Would I have any chance of getting PIP while pregnant?

[99Samblaze]

Hi everyone, I’m just wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation or has any advice. I’ve heard that it can be difficult to be awarded PIP while pregnant because some people see pregnancy related difficulties as temporary, but I’m struggling quite badly with anxiety and depression and have been referred to the prenatal mental health team.
On top of that, I’m suffering from severe pelvic pain, to the point where I have to lie down after sitting for around 10 minutes.

Mentally, I feel completely exhausted and overwhelmed, and even the simplest everyday tasks take me forever to get done. My husband does most of the cooking before he goes to work because I struggle to manage everything myself. I’m also worried about how PIP would view my situation, as I’ll soon have a newborn as well as a toddler to look after. Would they hold that against me and assume I’m coping because I have children to care for, even though I’m genuinely struggling both physically and mentally? I’m not expecting anything I’m not entitled to, but I was wondering whether I might have a chance of being awarded the standard rate of PIP?

I heard also on FB forums that it’s extremely difficult to get PIP, has anyone got it after going birth?

Thanks

Agree. I was a disability outreach worker and to be honest l wouldn’t advise anyone to fill out the form without researching online, and preferably with professional support from CAB or similar support agencies. If there are waiting times to access this help the claimant can ask DWP for an extension on the time limit for returning the form. It’s only on MN that l’ve ever come across the opinion that PIP is easy to get. In my experience it’s the polar opposite - even with severe disability.

Tbh having done a PIP form recently I suspect you would give up filling it in.

Are you baiting us OP?

So what are you doing financially now? And if you’re too anxious to work, how are you not too anxious to have a baby (your 2nd in 2 years) which is incredibly mentally and physically taxing? Is there a dad in the picture? Sorry to be harsh but one’s empathy runs thin

I fear that may be the case...

This country no longer cares for its vulnerable. They are punishing the genuine because they think that everyone is ripping them off so no, you would not get it, along with all the genuine people who need the help. You only have to look at the Blue Badge fiasco to realise that the UK doesn't give a damn about it's own vulnerable people. Too busy looking after people who do not belong here. (Waiting for the post to be taken down by people who don't like to hear how it really is).

CA told me recently they aren't allowed to help with PIP forms unless in extreme circumstances, only appeals now. I've never been told that before, they've always helped.

@99Samblazego on the AMA section. There was an AMA by a PIP assessor on there the last few days. But doubt you need to check based on the replies here. Doubt you’d get it and tbh it would be wrong in my opinion.

I agree that all benefit forms and procedures are deliberately designed to make it incredibly difficult to apply for any assistance.

I wonder whether this is to manage the workload of their branch rather than an over riding rule. I imagine it generates a lot of work for them.

PIP doesn’t directly assess the actual extra cost of disability, and nor does it cover the whole cost. It’s meant as a contribution to the extra cost barriers that put disabled people at a disadvantage in work and society in general, when compared to those without disability. The extra costs are estimated through an assessment of how well or otherwise you can carry out a range of daily living activities and how significantly your mobility is impacted. The more difficulty you demonstrate, the more likely it is that you will have significant extra costs.

This is not quite correct. You do not need to be unable to work for PIP. It is not an out of work benefit. It is not related to income in any way .

Agree with the rest of the post though.

I hope you're right. It was a strange guarded conversation. They wouldn't even signpost to somewhere that could help. It's not my first beast of a form so I had copies of last forms and I managed but there will be people who simply won't be able to navigate it at all without help.

That could be a problem specific to area or branch. Many of the support agencies are overwhelmed with appeals. That’s why a lot of sources of help have sprung up on FB and YouTube. They’ve been criticised by many as ‘coaching’ claimants but there are some who use information supplied directly by DWP on how to make the best application you can. There’s also an excellent website called Benefits and Work, who supply a certain amount of freely accessible advice and the subscription for full access is quite reasonable at around £20 a year.

I agree. The form is awful and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of those who would easily qualify for PIP do not even apply because they don’t have the bandwidth to tackle the form and the in person assessment.

Hope you get what you need from your application.

PIP money is designed to offset the cost of disability. If your difficulties with executive functioning were such that you needed hands-on support with daily tasks and you, say, had to hire a PA or pay for specialist software, then PIP would help to offset some of these costs.

If only my progressive Multiple Sclerosis would disappear in 9 months and I only got the lowest level PIP after a fight, should have claimed anxiety I guess.

PIP is not an out-of-work benefit. Whether or not you can work is irrelevant. People can and do get PIP whilst having a job.

PIP is about how much extra support do you need to do the basics of dressing and undressing, feeding and toiletting, and moving about.

If your anxiety and depression leave you so lethargic that DH has to dress and undress you like a doll, clean your teeth for you, and put spoonfuls of soup into your mouth then they'd get a lot of points. You have to show that your condition permanently - or at least with no prospect of improvement any time soon - prevents you from these kinds of basic functionality without additional support.

The separate benefits that are about whether or not you can work are means-tested, which PIP is not, so if your DH is earning a decent salary you wouldn't qualify.

Pip can be awarded for anxiety but normally it’s for anxiety conditions like PTSD with anxiety or OCD with anxiety and you would have to show that you are unable to do things due to your anxiety the threshold is really high for mental health it would need like years of evidence to prove it was long lasting rather then two back to back pregnancies. The waiting time is so long I applied for my CPTSD and bipolar in June and I haven’t had an assessment yet.

I haven't read anywhere in this thread that daisypond has actually made a claim.

It reads very much like they have taken the advice of others and decided not to start the process. Which isn't really a great course of action.

As long as you don't lie on the application, the worst that can happen is they say no and it's upheld on appeal.

Sorry you had DC 1 last year and DC 2 in two weeks time and did supply teaching between these? But you are so ill and anxious you need benefits? Unbelievable. And no you won’t get it.

This. Child DLA is paid for children - care component from birth if certain eligibility is satisfied, otherwise from three months, through to age 16. Mobility component standard rate can’t be paid until age 5 and higher rate from age 3. It’s one of the hardest benefits to claim because all children need care. Parents have to clearly demonstrate that the needs of their disabled child are disability related and not the same as the needs of a child of similar age without the disability.

I don’t understand the mindset of ‘if l don’t claim it there will be more for those who really need it’. The benefits system simply doesn’t work like that. Benefits are funded by projected spending and if that spending comes in under budget at the end of the period then the result in some circumstances can be a cut in allocated funds.

And the posters claims in respect of anxiety and depression is yet another example of the myth perpetrated on MN. In over twenty years as an outreach/support worker l never saw one single successful claim for PIP for simple anxiety and depression treated by primary care (GP) as a stand alone condition. Where there were points awarded for the condition it was always as a contributing factor for claims involving other disabilities or conditions - often physical.

The bar for successful stand alone mental health claims is set very high and covered by specific descriptors. Generally these claims are made up of severe and enduring mental health conditions, severe spectrum and learning disabilities involving treatment from secondary care, consultant led mental health teams.

Am so sorry for this and astonished they can justify not awarding you PIP.

It's madness. x

I have lupus and get standard rate for living element only. Currently under review and been granted an extension until next year until they complete it. This year I’ve broken my foot and had shingles.
Yes @daisypond please ask for a mandatory reconsideration. I think citizens advice also assist filling in the forms? Sending you strength 💐

Yes, if you have a look at my subsequent posts, l did cover this with advice on applying despite the advice of the charities. In my experience the information on PIP from cancer charities tends to be off the mark somewhat. I’ve actually counselled clients who have been similarly advised to apply, and they’ve been successful.

Rage bait.