PIP means tested

Kirkmain

If PIP is not means tested, does that mean literally anyone can get it regardless of whether or not they need it? As in a billionaire could be receiving £180 per week from the state to help with electricity bills?

MattMattMattUK

Kirkmain said:

If PIP is not means tested, does that mean literally anyone can get it regardless of whether or not they need it? As in a billionaire could be receiving £180 per week from the state to help with electricity bills?

Yes, if they were sufficiently disabled, however the time involved in them claiming would not be worth it. 

Kirkmain

MattMattMattUK said:

Kirkmain said:

If PIP is not means tested, does that mean literally anyone can get it regardless of whether or not they need it? As in a billionaire could be receiving £180 per week from the state to help with electricity bills?

Yes, if they were sufficiently disabled, however the time involved in them claiming would not be worth it. 

How long does a claim take?

MattMattMattUK

Kirkmain said:

MattMattMattUK said:

Kirkmain said:

If PIP is not means tested, does that mean literally anyone can get it regardless of whether or not they need it? As in a billionaire could be receiving £180 per week from the state to help with electricity bills?

Yes, if they were sufficiently disabled, however the time involved in them claiming would not be worth it. 

How long does a claim take?

It really depends, if one is very quick and efficient then 3-10 hours, if one has to go to appeal and struggles with paperwork then many times that. 

Considering that a billionaire who only had one billion and just left it in a savings account would be earning £5,700+ an hour every hour of the day, every day of the year, they would be incredibly unlikely to make the effort for £180 pw, which is the same amount they would earn in one minute and fifty three seconds of just being sat down breathing. 

Muttleythefrog

Kirkmain said:

MattMattMattUK said:

Kirkmain said:

If PIP is not means tested, does that mean literally anyone can get it regardless of whether or not they need it? As in a billionaire could be receiving £180 per week from the state to help with electricity bills?

Yes, if they were sufficiently disabled, however the time involved in them claiming would not be worth it. 

How long does a claim take?

There are currently delays and then there's also question of whether you'd need to challenge decision... that can really ramp up timescale. Realistically to get an initial award of PIP I'd say months to a couple of years. Despite what you'll hear in the media it's not as simple as a passport application and you should be prepared to face some personal challenges like being interrogated and falsity being put in reports or decisions about you. You can expect to be periodically re-assessed usually every couple to several years. For these various reasons I would never advise someone apply for PIP speculatively... but only if they honestly appraise themselves against the criteria and calculate they should get an award.

Not everyone of course gets the maximum award.

It's not means tested as it is to help with extra costs of disability... put disabled people on equal footing if you like. As above... someone wealthy would probably avoid claiming due to the investment of time (administrative) , emotion and nonsense involved.. but it didn't stop David Cameron claiming PIP's predecessor DLA for his (sadly now long deceased) son when PM.

Grumpy_chap

Might be worth bearing this thread in mind
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6524562/major-changes-to-pip-disability-benefits#latest