PIP assessors not understanding!

Trixter_82_
Trixter_82_ Community member Posts: 28 Listener
Hi, so last year both me and my partner both applied for pip.  I have both mental health and physical difficulties and my partner has mental health difficulties.  Last year, when we applied, they noticed that my partner had a manual driving licence. He cannot go out alone to unfamiliar places as this causes him severe psychological distress, so much so we are limited to places we can go, as the distress it causes him rendures his ability to drive to places he does not know as insufficient, so we would have to take taxies there and travelling to far places costs an absolute fortune.  However, he can drive to familiar places he knows well that are very short journeys, as they do not cause him masses amount of distress.  In his report, they scored him 0 points for this and the entire claim, stating that because he can drive a manual car, and drive short routes, then he does not have impaired cognitive functions that are affected by mental health conditions such as autism, adhd, depression and anxiety.  Do they not understand that despite these conditions and the difficulties they cause, people still have strengths and weaknesses.  

On my report, they were aware that I am carer to my autistic son, and that he is home educated.  He is home educated due to school failures. And we are fighting to get him the support he needs to access school education. I have also applied to the social fund for resbite care, but we were turned down due to funding cuts.  

They stated on my report that because I care for my son full time, who has complex needs, this requires a high level of cognitive and physical abilities, I do not need help with daily living and mobility needs, and I scored 0 on all questions.  They completely desregarded what I had told them, that in caring for my son, I require a lot of assistance and prompting, and the fatigue and pain it causes me and undue distress also when my son has a full on meltdown.  I have applied to social care for support, and to the sen team for support in his education, but they ignored all this.  My conditions make caring for him 10 times harder than it would be for someone without my conditions. But because I do it, oh I'm not ill and not in pain.  

Both me and my partner have put in new claims, and we dum stuck how to word our claims now, I've looked at the descriptors, and scoured the net on how to understand them, but it's all jargon.  

They will still use many things against us.  I wish to god I was a rich celebrity so I could afford to buy my own help and and not have to apply for pip simply because our conditions make the cost of living, expensive and avoid really long waiting lists for home adaptions and access to therapy. And even pay for a gp that understands my conditions. 

Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. 




Comments

  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,005 Championing
    edited February 2022
    Trixter_82_ said: Both me and my partner have put in new claims, and we dum stuck how to word our claims now, I've looked at the descriptors, and scoured the net on how to understand them, but it's all jargon.  
    You would have done better to challenge the original decision rather than make a new claim. However

    Tips on completing the form in this thread
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/56365/pip-form-filling

    and some guidance here
    https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/help-with-your-claim/fill-in-form/

    Using driving to infer other capabilities is common in decisions but often incorrect and can be challenged at appeal. Similarly being able to care for someone else does not prove an ability to care for oneself and such an argument is open to challenge.


  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,611 Championing
    edited February 2022
    Coincidentally I was just reading this thread as you flagged your post @calcotti, so good timing :) Made the amendment you requested.

    Update - Have also removed your most recent comment calcoti and the one from Mike, as these no longer make sense after the edit.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,005 Championing
    Thanks Ross.
  • Trixter_82_
    Trixter_82_ Community member Posts: 28 Listener
    Thank you, you see I sort advice about appealing, but I was told to start a fresh new claim.  We both have more evidence now, like I have physio consultation next week, and my partner is newly diagnosed autistic and we are both awaiting psychotherapy. 
  • ChrisH90
    ChrisH90 Community member Posts: 124 Contributor
    That's exactly what they said on my report too, Just because I have a Manual driving licence does not mean im capeable of everyday tasks, I use my car for food shopping which is 10 minutes from my house, I cannot follow a Sat Nav either, I sent in a MR in December, Still waiting for a decision, I have Autism and Anti Social Personality Disorder.
  • Trixter_82_
    Trixter_82_ Community member Posts: 28 Listener
    Yes I rang up welfare rights, and they said I didn't need to start a fresh claim.  However I have done so it's done now.  I'm just so frustrated with how he will argue the driving part if they start asking him about it.  He only makes short familiar journeys in it, and  then he needs to be accompanied.  If we plan to go away, which is not often, we will save up to pay for a taxi, however the cost of that is extortionate, so we haven't been anywhere since 2019.  
  • ChrisH90
    ChrisH90 Community member Posts: 124 Contributor
    Yes I rang up welfare rights, and they said I didn't need to start a fresh claim.  However I have done so it's done now.  I'm just so frustrated with how he will argue the driving part if they start asking him about it.  He only makes short familiar journeys in it, and  then he needs to be accompanied.  If we plan to go away, which is not often, we will save up to pay for a taxi, however the cost of that is extortionate, so we haven't been anywhere since 2019.  
    Sounds exactly like me, I cannot follow a sat nav either, I get confused with directions, It sounds like the assessors think if people have got a driving licence there perfectly fine. 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 61,288 Championing
    I don't understand why some people ring an advice agency for advice but then go ahead and do the complete opposite.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,005 Championing
    I don't understand why some people ring an advice agency for advice but then go ahead and do the complete opposite.
    Possibly sought advice after making the new application - not clear.
  • ChrisH90
    ChrisH90 Community member Posts: 124 Contributor
    calcotti said:
    I don't understand why some people ring an advice agency for advice but then go ahead and do the complete opposite.
    Possibly sought advice after making the new application - not clear.
    True, A new application will take a while again, Much easier making a MR like I did.