PIP for depression

newbs68

My husband has been under GP care for viruses over ten years now for depression after a suicide attempt. We've just had to go onto Universal Credit due to his seasonal job finishing. The depression affects what jobs he can do or apply for.
A very helpful lady in the job centre suggested he'd apply for PIP. Does anyone have experience of this? We have never claimed before and are rather inexperienced in the benefits system.
Btw, he is classed as a job seeker, I already work part time employed and self employed for a total of 23 hours a week and feel I can't do more add I need to support him and also have to take on everything at home.

Mr_Majeika

I don't see any reason why your husband should not apply for PIP.
As he has had depression for 10 years, he could qualify for PIP either at standard or enhanced rate for either Care/Daily Living or Mobility or even both.

He or you can ring up the PIP helpline and make a new claim.

When receiving the claim form just make sure that his depression and mental health fit in with the claim questionnaire ie how his disability affects him and explain in detail on the questionnaire.

Be sure to add any supporting medical evidence if you have it as it will strengthen your claim.

poppy12345

newbs68 wrote: »

My husband has been under GP care for viruses over ten years now for depression after a suicide attempt. We've just had to go onto Universal Credit due to his seasonal job finishing. The depression affects what jobs he can do or apply for.
A very helpful lady in the job centre suggested he'd apply for PIP. Does anyone have experience of this? We have never claimed before and are rather inexperienced in the benefits system.
Btw, he is classed as a job seeker, I already work part time employed and self employed for a total of 23 hours a week and feel I can't do more add I need to support him and also have to take on everything at home.

PIP isn't awarded based on a diagnosis, it's how those conditions affect your ability to carry out daily activity based on the PIP descriptors.


Evidence will be needed to support a claim and expect him to have a face to face assessment as most people have them.


If he does decide to apply then he will need to ring to start the claim. not you.


They will send him forms to fill in about how his conditions affect him. He should answer those questions with as much detail as possible.



Some links to help you decide if he fits the descriptors or not, not everyone does.

http://www.mybenefitsandwork.co.uk/pip/indexxx.php


https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/help-with-your-claim/fill-in-form/


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-2-the-assessment-criteria

newbs68

Thank you both. One of the symptoms of his illness is the unwillingness to deal with red tape, do this won't be a lot of fun, but I knew that already.

System

You can still get PIP and be working so don't let the fact he works be a reason you don't. To successfully get a claim you have to be brutally honest usually far more than a claimant is willing to admit to themselves. It is often better if the spouse completes it as they're far more likely to write down stuff they know the claimant struggles with than the claimant is willing to tell other people especially when it comes down to things like personal hygiene, toileting and needing help to do basic daily things. The spouse completing it will not count against the claimant and in fact may go towards helping get an award especially if you mention their inability to cope with the stress of dealing with official forms etc.

When a doctor came out to assess me, a retired ex-GP doing assessments for the DWP, he asked my wife questions because he said most blokes are too proud to admit how much help they need so do themselves no favours.

poppy10_2

newbs68 wrote: »

. One of the symptoms of his illness is the unwillingness to deal with red tape

That's not a symptom of any medical condition

System

poppy10 wrote: »

That's not a symptom of any medical condition

Oh i don't know about that, in the past its caused me extreme paranoia and anxiety, just getting a brown envelope now can trigger a panic attack

Granted you wont find "fear of red tape" under any diagnostic guidelines but the anxiety it can induce can be very real.

poppy10_2

Getting anxiety in response to a stressful situation is not a medical condition. It's normal.

elsien

That does rather depend on the level of the anxiety and the impact that it has.
And PIP is not about what name you stick on something, it's about how the symptoms affect on a daily basis.