PIP for Depression and Anxiety as a parent

queenmiffy

Hello, 

Currently await my MR consideration notice and preparing to have to take it to tribunal. I've been so down I missed the opportunity to attach more evidence. 

I'm wondering how people with young children have been awarded PIP? I feel like I'm being tricked because I care for my children, but can't look after myself properly. It's hard to explain this, and it doesn't always make sense but that's depression and anxiety it doesn't have to make sense for it to utterly dehubilitate you, but when you're a parent you still have to meet your children's basic needs even on your worst days. 

Any advice would be appreciated please. I'm feeling more ready to fight this because I feel its such an injustice when I rely on the support of my husband to just go about life and neglect myself so much. 

Thanks 
M

Ramonica

This happened to a colleague of my husband. But it went like this: the assessor contacted their GP after their interview, and the GP had no idea the condition of the woman had deteriorated as described on the paper, and it was the GP who made the referral for Adult Social Services, which then triggered the Children Services by the ASC before they even talked to the woman. Its crazy how things can get out of control in just a moment.

kimkenzie202

I personally would not claim PIP if I had young children, especially for mental health...since most mental health claims that are successful tend to be very serious conditions( you are not gonna get PIP for mild anxiety etc), I would be worried about Social Services becoming involved especially if I was a lone parent.

The DWP are known for saying, if you can look after your kids, then you can look after yourself(especially for mental health) and therefore refuse an award, and if you can't look after your kids, reporting you to SS.

Jimm_Scope

I want to pop in here just to say that I think we are coming at this from a very strong angle. 

@queenmiffy is not a lone parent. They are a partnership with their husband and they look after their kids together from what I can see. This is not a lone parent situation. PIP also does not mean you cannot look after your children. PIP means that at least 50% of your life is affected by your conditions. It does not mean you cannot do things, but you can take longer and can it disrupts how a regular person would live. It does not mean however that you are incapable.

I think it's okay to warn queenmiffy that the DWP may attempt this, but I think active attempts to try and put her off are not supportive or helpful. I think what would be better is perhaps helping queenmiffy with advice and suggestions if the DWP did attempt such an angle of attack.

I do appreciate yours concerns @kimkenzie202, @Ramonica and @TheManFromLondon. I think they are valid concerns that queenmiffy should have in mind during this process. I also think that if queenmiffy's conditions are affecting her life to the point she is entitled to PIP then she should get PIP. She should know that the DWP may try these tactics against her, but I think we should also be informing her ways to defend herself from these accusations by the DWP rather than trying to dissuade her entirely.

THE_DUDE

I have a brother who's wife claims pip. He brings two children to school, then goes to work and the youngest stays home with my sister in law.

 She has anxiety and depression and gets high pip on both.

Instead of being persecuted for being ill, she gets help from GP and mental health team.

poppy123456

TheManFromLondon said:

Jimm_Scope said:

I think it's okay to warn queenmiffy that the DWP may attempt this, but I think active attempts to try and put her off are not supportive or helpful. I think what would be better is perhaps helping queenmiffy with advice and suggestions if the DWP did attempt such an angle of attack.

It "would be better" to let her go in the lion's den like that?

I think you dont have children or your judgment on mental health disability is flawed. My opinion.

@queenmiffy Nobody wants to put you off, but I would never shut up and see anyone ending up in this situation. Think.

I agree with Jimm here, sorry. Many people claim PIP due to mental health and have children, even single parents. This doesn't mean they are not entitled. If they do contact someone like a GP for safeguarding issues, isn't that a good thing? 

It's fine to warn people but they certainly shouldn't be put off from claiming because of this. 

Butterfliess

I think this a really scary thing to come and read. I’m seeing more of these sort of posts that almost scare people with young children who claim PIP or other disability benefits. 

While i appreciate that DWP can raise safeguarding issue if they feel it’s needed it most definitely doesn’t happen to all claimants with children. Claiming pip doesn’t mean you can’t or are not great parents. 

This is supposed to be a place for
People to get support and advice not be scared into loosing there children or preparing themselves to have to prove or fight to show they are good parents. 

What a scary world we live in.

poppy123456

Butterfliess said:

While i appreciate that DWP can raise safeguarding issue if they feel it’s needed it most definitely doesn’t happen to all claimants with children. Claiming pip doesn’t mean you can’t or are not great parents. 

I wholly agree!