Please help us signing the government petition: Disabled people should have the same RIGHTS to go o

march100
march100 Online Community Member Posts: 1 Listener
in Everyday life
Please help us signing  the government petition: Disabled people should have the same RIGHTS to go on holidays than no disabled people. 

Amend guidance for PIP claimants on advising the DWP of travel abroad - Petitions (parliament.uk)

Comments

  • 2oldcodgers
    2oldcodgers Posts: 739 Connected
    Disabled or non disabled currently have the same rights to take a holiday. The only thing stopping them could be the costs of buying travel insurance or even being able to afford the dream holiday.
    Obviously there are holidays that a disabled person would find it difficult to cope with - mountain climbing, underwater exploration, etc., and no amount petitioning could change that.

     
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 16,776 Championing
    edited October 2023
    As far as PIP goes, then a claimant can go abroad for up to 13 weeks at any one time. Please see: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/377/regulation/17  tho DWP PIP decision letters do say you should notify them if going abroad for more than 28 days.
    I'm aware that those on tax credits are said to be allowed 8 weeks if holidaying abroad, but actually disabled people claiming PIP have 13 weeks, as above, so those that started this petition sadly havn't looked at all of the available facts/regs.
    Please also see the Advice for Decision Makers guide as regards PIP Chapter C2 section from para 2056:
    https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1186065/admc2.pdf
  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Online Community Member Posts: 16,776 Championing
    Would be interested in seeing a link about where this Social Security reg has changed @woodbine
  • rebel11
    rebel11 Online Community Member Posts: 1,687 Pioneering
    I think it's the anxiety of having to inform them.

    What if you get trapped in a country through no fault of your own? The DWP doing their 'damnedest' not to believe you.

    Joe / Jane Public doesn't have to go through this anxiety. 

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    edited October 2023
    woodbine said:
    @chiarieds that link for PIP was from 2013 the current rules state 28 days unless you are going abroad for medical treatment then it can be longer.
    This explains it fully (credit to net mums)

    'The claimant should notify us if they are planning to go abroad for 4 weeks or more'

    The newly updated PIP guide says: 'We will need to know the date the claimant is leaving the country, how long they are planning to be out of the country, which country they are going to and why they are going abroad.'

    It says leaving the country or planning to do so for a period of more than 4 weeks – even if this is a holiday – may affect a person's entitlement to PIP. 

    The rules state: 'We need to know if the claimant’s condition, the amount of help they need or their circumstances change. This is because it may change how much PIP they can get.

    'A temporary absence abroad for up to 13 weeks may be allowed, or up to 26 weeks if the absence is specifically for medical treatment. The claimant should notify us if they are planning to go abroad for 4 weeks or more



    If what you posted here is from netmums, then i will say no more on that one. 

    Of course the link posted from chiarieds is from 2013 because it's the PIP regulations and it was indroduced in 2013. Chiarieds is correct, you can go abroad for up to 13 weeks, 26 weeks if it's for medical treatment. "should notify" if planning on going for 4 weeks, is completely different to "can go" for up to 13 weeks.

    Going abroad temporarily

    You can claim the following benefits if you’re going abroad for up to 13 weeks (or 26 weeks if it’s for medical treatment):










  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    woodbine said:
    Having trawled the internet I still maintain that you need to advise the DWP if you are on PIP and plan to go abroad for 4 weeks or less as basically going abroad is a change of circumstance, however as others have a different point of view I'll leave it there.

    Yet your comment here indicated that your PIP will only continue for 28 days, unless for medical treatment, which isn't correct.
    woodbine said:
    @chiarieds that link for PIP was from 2013 the current rules state 28 days unless you are going abroad for medical treatment then it can be longer.
    This explains it fully (credit to net mums)


    I've been abroad many times in the past 10 years for a maximum of 2 weeks each time. I've never informed PIP and never intend on doing so because you're allowed to go away for that length of time without PIP being affected. They "advise" you to tell them just incase they try to contact you while you're away. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/pip-changes-and-reviews/changes-that-affect-pip/

    The DWP will usually stop your PIP if you leave Great Britain for more than 13 weeks - or 26 weeks if you leave to get medical treatment. Great Britain is England, Wales and Scotland.

    It's worth telling the DWP if you're going abroad for less than 13 weeks, in case they try to contact you while you're away.





  • 2oldcodgers
    2oldcodgers Posts: 739 Connected
    Maybe there is another reason as to why the DWP want you to notify of leaving the country even if it is for 14 days.
    They would treat the leaving of the UK as a change of circumstances. They could very well want to investigate how you are to manage the holiday despite being sick/disabled.
    Simply not telling them that you will be away for 2 weeks could be challenged by the DWP.
    Obviously it will all depend on why the person receives sickness/disability benefits.
     
  • Jimm_Alumni
    Jimm_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,717 Championing
    edited October 2023
    I will say, there's reasons other than holiday for leaving the country.

    Family members abroad could be sick for example. It might be that you're struggling through pain to visit them and it's not just a joy trip.

    I don't really see why we should need to inform the DWP of every single little trip we take. We have email and a lot of other technology that should make it possible to contact us other than phone. 

    I understand checking if someone no longer lives in the UK, but that's a different matter than going on holiday. Leisure time is a part of life, not a luxury. That leisure time should also include being able to visit other countries, it's often cheaper than visiting other places in the UK if money is the concern.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    2oldcodgers said:
    Maybe there is another reason as to why the DWP want you to notify of leaving the country even if it is for 14 days.
    They would treat the leaving of the UK as a change of circumstances. They could very well want to investigate how you are to manage the holiday despite being sick/disabled.
    Simply not telling them that you will be away for 2 weeks could be challenged by the DWP.
    Obviously it will all depend on why the person receives sickness/disability benefits.
     
    This is not true! Please stop scaremongering!

    What on earth has 2 weeks holiday got to do with someone’s entitlement to a disability benefit such as PIP? 

    I’m sure you’re aware that for PIP it’s the majority of the days that count over a 12 month period. There’s 365 days in a year so going away for 14 of those days doesn’t mean a person isn’t affected the majority of the time. 

    Just because I went on holiday, it doesn’t mean my health conditions magically disappeared for those 2 weeks! I wish!!! 
  • Strawberry1
    Strawberry1 Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 6,911 Championing
    I would sign the petition. 
  • 2oldcodgers
    2oldcodgers Posts: 739 Connected
    Jimm_Scope said:
    I will say, there's reasons other than holiday for leaving the country.

    Family members abroad could be sick for example. It might be that you're struggling through pain to visit them and it's not just a joy trip.

    I don't really see why we should need to inform the DWP of every single little trip we take. We have email and a lot of other technology that should make it possible to contact us other than phone. 

    I understand checking if someone no longer lives in the UK, but that's a different matter than going on holiday. Leisure time is a part of life, not a luxury. That leisure time should also include being able to visit other countries, it's often cheaper than visiting other places in the UK if money is the concern.

    We may well have a multitude of ways to contact people, but the DWP in particular generally only operates via a written letter and/or a telephone call. They don't normally allow internet access or any other digital system.

    Surely the DWP would be happy to know the date of leaving the country and the expected date or return. If it was left to the individual to volunteer information that they may have exceeded to time away then that would be open to abuse.
    Leisure time off is normal but when that individual is claiming benefits whilst away abroad from home for whatever reason then I believe it is only right that the State has some control over that money.
    And as we are talking about sickness/disability benefits surely it is reasonable for the State to make checks that taking that break does not in any way affect why those benefits are being paid.

     
  • 2oldcodgers
    2oldcodgers Posts: 739 Connected
    poppy123456 said:
     
    This is not true! Please stop scaremongering!

    What on earth has 2 weeks holiday got to do with someone’s entitlement to a disability benefit such as PIP? 

    I’m sure you’re aware that for PIP it’s the majority of the days that count over a 12 month period. There’s 365 days in a year so going away for 14 of those days doesn’t mean a person isn’t affected the majority of the time. 

    Just because I went on holiday, it doesn’t mean my health conditions magically disappeared for those 2 weeks! I wish!!! 
    You may well be as honest as the day is long but there are others not so.
    Facebook is a wonderful way of showing what you do whilst away. Maybe jet skiing or other activity that you would not normally do at home or say that it is beyond their capability.
    So many people/benefit claimants have had their payments stopped because of photos posted on Facebook.
    I know of one person that not only claimed DLA (at the time) on the basis that they needed round the clock care and could not walk more than 1 metre. Yet holiday snaps posted on Facebook showed a different picture entirely. He was prosecuted for benefit fraud as well as losing a Court action claiming that he was seriously injured at work.

  • Strawberry1
    Strawberry1 Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 6,911 Championing
    How do we sign the petition please?
  • Albus_Scope
    Albus_Scope Posts: 9,650 Scope Online Community Coordinator
    @Strawberry1 click on the purple text on the original post and it'll take you to the petition page. :)
  • Strawberry1
    Strawberry1 Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 6,911 Championing
    Oakley Doakley @Albus_Scope .
  • Strawberry1
    Strawberry1 Online Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 6,911 Championing
    I've signed @Albus_Scope .

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