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Benefits for disabled son

Dash1982
Dash1982 Community member Posts: 10 Listener
My son had a severe cardiac arrest September 2020. I have been made his appointee as he has a hypoxic brain injury & is disabled. On speaking with DWP they told me as my son didn’t have enough NIC contributions he couldn’t get ESA but was entitled to UC and he has also been awarded LCWRA. No one mentioned PIP is this benefit only available if you are eligible for ESA? Thank you. 

Comments

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi there 

    Pip is completely srperate benefit and you don't need to be on other benefits to claim 

    It is awarded for people who have medical condition that impacts their daily living and or mobility 

    Lots of info in our pip section for you to read 
  • Dash1982
    Dash1982 Community member Posts: 10 Listener
    Thank you, I will have a read. I am new on here. Benefits system is a bit of a minefield. 
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    Yes it is if you have any questions judt ask 

    You start a pip claim by ringing pip helpline and answer some questions and they will send out forms 

    The process is similar as for lcwra  it diffrrent criteria 

    You may also want to try a benefits calculator to make sure he is claiming all he is entitled to 
  • Dash1982
    Dash1982 Community member Posts: 10 Listener
    Thank you, I will follow your advice. 
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,488 Disability Gamechanger
    Welcome to the community @Dash1982 :) I'm glad that Janer1967 has already been able to give you lots of good advice. As she's said, please just ask if you have any specific questions.

    A couple of links:
    How have you been coping with it all? I'm sure having to take on all that responsibility so suddenly must have been stressful. Do you have enough support? 
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  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Dash1982 - & welcome to the community. Do familiarise yourself with the activities/descriptors that are looked at with PIP. Have a look at the following, reading the notes at the end too. If your son cannot do an activity 'reliably,' i.e. safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly, or in a reasonable time period, then this should be stated.
    For each activity that applies, give a couple of real life detailed examples of why he cannot do an activity/has difficulty attempting it. This should include when he had difficulty, where, what exactly happened, who witnessed it, & what, if any, were the consequences? Just take your time completing it, as there's a lot to take in. Please come back with any questions.
    A benefits calculator can be found here: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/
    Hope some of this helps. :)
  • Dash1982
    Dash1982 Community member Posts: 10 Listener
    Hello and thank you for your help. Sadly my son is severely disabled and possibly being able to be seated in a wheelchair is as good as his rehabilitation is going to get (only just managing to be put in a wheelchair for 1 hour periods this week). He has only the slightest movement in his left hand, peg fed & no control bowels or bladder, short term memory, cognitive problems and very basic speech ( speech limited to one word or a few words on a good day). He is currently in a NHS rehabilitation hospital but due to be discharged into a nursing home with experience of brain injuries (Headway recommended one we are fighting for) in mid June. At this time we don’t know if coming back home to live with us will ever be an option( our son is 38).  I am not sure how benefits are looked at when care will be in a nursing home ( CCG meeting to be held regarding funding in next few weeks) and Continuing Health Care fully NHS funded is expected to be the outcome. Having looked at the PIP descriptors and scores my son appears to score maximum points on all aspects. 

    I can’t use the benefits calculator due to him being in a hospital. I was unable to use it when I applied for an appropriate benefit for him - I had a nightmare being made an appointee due to DWP helpline staff giving me different versions on how to apply for this ( not in the routine call centre call script!). DWP staff told me UC & possibly LCWRA could be awarded, eventually a claim was processed in November 20 by my local Job Centre staff completing claim over the phone with me/online & making me an appointee ( cardiac arrest happened 2nd September 20. This tel call only happened after I contacted my local MP after being promised a phone call from a manager three times  to arrange appointee-ship which never came despite numerous follow up tel calls from me over a 8 week period.  I then had to go down the reconsideration route to get claim backdated, then an appeal going to tribunal but DWP conceded their errors and backdated claim before appeal was heard. Having been a Revenue Officer with HMRC for many years I was appalled at the standard of ‘knowledge and customer service’ from many of the helpline staff I spoke with. 

    It has been a massive shock to both myself, husband and family but we are trying to stay focused on our sons rehabilitation. We have a good family support network but it has been difficult dealing with everything under COVID-19 restrictions.  Having to negotiate the benefits call centre system as no face to face contact available is something I could have done without. Only now can I face checking if our son is receiving the correct benefit type. We have joined Headway and a community forum Health unlocked and these have not only been great sources of information but also a listening ear when it was badly needed. 

    Thank you for all advice given today. 

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    Sorry I didn't realise your son was in hospital sounds like he has lots going on


    and it must be hard for you all 

    He will not be entitled to pip unfortunately if he is in hospital as he is getting daily care 

    I'm not sure but he may still be eligible for the mobility part 
    @chiarieds fo you know the answer here 
  • Dash1982
    Dash1982 Community member Posts: 10 Listener
    Thank you janer1967, much appreciated. 
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    Thank you for the tag @Janer - @Dash1982 - your son will not get PIP whist he's is in hospital, but, as his appointee you can claim this, tho it won't be paid until he leaves hospital (neither the daily living, nor mobility component). See: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Going-into-Hospital-and-benefits/Personal-Independence-Payment-and-Attendance-Allow#guide-content
    I'm sorry for the circumstances with your son, & also the restrictions due to Covid-19. Headway are certainly one of the best charities to help with the brain injury he's suffered, & Health Unlocked do have members who understand too. If we can also support your family in any way, we can also be a 'listening ear,' & pleased to be so.
  • Dash1982
    Dash1982 Community member Posts: 10 Listener
    Thank you for your reply. I will look into seeing if my son is entitled to any part of PIP once he is discharged from current NHS rehabilitation hospital.  Although not sure if he then lives in a Nursing care home (one that is trained in caring for brain injuries and offers physio, speech therapy etc) if that means you can’t apply - but will make the enquiry. Due to his current medical needs coming home to live with us is not an option & sadly may never be. 

    Thank you for your help - to be quite honest I don’t think I could have got through these past months without the listening ear & advice given by Headway and Health Unlocked forum. 
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    Your welcome 

    Unfortunately the same will apply if he is in a care home as pip is to support with independent living to provide financial support for additional care 

    Glad you have found some help and support through forums 

    Best wishes to you both
  • Dash1982
    Dash1982 Community member Posts: 10 Listener
    Thank you for clarifying and also for your best wishes. 

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