PIP award given for autism, but limited period

Nader
Nader Online Community Member Posts: 61 Contributor
in PIP, DLA, ADP and AA
Hi all

I'll try to keep this brief. My daughter was refused PIP award for the difficulties she has because of autism. We appealed to tribunal (I'm appointed to act on her behalf). DWP phoned last week and agreed to give us the standard mobility component, but she didn't score enough points to get the daily living. We are at this time satisfied with this. But what I was surprised to see was that the award is for a limited period, which is from Oct 2021 to Feb 2025. Unfortunately it didn't cross my mind during the telephone conversation that it might be a limited period award and it was not mentioned by the decision maker; otherwise I would have queried it at that point.

This doesn't seem right to me. She was awarded points due to her inability to plan out and take unfamiliar journeys. This situation is very unlikely to change.  

I know that we still have the right to appeal this at tribunal - yet again. 

Could anyone advise please?
Is this limited period award normal?
Should I appeal this? 

Thanks for your help in this.

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    Just because you've accepted that award it doens't mean you can't still continue with Tirbunal. However, you will need to start the process again by requesting the Tribunal and they will look at the daily living part as well.
    When DWP offer an award before a hearing takes place they very often either award the lowest they can or they will award for a short length of time, although compared to some your daughter being awarded till 2025 is resonable.
    If you do request the Tribunal again then you can also ask for a longer award length but you must give your reasons why you think she should be awarded for a longer time.
  • Nader
    Nader Online Community Member Posts: 61 Contributor
    Thank you Poppy.

    My reasons for why she should be awarded for a longer time would simply be that we know our daughter, and that her inability to travel unattended is only one part of a mindset which I feel is highly unlikely to radically transform in a space of two and half years. Our pursuit of PIP for her has already been somewhat stressful and taxing, and we were hoping for a far longer time before we have to go through it again. 

    That's the truth of it. In your experience would the Tribunal view this as a good enough reason to award a longer award period?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    I don't know anything about your daughter or how she's affected by ASD. My daughter has this as well as a learning disability and Social Anxiety disorder and she claims PIP for both parts. ASD is such a huge spectrum that everyone will be affected differently.
    However, knowing what i do know and understand about it, i would expect your daughter to score enough of points for at least a daily living award as well as the mobility.
    For daily living, is she able to engage with others face to face or does she need support for this?
    What about dressing and undressing? She maybe able to physically complete this activity but do you need to prompt her to change her clothes? Maybe you need to prompt her to wear appropriate clothing for the type of weather we have?
    What about budgeting? Do she understand money, do you need to assist her with making budgeting decisions? What would happen if you left her to deal with her own money?
    There's also washing/bathing, communicating verbally?
    You are correct that ASD doesn't just magically improve over time so a longer award length maybe possible. If you're going to request the Tribunal again for this then you may as well request it for the rest of the award.
  • Nader
    Nader Online Community Member Posts: 61 Contributor
    Thank you for your guidance Poppy. I think we may well have become accustomed to a 'restricted' way of living with ASD that we have come to view as 'normal', as it were. You've given me quite a bit to consider, or rather, reconsider. 

    Again, I'm very grateful for your help, and insight from your personal experience.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    You're welcome. Yes, i can also relate to the "view things as normal" it's very very easy to do that because it's what we've been used to for many years.
    It's the same for myself with my daughter, the things i help her with just come naturally to me. It wasn't until i applied for PIP for her back in 2017 that i realised just how much help and support she needs.
    If i was in your shoes, would i accept the standard mobility and move on... no, i certainly wouldn't!
    For the mobility part, you say she was awarded for unfamiliar journey, what about a familiar journey? Is she able to go out by herself at all? My daughter has only been out by herself twice in her life and she's 21 now.
  • Nader
    Nader Online Community Member Posts: 61 Contributor
    That's precisely our position. I think in considering the descriptors we may have still left ourselves in the equation and not considered our daughter being completely alone to deal with everything. Just the thought of this is quite upsetting actually.

    On the familiar journey, in fact no. We couldn't be sure that she would be able to do it, and especially, be safe doing so. And, as a matter of interest, my daughter is 20 years old.

    I think I will request the Tribunal again, but this time will really consider my daughter doing all of the descriptors alone. Thank you again Poppy.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    That's exactly what i thought regarding the planning a journey part. Please don't get upset with yourself over this. It's very stressful when claiming benefits on behalf of others, even when it's our children. It's very easy to think that person copes quite well because they have that help, support and guidance but what would happen if they didn't have us?
    I've never personally been to a Tribunal or even had to challenge any benefit decision for myself or my daughter.
    When you do request the Tribunal, if you haven't already done this then please include a couple of real world incidents of exactly what happened the last time she attempted each descriptor that applies to her. Adding detailed information such as where she was, what exactly happened, did anyone see it and what the consequences were.
    Do let us know the outcome and if you need more advice please do ask and i'm sure someone will help you further.
  • Nader
    Nader Online Community Member Posts: 61 Contributor
    Regarding requesting Tribunal, can I ask them to consider something that we failed to enter in the original PIP application? For example, regarding budgeting decisions, if we originally considered that our daughter could make budgeting decisions, but now realise that we had inadvertently included ourselves in the scenario rather than only her on her own, would the Tribunal still decide on this?

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    Yes, you can include that. Remember, her PIP claim is about her and not about you. It's about the help she needs. If you weren't there how would she manage? Concentrate on those real world examples i mentioned above.
  • Nader
    Nader Online Community Member Posts: 61 Contributor
    Understood. Thanks again Poppy.
  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,922 Championing
    You are welcome @Nader. It is the very least you deserve. How are you doing at the moment? I appreciate it has been a little while since you last posted on this thread now  :)

Categories