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.

Why do people need money for anxiety? How does it fix the problems

And how does that work out long term then? You know you have to go to therapy? Long term? Professionals will see straight through the lies. But suppose you ‘pass’ then you have to ‘pretend’ to have these struggles forever? So you literally have to lock yourself away, making yourself ill? You then have no normal life? Worth it?

Well it sounds like the real problem is that your organs are failing. Not that you're anxious about it.

I don't understand why people think it's so high. Have you seen a pip form or been through an "assessment"?

What could actually be done about this though, if it's accurate
No benefits for people who genuinely can't leave the house just in case someone is elaborately lying?
What happens to the genuine cases. If there is a system, someone will play it, and probably the types who play it are not well mentally themselves in some way.

I wish strangers would stop knocking on my door. Makes me nervous.

I mean this seriously when I say I genuinely don’t. In fact the people I do know who could use the assistance have been refused it.

who are these people that everybody apparently knows…

And, more importantly, how do you know they are telling the truth. Since I became a mother it has become apparent to me that a lot of people talk out of their backside 95 per cent of the time (“he sleeps through every night!” Yeah, sure he does 🙄)

Exactly the amount of medical evidence needed its just not something you can fake. All these mumsnetters who know all these people playing the system most likely have no clue of the person's full medical record. I never tell anyone including family about my medical conditions I could count on 1 hand the people know I have bipolar, nobody knows I have bpd and some people know I have a rare condition due to scarring from surgeries but they absolutely don't know the full extent of it.

This just doesn’t ring true ..the thing you list that’s tested is - not going out - that wouldn’t be enough points to get PIP so how much information have you left out? I think bank accounts and passports can be monitored so this activity would be traceable by DWP.

Evidence is required on application

But the ones I know don't work. Only benefits plus PIP.

They don't look at bank accounts if you're just claiming pip as it's not income based

It’s not difficult to say. It’s difficult to prove. And that’s the crux. The interrogation you face at the interviews seem so casual, friendly, chit chat - all designed to put you at ease and let something slip which ‘proves’ your lies. It’s not up to them to prove you can do these things, it’s up to you to prove you can’t. Your husband works, what time does he leave the house, what time do you both get up, what time do you get dressed, what time is he home, how do you redress after going to the toilet? You can pull up your underwear and trousers? Oh well you can dress then.

Thanks. Glad you get some help to top up what he needs.

Yes, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) can detect if people leave the country. As of 2025–2026, the DWP has increased its ability to identify individuals who are abroad, particularly for periods exceeding allowed limits.
GOV.UK +3
They use several methods to track travel and identify benefit fraud, including:

• Exit Checks: The Home Office collects passenger information (including full name, date of birth, passport data, and travel document info) for everyone leaving the UK via commercial air, sea, and rail routes. This travel data is shared across government departments, including the DWP.
• Bank Monitoring: New fraud crackdown measures allow the DWP to monitor bank accounts, which can reveal foreign transactions.
• Data Sharing: The DWP proactively matches data with HMRC and the Home Office to check if claimants are living overseas.
• Digital Footprints: The DWP can track if a claimant logs into their Universal Credit journal from a foreign IP address.
• Airline Data: As part of investigations, the DWP can compel

I have an anxiety disorder specifically health anxiety which has caused panic disorder which is another anxiety disorder. Which has at times throughout my life cause agoraphobia another anxiety disorder. So yes I have 3 anxiety disorders and I have multiple organ failure.

That is exactly the problem isn’t it.

If you stop those claims you stop legitimate people getting support they need for the hopefully few fakers.

It’s an impossible situation and those who do get caught tend to get caught because they have shared photos or videos of them doing what they claim they don’t.

My family member posts nothing for that very reason scared big brother is watching and they will get caught.

So what evidence did she provide?

Ive no doubt fraud happens as it does in everything else.

But what additional safeguards would people like to see over completing the forms, providing evidence of the answers and passing the interview.

Is it just excluding non physical disabilities people think would help reduce fraud.

Or making the bendit not worth having for fraudster by being very restrictive about how its used.

Are there any concerns that doing that might leave very vulnerable peopld without stuff they need.

0.4% fraud so hardly huge!

If they are able to go the gym their anxiety is not that severe.

I listed some of what I have submitted for my dd.

This is exactly how it is. People need to listen to people who have actually been through it and not people who have apparently got full access to their neighbours cousins boyfriends medical records

I am just curious really. I suppose I’m a bit ignorant about what extra costs might be needed beyond the obvious. Thanks for answering. I hear you on the being fat, yet medically invisible.

But if you see someone going about their daily lives, meeting up with friends, going on holidays, but then they say they are too anxious to go to work, it's clear something isn't adding up.

How can someone who lives on their own, has no carers, and is clean, a healthy weight and well-dressed meet the criteria? They must be washing themselves, eating, getting dressed?

What are you qualifications to make such a statement. Going to the gym would have multiple benefits ..better sleep, distract the mind and loads more