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- cross-posted to:
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cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/8048406
The Department for Work and Pensions [DWP] has confirmed that it will be making major changes to PIP, Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) assessments from 2024. They said sickness and disability benefits will be assessed by the same provider in any given area of the UK.
The new service will be rolled out nationally from 2029, reports Birmingham Live. It follows criticism of the current assessments for PIP during a debate triggered by a number of petitions. One petition called for a “complete overhaul” of PIP, and called the process “inhumane and degrading.”
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I applied for PIP and I was denied. The whole process was so horrible, stressful, dehumanising and difficult that I couldn’t bear going through the whole appeals process - I am really lucky to be in the position of being able to work despite my disability, but a lot of my money is spent to compensate for or to somehow mitigate my disability - money spent on mobility aids, adaptations, additional transport costs, time out of work for appointments, and so on.
I’m also lucky enough to live in Scotland and I applied for the Scottish alternative to PIP (SADP) the day it was available for me to apply, and I qualified for the maximum amount available due to my level of disability. Which still isn’t much, by the way, and probably doesn’t really cover all of my disability related costs, but again, I am really lucky to have it.
There wasn’t any change in my health between applications, it’s just that the PIP process is literally designed to find any excuse to reject your application.
I’m doubtful that DWP really want to improve the process, I think they like it just the way it is. Probably all they want is to be able to farm the criticism out to third parties.
My Dad volunteered at a local advocacy group helping people with their PIP appeals - in one case a woman had been assessed as being able to walk 10m unaided when she couldn’t get out of her chair without help. Turns out the assessor hadn’t even visited her.
That’s good of your dad to do that. I got help from an advocate when I was having problems getting the help I needed from the NHS, and even having someone who could do little things like looking into how to get treatment plan organised by your GP etc. really helps relieve some of the pressure. When you’re disabled and working it’s like having at least three full-time jobs - caring for yourself, trying to figure out how to get help and actually getting it, and working all at the same time. I honestly can’t imagine how much harder it is to have kids to look after on top of all that. You can’t just say, “fuck it I can’t be bothered making dinner today” when you’ve got kids :/
That’s good of your dad to do that. I got help from an advocate when I was having problems getting the help I needed from the NHS, and even having someone who could do little things like looking into how to get treatment plan organised by your GP etc. really helps relieve some of the pressure.
Oh indeed…Just having someone who will spend the time on the phone waiting and then explaining all the ways they’d messed up frees up so much time, if you can even do that in the first place and some.of his clients couldn’t. It feels like the system partly relies on making things just difficult enough that a good percentage of people give up.
I honestly can’t imagine how much harder it is to have kids to look after on top of all that. You can’t just say, “fuck it I can’t be bothered making dinner today” when you’ve got kids :/
Yes, no days off there.
I went through PIP twice, denied, appealed and won the first time. Second time I was denied I just couldn’t do it again. I’m also lucky in that I have a supportive partner, otherwise I don’t know. Currently rocking a part time job as enforced physio and some pocket money, but there’s no pride in that.
What’s worse, if you’re denied PIP you can’t apply again for the same condition so I’m SOL now. If it hits the fan I don’t know what I’d do, an increase in hours at my current job to support myself would be such a decrease in QOL I don’t think it would be worth it, that’s assuming I could do it at all.
I’m currently retraining but I don’t know how I can sell a recliner as a reasonable accommodation for full time work. Mostly I’m just broken… kinda just unloaded there, sorry.
It’s okay, I feel your pain, and I really sympathise. I know exactly how overwhelming and soul destroying all this shit is. I created a community on feddit.uk called !disability, and you’re welcome to post as many rants as you like there as you like. It’s really quiet at the moment but the option is there if you want it, and I’m currently stuck in hospital with nothing much to do besides reading and commenting on the internet :p
Ableist fucks. I’m autistic, ADHD, and have a range on mental health issues. I am unable to work because of them. These non medical assessors are biased as fuck, especially towards those of us with invisible disabilities, and I’ll likely be forced into situations that will make me ill. Absolutely despise this government.
Sending love and energy your way, I remember a conversation I had with a disability assessor on Reddit and I just kept telling them, “no, you’re scum, I don’t give a shit about anything you have to say” and they just kept going on and on about how it helped disabled people to have someone to keep away the “””fake disabled””” people. It is fucking disgusting. Should be totally illegal to reject a PIP application until they’ve had an interview with like the disabled person, at least one of their doctors, and a person or two from each “sphere” (work/school/personal life) who knows the disabled person and their struggles. And then if an application is rejected but accepted after an appeal that should be a sackable offence.
I’d far rather have 9/10 people on disability payment not need it than have the 1/10 who needs it go without it. It’s better than spending the money on some bullshit fake government contract that they award to their wife’s business that they set up 15 minutes ago.
