHS should provide things like hydrotherapy, physio and adapted footwear? Or do you get some but not enough so top up with the DLA?

He gets some physio and hydro through the NHS but not enough so it is topped up and adapted footwear isn't provided at all.

'Nobody gets PIP without strong medical evidence, NOBODY'

Well yes they do. I have a friend who wanted to retire on medical grounds but the company would not let her.
She went to the doctor and said she felt 'Hopeless' and 'Down all the time'- her words. Got signed off work. Got put on anti depressants.
Then told the doctor she was high as a kite some days and low other days. She asked him if she may be Bi-Polar. Doctor agreed it was possible and at that point she announced to everyone that 'Im bipolar and Im not going back to work.
After 3 months she applied for PIP and was given full care and standard mobility.
She said she cant wash or dress herself as she has no motivation.
Cant be bothered cooking a meal. Wont leave the house without her husband. All untrue.
She only had a telephone assessment and said she pretended to cry and could hardly speak because of nerves.

In reality she meets non of the PIP criteria, happily admits that and laughs that she played the system.
So yes it can and does happen.

I did not say that fraud did not exist, of course it does. Interestingly, the first assumption is that the fraud rate is low because not enough investigations are carried out due to funding.

People do not realise that PIP is so hard to get and you need medical evidence and in most cases, an assessment from providers who are known to be harsh. It makes logical sense this could also be the reason the rates of fraud are low.

Both possibilities can be true at the same time.

All of those saying they know someone who gets it because they lied to their GP, how do you truly know? They might have issues they do not disclose to you. In the majority of cases, GP documentation is not enough to get PIP. The PIP process is degrading and tough on claimants.

When I started this thread, I was not naive enough to think I would change people’s minds, but if it makes even one person think it’s not as easy as the media make out, then that’s something.

For those complaining these threads have been done to death. So?! The demonisation of disabled people is a current societal topic, so yes there will be multiple threads about it. If it bores you, then you have free will to ignore.

The government who have every reason to exaggerate fraud claims disagrees with you, it’s 0.4% for PIP.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fraud-and-error-in-the-benefit-system-financial-year-2024-to-2025-estimates/fraud-and-error-in-the-benefit-system-financial-year-ending-fye-2025#personal-independence-payment-overpayments-and-underpayments

Also you can’t get PIP just on the basis of a GP appointment. I’ve just gone through my DD’s review and it was as gruelling as the initial application involving shed loads of evidence .

Why do you want to know?

Over the years I have used it:

To bridge the gap between full and part time work, because there have been times where I have needed to do less hours.

To pay to see private GPs and specialists due to the medical gaslighting I received as a fat woman.

To get a cleaner when things were particularly difficult.

To buy a wheelchair, mobility scooter and have certain aids fitted around the house.

To take an extra person on a family holiday.

To buy easy to throw in the oven meals when I wasn’t able to cook from scratch.

And sometimes I use it to buy a big fat Chinese takeaway.

She got PIP for being bipolar without being diagnosed and with zero evidence? Nah

Never heard any of this apparent rhetoric. I have heard about and seen on some exposure programs people who are perfectly healthy getting various benefits by lying about disabilities, like one man who couldn't walk more than a few feet filmed rushing off down the street like an athlete. I guess it is much easier to lie about anxiety than it is to lie about having to use a wheel chair so there could be suspicions.

I give my mum some money every few weeks to take me shopping, do things that I struggle with, hospital appointments, etc

My electric bill is higher because I'm at home everyday, have more laundry because of my disabilities, etc

Because of my sensory issues, there's only certain lip balm, skin wash, etc I can use

Taxis because I can't drive

Ready meals / pre prepared meals

A lot of one off things - I'm very light sensitive and bog standard hats don't help with this. The only one I've found that works (and fits) is around £70. Ear plugs. My laptop was more expensive because I need a bigger size

If I want to go somewhere I need someone with me. Yes I can usually get a free carer ticket but I don't think it's fair to expect them to cover their fuel cost or food

I can't tie my laces due to my disability. Velcro usually only goes up to size 2.5 which means I need to get lock laces. Because of how I walk, I need to constantly replace my shoes

One thing I can't grasp - how do some many people allegedly know so much about their neighbours or family but whinge on here instead of reporting it?

christ we have come to an all time low. DS2 who is ASD/adhd receives Pip. He also gets DSA. He is at uni (shock horror) doing a masters in mechanical engineering. There was no deception or pretending - he has a decade of medical reports and EHCP. With support he may become a high earning independent person. I guess this is not the sort of person you want to exclude? But what if he doesn’t get a job? What then?

Wow. I have never read anything like this on MN before. Never.

ach, bless you to think no 0ne lies as it’s so hard, but sadly they do,

genuinely I know 3 people who get pip, 2, should one has lied and is honest, she even got a car as she said she was too anxious to get public transport. She’s the most confident outgoing sociable woman I’ve met, who has never worked a day in her life, always on benefits and yes lies to all health care providers, and it’s one of those things, how do you prove it wrong unless you follow her round,

@TigerRag Precisely. Nobody knows truly what is evidenced for someone to be eligible for PIP, regardless of well they know their neighbours or friends. Only the claimant and the DWP know that.

It is simply not true that Brenda has managed to claim PIP with a fat load of lies; these lies would have to be evidenced.

This is the crucial point people are not getting.

I use mine to pay for a monthly deep clean of my house as I can’t physically do it myself. If I could, I would. Even maintenance through the month is hard for me, for example, I can’t use a hoover at all. So, I hope that helps.

I am on the lowest rate of daily living pip, and have severe heart valve disease.

@Backawayfromthesausage Bless me? Quite condescending.

Unless you know exactly what your friend put on her form AND evidenced AND you’ve seen every single one of her medical records, regardless of what she’s told you, she has not got PIP by simply exaggerating.

The.System.Does.Not.Work.Like.That.

And you've not reported it because?

You need shit loads of evidence. I was actually told that a letter from my consultant was fabricated. But they asked what one of my diagnoses were. My consultant has no reason to lie and his opinion is based on my history and test results. They even told me that I'd grown out of my hearing loss...which is physically impossible (I have damage to the hair in my ears due to a rare reaction to my medication)

But could you explain to me why the claim rates for PIP have gone up phenomenally over the last few years and are at odds with rates in other European countries?

Those stars include people transferring from DLA

Yes that is used by my family member. If nobody else brand them food they just wouldn’t eat, if they were not told to bathe they simply would not.

All things you can’t actually prove.

I tried to claim about 15 years ago and unless things have changed it is not that easy. I sent in letters from hospital consultants as evidence of symptoms and diagnoses, about 3 years of GP medical records plus a GP letter, letter from my therapist and probably more. Then you have an assessment where they ask you questions that score you on things that might not be very relevant to your condition. People must have to make things up for years to get the evidence needed to make a successful false claim. I don’t doubt that people do it but it must be very calculated and not just a case of applying on a whim

Genuine question- how can a GP ‘manage their patients with anxiety’ better but not prescribe medication, with 40patients per day, 12 minute appointments, limited mental health service/ funding and 12 hour days? Seriously… I’m curious, what do you think the GP can or should do to ‘manage their patients better’ in real practical helpful terms? What would you do if you were a GP? If you have anxiety what would you like a medically trained professional to offer you, in the confines of the role and demands, that would treat your anxiety (but excluding medication)?

GPs and doctors are not wizards. They don’t have magic wands.

I know of someone like this ^

They and their husband both receive the highest rate of PIP whilst hinting that they're gaming the system. I've never known anyone to have so many expensive hobbies, go to so many gigs/theatre/hotel trips/meals out, not to mention her personal trainer and beauty treatments.

They have minor aches and pains, but nothing unusual in a pair of fifty-somethings. I don't understand how their applications were successful and it boils my piss that there's others who aren't getting what they're entitled to.

This.

My DP has severe OCD and agoraphobia. His anxiety is so bad he can't leave the house alone.

He doesn't get PIP because the nature of his illness makes it very hard to get help.

The woman a few does down games the system and brags about it.