Applying for PIP, psychotherapist charging £420

Hackneygirl1969

Hi, I am applying for PIP and have autism, long covid, depression and anxiety and am awaiting an ADHD diagnosis. I asked my autism psychotherapist for a letter of support for PIP and she said it would take her three to four hours and is charging me £420 from my Access to Work grant. She will not release the grant until she has been paid by A2W. She makes me write her invoices for her. I find her a bit lazy and manipulative. I have about about 10 sessions with her. I feel that she backs up her clients. I was in Aand E last week and had to cancel an apt. She offered me a zoom when I was in A&E which I thought was not appropriate. I have been reading boards and have found that £420 for a report is quite high. I feel like I want to check with her professional body if what she is doing is ethical.

Emilee

I would not have thought that an access to work grant can or should be used for a supporting letter for PIP.

I would also say that a letter of support from her is not required for claiming PIP. Write her name and details in the form as someone they can contact for more information, they may not contact her but if they do she cannot charge you for supplying the information to them.

£420 is a very high amount for a supporting letter.

Hackneygirl1969

Thanks @Emilee I agree. I thought 420 was high. She finally sent me the letter after a month because I invoiced or submitted the online payment to Access to Work. She made a few mistakes. I have heard that PIP will not contact health professionals. They will only contact your GP with a form to complete. I feel that her evidence could help but it was so expensive and I felt that she does not trust my grant etc. to pay her back.