Claiming pip for myself and being a carer for my autistic son

Shxm

Hi I've recently just claimed pip for myself as I was made aware that as I have a hearing impairment I can claim for myself. I'm worried that this could affect my carers element for my son. I can of course still care for him.

This is basically what I said in my forms:

I have told them how it affects me, which is mainly when it comes to talking to people, being social as i feel so out of place if I'm struggling to hear. When I'm in busy places I find it hard to function because there is too much noise around me. I spend alot of time lip reading if I cannot hear clearly.  Being in loud environments can become overwhelming at times which can cause distress if I am trying to do something. Having a hearing impairment causes me to be unbalanced at times too. I do limit how much I interact with people I'm not familiar with if I can avoid it to save me embarrassment and anxiety of having to constantly tell people that I cannot hear clearly, having to ask them to repeat themselves or being paranoid that they notice how I talk slightly different to others and judging me for my disability. This is mainly because I was bullied for this as a child and a teen. I still go out when I need to, but when it comes to meeting friends and new people out in busy places i avoid it because i know how this affects me.

Does anyone think this could affect me caring for my child? Thank you in advance 

Spoonie_Turtle

Shxm said:

Does anyone think this could affect me caring for my child? Thank you in advance 

Not at all, you'll have your ways of communicating and coping at home, plus at home presumably is less background noise and a lot easier than being out with people.

Shxm

Thank you for your reply. Yes definitely. When out in public places it's the noise of so many people talking at once that really gets to me and causes distress and limits my functioning. The only thing I struggle with at home really is not always being able to hear straight away when the kids call me from a different room. If I have to go to appts, take my children to school, go shopping at less busy times in the day, take them for a walk ect then it is manageable. 

I just got worried because someone said it could cause them to stop the carers allowance if my reasoning contradicts my sons claim. But I have not said that I need caring for, or that I cannot do anything. So fingers crossed all is okay. 

Spoonie_Turtle

Shxm said:

I just got worried because someone said it could cause them to stop the carers allowance if my reasoning contradicts my sons claim. But I have not said that I need caring for, or that I cannot do anything. So fingers crossed all is okay. 

More likely they'd deny the PIP than stop Carers Allowance.  It is true that if reasoning contradicts then it goes against you, but that's for things like if you claim to have back pain but you're having to bend and lift to physically care for someone - not impossible, of course, they could be doing it with immense difficulty because they have absolutely no choice, but it's something that would take a lot of explaining.