Trigger Warning To actually feel suicidal PIP bashing

[Orcadolp]

Yet another message about PIP and how easy it is to claim and how they know loads of people who claim and don’t need it.

I claim due to epilepsy, narcolepsy and fibromyalgia. I have up to 20 seizures a week on top of the effects from the narcolepsy and fibro. I worked as long as I could until I was let go on medically grounds and I fought and fought for that job. I also claim ESA.

my husband who was a teacher was diagnosed with MS 3 years ago and had to give up work so now also claims PIP and ESA. He managed to work full time in the first year then part time and now he can’t. He was also let go on heath grounds

Sometimes to look at us both, the few times my husband manages to walk without an aid we look fine.

Yep remembering the fight we both had to claim pip and ESA and the loss of income of the face we can’t live as we used to and we don’t know what the future can hold- I can live with that

what I can’t deal with is the media, politicians, posters on sites such as this slagging off PIP and the people who claim it.

And before these posters start saying “oh I didn’t mean you” - yes you do. You are talking about people who look ‘fine’ or ‘have enough money they don’t need it’ or ‘omg someone on pip that I know has gone on holiday, how dare they”.

I look fine, we went on holiday to Spain last year that we saved up for for 3 years but don’t let that ruin a good story. We struggle month to month and have to sacrifice a lot. But again I can cope with that.

every time I see one of these story’s I just feel like a drain on society and think people who just be happier if we were not here (disabled people). It is pulling me further and further down and this morning I actually thought about how to end my life. I just feel useless and a total drain.

I'm totally with you on this. The PIP process is inhuman and horrendous to get. Seeing all the media articles about how easy it is, about all the thousands of pounds people get weekly as well as a free car with a snap of the fingers make me feel sick each time. I try not to read them. The prospect of them 'improving' the system causes huge anxiety as they always make it worse not better.

Why do they never mention the millions lost of tax evasion and fraud, the millions wasted on PPE during COVID never to be seen again? They always punch down.

I'm an ambulatory wheelchair user and the amount of abuse I've faced is ridiculous.

I’ve helped somebody with the PIP form and it isn’t a nightmare. What about it is a ‘nightmare’? It asks the sort of questions you’d expect it to ask. And it’s way more easily fulfilled with MH examples rather than physical health.

Because those are one off spends whereas PIP is a continuing and ever expanding problem?

How is it ‘inhuman’?

Ok I am stepping away.

thanks to those who were sympathetic

obviously trying to tell people on here how I and lots of other people on pip feel was wrong and I am just emotionally blackmailing and probably actually making the whole think up.

I don't understand why it makes you feel suicidal, unless you suffer from severe and enduring mental health problems and are prone to suicide ideation, so I have voted YABU.

I get PIP. But, unlike you, I don't care what people who matter not a jot to me think about this. I don't have to justify myself to anybody apart from, I guess, PIP decision makers.

I have to disagree that the benefits bill is spiralling out of control. This is political rhetoric .The Office for Budget Responsibility figures that showed social security spending for this year, 2026-27, is forecast to be 11.2 per cent of GDP, the same level it is predicted to be in 2030-31. About 44% or benefits spending is on the state pension. PIP can be claimed by people who work and I have met people who have used PIP to supplement their income when they have had to reduce their working hours as they are very unwell. In one case it meant that someone could meet thier mortgage payments and keep their house.

Hello OP, we are really sorry to hear you are feeling this way.

We hope you don't mind, but when these threads are flagged up to us we usually add a link to our Mental Health resources. You can also go to the /Samaritans website or call them on 116 123. As other MNers will tell you, it's really a good idea to seek RL help and support.

We are going to move this thread to the Mental Health section shortly.

The OP hasn't tried to shut down any discussion. She hasn't gone onto one of the scores of threads about cutting welfare and said this. She's started her own thread about her own feelings about the tone and content of the discussions. She has as much right to give her perspective as anyone else.
It's not her fault that any thread with the word PIP in the title acts as catnip to the benefit bashers, who've now rushed over, thrilled at the chance to repeat themselves, despite the other threads going strong, and maybe read something they don't care for.

I didn’t find the process of claiming PIP difficult either and I was awarded it without having to appeal. I told the truth about my illnesses and their impact on my life but I really think that anyone with some intelligence or access to help in filling it in could easily work out what to say.
My PIP has been extended until 2032 now so I am grateful for that. It does cover some of my extra expenses such as therapy and ready made meals.
I dont rely on it financially as I have lots of assets but why should the only people to get it be those who need it financially?

Is it honestly making you suicidal or is it just upsetting?

The DWP actually had to change the envelopes for claimants. Many people who I've spoken to who have developed a genuine fear of the brown envelope hitting the mat.

I think the process needs to be rigorous but fair. Usually the person completing the assessment has no knowledge or experience of your disability which I think is a mistake. I've experienced both an excellent assessor who listened and recorded things correctly as well as someone who didn't listen and who lied about what I could do. Luckily I was able to prove that they were lying. I wish they would just take the medical evidence into account.

I don't think people realise how much mobility equipment costs. My wheelchair cost £12,000. I need a set of new wheels every year which costs £700. Bits go wrong frequently as it has heavy use all costing hundreds of pounds and that's just one piece of equipment. To make my little bungalow adapted and livable has cost thousands.

I became ill as a teenager. It wasn't my fault or anything I had done. It was just bad luck and I wouldn't wish it on anyone and I hope that no one else goes through what I've experienced.

It honestly has people planning an early exit. It’s absolutely terrifying.
I never ever knew what it was to feel so vulnerable when I was well, happily living, great career, own home, holidays, friends and loved ones. My job had a great pension attached so I thought I was sorted.
Then one day it all changed - through no fault of my own - and it wasn’t just what it did to me physically it’s how I started to be treated in general in society.
It can happen to anyone. A drunk driver hits you. An illness you never recover from. An accident. It happened to me and it’s a very different life.
And on the days when I feel cornered then it feels that if any more is taken I don’t want to be here, and I’m a pretty strong person.
Also, despite life changing effects to my health and mobility I have worked for many years literally from bed, paying taxes.
Edited to add: AI has not taken over the one skill I did have so I can no longer work and that’s no good either.

Thank you for explaining so clearly as I didn’t realise the impact it could have. I’m so sorry you are in that situation. 💐

Thank you for this post. It is incredible that this still needs to be spelled out to people, and that it usually falls to those most affected to explain their predicament. It’s genuinely frightening how little imagination so many people seem to have.

My medical team has said I should be able to get PIP, the money would be helpful but we manage without it. The application process is the thing that puts me off the most especially as some of the reasons for qualifying for PIP are also the same things that make applying harder and a bigger barrier. I have recently applied for ESA and that form was draining enough of physical, emotional and mental energy

I have a friend in a similar position except that for her financial situation means that she does really need that extra money to manage the extra costs of her disability.

Don’t be put off by the horror stories about the application process especially if you have plenty of medical evidence to include. My phone assessment was less than 15 minutes and I was awarded PIP without any problem

I'm in a moderate-severe depressive episode (bipolar) with extreme fatigue, I don't have the mental and physical energy for the application. If I did, I probably wouldn't qualify or would have to sacrifice something else in my life for the application. Life at the moment is a very fine balance and it doesn't take much to send to my bed due to physical fatigue or worsening depression. I've got a 6 year old and a 13month old who I've just had to put into nursery as he's now napping less than I am which is tricky.

I found the ESA form destabilising too, it didn't help my depression and self worth having it all laid out in black and white how much I can't do and how much my partner and children are missing out on me as I'm depleted of all resources. So yes, even without the horror stories it's a something that at the moment the benefit Vs effort is in the not going to apply right now. Especially when you have to add in the drain on my resources to fight to get the medical support I need for the fatigue and working on treatment plans with my mental health team

‘Why shouldn’t I be entitled to others people’s money when I don’t need it?’

I have extra expenses because of the impact of my illnesses on my life which is what PIP is for. It isn’t means tested for a reason

But you don’t need the money and the country is skint. And skint people are paying your benefit. It’s not right

I’ve worked hard all my life despite my illnesses so I’ve paid (and pay) a lot of tax. I’ve been awarded PIP based on the medical evidence from my consultants so really it’s irrelevant whether you think it is right or not.

You asked I answered. Doesn’t matter how much tax you’ve paid you don’t need it.

I use it to pay the extra costs of living with my illnesses 😀 Them’s the rules

But you wouldn’t get PIP without the evidence. I claim for MH. But every renewal time I send details of hospital admissions, my psychs details, appointments, evidence my driving licence was taken away etc etc. if I just filled in the form without that, I wouldn’t get it. You can’t really “self certify” with Pip.