Is waiting for Disability Benefits Decision Making People Sick

Topcat71

Ironside1990

Yes

Claimants want peace of mind. To be waiting this long is psychological torture. The government doesn't understand that Claimants are human beings and not numbers.

Advocatemum

Most definitely. It can be a long and difficult process that forces you to examine every negative aspect if your health and wellbeing deeply.

To have your illnesses be disputed, as though you are lying, is such an insult.

Looking At this from the assessors perspective, however, due to those criminals who are simply exploiting the system and stealing tens of thousands of pounds annually, it has become necessary.

This is so sad because those people are so clever and know all the answers!! This leaves those who are most in need vulnerable to say the least.

Personally, I am fed up of being made to feel like a second class citizen for claiming what is rightfully mine.

Stay strong. Don't take it personally, and obtain all the help you can to support you through the process.

JennieWren

Yes

definitely effected my mental health when I was initially refused pip. Now I’ve been waiting for a review decision since May.

stephen6405

Yes

I have been waiting since august knowing that I have probably got 9 months waiting hanging over my head is stressful and making me anxious about my financial future I have a degenerative disease I don’t see why I need a review just want leaving alone

Amalegra

Waiting is always going to be a problem as the waiting times are often so ridiculously long. When I appealed my PIP award which had been taken away on the third year review, I waited over five months for the tribunal. It was excruciating especially as I was so poor as well as being ill. I won my appeal with an indefinite award presumably with a light touch review after ten years. It’s five years away but I am very apprehensive about it and do hope it is less terrifying. I am currently undergoing treatment for cancer and the waiting there has been horrible which is making my original condition even worse. I spent most of my working life as a benefits officer and do understand the pressures they work under but this waiting is cruel and should be urgently addressed by the DWP.

Banarama123

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/934041#Comment_934041

Hi. Please don’t stress about light touch review. It merely is a question of checking your condition remains the same. That nothing had changed. Also personal details. I have a sample of the light touch review form which I requested my MP to get which he did. So very few questions and just checking personal details remain the sane. I.E. address/bank details

JW77

Yes

Certainly, when going through my PIP application that went to Tribunal.
Ended up with my parents, girlfriend, & Advocacy officer all supporting me. But the wait leading up to it. Was hellish. And the 40 pages form is enough to drive a person off the edge!

Stellar

Yes

It did in the past. But that's the whole point. Governments would rather kill disabled people than help them to live. Hence why many politicians want assisted dying legalised.

Stellar

Yes

michael57

No

i myself had to vote a no for my own views my dawnie sent in a copy of every medical evidence we had to pip 3 weeks after i had a telephone call to say hello how are you i am from pip you will get a letter in the post good bye less than 2 minutes letter came week later for 10 years

BOOKIE68

Yes

Hi all , I'm coming up to the time for a light touch review, I've read it's not a big form to fill out & basically the dwp are checking to see if everything is the same, my condition has worsened in the last 10 ys and I now have to use a wheelchair to go out , I've also been diagnosed with a couple of other illnesses, does that mean I will have to go for a face to face assessment once I tell them the few changes that has happened over the last 10yrs ?? I'm getting so worried about the review it's making me physically ill 🤒, honestly it makes me wonder were we count in this world , thank you in advance for any advice 🥰 Xx

Rachel_Scope

Hi @BOOKIE68. You can request an assessment over the phone or video if an in-person assessment isn't suitable for you. Try not to worry too much, especially if your condition has worsened it will hopefully be a simple review 😊

JennieWren

Yes

although if you need support and prompting, make sure you go for a video, rather than a phone call. My daughter is autistic and I had to go through the prep, autism overwhelm and was prompting her and dealt with the tears after. It was a huge thing for her, but she got marked down because she seemed ok to them.

Banarama123

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/935014#Comment_935014

hi. No there is no assessment. It’s a light touch review. The only reason for another assessment would mean if you aren’t receiving enhanced payment of both components. So as you say if in that case your condition is worse they may enhance your payments if you not already getting them. So it’s not yo worry about.

chiarieds

Hi @BOOKIE68 - you can see the form (PIP AR2) for a light touch review below. The whole point of these is that they're shorter & checking if your disability has changed, or not, as you'd thought. An assessment would be unlikely following completing this if your needs haven't changed, or wouldn't change your current award.

I would say that if, for example, you have the enhanced rate for both components, then, as your award couldn't be increased, you could just tick 'No' that you're health condition/disability hasn't changed, & the same for questions 14 & 15. Or, you could detail the changes that have occurred in such a scenario, but it couldn't change your award.

Please do have a look at the descriptors again before completing this form. If you cannot move at all outside & completely rely upon a wheelchair, then that's different to being able to walk a little (without pain or fatigue, for example), before needing to use a wheelchair.

New diagnoses of themselves don't matter, it's whether these have impacted on the daily living activities that are looked at with PIP &/or your mobility. Remember PIP is about how you are the majority of the time too.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6602b15965ca2fa78e7da86b/ar2-award-review-how-your-disability-affects-you.pdf

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/Migrated_Documents/adviceguide/pip-9-table-of-activities-descriptors-and-points.pdf