Published on 12, July, 2020
as with many parents, im sure they have all had to jump through government hoops to get the support their children desperately need and pip isnt just financial support, its a gateway to other things that can help them.
our 19yr old Son was given a review over the phone, with me next to him and in the safety net of his home. the dwp have years of paperwork from diagnosis of autism, sensory processing to educational care plan and up to now, with lots of support he has completed college and wants to go to university.
heres the gobsmacking main reason he was declined; because he was able to go to college, make complex budgeting decisions (he wont buy a thing at a shop without calling me first!!) unaided and drive a car, the list goes on with ridiculous assumptions made on the basis of a phone call.
we are obviously challenging the decision, but are left feeling totally let down by a review that uses any success that hes had from years of support to saying he is "no longer autistic" and therefore has no more needs for support going to university.
any advice would be appreciated, especially as the rejection has made him doubt going on to university because he now believes he will have to cope on his own and no one will be there to assist him when he needs it
thank you for your reply, i have indeed included that autism is a lifelong condition and does not go away just because he has achieved all the things they have listed against him. the link you included was really helpful and confirms that his special interest/obsession is cars and hes been driving simulators since he was seven and had lots of driving time from fourteen on private experiences, so driving is natural and certainly shouldn't be punishable by assuming autistic adults cant be driving or not be able to go to university because of an assessors assumptions and ignorance
NAS36129 said:to saying he is "no longer autistic"
As part of your challenge, it is worth stressing that this, of course, is impossible.
Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disability / condition:
https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/what-is-autism#:~:text=Autism%20is%20a%20lifelong%20developmental,and%20children%20in%20the%20UK.