Is it a bad idea for me to travel aboard on holiday alone while on PIP?

williewonder

I get both highest rates of PIP for a severe psychotic and affective disorder, I have been involuntary hospitalised many many times since 2010. I have a large support package from social services. I'm also on a community treatment order. I want to travel on holiday alone for 28 days, My care coordinator is happy for me to travel in my well periods. How will this affect my benefits if I did, (PIP) I'm on the highest. I don't know what they wrote in the forms as my manager filled it in but I have a very severe condition. Would it be a contradiction me going abroad and claiming PIP. I think my manager wrote in the form that I can get aggressive when psychotic and conformational on buses if I think people are laughing about me, specially groups of teenagers and I have to have staff with me at these times. So me travelling on a plane might be seen as a contradiction.

I have booked to go abroad with my support staff for next year to Israel for 8 days but this is very expensive and the staff hours alone are over 2k for the 8 days. I

I would like to travel alone but don't want to get into trouble for benefit fraud.

Spoonie_Turtle

I don't know about the rules for how long you can be away but PIP is about how you are for more than 50% of the time.  If you have a good month this does not negate the other 11 in a year. 

I don't know how wise it would be though if you've not successfully travelled alone before to go straight in for 28 days, but that's a separate issue.

poppy12345

Spoonie_Turtle said:

I don't know about the rules for how long you can be away

13 weeks for PIP  https://www.gov.uk/claim-benefits-abroad/disability-benefits

For Income Related ESA/JSA and Income Support it's 4 weeks.

JamesPeter

If as posters have said quoted above, there shouldn't be a problem.

However do take out travel insurance that covers your pre-exisiting conditions which you must declare. Most specialist disability insurers do ask about mental illnesses and involuntary hospital admissions so you might find getting insurance is expensive, but necessary in case you have an episode whilst travelling. 

Also a lot of insurers only cover trips upto 21 days so make sure the insurance covers you for your full 28 days travel. An annual policy may work out cheaper than a stand alone trip policy as well.

Newly_retired

If you normally manage only with the help of staff, what will happen if you have problems away on your own?

[Deleted User]

Doesn't sound advisable if i'm totally honest

Sncjw

What if you have an episode abroad. What if you get admitted to hospital they may not have the same treatments they do here for mental health.

Also how would you cope on the plane if people are lauging. 

beanielou

Not a good idea at all in my opinion.

comeandgo

I don’t think you will fare very well in Israel if you get aggressive and confrontational.  There is a good chance you will end up in police custody.  Make sure you have a very good back up plan if things go wrong.

pollyanna_26

You've been given clarity here on the PIP situation re going to Israel OP.

However this thread has reminded me of a poster who was determined to travel to Tibet alone against all advice and unaware how badly that could end up.

You've talked about your mental health conditions in detail but have mentioned continuing to refuse to take "Forced Antipsychotics " As I don't have anything wrong with me" This suggests there have been times you have had forced medication , on Depot meds which points to a refusal to engage with necessary medication for your own sake and others.

You have a large support package and a community order which usually point to a need for intervention.

I don't understand why your care coordinator feels travel alone would be possible during well periods when it's highly likely it's impossible to predict how long a well period could last. You refuse medication to help control things and this doesn't suggest you would take any medication while alone abroad.

You've said someone in your care situation is stealing your money. On another thread you said an ex friend was running up gambling debt on your credit card. Then there's your alcohol addiction.

Life in England isn't exactly a walk in the park but some countries can be difficult if someone has severe mental health conditions. Other posters have mentioned situations you could find yourself in alone in a foreign country where laws are different, there can be a lack of tolerance towards mental health disorders and it's difficukt to understand the laws of the land. If your ex friend did abuse your CC it's likely you could find yourself taken advantage of financially in a foreign land.

Enough alcohol and you could end up in a very bad situation.

I would imagine the requirement for full disclosure for travel insurance will prevent your lone trip to Israel from happening.

Surely it's much better to wait until you can travel with a support worker than proceed with trying to travel on your own.

polly

MalMonroe

I don't think it's sensible to think of travelling to Israel. Even if coronavirus is no longer a threat, there's the possibility that the conflict over there won't have ended. Things may have settled down by next year - or they may not. There's this notification on the UK government site right now "From 10 May 2021, Hamas and and other militant groups in Gaza fired over 1500 rockets and mortars towards Israel, including southern and central Israel, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) responded with airstrikes into Gaza. Further rocket fire from Gaza, and IDF counterstrikes, are possible." Link here - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel

I wouldn't imagine that anyone would fare well in such circumstances - and you don't know how you will be feeling at that time, or even if you will be allowed to go if the situation in Israel has not improved. So, since you ask, and taking everything into consideration, I'd have to say yes, it is a bad idea, whether you are with your support staff (who would probably decline now) or alone.