Hi, my name is pheeebs! PIP and student finance

pheeebs

Hi, I've got an issue surrounding pip and entitlement. So I'm 30. On medication for depression /psychosis,  schizophrenia. I have been on this medication since I was 22. So quite a long time and honestly can't be without it or I get really unwell. Before I was on the meds I was really mentally ill and not well. I was on pip and DLA/ ESA. I sort of recovered from being severely depressed thanks to the medication and the amazing team who helped me but still have days where I don't feel 100% and have realised now that I have an illness which is going to be with me possibly for the rest of my life

When I was 23 I got into uni and no one told me that you can still be on pip and receive student finance and for example be working and still receive pip so I called up the DWP and told them to cancel which they did no problems. Thing is I feel really cheated because they shouldn't have cancelled my claim. I came off the meds during a gap year at uni and became quite ill again, made a claim for pip but then went back on the meds and became better again, so they didn't accept my application... Although I know now that the medication is what is keeping me well, I feel really upset because I have a long term illness which does hinder me in a lot of ways, but not necessarily in the ways that they look for in a pip application. I feel like I should be entitled to a back payment, but I don't know if it's the right thing to do. I'm technically doing really well. I have got a great job, just passed my driving test, have an amazing supportive family. But I feel like I'm struggling alot financially which is stressing me out alot..... I feel really selfish for even thinking about applying for pip or maybe appealing the decision because I know there are lots of people who are struggling more,but I'm still really upset that the people at the DWP didn't tell me you could be on pip and still get student finance....or no one else told me.

I want peoples opinions on this. My dad said that I'm well now and shouldn't worry about it but I'm really hung up about it. With out the meds I'm really still not well, but I sometimes struggle to pay for them. I manage to but it's not easy. At least is there a way I don't have to pay for the meds. I'm quite torn because part of me is like it's my own fault....but I feel like it's abit unfair what happened. 

poppy123456

What concerns me here is why your PIP was stopped in the first place because a PIP claim can't just end this way. PIP isn't means tested so other income/savings/capital do not affect the amount you're entitled to.

If it was more than 13 months ago that your PIP stopped then there may not be anything you can do about that now.

When was the most recent decision made on your new PIP claim? Was it less than 13 months ago?

pheeebs

Hiya thank you for commenting. Yeah it was years ago now... I'm 30 now and this happened in my first year of university when I was about 23/4.I telephoned them and they just said ok. I explained I was at uni and that I thought I wasn't entitled to it. And they said they would just cancel it. It wasn't until after I finished uni that I was aware they were such things as non means tested, I made a claim again in 2017, but because of my medication making me well, I didn't need help with things like dressing etc it was more like high anxiety and a milder depression than when I wasn't on meds. I don't know if it's worth going to the doctor and asking their opinion. Although I sort of feel because I canceled the claim it's my own fault and I should just deal with it 
 Thanks again for reading x

poppy123456

Unfortunately there isn’t anything you can do about that claim stopping because it was several years ago.
Same applies for the claim you made in 2017, you are outside the maximum time in which you can challenge that decision.
You can start a new claim but before you do this I’d advise you to get some expert advice from an agency near you. You will be able to tell them how your conditions affect you and they will be able to tell you if you can score enough points needed for an award. For this, start here https://advicelocal.uk/
A doctor wouldn’t have any benefits knowledge.

flour

There is something you can do. 

This is because you may have had maladministration happen with your claim. 

If you said to the DWP 'I'm going to uni now' and they said 'we'll cancel your PIP because you can't have it while at uni' then they got it wrong, equally if you asked 'I want to cancel my PIP because I don't think I can claim while at uni?' and they said 'ok we'll cancel your PIP then' they may have also got it wrong. 

There is no time limit to sort out something when the DWP made an official error but its best to act soon once you know an error has happened.

In addition, because you have mental ill health and what could have been at the time of the call severe mental ill health then anyone looking at your claim will also take this into account, in addition to the fact you were being responsible and thought you were doing the right thing by reporting a change.

The best step is to get specialist advice from citizens advice or a welfare rights organisation but make sure anyone you speak to is aware you want to talk more about an error the DWP made in closing your claim rather than doing a mandatory reconsideration or appeal beyond the 13 month time limit.

calcotti

pheeebs said:..I called up the DWP and told them to cancel which they did no problems. 

They did what you asked.

pheeebs said:

I telephoned them and they just said ok. I explained I was at uni and that I thought I wasn't entitled to it. And they said they would just cancel it. 

That is a different description of what you said to DWP.