successfully claiming for years but refused after phone assessment extremely scared

abbi1995

hello I've been receiving pip for a few years after being sectioned under the mental health act on multiple times. I have PTSD, Attachment disorder, BPD, depression and anxiety. I am unter the mental health team and things have been slow since covid. I also have a social worker and care worker come once a week. 
I have never had a problem when going to face to face assessments and usually have to take people with me to support as I fine social situations extremely difficult. I found the phone assessment alot easier to cope with as there was none of the normally stresses. I was in my bed, in my home. so found it easier to talk but this seems to have been a bad thing as I usually have a full blown panic attack at assessments, can't cope with the stress and spent most of the time in tears. I hate this but honestly it would have had a better outcome because they could have seen what I struggle with. 

I'm very worried because my letter says that they have overpaid me and they will be contacting me to pay it back but they have stopped my pip and I honestly wasn't expecting it and have less then £50 to my name. 
I've been trying to contact my social worker but she isn't in the office and today isn't the my support worker comes and I think shes away. my mental health worker can't help every much with the benefits side of thing. 
has anyone been told they have been overpaid before how much do you usual have to pay back a month.? will they let me lay in installments? 

Ross_Alumni

Hello @abbi1995 and welcome to the community  

I'm sorry to read that you lost your PIP, will you be appealing the decision? You can read information here about appealing benefit decisions.. To help you with identifying next steps and how to approach any appeal, you could find advice through Advice local or Welfare Rights.

It's a shame that you can't contact your support worker or social worker today, do you know when you will next be able to see or speak to one of them? I'm sure they will have given you a plan or techniques which will allow you to manage your mental health until you can next see them. 

If you want to speak to somebody in the meantime, this community will always be here and you are more than welcome to give our helpline a call.

janer1967

Hi there 

Sorry to hear you have lost your PIP and you should appeal if you disagree with it 

As for the overpayment it really depends how much it is ? And you should check why you have been overpaid.  If it is their error you could challenge it 

You are usually given a payment plan and if they deduct from your benefits they can only take a certain % off each payment