Astonished by the number of PIP claimants!

Both myself and husband are on it .
He has had it a few years now but was working up to age 60 before getting chronic back pain and became extremely tired and breathless and after further tests cardiomyopathy was diagnosed.
Myself aged 64 had a brainstorm stroke last year and have been left with balance issues and now permanent vertigo , I am unable to leave the house alone and now cannot drive , independently shower nor cook as cutting anything is impossible due to spatial awareness difficulties.

With all that , we both received basic living element and nothing for getting out and about , so together that is around £150 a week . We don't qualify for any other benefit as we have savings. .
We won't get state pension for another 3 years at age 67.

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i have never claimed pip but scotland started doing there own payments called disability scotland, i was called 2 years ago asking me if i would like to apply, i said no as i could managed okay on what i got from esa payments, they called again a month later and said it would be good for me to apply, i did and 6 months later i was awarded and backdated to the day of the phone call. i am glad of the help as i need taxis to and from hospital appointments.

sazz1

I actually know someone who has never worked and claimed DLA. Had a brand new kitchen fitted by the council with lowered counters as they said they would soon be in a wheelchair. Severe back problems and constant pain. Fast forward to a NYE party they got on the floor laughing, arched into a crab pose and 'walked' like a crab across the floor. That was 10 years ago and still running, walking, carrying shopping, driving with Blue Badge, running up stairs etc. I won't report them as it's a relative of mine. Sadly, so many like this and many real deserving cases turned down.

How do you know there are "so many like this?".

JaneJudge

Not all people stay on PIP it might be short term

Absolutely right JJ. I claimed PIP for two years.

I used the money to pay a cleaner/ ironing service, and to pay for parking 3 days a week so I could use my car to get to work rather than walk.
I was waiting for a THR and was struggling with a lot of basic tasks, as well as finding walking painful and tiring.

I ‘ring fenced’ the PIP money, and had a little left after the op which I used to pay for private physio and Pilates sessions.

I actually know someone who has never worked and claimed DLA. Had a brand new kitchen fitted by the council with lowered counters as they said they would soon be in a wheelchair. Severe back problems and constant pain. Fast forward to a NYE party they got on the floor laughing, arched into a crab pose and 'walked' like a crab across the floor. That was 10 years ago and still running, walking, carrying shopping, driving with Blue Badge, running up stairs etc. I won't report them as it's a relative of mine. Sadly, so many like this and many real deserving cases turned down.

Cossy

Not all assessments are by telephone. Mine was by video call, lasted an hour and I had to put my tablet at an angle so she could see me moving my arms and neck

I refused a video call.. asked for telephone instead...it wasn't a problem...they said most people ask for telephone instead of video now

I assume everyone in receipt of PIP was awarded it because they met the assessment criteria, if reassessments have not been done periodically by assessors trained to carry them out, I don’t see that the claimants are at fault in any way they should not be punished by removing their funding.

Here here

I had colon cancer and have to be monitored for 5 years. The knock on affect from the cancer created all sorts of health problems. I had my pip taken away in the cutbacks at the time when I needed it most. I got pip reinstated after Macmillan Cancer care stepped in. For those who genuinely need it , I think the adjudicators need to tread very very carefully. I had no access to incontinence pads and sheets. I was supposed to follow a special diet to reduce the affect of colon cancer returning. I was going to a food bank every week , as I am a Carer for my brain damaged son. It was an appalling time. They nearly destroyed me with their decision. It should be given at the point of need, as is nhs health care. I find it all despicable. X

Being close to people who have made successful or not successful Mental Health claims mean I know that it's not simple to get medical evidence for the successful Mental Health claims you allude to.

A GP letter doesn't carry the weight needed, unless the GP has on record a psychiatric history and evidence from a psychiatrist or psychologist or at least a psychiatric nurse.

It's one of the reasons why claims get turned down (GP letter only) and then on appeal Psychiatric letters provided mean awards are given.

My son has Downs Syndrome. His speech and understanding is challenging for others to communicate with him. He can't cook or cut up food, can't manage any medication, couldn't run a bath, was or iron clothes and cant manage money, read or write. He lives in an excellent care home. Despite his difficulties he loves his life, going out to cafes and the cinema, stately homes, music group etc. he has to be accompanied everywhere and couldn't go out alone. When his accommodation is paid for he is left with £30. a week.
The PIP allows him to pay for taxis, cake in a cafe, gym or swimming entrance fees, and we save a bit towards a week's holiday in a cottage each year. Without that he would have nothing. He gets the £303 mobility payment, the daily living component is not paid while he is in the care home, though we can claim daily payments while he is at home with us towards his groceries and additional heating costs for him.
With careful management he leads a full and happy life. Without the PIP £30 would just pay for clothes (which he has very usage of) and toiletries. He could never work. He is very sociable but couldn't understand work at all. The PIP is vital for him.

I couldn't agree more. PIP claims have doubled since 2021 and tripled for teenagers. It seems to me that people got used to being paid for staying at home during the pandemic, liked the new lifestyle and decided to jump on the bandwagon. PIP isn't easy to claim, however the effort involved is worth it to non genuine claimants. It's simple enough to get medical evidence, as doctors only know what a patient tells them about their symptoms.

"Mental Health" is the new "Bad Back" Some are genuine, but "Anxiety" and "Depression" can be self declared, no need for a medical referral, and enough information on the internet to know exactly what to say. Years ago, if you went to the doctor with anxiety or depression, you were told to get out in the fresh air, exercise, get a job, volunteer or get a hobby, and most times it worked. People nowadays are not encouraged to stand on their own feet. Genuinely disabled, with a proper medical diagnosis, deserve every penny, but there are too many jumping on this very lucrative band wagon, and it needs to be stopped.

mrsmeldrew

I totally support PIP for disabled people but there seems a massive uptake for PIP claims from people with MH issues. C4 had an interview with a your person who had no visible disabilities, very erudite and confident. She was complaining if they stop her PIP she won't be able to afford medications and therapy.

Well, I thought people on benefits got free prescriptions and as for paying for therapy - well there must be many working people who would like therapy but can't afford it.

PIP isn't only for people already on benefits
The amount you get is not affected by your income or savings and you can get it whether you are in work or not.
Personal Independence Payment - the clue is in the name.
Incidentally, much of the expense of disability benefits comes from the aggressively adversarial system, whereby the opinion of highly trained medical professionals is ignored in favour of various administrative companies, who routinely refuse benefits; patients then have to go through an equally adversarial appeals process, and in the case of PIP nearly 80% of those who appeal are successful. Of course, the whole process can take up to two years, and the stress and depression caused by this and by having to concentrate on everything that is no longer possible in life causes many to become more ill that they were.

Not everyone has a visible disability. I have M.E. and Fibromyalgia along with osteoarthritis & other bits that you can’t see.

Gloriana

There is already an Access to Work scheme which pays for additional needs enabling a claimant to work. This can be quite generous according to what the needs are, so I wonder what any new measures to help people to work might include. Do any Gransnetters have experience of the present scheme?

I get PIPs and Access to Work funding for taxis to and from work. The issue with Access to Work is that you have to pay and then put in a claim. I would struggle if I didn't receive PIPs. I put the claims in each week and I am currently waiting for 5 claims to be processed. You pay a small contribution yourself and the amount allowed per trip is also capped.

Citizens advice filled form out for me

whiff I’m so glad you’ve finally got some extra funds, albeit relatively small, after all these years x

Not all assessments are by telephone. Mine was by video call, lasted an hour and I had to put my tablet at an angle so she could see me moving my arms and neck

Deedaa

I would imagine that longevity is one factor. My father died within days of his 65th birthday and didn't have time to develop any disabilities. My husband lived for 9 years after he retired and was on DLA the whole time. The effects of cancer and a stem cell transplant left him unsteady on his feet, unable to drive and needing help with washing and dressing. A decade before he would have died within a year of diagnosis and not claimed for anything. Claiming was a nightmare when we first tried. The office was on the first floor, with no lift, so many people struggled to even get to their assessment. A few years before my cousin had claimed because MS had left her in a wheel chair, She was made to crawl up a flight of stairs to prove that she couldn't walk. Perhaps they don't do this today?

Its assessment via telephone call these days

Saw online they get 1000 new claims every day. 12 week waiting list

I was born disabled and when my health got worse in 1988 aged 29 with a 4 year old and 6 months old our GP told use to apply for DLA. Took me 35 years to finally get disability benefits. Even when I finally got my diagnosis of my rare hereditary neurological condition in 2022 and my daughter filled in the forms for me and a 1 hour 46 mins phone assessment they gave me zero on everything.

It's only with the help of the Brain Charity they got me a solicitor pro bono so I could go to tribunal which I did in 2023 and won . The judge apologised to me for the way I had been treated . I was awarded enhanced PIP for living and enhanced PIP for mobility indefinitely. The solicitor told me before I got to tribunal as it took 14 months to get there after she put the paperwork in that I was entitled to UC and my caseworker at the job centre was lovely and sent for the health forms for me . Had face to face assessment and the lady couldn't have been kinder.

By the time I got UC ,health UC and PIP I had very little in savings . People ask what PIP is spent for me it's paying my bills and having taxis when my mobility is to bad for the bus . I paid out of my savings all the adaptions I needed on my bungalow to make it safe for me .

When the energy costs rose I could only have the heating on 3 hours a day . Which made my mobility worse and my heart condition. I had my first holiday in 19 years last May and no it wasn't abroad as my mobility is such I can't go abroad and I only went Monday to Friday in a premier Inn because they have brilliant accessible rooms for walking and wheelchair disabled. I went away in September as well. I wasn't brought up with money so always been careful with it . I can no longer weed my small garden so last year had a gardener who comes every 2 weeks spring until autumn. Also have a window cleaner who also painted my garden fences for me as I can't do them myself anymore.

I don't smoke or drink or go out for meals every week . My luxury is buying a book or some things for my cross stitch. I got my state pension last year and get small amount of pension credit. Which meant I got winter fuel allowance and warm home discount from my energy company. First winter for decades I could have the heating on as long as I wanted and not worry about the bill. Plus I get money off my glasses.

Cabbie was brilliant giving me advice and helped in just being there .. Plus other who had been fighting to get disability benefits for years.