Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello people, I was finally diagnosed with aspergers in July as a base condition of other mental health/psychiatric conditions, My report said said I suffer from it along with clinical depression present since childhood, with a personality disorder to cope.... Just received my PIP Award rejection letter with only 2 points but clearly states no evidence of low mood, How can a senior consultant diagnosis on a report of clinically depression not be classified as evidence.....
Any way I guess their thinking is as I have gained good qualifications and maintained good jobs until December 2015 that I do not qualify for help. But when I had a full mental breakdown ended up being sectioned from it and now unlikely that I will ever be able to lead a "normal "life My psychiatric conditions are to severe to be dealt with by NHS funding which is also in writing for my mandatory reconsideration but more clearly specified along with the specialist treatment needed with estimates on cost.
So my question is how many Aspies get PIP, the Autism concern team seem fairly sure i will get it after appeal or maybe even tribunal but now I am not so sure. I know everyone is different and all require different help and support, but this whole diagnosis, pip/ESA application process has caused severe anxiety and deteriorated mental health. I do give credit to ESA as at my assessment they stopped it and clearly said i was not fit to be there and sorted out my ESA payments promptly. But they also told us to put not fit for assessment on my PIP application which they honored with no face2face but now I feel that has gone against me.
I have been for a PIP assessment in 2016 after receiving standard rate for care DLA and low rate mobility DLA for life. The assessor seemed to know nothing about Autism asked me lots of questions as if I had a physical disability and wouldn’t let my mother talk or help me answer any questions that I struggled to understand and answer. She seemed to think autism is a disability that you grow out of when 18 because its called a developmental disability and she didn’t understand what sensory overload is. She wrote on the report that I feel as if buses, lights, sound and touch causes me pain in my brain. She didn’t feel I had problems with communicating, I wasn’t depressed or anxious and I looked fine to her. I was award no points. At mandatory reconsideration I wrote a letter stating what autism is quoting from the NAS website and stating what I felt I should have scored points on. The decision maker then send my letter to another HCP who responded by saying "there is no evidence of any cognitive, physical or intellectual impairments that would prevent you from following any of the activities.” I was awarded no points again. I went to CAB and got a lawyer before my appeal and had an independent assessment by a physiatrist and a report from my GP that supported my problems living with Autism. I won at the appeal and was awarded enhanced care for pip but only 4 points for mobility because I can walk through parks etc and just have problems in busy cities and public transport. But I was very happy to win.
What i'm trying to point out here is the HCP don't seem to understand autism at all. However make sure you take it to appeal if you don't get pip before because that is generally where they do and you will get a proper assessment or fairer assessment for PIP. Atos, maximus and capita are useless when it comes to autism.