Need help with PIP please!

Sammy0000 · September 2019

Long story short I'm a psychology student and a couple of years ago I realized that my father has severe anxiety. This is due to his childhood, when he was a child his father and older brother used to literally beat him up on a daily basis and they made him pass out a number of times. Now my father has severe anxiety and is always worried if someone hurts him again, he is so scared that if you steal something from him, he will just say "sorry" and walk away but this affects his working life as well, since I was a child, he has always struggled to hold a job because his anxiety stops him from being able to act like a normal person which in turn stops him from working like he should and then gets fired. This has happened at least 20/30 times since I was a child. We have always struggled to get by but my father has been lucky because my older sister is a manager and she helped him immensely and for around 10 years he has been able to keep working at her place but the money he gets is not enough so I have been helping him and contributing a lot but now I am moving away to continue my psychology studies and he will struggle again when I move away and my mother is not able to work due to her high blood pressure and the 3 more illnesses related to it. They do not receive any types of benefits. I looked around online and found out he could be able to apply and receive PIP but I'm not too sure how it works, will he have to regularly visit and get a letter or something similar from a qualified psychologist (I'm only a student at the moment so I won't be able to write anything official) stating that he indeed suffers from anxiety and that it seriously affects his working life and his income? If he didn't have anxiety, he could easily hold a higher paid job but his anxiety won't allow him to.

chiarieds · September 2019

Hi @Sammy0000 & welcome to this forum, where I hope others may better advise you.

My understanding is that PIP has 2 components ....daily living & mobility. A person with either physical or mental problems needs to show how this may impact on their life, e.g. preparing a simple meal, getting dressed/undressed, washing/bathing, communicating with other people, etc. You get a booklet to complete, then usually an assessment. Any medical evidence that can corroborate a person's difficulties is helpful. If you feel your dad may be eligible for PIP, then you could also submit evidence as someone who knows him so well, describing things if they show he fits the 'descriptors' in any category of this booklet 'How Your Disability Affects You'.

Everything submitted is then looked at, & the DWP make a decision as to what level, standard or enhanced, a person may be eligible for, or whether they will not receive any award at all. Any award will then be reviewed at sometime in the future; the time periods varying.

PIP is about how a person's disability affects their life, rather than any diagnosis they might have.

wilko · September 2019

@Sammy0000, PIP is a benefit awarded on your abilities to preform manage cope the descriptors in your daily life in a safe, timely and repeatable manner for most of your life. PIP is not awarded because of a diagnosis, disability or illnesses.

poppy123456 · September 2019

Hi,

Despite PIP have they looked into claiming any other benefits? Do they rent or own their home? How many hours per week does your father work please?

If they are under pension age the only benefit they could potentially claim is Universal Credit (UC). This has replaced all the old benefits and claiming this will depend on savings/capital and income from both of them because it's a means tested benefit they would claim as a couple.

Put all their details into this benefits calculator and it will tell you if they would be entitled to anything. If your mother is unable to work then she would need a fit/sick note from her GP to be able to claim limited capability for work under UC.

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

April2018mom · September 2019

Citizens Advice have lots of information on PIP.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/

Read all the questions carefully. Provide as many examples as you can think of.

If you need help filling out the form see the information below. You can apply on his behalf.

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

Send any evidence via secure recorded post. Make photocopies of letters etc that would support your claim form.

They will look at his ability to do each of the following tasks independently:

Cooking meals
Staying healthy
Managing your treatments
Bathing and washing
Managing toilet needs
Reading/comprehending written information
Communicating verbally
Travelling independently
Socialising with other people
Planning days out
Making money decisions
Moving around safely without aids

Good luck! Keep us updated on your claim too.

Chloe_Scope · October 2019

Hi @Sammy0000, it sounds like you care a great deal with your family, and that you are apprehensive to move away. You've done a great job being there for them all.

Did you manage to look at the advise that other members have been able to offer? If there is anything else we can do to help then please do let us know!

Need help with PIP please!

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