Hi! Recently been looking at claiming PIP but the DWP won't even acknowledge the claim

camboyle85
camboyle85 Online Community Member Posts: 1 Listener
edited November 2021 in PIP, DLA, ADP and AA
Hello everyone! I'm Cameron, from Leicester and I am an autistic woman in my thirties. Recently been looking at claiming PIP but the DWP won't even acknowledge the claim because my ASD hasn't been reassessed since I was 26. I'm also struggling to get an assessment, I keep getting passed from pillar to post. It was hard enough to get a diagnosis in the first place but despite having one & the fact that everyone can 'see it', I still have to go through the same process again just to make life a little easier. Why do we have to fight so damn hard for the things we are entitled to, with the very people who tell us we're entitled to this stuff? I just don't understand & I don't think I ever will.

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    edited November 2021
    Hi,

    Why won't DWP acknowledge your PIP claim? PIP isn't about a diagnosis, it's how those conditions affect you against the PIP descriptors.
    Do you mean you applied for PIP but went through the claims process and were refused?
    Once you've been diagnosed with ASD you won't have another assessment.
  • Alex_Alumni
    Alex_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,538 Championing
    Hi @camboyle85 and welcome to the community! You'll find it's full of people who have had similar experiences as well as a lot of knowledge, and are very supportive. Citizen's Advice might be able to help as well.

    You might be interested in Scope's campaign, 'Disability benefits without the fight', which is calling for fairer assessments and to give disabled people the right to request an assessor who understands their condition. I know you've not reached that stage yet, but it might be worth taking a look.

    If you do need anything please let us know, and I hope you can get your PIP claim underway.     Thanks for reaching out, and don't be afraid to keep asking questions. 

    Alex
  • rubin16
    rubin16 Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 863 Championing
    Hi Welcome to the community,

    I have autism and never heard of anyone being reassessed for it, you can't have autism for a few years and then suddenly be cured. You can mask your symtoms and learn to cope with it, but things arn't going to change.

    Also like poppy said I don't get why DWP would refuse your claim or ask for a reassessment of your ASD before claiming as its not about diagnosis, although how your condition affects you on a daily basis. I would speak to DWP again and get further information on why you can't claim, as these things don't make sense and shouldn't bar you from making a claim.
  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Online Community Member Posts: 4,222 Championing
    It sound's like the OP received a PIP refusal letter which stated something like 'no new input for Autism' as a reason for rejection.  

    People often focus too much on the excuses written in that letter and try to justify or eradicate them in the MR, I know I did the first time...  The best thing to do is ignore the letter and just try to better explain your experiences specifically regarding the PIP descriptor tasks for the MR/Tribunal.  
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 16,791 Championing
    edited November 2021
    Oh @Alex_Scope - you said, 'You might be interested in Scope's campaign, 'Disability benefits without the fight', which is calling for fairer assessments and to give disabled people the right to request an assessor who understands their condition.' Is this appropriate?
    We've had some discussions about this before you joined; myself, & another that has more knowledge than I, have both questioned this. For example, many of the members that join have both physical & mental health problems, so which assessor do they see, presuming sufficient mental health care professionals could be recruited, who perhaps know about every mental health condition? Conversely for those 'just' with physical problems, yet they have more than one condition, & many members have several, whom would they see? Which health care professional?
    Such questions, however, would miss the point that PIP assessments for example, are not 'medical' assessments, rather looking at a person's functional ability to be able to 'reliably' (i.e. safely, to an appropriate standard, repeat as often as would normally be expected, & in a reasonable period of time ) do any PIP activity/descriptor that applies to them.
    I would ask you to kindly read through the link you have given, as this is misdirecting claimants away from the importance of a well completed claim form, & erroneously concentrating on assessments, or perhaps those that Scope suggest, thank you.

  • Alex_Alumni
    Alex_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,538 Championing
    edited November 2021
    @chiarieds thanks for your feedback and letting me know about previous discussions, you raise some very interesting points.

    I've double checked today, and can let you know that this feedback has been raised with the Policy team.
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 16,791 Championing
    Thank you @Alex_Scope - Adrian had mentioned this previously, but good to have it confirmed.
  • Alex_Alumni
    Alex_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,538 Championing
    @chiarieds you're very welcome, I know exactly what you mean :)

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