Do I tell the DWP?

PIPPY_McPIPERSON

Hi, I'm new here 👋

I have recently been (privately) diagnosed with Autism (still trying to deal with that 😶) and BPD/EUPD but do I need to tell the DWP?

I have been getting ESA (think it's the old style income related) and PIP for many years due to being unwell. But I think my illness may be related to the Autism. I have received a letter saying I will soon be getting transferred to the Scottish system but apart from that I have not heard from DWP in years - except from the usual 'your money has gone up by a pound' letter! HA!

So basically I don't really want to rock the boat and do myself an injustice by contacting them but I also don't want to not tell them if its deemed vital information, any advice would be helpful please?

(I suppose my illness hasn't 'changed' as such, I just have extra labels now)

OverlyAnxious

There's no need to inform the DWP of the additional diagnosis.

Assuming you're in the ESA support group, there is no higher award that could be achieved there.

If you currently get standard rate PIP, and think you would now meet the criteria for enhanced rate, based on descriptors rather than diagnosis, then you could put in a change of circumstances, but that will trigger another assessment and is probably not in your best interests if you don't wish to rock the boat.

Rosie_Scope

Hello @PIPPY_McPIPERSON, I think OverlyAnxious has covered what I'd say about your situation. If it hasn't changed your every day symptoms, it's probably not worth updating them at this stage.

Welcome to the community, by the way! Hope you'll enjoy your time here 😊

poppy123456

As you live in Scotland then a change of circumstances for PIP will mean a transfer to ADP.

PIPPY_McPIPERSON

@OverlyAnxious Yea I’m in the support group and also on highest PIP - that’s a whole other situation (should probs do another post about that actually!) But I’ll tell you anyway… I was on the standard and my husband contested it, it was to go to tribunal but I couldn’t cope so we pulled it then there was the rule change cos that person took them to court and the points all got changed so they automatically changed mine (the reason my husband was contesting in the first place) and we thought aw great we’ll get a wee back payment (well relatively big as it would have been backdated for some time) but when we contacted them it turns out that because it went before a judge it can’t be contested again therefore they wouldn’t back date! They honestly would do ANYTHING to not pay out money! Without sounding like a total brat - It’s so annoying cos I just feel it’s money I was always entitled to but will never get. But again there’s only so far you want to push because you get scared they will just take it from you altogether! 🙄🙈
I struggle with understanding empathy and compassion but my husband uses the DWP/gov to explain it to me! 😂

so anyway, no I won’t tell them cos your right, my circumstances haven’t changed - well apart from the fact I’m not really coping very well with the diagnosis which if anything has made my conditions worse but I’m hoping that will just be temporary so they shouldn’t need to know that. Plus as you say none of it will make a difference to my payment amounts

Wow! Sorry about the utter ramble! …thanks if you made it this far 😊

PIPPY_McPIPERSON

@poppy123456 im moving to ADP regardless