Advice for a friend please.

[Deleted User]

I'm in no way saying that because a benefit has been taken away or reduced that a disability has gone.

I just think the way things are worded should be considered because too often they are portrayed to be "I've lost my benefits I cant afford xyz", for example someone in my local GPs surgery the other day was overheard to be saying now she has lost her PIP she cant use Sept to Dec payments to buy Christmas presents, it shouldn't be used for that anyway!!

So when someone says "out of their budget" it just makes you think.

poppy12345

MarkN88 wrote: »

for example someone in my local GPs surgery the other day was overheard to be saying now she has lost her PIP she cant use Sept to Dec payments to buy Christmas presents, it shouldn't be used for that anyway!!

Sorry but i disagree. It doesn't state anywhere what you should use the money on, it can be used for anything you want. Some people use if for everyday living, some use it for the extra expense a disability causes.



People do get used to the extra money, which ever way you look at it and when it's been taken away for no reasons at all then it's difficult to deal with.

NeilCr

Warning "Minor rant"

I struggle with these someone was overheard saying something comments. We get them at CAB along with "someone I know told me they know someone who is fraudulently claiming benefits/is an immigrant who immediately got a three bedroom house/ is running a business illegally from home/etc*"

* Delete as appropriate.

I am not saying the post by MarkN88 is one but these are, generally, nearly always second/third/fourth hand and can often be traced back to "a bloke in the pub said"

They are just unreliable. For all we know "The overheard in the GPs surgery" may have been joking,

Robisere

Rubyroobs wrote: »

Losing £800 a month is bound to impact someone's budget though. A family with a disabled person may use that extra disability benefit to rent a better house that benefits the disabled person or run a car to get the disabled person around in. These things are bound to impact the family hugely if they can't be afforded. No one checks up what disability benefits and the extra premiums attached to them are used for so I'm sure in many cases those benefits do supplement day to day living expenses.

That benefit is given under "for help with getting around" and refers to Motability. I very much doubt that an Autistic person would be awarded that, unless the person had mobility issues as well as autism. Having two autistic relatives, I know this. That said, there are problems for any family receiving a loss of monthly finance of that size. No, it is not income and the DWP take pains to inform about that, but it is for living benefits to the recipient, who may be affected to the point of having a responsible parent take charge of those living benefits and the way they are provided. There are enough critics of what they see as "Free Money". This government has pandered to that attitude ever since Cameron was elected, by the swingeing cuts they made, often using personnel with no medical qualifications whatsoever, to make judgements about Benefit awards.

Rubyroobs

Robisere wrote: »

That benefit is given under "for help with getting around" and refers to Motability. I very much doubt that an Autistic person would be awarded that, unless the person had mobility issues as well as autism. Having two autistic relatives, I know this. That said, there are problems for any family receiving a loss of monthly finance of that size. No, it is not income and the DWP take pains to inform about that, but it is for living benefits to the recipient, who may be affected to the point of having a responsible parent take charge of those living benefits and the way they are provided. There are enough critics of what they see as "Free Money". This government has pandered to that attitude ever since Cameron was elected, by the swingeing cuts they made, often using personnel with no medical qualifications whatsoever, to make judgements about Benefit awards.

I wasn't talking about the motability scheme. I'm sure many people in receipt of disability benefits use the money to buy and run a car to make life easier. On the subject of motorbility, many children with autism will be in receipt of high rate mobility .

poppy12345

Robisere wrote: »

That benefit is given under "for help with getting around" and refers to Motability. I very much doubt that an Autistic person would be awarded that, unless the person had mobility issues as well as autism. Having two autistic relatives, I know this.

Then you clearly have no idea how ASD affects people. My daughter has ASD, no physical conditions at all what so ever and she claims Enhanced mobility PIP and scored 12 points in following and planning a journey. Actually she claims Enhanced for both parts and has done since 2017. Just because she doesn't have a physical disability doesn't mean she's not disabled.



Yes, it's totally possible for people to claim Enhanced mobility for conditions other the physical.

[Deleted User]

NeilCr - the conversation I was talking about was not passed along, it was from the person that arrived in the surgery I go to, screamed at the reception staff that she needed to see her GP because her PIP renewal had scored her nothing and she no longer has her upcoming Sept to Dec payments to buy her presents, her words! Couldn’t really avoid hearing and neither could the rest of the waiting room.

NeilCr

MarkN88 wrote: »

NeilCr - the conversation I was talking about was not passed along, it was from the person that arrived in the surgery I go to, screamed at the reception staff that she needed to see her GP because her PIP renewal had scored her nothing and she no longer has her upcoming Sept to Dec payments to buy her presents, her words! Couldn’t really avoid hearing and neither could the rest of the waiting room.

You heard this one yourself which wasn't clear from your post.

Given the way this lady reacted it sounds like she may have some sort of mental health problems as her behaviour is pretty unusual. So, perhaps, still to be taken with a pinch of salt?

I stand by my comments though. You also see the"someone told me" remarks in DT. One of the reasons I have stoped posting there

[Deleted User]

Sorry should of been clearer.

DT?

Alice_Holt

Robisere wrote: »

That benefit is given under "for help with getting around" and refers to Motability. I very much doubt that an Autistic person would be awarded that, unless the person had mobility issues as well as autism....

A completely incorrect assumption, I'm afraid.

An extract from the PIP Mobility descriptors:

1. Planning and following journeys.
f. Cannot follow the route of a familiar journey without another person, an assistance dog or an orientation aid. 12 points.

The effects of autism could well mean that the claimant does need the assistance of another person to follow a journey safely (and cope with public transport) on the majority of days.

Here is the PIP assessment guide on this topic:
"This descriptor is most likely to apply to claimants with cognitive, sensory or
developmental impairments, or a mental health condition that results in
overwhelming psychological distress, who cannot, due to their impairment, work
out where to go, follow directions, follow a journey safely or deal with unexpected
changes in their journey, even when the journey is familiar. A claimant who suffers
overwhelming psychological distress whilst on the familiar journey and who needs
to be accompanied to overcome the overwhelming psychological distress may satisfy descriptor 1f."

And here is some guidance from Benefits and Work:
"An upper tribunal of three judges made the law relating to ‘Going out’ a little clearer early in 2017, in a decision with the reference CPIP/1347/2015.
Prompting to help you start a journey
The tribunal decided that b) is about ‘prompting’ such as encouragement and reassurance that a
claimant needs before they are able to set out on a journey. It’s what they need to get them out of
the door, but It does not cover prompting needed in the course of the journey, in spite of what the
DWP have argued. So, if you need prompting in the course of the journey then the higher scoring
descriptors d) or f) may apply.
Help whilst on a journey
The tribunal decided that if a claimant suffers ‘overwhelming psychological distress’ then they may
be able to score points for d) or for f) as well as b) or e). They are not limited to only being able to score points for b) or e), as the DWP had argued.
So if you suffer from extreme anxiety that means you need someone else with you in order to follow an unfamiliar route then you may be able to score 10 points for descriptor d) and if you need help with familiar routes you may score 12 points for f) and be eligible for the enhanced mobility component on this basis alone."