PIP when working and looking after small child

[Lakes24]

Hi

so I know loads of people who get pip for mental health who have children but I applied as I have wrist weakness, underactive thyroid, b12 deficiency, reflux & ADHD

so I have to have medication every day and am exhausted I still look after my child but it is a struggle I. Explained that I’m anxious but still to work as I think staying in would make me worse don’t cook big meals as my partner does as my wrist gets worse and I’m easily distracted. My partner manages budget. I only drove to shopping with my partner and only place I go on my own is park as it’s local and once every few months I’ll go my friends house on my own. I said I can wash and wash my son but my partner runs bath for us as I’m just so tired by evening and my partner reminds me to take medication as if not I’m sick I’ll forget

I wasn’t awarded it so how do people get it, they was obsessing on me working and driving

I’d work full time but I can’t as by the 3rd day im
making lots of mistakes and exhausted

What adjustments do you have at work?

It sounds like your condition doesn’t affect you badly enough. I have stage 4 cancer and I’m not entitled to PIP either.

They were probably focused on the driving because you say you can't cook a meal due to your wrist and concentration, but you can drive despite those things.

What evidence did you supply? What adjustments do you get at work? You can get work to write something conforming any adjustments you have.

You can get a reconsideration, and then it would go to a tribunal, but it does take quite some time. I was almost 2 years for mine.

If you phone your local council they often have a department for help with the forms and reconsiderations.

It’s not just a case of having x or y diagnosed, it’s about how having those things actually impacts your daily life which is different for everyone, even those with the same diagnosis.

You say you can’t cook a meal due to being easily distracted, but then say you drive, so it’s inconsistencies like that.

Also worth noting that the fact you can bathe & bathe your son, it doesn’t particularly matter that your partner runs the bath as you are tired. That is not enough for PIP. My husband runs the bath tor me as I’m tired after a long day, that doesn’t make me entitled to PIP because actually I can put the plug in and turn the tap on (and you can’t really say you’re not able to do those things while saying you can bathe a child, yourself, drive etc). It’s not about your partner doing things to help you out because you’re tired, it’s about your partner doing things because otherwise you physically could not do that task without their help.

You have medication that helps your condition.
It's not what you have.. but how your condition effects you.
What aids do you have?
Not many people who work now get PIP.
It used to be DlA and DWA.
Disability living allowance and disability working allowance... but it all changed when moved to PIP.
From what you have put here and nothing else I'm 100% sure you don't qualify.
I used to volunteer for SCOPE and help people claim.

Can reflux thyroid and b12 be included? Surely they can be resolved with medication?

PIP is for additional support needed because of our condition. So if you drive you do not need money for taxis etc. I am not sure what financial adjustments your condition needs?

I know a few people who get PIP. From what I understand you have to be totally prevented from doing something. So if you can’t cook big meals - they don’t care because you can cook. You don’t drive far, they don’t care because you can drive. You have to be unable to perform certain everyday tasks.

From what you’ve described I’m afraid I wouldn’t have expected you to get it.

Yeah this is correct.

It’s the basics really. So as long as you can make a basic meal, even beans on toast, then you CAN cook, you don’t need to be able to cook a full roast dinner.

If you can drive, then you can drive, you don’t need to be able to drive 100 miles.

And you have to need help to be able to actually do the task, someone filling the bath for you because you’re tired at the end of the day is very different to you physically being unable to do that.

I can’t comment on your eligibility for PIP, but it’s concerning that you’re so tired. It sounds as if your thyroid medication isn’t at the correct dosage. I’d advise you to tell your doctor about your tiredness and ask for a blood test to check your levels.

I’ve been on thyroid medication for about 12 years and my dosage has almost doubled. Your levels can change considerably over time.

It sounds like you are trying to claim
more on the mental health side, and that is harder. Is that right? If it’s B12, reflux and thyroid, they are treatable. Are you taking medication? Do you have a psychologist or are you under the care of a mental health team for ADHD? Do you have an official diagnosis? Are you taking medication for that? Whatever it is, you need evidence. What evidence did you provide?

Nothing you are describing would entitle you to PIP and I'm a bit shocked that you think it would. What exactly do people think PIP is for? It's not just free money.

Those 'loads of people' you know getting it will either have a condition OR have lied their ass off.

What do you actually need PIP for? Some disable people are incontinent, they have to continually run the washer and dryer, require help actually washing and dressing. Need the heat on all day, have to pay others to cook and clean for them gardening and driving, taking to health care appointments. Can you walk the length of a double decker bus with or without aids, can you manage your own finances and plan a journey? Its evidence you need for all stuff like that that you cannot do.

So sorry you are not well. Sending love to you

But please excuse my language but WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK! How the hell are you not entitled to PIP. My friends gets it because she has long Covid which make of that what you will !

The system is a joke ! I'm disgusted on your behalf! X

Nothing you're describing makes it sound like you're eligible for PIP, the conditions you mention are entirely treatable and manageable to the degree they won't impact your daily functioning.

I mean your partner running a bath when you are tired, well that's just what's people do for each other. If you are able to actually wash yourself, then you should not expect any points for that criteria. I think you need to look a bit more deeply at the actual criteria and think about whether you fit that, and can evidence it

I think there are some misunderstandings being stated on this thread.
It's not a case that PIP is only awarded if you physically can not do something yourself.

The PIP handbook describes how a person with a severe depressive disorder may be physically capable of eating but their mental illness means they need prompting by another person.

And the assessment is done taking reliability into account:

Reliability
For a descriptor to apply to a claimant they must be able to reliably complete the activity as described in the descriptor. Reliably means whether they can do so:

• safely – in a manner unlikely to cause harm to themselves or to another person, either during or after completion of the activity
• to an acceptable standard
• repeatedly – as often as is reasonably required, and
• in a reasonable time period – no more than twice as long as the maximum period that a non-disabled person would normally take to complete that activity

So it is clear that if a person can, say, cook a meal but it takes more than twice as long as a non disabled person, or can not do this routinely, daily etc. Then they may be eligible.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-fact-sheets/pip-handbook#assessment-criteria

PIP isnnot a reward for being diagnosed with having a condition, we all end up having something as we go through life, its whether you can funtion properly and need help with that, most definatly not running a bath! What exactly were you going to be spending your PIP on?

I agree - there's an awful lot of misinformation on this thread.

I'll add to your comments that the focus on driving i.e. "If you can drive, then you can drive, you don’t need to be able to drive 100 miles." and "So if you drive you do not need money for taxis etc" are also all rubbish - never heard of motability??? I cannot walk very far, but I can drive and I can drive 100 miles without needing a taxi - what makes people think that disability = being unable to drive? Motability is one of the services that enable those of us with disabilities to do things others take for granted, and for people like me driving is my lifeline to the outside world.

And @thoughtaboutitsndforgot - whilst I do understand your viewpoint, PIP is based on impacts of health conditions, not on health conditions themselves. My friend also has stage 4 cancer, and cannot get PIP - because horrible though her position is in relation to her health, the day to day impact on what she can and cannot do is minimal at this time. That may change, and there are fast track systems in PIP when such changes occur. But she would tell you herself that she does not want or need PIP right now because despite her diagnosis, very little has changed about her ability to manage day to day activities.

It’s because I don’t fit the criteria for enough points for PIP. Eventually, when I reach the terminal stage, I will.

Good grief! If everyone with ADHD got PIP the entire system would collapse overnight!

And I hope that's a very long time off. My friend has defied every timeline she's had, and long may she do so.

But based on reading many of the posts on the site, perhaps there wouldn't be quite so many threads bashing disabled people claiming PIP?

underactive thyroid- are you on meds? You should be and if so then symptoms should be very little. I take 125mcg which is a lot and I feel good.
b12 deficiency- diet/supplement meds?
reflux - meds??
ADHD- is this actually diagnosed? What adjustments do you need?