Autistic child moving from DLA to PIP

MyOnlyPost

rockingbilly wrote: »

Yes I can walk over 100 metres, but in doing so I am very slow and in pain almost from the start but I push myself through it as I will not give in.

I almost used this as an example of how unfair some questions can be. I personally have never claimed PIP but I suffer from early onset arthirits in both hips (diagnosed at 30). I can walk up to a mile, but every single step hurts and after 500-600m it can be agony. I also then have extremely limited movement for 24 hours afterwards. An elederly person may be able to walk 200m aided with no added pain and another person 800m unaided but with pain, which is worse?

Better_Days

The Benefits and Work Guides are very detailed and give a lot of advice for filling in the forms. http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip

You do have to pay, but I think they are worth every penny. Keeping a diary is a good idea, and I'd allow plenty of time to fill in the form - it really is hard work.

FBaby

We have discussed with him claiming PIP and at first he was very reluctant as he doesn't want to see himself as disabled, which I can fully empathise with. Most importantly we have discussed that it gives him some financial independence and we have told him to think of it as a safety net,

Have you considered that seeing himself as non disabled could mean more to him than what extra little cash he might get? That a sense of 'normality' is a real achievement for him in light of his diagnosis and that it is boosting his self-esteem? Money is not everything and frankly, I think it is very admirable that he would want to see if he can indeed start adult life thinking he can achieve what he has set himself to do. After all, nothing is stopping him applying for PIP at any stage if indeed, he realises that his diagnosis holds him back and he could do with some additional financial support to help him.

grace68

your first step, if you haven't done so already, is to be made his appointee. my son is ASD 19, he definitely cannot handle the DWP and their questioning phone calls and complex forms.

after this, request a home visit if possible, for any assessment. i know if i put pressure on my son to get to an appointment, then he digs his heels in more and is unable to comply.

the only other thing i would add to other replies, is evidence, not just from professionals, but from anyone who knows him, teachers/family/friends/neighbours. giving example of his behaviour and coping/inability to cope with various situations.

good luck

gracex

Bogalot

grace68 wrote: »

your first step, if you haven't done so already, is to be made his appointee. my son is ASD 19, he definitely cannot handle the DWP and their questioning phone calls and complex forms.

after this, request a home visit if possible, for any assessment. i know if i put pressure on my son to get to an appointment, then he digs his heels in more and is unable to comply.

the only other thing i would add to other replies, is evidence, not just from professionals, but from anyone who knows him, teachers/family/friends/neighbours. giving example of his behaviour and coping/inability to cope with various situations.

good luck

gracex

OP talks about PIP giving their son financial independence. There is no suggestion that he lacks capacity or the ability to handle his finances.

If he is able to get to school, college etc, he should not require a home assessment.

It sounds like the OP's son is thriving, and his progress is only going to be hindered by your suggestions that make him sound quite incapable.

teddysmum

Bogalot wrote: »

OP talks about PIP giving their son financial independence. There is no suggestion that he lacks capacity or the ability to handle his finances.

If he is able to get to school, college etc, he should not require a home assessment.

It sounds like the OP's son is thriving, and his progress is only going to be hindered by your suggestions that make him sound quite incapable.

I once had a basic skills student who had Aspergers. He was very clever and capable of more than the course he was put onto. His problem was his lack of understanding that some people couldn't cope with his energetic approach to relationships. (especially shy girls of his age)

NeilCr

Better_Days wrote: »

The Benefits and Work Guides are very detailed and give a lot of advice for filling in the forms. http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip

You do have to pay, but I think they are worth every penny. Keeping a diary is a good idea, and I'd allow plenty of time to fill in the form - it really is hard work.

Or go to CAB or an advice centre and get help completing the form free

I think it's good to have a discussion with someone experienced with these forms while they are being filled in. A lot of information, that you may not think to put on the forms, can come to light in a face to face

Jack'sMum

I would be inclined to ask for an 'appointee assessment' so that a professional assessor can decide whether or not he needs an appointee. Thie DWP can organise this, they did for me as I was unsure whether my son's Asperger's Syndrome (fairly high functioning) meant he was capable or not of dealing with his own claim/financial affairs. I believed that because my son is academically bright he could probably manage with just a little more advise than a young adult of the same age without Asperger's but the assessor disagreed and said he didn't feel he was capable of dealing with these things himself for the most part and appointed me as my son's appointee.

My son is now 21 and I have just applied for PIP for him (transferring from DLA). With support he he is doing really well at college. I sent copies of all his learning support plans etc with the PIP form as they outline all his needs. I would definitely suggest asking his teachers/senco to support you with the claim by means of reports & naming them as professionals on the PIP form as, outside of the home, they know his capabilities and limitations and so are best placed to explain his day to day needs.

MyOnlyPost

FBaby wrote: »

Have you considered that seeing himself as non disabled could mean more to him than what extra little cash he might get? That a sense of 'normality' is a real achievement for him in light of his diagnosis and that it is boosting his self-esteem? Money is not everything and frankly, I think it is very admirable that he would want to see if he can indeed start adult life thinking he can achieve what he has set himself to do. After all, nothing is stopping him applying for PIP at any stage if indeed, he realises that his diagnosis holds him back and he could do with some additional financial support to help him.

Thank you for your reply. Yes I have given this great consideration and I know that if he doesn't want to make a claim I can't and won't make him.

However as a parent we often make decisions we feel to be in our childs best interests even when the child may not agree. I cannot speak for all children with ASD but my son whilst bright and hard working at school is developmentally challenged and has the emotional capacity of a toddler so he is unable to be objective about his own abilities and his own requirements. He has very little understanding how his behaviour impacts others and sometimes no recollection of his outbursts, so whilst he may not want to be seen as disabled, this is how the world will view him. He certainly wouldn't be able to apply for a job without disclosing his disability.

Bogalot wrote: »

OP talks about PIP giving their son financial independence. There is no suggestion that he lacks capacity or the ability to handle his finances.

If he is able to get to school, college etc, he should not require a home assessment.

It sounds like the OP's son is thriving, and his progress is only going to be hindered by your suggestions that make him sound quite incapable.

This one I had to give a lot of thought to. From age 11 we have been teaching him to budget, setting up a tuck shop at home for him to spend his pocket money, encouraging him to save so he can buy his siblings birthday and Christmas presents etc.We have just opened his first current account and his pocket money is now paid into that directly so we can teach him how debit cards and online banking work. So far he has coped well with money management.

However I don't honestly know how he will cope with the interview situation, whilst he may be able to cope with budgeting, there's a good chance he won't be able to articulate that in an interview. There's an equally good chance he will hang his head, pull his hair and refuse to speak to the interviewer. You are right that applying for advocacy may hinder his progress so I don't want to jeaopardise that.

Thank you for your kind words regarding my son, I am glad I have been able to convey how much progress he has made since diagnosis. I would just add the caveat that thriving is relative, whilst he is unrecognisable from when he was 10 he is still a long way behind his peers in every sense other than academically. I think he is very bright, much brighter than I was at that age, but when his gran died he was unable to process why his mum was crying. Those with experience of ASD will be familiar with those kind of juxtopositions.