Published on 12, July, 2020
Hello Forum People.
I had my dreaded PIP assessment for my renewal a week or so ago. I currently get the enhanced daily living component based on a previous mental health issues only diagnosis but since then I've been diagnosed with Asperger's.
The assessment was worse than I expected. I was constantly cut off mid way through explanations and rarely allowed to finish answering questions. When I was able to answer a bit more fully I was asked 'why' again and again: 'why was I not under the mental health team?', 'why did I not receive help from an Asperger's service?' and 'why could I not do x or y?' - all questions beyond my understanding or control (ie funding cuts mean there is not an adult Asperger's service in my area).
I am now panicking...a lot. My ESA is tied into my PIP benefit. I can't face losing either, let alone both.
My question is: has anyone had any kind of positive stories about PIP, especially after such a negative assessment experience? I hope so...
Thank you.
I have just had the pip tribunal 21st April 2019, it was brutal, they are totally insensitive to the needs of people with autism, I still feel traumatized by it and will do for a long time yet. They gave me the standard rate of pip which I am totally grateful for after reading things online. This doesn't excuse the total lack of understanding for people with autism, criminals are treated better!.
Mine was the opposite, they were really good with me and gave me the enhanced rate. I still had to recover etc but that’s just me, I have to recover from being round people I love, such as family, so that’s nothing new but they were really good with me and I was well prepared for it. DIAL prepared me really well for it so I knew what to expect.