Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi,
I am new to the forum as my daughter was only diagnosed with Austistic Spectrum Disorder last summer, after a year and a half of assessments. We applied for PIP last April (I am her appointee) and have just been sent a letter saying she will not receive it, despite never going out alone and not being able to cope with communication with people other than her immediate family, and that is limited. She scored 4 points for 'engaging with other people face to face' and 4 points for 'planning and following journeys'. Zero points for everything else, despite a face to face assessment where I explained that she goes out on average once a week, sometimes less, and is always accompanied. She has lots of sensitivities, particularly with food.
Has anyone else experienced this? I am preparing an appeal. It says on the covering letter ' I realise you have a disability or health condition and receiving this decision isn't the news you were hoping for'. It's a joke.
The PIP form seems more like a lottery some win and others lose all with ASD some with co-morbid conditions. It seems to me that those who live with parents or are children are likely to lose out because it is impossible to see the real affect of ASD unless the claimant lives Independently. Which will cost much more. So its a circular argument many cant live independently because there is not suitable accommodation or support or for a myriad of other reasons, but dont have a professional to assess them for Independent living because the disability is being shielded by the home environment. Saving money. Is there then method in the madness, dont give the Milder end of the spectrum enough support [equals less likelyhood of independence] not enough evidence for benefits, outcome [;living at home hidden].