Hi, im Las20 and need help with my 16 year old son's PIP claim.

Las20

Happy new year to you all, let’s hope it’s an improvement on the last one! 

I came across this site because I’m making a pip application for my 16yo son who was previously on dla. I find it shocking that they want a child of this age to make an application. My son has autism and adhd, he’s high functioning but has many difficulties. However, I’ve never highlighted his difficulties to him, we just adapt, support and encourage. He doesn’t consider himself as having any difficulties so it’s going to be a challenge filling out the form, even more so if they want to interview him. Anyway I thought I’d see if there are any others that are having or have had a similar experience perhaps get some advice. I’ve talked to my son about the application and he had questions, he thought it was great that he will potentially have this money! He isn’t careful with money so I’d have to look after it for him but I still think it’s silly to tell a sixteen year old they have access to money, he’s too young to manage and is quite vulnerable to being manipulated. 

Anyway I won’t go on, just wanted to say hi and I’ll have a good look around to see if there’s any useful info. 

Bye! 

poppy123456

HI and welcome,

If your son isn't capable of dealing with his own benefit claims and dealing with money then you can become his appointee, although he will have to agree to this as well. This way all letters will be addressed to you and you will responsible for filling out forms, reporting any changes and any benefit payments can be paid to a bank account in your name, you will then need to make sure that your son has access to the money. To start this process you will need to ring DWP/PIP.

Details here https://www.gov.uk/become-appointee-for-someone-claiming-benefits

When filling out the PIP forms you should make sure you put as much relevant information as possible about how his conditions affect him. Adding a couple of recent real world examples to each activity that applies to him will also help, adding who was with him and a detailed explanation of exactly what happened.

The forms for PIP are very daunting, i do agree with that. My daughter has ASD. learning disability and social anxiety and i'm her appointee too.

Expect an assessment for his claim because most people have them. Paper based assessments are rare. Face to face assessments are currently suspended and telephone assessments have replaced them. If you are his appointee then you will be able to answer the phone to speak to them during the assessment, they won't need to speak to your son at all.

Hope this helps and if you have further questions please do ask.

janer1967

Hi and welcome 

Some great advice from poppy and I would suggest you take up becoming his appointee 

Good luck with the claim 

poppy123456

I'm also very surprised you weren't asked if you would like to become his appointee. Many people are asked this question when 16 year old transfer from DLA to PIP.

Las20

Hi everyone, thanks for the replies. Sorry I should have said I am his appointee but as it said he had to be with me when I call (not that they asked to speak to him) I found it horrible having to point out his difficulties when explaining what it was all about. At 16 he’s still a child and I do almost everything for him, much like many parents of 16 year olds. Because of this it’s difficult to know how he would handle tasks, he has learned how to make fried eggs, but this is on an induction job (he wouldn’t be safe on gas) and he tends to carry the eggs to the plate dripping hot oil everywhere even though he’s been shown time and time again to take the plate to the pan. He walked away and left the pan on the hob with the spatula resting in it until I noticed the smell and it had melted! Thankfully it’s not a gas hob and this is why.  

I have a lot of examples so that wouldn’t be a problem.  So when we have a telephone assessment, they would speak to me only? I’ve got the form here so I need to get on and fill it out but as you say it’s quite daunting...

poppy123456

Carrying food to a plate and carrying pots/pans around the kitchen is not part of the descriptor for preparing food. What is part of the descriptor is preparing and cooking that food, so leaving the pan on the hob because he's forgot to remove it, definitely is part of the descriptor here and i'd advise you to add this example when filling out the form. If you have anymore examples like this then also add those, including any other details.

As you are his appointee then he does not need to be with you when you ring DWP because it's you that's dealing with his claim and they will refuse to communicate with him.

Another example for a different descriptor, dressing and undressing. Does he need prompting to know what type of clothes to wear for the type of weather? My daughter does and she often asks me what she should wear, does she need a coat, or jumper. Quite a few times she hasn't put on a jumper and i have reminded her so we'll go out and she'll moan that it's cold and when i ask if she has a jumper on she'll reply "no, just a tshirt. (under her coat obviously)

Washing and bathing, does he need prompting for this? Maybe you need to remind him to have a wash, or maybe he needs assistance because he doesn't understand water temperature? My daughter just doesn't understand water temperature at all and so many times she's gone into the shower and screamed out loud because the water is too hot, infact just a few days ago she burnt her back doing exactly this. Thankfully, i was home so could assist her and help with getting the temp of the water cooler. All these are examples that you should add when filling out the form.

There's never enough of space on the form so use extra sheets of paper where needed. Make sure you add his NI number and name to everything you send.

Evidence, they very rarely contact anyone for this so the onus is on you to make sure it's sent to support his claim.

During the assessment you can most definitely speak on the phone on his behalf. If it was face to face assessments then he would need to be with you, i'm unsure about telephone assessments because i've never had any experience with these. Although there maybe some additional questions they may have to ask him at the end, which only he can ask. For example, during my daughters PIP assessment she was asked a couple of maths questions, which of course only she could answer. She was also asked to remember a squence of numbers and to then report what was said... she failed both parts of that and couldn't answer the questions. I'd advise you to have your son with you just incase some questions like this are asked.

Hope this helps have a little more understanding regarding filling out that form.

chiarieds

Hi @Las20 - & welcome to the community from me also. As well as the great advice you've had from Poppy, I wonder if you've seen the activities/descriptors that are looked at. This link may also help a little. Please see: https://www.mentalhealthandmoneyadvice.org/en/welfare-benefits/pip-mental-health-guide/help-with-your-pip-claim/how-to-fill-in-the-pip-form/

It looks like you've got lots of examples as to what will be relevant. Those couple of real life examples that Poppy mentions are very important. Say what happens, who witnessed it, what was the consequence (if that's also applicable) of attempting/doing the activity. Give as much detail as possible.

If you have any questions, please come back, & good luck.

Las20

Thank you so much, there is so much useful info there you’ve given me. 

Poppy my son definitely has some sensory issues which means he can get into a hot bath and sit in it without realising it’s too hot. I make sure I run all of his baths and set his shower for him at a safe level.  He is the same with food, and has blistered his mouth in the past. I have to remind him to have a bath/shower and once in them we have to either set him a timer to remember to get out or I need to prompt him with a countdown. It’s strange because these are things we just do now and they are our normal, but I guess I need to break them down and think what I’m doing that I wouldn’t do for a sixteen year old without additional needs. 

I have the form on my lap now so I’m going to dive in, wish me luck! Lol thanks again everyone. Xx

poppy123456

You're welcome. That's the same as my daughter, although i don't have to set a timer for her to get out. I agree that the things we do for them just comes naturally and we don't often think of what we do, we just do it because it's something we've always done. It's not until you sit down and put it on paper that you realise. Needing supervision for washing/bathing is 2 points.

Just explan it all in detail. Has he ever got into a hot bath or shower before you've had chance to check it? if so then tell them this. Remember that eating and preparing food are 2 different activities within the PIP descriptors.

Doe she take medication? Do you need to remind him to take it? If you do then put that down. Don't just put "i can't do something" because that's not going to help. 

As you are his appointee then you need to fill out the form like you are him, so instead of putting "my son" you would write "i" This can be confusing, at least it always is for.

What helps me alot is if i do just a little of the form each day. Then put it away until the next day. If you have his autism assessment report then send this as evidence because my daughters report goes into a huge amount of detail and was very useful. I also highlighed the areas that were of use and proved beyond any doubt that, that descriptor applied to her. She claims Enhanced for both parts and has done since 2017.

Anymore questions please do ask.

Cher_Alumni

Hi @Las20 and welcome to our community.  I'm so pleased our members could help you out.

I've moved your post to our PIP, DLA and AA board so it might help other people with similar questions in the future, but please do let us know how you get on.

Good luck!

missraw

Hi I’m new to this!  signed up instantly after a night of frustration and googling help suggestions. Your post totally answered my thoughts! It was if I’d wrote it myself so Thank-you so much. It’s so very daunting and stressful as us parents don’t see it as specific needs? We live with it every single day and know so at that.. putting it down on that form though!? I’ll not lie it’s defeated me for years to the fact I chose to not even fulfil the claim for Dla for my son.. (the pile of forms and diagnosis reports are actually still there-just keep getting moved around the house when cleaning) - my son is now 17 and the need for PIP has hit! I will do it for him though. 
I’ve made myself the appointed person of contact when phoning to make the first initial claim and he was alongside me to confirm and hear conversation. Since then the forms were delayed (with postal strikes). my son has then been hounded with txts and calls to attend assessment appointments? I told him not to worry or be concerned as I would’ve been contacted with me being his appointed person? Also the fact he hasn’t actually been able to put his claim through yet? Is this normal? ..
 just received a letter today asking to state ‘why he didn’t attend a face to face assessment app?’ 

(Addressed to him to? Which he would never acknowledge) 
??- we’re literally still on looking at and filling the claim form in?? 

poppy123456

@missraw are you his official DWP appointee? Did someone visit your home to fill out the forms and for you to sign the agreement? If not then this will be why your son is receiving the texts.

When were the forms meant to be returned by? It will have a date on the letter that came with the forms? If the forms weren't returned then they can use their own discretion if there's a vulnerable marker on his file and proceed with an assessment without the completed PIP2 form.