PIP and Employment

[littleredfish]

I commented regarding employment and PIP on another thread but wanted to gauge opinion.

PIP is advertised like DLA that it is payable in and out of work and college and training. Indeed many children get DLA and attend school.

Who here works and gets PIP. Did you find that working posed a barrier to PIP in that the DWP viewed your ability to work as meaning that you had low daily care needs and used this fact to discredit your claim despite reasonable adjustments in the workplace?

Indeed it has been reported that many people remain in the workforce due to DLA and would need to give up work if their move to PIP proves unsuccessful.

[NewYorkGirl]

I commented regarding employment and PIP on another thread but wanted to gauge opinion.

PIP is advertised like DLA that it is payable in and out of work and college and training. Indeed many children get DLA and attend school.

Who here works and gets PIP. Did you find that working posed a barrier to PIP in that the DWP viewed your ability to work as meaning that you had low daily care needs and used this fact to discredit your claim despite reasonable adjustments in the workplace?

Indeed it has been reported that many people remain in the workforce due to DLA and would need to give up work if their move to PIP proves unsuccessful.

Hi Litteleredfish

I work and claim PIP. I only work part time due to my current functioning. I didn't find my working to be a problem for PIP. I have claimed dla for about 6 years all in all then my current award ran out and I had to apply for PIP instead. My pathway through the application was straightforward really. I pretty much thought I'd have to fight to get anything. I had a face to face with atos and less than two weeks later I had my decision and literally nearly fell over!

On dla I was getting middle rate care and low mobility. On PIP I was awarded enhanced care but no mobility on an ongoing basis with a review in 10 years. Shocked doesn't even cover it really.

I did take my care co-ordinator with me to the assessment and she spoke when I could not and she drove me there as I was a gibbering wreck. The lady who assessed me was nice and seemed to care. I did find the whole ordeal very distressing as I hate talking about my illness especially to a stranger. I also had a letter of support from my psychiatrist which was very detailed and mentioned that I work simply to get out of the house and have some social interaction and that it wad vital for me that I did.

Tbh I don't really remember the assessor asking anything about me working but, I was in a real state and don't really remember anything apart the fact I didn't have any sort of physical assessment. I guess that's because primarily my problems relate to my mental health.

I think everyone will experience this journey differently and will have a different outcome.

My disability is(I really hate to admit this as I wish I was normal) *whatever normal is*
Recurrent severe depression
Acute anxiety both generalised and social
OCD
Avoidant personality disorder traits
Emotionally unstable personality disorder traits
Suspected Asperger's syndrome (awaiting official diagnosis)
And some gastric problems

I'm not sure if my answer will help but I just wanted to tell you that working wasn't a problem for me and indeed at several points in the last few years I worked full time but was still eligible for dla.

Good luck with everything

[flowerangelx]

I personally don't work, but my sister does receive PIP, is in her final year at uni and works.

[littleredfish]

Thank you NewYorkGirl for feeling able to share that and your experience. I hope you can get you Aspergers diagnosis sorted either positive or negative soon. It is quite hard to get Autism diagnosis even in the advent of the Autism Act now current.

I am interested to know about working and PIP in relation to a family I know who have an autistic son who works 20 hours a week in a very routine job that has no changes and he does not deal with people and has good adjustments at work. He is due to move to PIP from DLA and they are worried he may lose his PIP as being seen able to work and thus can dress without prompting, can cook a meal etc the loss of which would mean he would have to give up his job.

[flowerangelx]

Then you explain that the best you can to them - my sister has almost all prompting descriptors for her award

[Lighttouch]

I became disabled at aged 19 I'm now aged 58 and at the time I was in full time employment back in 1977 - I was retained at work after surgery but didn't claim any allowances.

In those days there was no internet or support so I didn't know what I was entitled too. I struggled on for another 4 years until a physio suggested that I should get what is now a Blue Badge. She also suggested that I apply for what is Mobility Allowance that was £72 a month.

I was awarded it for three years but after two years I wanted to be reassessed to extend the period so I could get a Motability car. I went to an assessment centre on my own and was given a lifetime award as my condition wasn't going to improve.

I applied and was awarded the middle rate of care 20 years ago even though I was working.

About 20 years ago I also lost my job and had to sign on fr the first time ever. The DEA at the Employment Centre advised me that they couldn't help me into work as my former job was too specialised. During a year out of work I wasn't entitled to any benefits as my wife, at the time, was working.

In all the time that I was in work I was supported by Access to Work as and when needed. I was never required to see the DWP or meet anyone about my DLA. I was just sent an annual letter asking to report any changes to my health.

PIP is the only non-means tested benefit that working dsabled people can get.

I'm in a postcode area where existing DLA people will need to be reassessed for PIP. I'll be interesting to see the length of time any award is given to me. I've been disabled for 38 years - I haven't improved or got better over that time and will only slide down in years to come.

[Caley]

When I first got PIP I was working part time. I was a bit worried they might use the fact I was working against me, but as my disability is purely physical (arthritis) and my difficulties relate to non work related things like dressing, showering, toilet and cooking so they gave me standard daily living rate which was appropriate for me. I'm now at uni after giving up work and managing ok due to there being good disabled facilities. I suppose it depends whether they think your job or course contradicts what you say your difficulties are, such as me saying I can't communicate or mix with other people when I was working as a support worker with the elderly, or telling them I struggle with reading and understanding when I'm doing a degree course. It seems a lot of people manage to get PIP/DLA and work or study, and I just hope they never change the rules to make it more difficult as it would just discourage disabled people from trying to get on and have a "normal" life.

[nukecad]

In those days there was no internet or support .......

How to say this;
never mind most of the boll###s on the internet, thank you all the people on forums (like this one) who have helped me in the past.