Questions around PIP

MediaGuy

Hi,


I have some questions and I am sure all you knowledgeable people will be able to help.


Background: I have never claimed anything, at all, ever, in 30+ years.


Current situation: I have a lot of problems and I would like some help to address some of them:

• I have been diagnoses as Autistic by a professional in the field and have the formal diagnosis.
• I have a lot of difficulty dealing with people I don't know. I will go so far as to actually avoid them rather than speaking to them.
• I am intermittently deaf in one ear. When "it goes" so to speak I have zero chance of interaction because it sounds like everyone is whispering and mumbling. Again I have a diagnosis from a professional.
• Life long depression (Documented records of moderate to severe depression going back 20 years+)
• To top it off, I may have borderline PD (Personality Disorder) according to a well placed friend (They work in the field)
• I frequently lack focus and have often turned up at the wrong place, at the wrong time! Not just once or twice, but several times a year. It has made me extremely paranoid about travel in general and if it goes wrong I have a melt-down. For example I missed a turning on a journey that wasn't familiar and due to time pressure I broke down and was driving and crying at the same time!

Now my day to day.. I am employed but am finding it very difficult at the moment. Even committing to work is very hard and I have found myself resorting to a *LOT* of alcohol, every night and extreme depression means I spend a huge amount of time just sleeping.



I would like the PIP to help me achieve some stability. I crave stability but have none, in the form of support.



I find having someone to talk to very useful because it "resets" me. My employer will only fund so many councilling sessions but we have managed to eak out more. However they have stopped now and I feel I am spiralling out of control. The NHS provided therapy has also run out so I am dereft of support and I find myself becoming more and more insular.



Verbal communication for me is a huge issue. I have no problem with written comprehension or writing in general but verbal is just diabolical and so bad that half the time I don't understand what I am saying "yes" to.



So anyhow, I am unsure if I would meet the PIP criteria and am rather worried to apply. Is it worth applying? I don't fit neatly into any of the boxes or categories but I need help

cattie

Pip will not give you support, all it gives you is an extra income stream to help make your life a bit more comfortable & of course the money could go towards paying for any support you feel might help you.

You won't know if you qualify for Pip without applying, but the best advice I can give you is to either find a welfare rights advisor to help you with making a claim or to invest in joining the benefits & work website (https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk) to gain access to their guides on claiming disability benefits including pip, which are invaluable on how to make a successful claim. It costs about £20 for the year to become a member, but it's worth every single penny as it explains the best way for you to describe your disability & it's limitations on your life & what information is important & what information isn't important.

The forms are quite lengthy & it's best to take your time when filling them out to be sure that you're giving yourself the best chance of a successful claim.

It might be worth you contacting your nearest branch of Mind, as they might possibly be able to offer some counselling or support sessions & should also be able to offer advice & some support with making benefit claims.

Fiftynotout

PIP is not awarded on the basis of a illness it is based on how an illness or disability affects your ability to undertake daily tasks. It looks at food preparation, food intake, bathing, toileting, ability to communicate with people etc.