PIP isn't fit for purpose

[Ljcrow]

I made this comment on another thread and thought I'd start a separate thread purely on this topic. This is all from my own personal experience rather than from reading/hearing anything, I'm only going off what I see day to day.
The people I know who claim PIP do not need it financially. One works full time and earns more than me (and I'm not at imminent risk of homelessness or starvation) and the young people I know literally tell me things like their PIP's come in so they're off to get a new tattoo, which they then do. They appear to have much more disposable income than me.
These are all people who can function in society by the way and as far as I can see, all PIP does is give them extra spending money, which I'm sure we'd all like.

I'm aware this won't be the case for everyone who recieves PIP but it is for the people I come into regular contact with. Which is why it needs reloooking at so it only goes to those who actually need the money for a specific purpose related to their disability.

We're not in a position as a society where we can afford to give people money who do not actually need it.
Things like this should be means tested, both in terms of whether people have enough income to live a decent life without additional benefits and in terms of what the money is actually going to be used for.
PIP is not fit for purpose and needs scrapping or totally changing.

But you have to be diagnosed in the first place to then have your needs assessed? Millions go undiagnosed with myriad things, so the system is unfair. If a certain proportion of people in need receive PIP and another proportion are in need but undiagnosed and not assessed. I'm not saying we shouldn't have PIP I'm saying a lot of the resentment comes from people who are aware they have similar issues to those who receive it but can't apply as they have never had any help for any of their issues.

GP records that you get on request are useless as just a print off of undated and un named notes. Could be about anybody. We had masses of info on my DD’s app but didn’t bother using any for this reason -just the letters, reports, meeting minutes, professional opinions, admissions and discharge notes, lengthy med lists etc.

Not sure why there are weird stripes of colour in my post! Never seen that before. Is it because I used numbered lists?!

I’m sure I’ll be accused again by someone of being an AI in a minute. That’s what usually happens when I write a long post on here. 😂

No you don’t. You absolutely don’t need autism and adhd diagnoses and to be honest diagnosis reports are the least useful anyway. Didn’t bother sending my DD’s adhd report at all.

But, unless you knew them well, you can’t actually have known what their health situation was. And you never will know now.

Fraudulent claims are wrong, obviously. But the fact that you’re not only assuming that their claims were fraudulent and also that you’re giving it this much headspace after they’re dead means that you probably should get yourself a life.

If your mental health is tier 3 treated with multiple
hospitalisations like my daughter there is plenty
of evidence.

You don’t need a diagnosis to claim PIP. Under the Equality Act 2010 a diagnosis isn’t needed to be considered disabled as long as the effects of the disability meet the criteria stated in the Act. You can still obtain evidence as to how your condition affects you on a daily basis to submit for a PIP claim, which is what counts rather than the disability itself.

Maybe this is usually the case but clearly not always. It's a bit pointless to keep telling me it's impossible to exagerate symptoms when I know someone who claimed enhanced mobility pip despite being able to manage journeys.

The issue is that some people on PIP can afford things that the rest of us can't, and some people can't get care to meet their needs. And some people who are in work can't pay for food and need to use food banks
Exactly this. Many people have no choice but to pay for their needs to be met. I've just had to spend £200 on a dehumidifier because of my allergies. My allergies are a disability. But I can cook, dress, travel and whatever else PIP covers, so I'm not eligible. That's the reality for many many people. And it's absolutely normal to fund our needs of we are capable able of earning an income.

Why some disabled people feel entitled to have their additional costs paid for when they are a household with a decent income is beyond me.
What some people claim to be a need is also beyond me.

The reality is that people are more and more entitled, more than ever expecting others to support them and will come up with the most creative reasons to justify it.

Just as this thread is showing, the majority of people are now getting fed up with it.

I did know them well. How do you think i have seen all the paperwork?

Oh come on having allergies that only need a dehumidifier is nothing. I too struggle with dust and pollen, it’s nothing compared to the life my autistic daughter leads which qualifies her for PIP.

All of this.

I’ve got a bad back. My son eats his own shit.

Perspective, people.

I really wish my only cost for my disability was a dehumidifier

Ditto!

What I do know is that you shouldn’t have, seeing as how you’re using your access to that paperwork to discuss your belief that they’re a benefit cheat, after their actual death.

Anyone that disrespectful toward someone should probably not be digging into their personal affairs.

Oh come on having allergies that only need a dehumidifier is nothing
My allergies don't JUST need a dehumidifier. As a matter of fact, I don't think it will do much good. I'm under the care of a specialist NHS clinic. My symptoms are extreme and all year long. I'm already recieving all the treatments that are available.

I'm not any way comparing my life with that of your daughter though. It's not about who has it worse, it's about genuine additional costs and people would genuinely not incur if they were not disabled.

I don't believe that everyone with a motability car would only use public transport if they were not disabled. They too would buy a car like most people because most people need a car.

Same.

Though my son rather than myself.

Not to mention the fact that DLA doesn't even make a dent in his disability costs so I still have to find money from somewhere else. Even a child getting DLA or an adult getting PIP doesn't always mean that everything is covered financially.

I agree with this, there’s something very unpleasant about these posts about a couple who have died.

What additional costs have you got? There is a threshold, if you don’t meet it that’s just tough luck. One of my children doesn’t, however I’m also glad he’s not as ill as his sibling who does qualify even though his expenses are high.

My partner and I both earn, and claim DLA for my son.

You won’t be getting an apology from me.

I totted it up one month, the additional cost of his disability was £1.2k. On top of our normal, every day costs that everyone else has.

I can’t earn an extra 1.2k a month. It is an actual impossibility. I’m fairly limited to where I can work, because I need the flexibility required to meet the needs of said very disabled child.

So faced between the choice of taking “tax payers money” or not meeting his needs, it’s a very easy decision to make.

yes,

have you not met the mass army of PIP claimants telling all and sundry on their street and joe random on the bus, about the various elements they got, what the award was far and how much, along with the fact they lied and don't need it?

but somehow these same loose-lipped, undeserving, scheming, fraudulent, boundary-less chatterboxes also keep their award scores secret from their "friend of a friend" - many of whom coincidentally happen to be on this thread?

me neither 😆

The tribunal members get over £600 a day, so £1,800+. They might hear 4 appeals in a day, often only 3 are listed. God knows how much the cost of preparing all the paperwork for the appeal costs, but I've had an appeal where the DWP's "bundle" was over 1,000 pages.

I've had quite a few appeals where we've been called in and the tribunal chair has announced that they're minded to make an award of X level of PIP, and send us out so I can discuss it with the client. Every time, it's been what I think is right, we go back in and accept, then we all go home. What a waste of frigging time for everyone, and a huge amount of stress for the client.

In 25 years, I've only ever had a DWP bod turn up to defend their decision once. That was for an appeal against an overpayment decision, where the DWP had got their sums wrong. The DWP person asked for an adjournment, got their calculator out, checked the figures and agreed it was wrong, so we went back in and he formally conceded. An even bigger waste of time, including the 140 mile round trip for me!

I’m your classic case. I work full time high earner yet I get high rate mobility pip. I suffered a life changing disability last year and needed a blue badge and reasonable adjustments at work to be able to stay working. I pay 2k a month in tax and NI, I receive £320 PIP a month, I don’t need to be an accountant to see it makes sense for me to be in work and paying in

I really wish my only cost for my disability was a dehumidifier
Because that's my only cost! I too could say that I spend more on heating because I need to make sure the house is always warm to reduce humidity. That I can't walk around because I have to be indoors as much as possible, that I need to wash my clothes every day to reduce allergens etc...

I understand that some posters feel defensive. I too find it post about people on PIP spending money on hairdressers etc outrageous, but don't do to others what you accuse people of doing to you. You might only have mild allergy symptoms. Lucky you, sadly, mine are severe.

what's tomorrow's thread, OP?

climate change is a scam?

NHS is paying its staff to sit around and do nothing all day?