Refused PIP

Hi
My husband was diagnosed with Autism he was advised to claim PIP. He filled out the form using the B&W He sent off the forms off with his diagnosis he also has Anxiety which he is medicated for as well as diabetes which hasn’t been controlled well as he forgets to test his blood sugars I have to remind him to test himself . The assessor rang him then he received the outcome that he is not eligible for PIP so he asked for a mandatory reconsideration they responded by saying that he can do this and that he hardly scored any points . I’ve told him to take it further but he says he can’t it’s too much for him . I’m not at all happy

Hi JollyRoger77,

I really wanted to take a moment to share my experience in the hope it might help:

My brother went through the same awful situation your husband is now in. Rob does not live with autism - but with a personality disorder, similarly misunderstood by his assessor. The assessor, who was a physiotherapist (?!!) focused pretty much most of the report on my brother's physical capabilities, obviously because the said assessor stuck to what HE understood and did not even try to understand how BPD massively impacts daily life.

Like your husband, my brother felt too overwhelmed and exhausted (at first) to even consider a MR so me and other family members prepared it for him. It was still turned down but....when he went to Tribunal he received Enhanced Daily Living and Enhanced Mobility. For five years!

If you can bear it, then I eally encourage you to start the challenge process. It is really, really worth it.

Pulling for you. Susie

Hi JollyRoger77, like the other replies I agree your husband [and therefore you as his wife] have been badly wronged. Likewise I would encourage him to consider going onward. Maybe as a Person with Autism the statistics will be useful for him. The exact percentages are in recent posts from the moderators, but in broad terms only one in six people get the denial overturned at MR. So the result he got so far is to be expected. However about four out of five people are successful at Tribunal and this is why it is worth going on. Also several members recently have had DWP 'settle out of court' with a phone call making an award offer before the Tribunal hearing. This is obviously less stressful, if you are fortunate enough to have this happen.
If you do not have any other help, consider approaching Kester; a campaigning no-win no fee service
disabilityrights.org.uk/
which I first heard of when another B&W member got an excellent result with their help.
Best wishes and "do not let the b's grind you down" from the wife of an Asperger's Person,
Denby