PIP, severe anxiety and autism

tigerstar
tigerstar Online Community Member Posts: 35 Listener
in PIP, DLA, and AA
Hi there I’m new to the forum I have just had a recent diagnosis of autism and I suffer with horriffic anxiety which is making it impossible to work. I struggle with communication with people I don’t know and won’t entertain it. How do I know if I qualify for this benefit??

Comments

  • Ramonica
    Ramonica Online Community Member Posts: 59 Contributor
    It all comes down to how you satisfy/meet the descriptors for PIP. I have autism and because of my traits, hypersensitivity and social anxiety, I have met the descriptors for higher rate on both. Autism is considered for PIP, the assessors are trained to take a serious note of it. But as you know autism is different from person to person. Just do your application and explain your situation. Read around the forum to understand the best way to fill your form, but yes, you most likely you will qualify, as an autistic person.
  • tigerstar
    tigerstar Online Community Member Posts: 35 Listener
    Public travel is also a big one for me, there is a lot I need to question myself about before I apply but not in a good situation at home, I can go to familiar places but I’m now refusing (stubborn) to leave the house for other things. I don’t know what to do I just gotta let it sink in for a while as I don’t know what to do with work also
  • Ramonica
    Ramonica Online Community Member Posts: 59 Contributor
    The test is:
    1. What happened the last time you attempted the activity (ie the last time you used public transport)
    2. How did you feel (although this question is tricky for autistic people)
    3. what did you do?
    4. was there someone with you?
    5. what happened after?

    For example, in my case: the last time I used a public transport, I could not stand the smells and noise in the train. Soon after the doors closed, I wanted to get out but being a train i had to wait for the next station. I went to an autistic meltdown, pushed myself to the door as if i could go through it and started kicking it. People were looking at me having a meltdown but they thought i was just a thug or something. Someone screamed to quit it, I turned and everyone was looking at me, and i lost it, covered my ears, started screaming and kept kicking the door. I remember very little after that, but spent 2 days in an autistic shutdown. If my brother wasnt with me, I may have ended up getting hurt or worse. Since then I am on antipsychotics for my OCD. Now I only go out with him and only to places that there are none (walks for some basic body activity) or where there are very VERY few people (like urgent visit to the GP), but again in all cases I come back in a state of an anticipated meltdown.

    In this manner, try to give as much as possible, to cover your autistic behaviour in relation to the descriptors.
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 16,672 Championing
    Hi @tigerstar - & welcome to the community. I find the following seems to be a helpful website, where you'll see about the different activities that are looked at with PIP. & how the questions on the claim form might be answered, so it will give you some ideas:
    No-one can say if you'll qualify for PIP, as it's not based on any diagnoses, rather how your disability affects your daily life looking at the 12 PIP activities/descriptors. Everyone with the same diagnosis will be different, so this makes sense. You would need to be awarded 8 or more points to qualify for the standard rate, & 12 or more points for the enhanced rate. 
    How to apply here, & check the eligibility: https://www.gov.uk/pip/how-to-claim
    Hope some of this helps :)

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