Upcoming changes to benefits

I thought a PIP freeze would only save around £60 per year per claimant?

I think it depends on the rate of inflation each year . I’d prefer the freeze for a few years to the other alternatives

maths is definitely not my strong point but I can’t work the amounts out myself. But no matter what the savings I’d rather that than what they’re possibly planning on doing

That's a very good point, and one i'd not even thought of, perhaps because I just get so worked up and stressed out about it all(like we all are!!). Iv'e read your insightful posts many times on here and you always explain things in a very good and meaningful way, and give a different perspective to things. I think I was just worrying more about them changing the goal posts for getting PIP as I suffer with mental health issues,a nd they keep saying we're basically making it all up.

I think you'd do a much better job than Reeves and Kendall, and have better ideas then them combined, probably more empathy too!! There was also another member on here too that gave very good advice Poppy but I'm unsure what's happened to her, unless she's taking a break from it all, which isn't surprising at all as it gets a bit overwhelming. Keep on giving the good advice you put minds at rest.

With the change of pip criteria would that be for those who are currently on it , or those who reviews or new claimants

As a working autistic person who claims PIP I also feel cheated, because people like me are already doing what the govt want us all to do. Especially as I have had zero support from the state with regard to getting a job. I've had to work lower paid jobs at base level income despite my experience and qualifications so that I can prove myself (most non-disabled people would not have to do this). My disability is invisible, but I feel even more invisible at the moment with all this conflation of benefits and the complete disregard for what PIP is in a working disabled person's life.

Someone mentioned the points and how they are allocated depending on the assessor. I can 100% see this.

My mother has been trying to teach me to cook an egg for three decades now, with no success. I can't use a tin-opener, and I am incapable of heating anything from frozen. I can use the microwave but sometimes forget to stir something and put it back on for the second couple of minutes, so I have absolutely eaten ready meals half cooked. My directional issues mean I don't know which way to turn a hob dial or which plates are on when trying to cook food. All of these are obvious safety hazards in my food preparation, and as I was diagnosed as an adult, there had been many attempts to teach me as a child that had failed.

But according to the "autism expert" lady in my tribunal, I was lazy and my parents just didn't bother to teach me stuff. Probably because the idea of an intellectually capable but practically incompetent autistic person was not in her head. Executive dysfunction affects 80% of autistic people but it is NEVER mentioned in PIP assessments, in the paperwork, nor understood by the people assessing. From that tribunal, I was awarded 2 points for food preparation. It was only after my subsequent review that this was upgraded to 4, which is I believe more correct given that I'm clearly not safe to cook unsupervised.

We are all so reliant on the knowledge/prejudices or otherwise of the people making decisions, not enough of whom have lived experience or knowledge of disability.

Not reputable but nothing is at this stage…

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/cost-of-living/people-pip-need-more-points-31207253

I think it may of been me mentioning the points in regards to assessors. If these changes come in I will definitely record any assessments and challenge to points.

I understand exactly what you’re saying in regards to cooking . I can’t turn taps on without forgetting and flooding us. My sons now banned me as I’m also hard of hearing so don’t even hear the water splashing . I also get lost in unfamiliar places and get confused with left and right .

The calculation used is based on a PIP freeze of £5 per week per person. That's £260 a year. We do not get £260 a year extra year on year🤣

This is more like it! £113.10 / yr x 3 = £339.30 saving per person over a 3 year period. You x this number by the amount of claimants