Just approved my PIP and now I had a bombshell. — Scope | Disability forum
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Just approved my PIP and now I had a bombshell.

lostone87
lostone87 Community member Posts: 16 Listener

I was told I had a 10% or so chance in having my Mandatory Reconsideration accepted but it did indeed get approved this week gone and it only took a month or two to be accepted. But I contacted the boss of my social worker and she said that that 2 of her users have to pay back there PIP back (Gradually, every week or so.  80 odd pounds a week so that's all PIP). She is appealing it but I have no hope in it being successful, she said i'm not under there raider at this point but I can see it coming and i'm screwed.

I don't fully understand it but she said they are putting it through.

I really relied on my benefits for bills and personal spending, without out I have nothing. I cant even spend it on clothes, nothing. I really been contemplating on it and just giving up and saying F it, just end it and save myself the hassle. I'm nothing anyway. I cant event say screw the benefits and just work, I can not even work, I have really bad anxiety and hardly step out of the door. I have tried a few times but failed. 

Really at loss

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,352 Disability Gamechanger
    HI and welcome,

    Sorry but i'm a little confused by your post. Why did your Social Worker tell you that 2 people have to repay their PIP back? Are you saying the people were accused of benefit fraud? Why did your Social Worker tell you this? Sorry but i'm confused.

    What are they putting through? sorry but i'm confused about this too.

    It's very very rare that someone has to pay back a PIP award.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • lostone87
    lostone87 Community member Posts: 16 Listener
    edited January 2020
    HI and welcome,

    Sorry but i'm a little confused by your post. Why did your Social Worker tell you that 2 people have to repay their PIP back? Are you saying the people were accused of benefit fraud? Why did your Social Worker tell you this? Sorry but i'm confused.

    What are they putting through? sorry but i'm confused about this too.

    It's very very rare that someone has to pay back a PIP award.
    I am at loss myself, no one broke any rules so we are safe there.

    She said dla and Pip are not for personal spending, is she right there?

    I am going to phone her tomorrow and re ask her as this makes no sense to me, she said that they been planning this for a bit but just starting to put this in place.

    I am sorry I can not explain this any better.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,352 Disability Gamechanger
    I have no idea where she got the idea from that DLA and PIP is not for personal spending. It's your money and you can spend it on exactly what you want to spend it on. There's definitely no rules in place that you can't spend it on anything you want to. No one's been planning anything about any rules regarding this.

    I claim PIP for myself and my daughter also claiming PIP and i can tell you that i spend my money on the things i need and i certainly don't ask DWP if it's ok for me to do that. They don't check what you spend it on because it's your money.

    I'm sorry you've been advised so badly regarding this.

    It's great news that your MR decision changed, you should be very happy this has happened. Please try to relax and don't worry about this person trying to scare you this way because it's not going to happen.

    I hope i've at least managed to make you feel little better and if you have any more questions please so ask.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • lostone87
    lostone87 Community member Posts: 16 Listener
    I have no idea where she got the idea from that DLA and PIP is not for personal spending. It's your money and you can spend it on exactly what you want to spend it on. There's definitely no rules in place that you can't spend it on anything you want to. No one's been planning anything about any rules regarding this.

    I claim PIP for myself and my daughter also claiming PIP and i can tell you that i spend my money on the things i need and i certainly don't ask DWP if it's ok for me to do that. They don't check what you spend it on because it's your money.

    I'm sorry you've been advised so badly regarding this.

    It's great news that your MR decision changed, you should be very happy this has happened. Please try to relax and don't worry about this person trying to scare you this way because it's not going to happen.

    I hope i've at least managed to make you feel little better and if you have any more questions please so ask.
    Thank you.

    She said that they were planning this for a year or so but only putting it in place just recently. I have no idea what's she on about.
  • Misscleo
    Misscleo Community member Posts: 647 Pioneering
    Can i ask what that persons title is and where she works.

    Then you need to know if
    that's really her by asking to speak to her manager.

    We had a man at the solisitors who convinced people he was a solisitor when in fact he collected the rubbish from everyone's bins.
     By reading their rubbish he knew a lot. 
    Checking who she is will put your mind in a better place



  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,352 Disability Gamechanger
    As a community champion here on scope please don't give the information of where this person works because we don't need to know that.

    Who ever this person is, they are trying to scare you because the advice they are giving you is not correct. DWP haven't "planned" anything like this and i've no idea where this person got this idea from. As advised, it's your money and you can spend it on what you want to and DWP will have no interest in that.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger
    edited January 2020
    Hello @lostone87    Pleased to meet you.

    Thank you for your post.

    I am one of the team of Community Champions also.

    Please may I suggest look for other support if some one whom I regarded.

    Is looking after me and makes insinuations, comments not relevant that is out of order.

    Do I need to complain of course.

    All staff working in Social Services, Mental health teams have a duty of responsibly, confidently and respect.

    Do not offer and should be scaremongering, frightening you.

    With views and opinions.

    Not being reassured is a main cause of worry anxiety. I know this myself.

    Have and do if not happy with any service make a complaint write it down.

    One other have and do move on if not happy with any service offered.

    Use these ones mental health charities.

    https://www.richmondfellowship.org.uk.

    https://www.mind.org.uk.

    https://www.rethink.org.

    All offer floating support and advice guidance welfare benefit information.

    The last charity is one would be interested in supporting you

    They are an advocate charity.

    Represents you on your behalf intervene  in situations like this.

    Shocking to hear and feel for you, if some one told me that.

    Need to be thinking do I need this.?  Look for  other support.

    Please if I can help further please get in touch.

    Please take care.

    @thespiceman


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  • skullcap
    skullcap Posts: 169 Courageous
    edited January 2020
    The only time that I have come across Social Services/the Council spitting what you are allowed to spend your PIP on is when they are looking at treating the PIP payment as income. I had similar to this when they wanted to recover some overpaid Council Tax benefit. I had to include all of the DLA, mobility and care and then identify exactly what I used the money for. Anything that did not relate entirely to extra expenses due to a disability then they used the rest to work out how much I should be paying it back. I remember it was very hard trying to prove what these expenses were. Two were the window cleaner and fuel for the car when used for social reasons which they would not allow. Maybe this is what Lostone87 is going on about?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,352 Disability Gamechanger
    Yes indeed, it could be that which i didn't think of, thank you for pointing that out.
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 10,821 Scope online community team
    Sorry to hear this has been worrying you @lostone87. Hopefully some of the above has reassured you a bit.

    In future if you're starting to have thoughts of giving up or ending it, please give Samaritans a call on 116 123. It's really important you speak to someone trained and able to help you with those sorts of feelings. In addition to the recommendations above, Mind also have some resources on tackling these feelings and if you'd like us to look for some support local to you, we would be willing to do so. If that's something that would interest you, please email us at community@scope.org.uk
    In the meantime, if you feel like you might be in danger, please call 999 or go to your local hospital.
    Community Manager
    Scope
  • lostone87
    lostone87 Community member Posts: 16 Listener
    Yes indeed, it could be that which i didn't think of, thank you for pointing that out.
    Can you appeal it and have a chance to win like the PIP. She says she will appeal it but she did not have much hope. She said I can't have much personal spending money (just £100 a month) from the PIP as I would have less to spend.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,352 Disability Gamechanger
    It’s very difficult to advise anything here because we are not exactly sure what your Social worker is talking about. We can only assume they are talking about paying towards any care/support you could be receiving. 
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.
  • lostone87
    lostone87 Community member Posts: 16 Listener
    It’s very difficult to advise anything here because we are not exactly sure what your Social worker is talking about. We can only assume they are talking about paying towards any care/support you could be receiving. 
    She was talking about that I need to contribute to my benefits, 80 pound a week. I will talk to her when I'm back from London as I needed to sort something out with my parents. I will get back here as soon as I know more.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 53,352 Disability Gamechanger
    I’m assuming you have a personal budget for support/care is that correct? And they are saying you need to contribute £80 per week? Are you sure? That’s rather a lot of money each week. Please find out exactly what’s happening and then come back once you know all the correct information and someone will try to advise you more. 
    I would appreciate it if members wouldn't tag me please. I have all notifcations turned off and wouldn't want a member thinking i'm being rude by not replying.
    If i see a question that i know the answer to i will try my best to help.

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