Re: The state benefits system mega-thread.
 

The pdf version of the guide is date 8th May 2018, That is fairly current.


ESA & PIP are not designed to pay off people's mortgages.
Not sure if additional medical evidence is meant to be sent direct to Maximus and not the DWP, if it's not included in the original application. It should've been handed over at the assessment itself, as long it isn't general medical info.

The appeal process is still yet to come and possibly the reconsideration stage before that.



So what was he living on during that time?


So after that time he possibly(depending on recovery) wouldn't be eligible for any extra money anyway.


Why was he claiming in Manchester, when living in Scotland? When there is a shifting situation, complications are bound to arise.


It takes time to issue a notice to quit, never mine an eviction, so I'm not totally convinced about those cases.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread.
 

Every claimant must be a scrounger in your book (apart from yourself of course), and the DWP never get anything wrong.... 70% of PIP appeals being successful say otherwise.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread.
 

As already explained, PIP is intended to help with personal care and getting out and about, but claimants are free to spend it in any way they wish. ESA is intended to help with day to day living expenses, of which mortgage payments are certainly so. Obviously, if people are having to use money intended for day to day living expenses, personal care and mobility costs to pay their mortgage (or anything else they might need), they are having to do without the things that they need within these areas.

How else do you expect disabled people to keep a roof over their heads since the Tories started chipping away the help available for mortgage interest payments? It started under Thatcher and was completed on 6/4/18 when it fully became a loan to be repaid with interest.

Home ownership was encouraged, then MIRAS was abolished and benefits to help with mortgage interest payments were reduced to nil.

---------- Post added at 11:10 ---------- Previous post was at 10:59 ----------

Exactly; his responses really are extraordinary.

Many people of all political colours have various views about various Governments and their welfare policies, but this is most bizzare. I've spoken to various people (in both a professional and personal capacity) across the political spectrum (including a Tory MP) and even he was critical about parts of the system that we have today.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread.
 

Some people just like arguing for the sake of arguing. I'd never understand how or why anyone would go to such lengths.... Still, it's keep those happy for their own reasons.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread.
 

Aside from the questions, I was stating facts. He sent the medical evidence to to the wrong place. Maximus produced their report without that extra medical evidence.

The problems have to exist for most of the time.
So "some days" doesn't quite cut it, All part of the original rules.

From WCA Handbook dated 4th Feb 2019
Appeals can be won by providing clearer medical evidence. The DWP aren't allowed to ask you questions, so anything missing or contentious will be overlooked. Tribunals have a duty to ask those questions, eg is "some" actually "most".

Understand the rules and you can better understand the decisions and the info the DWP are looking for

By the sound of it, he will is likely to be back on JSA in a few months time(Apr/May 2020). Because his problems are likely to be temporary, he would unlikely to be put in the support group.
He's still going to end up in that situation.


He's certainly not going to get the thousands of extra £ he seems to be expecting, even he was put in the support group.

If he used the term "some days" in his application, then that would've ended his claim. If he had used "most days", then it would be down to judgement as to whether that was true.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread.
 

Whilst no one wants any valid claimant have their benefit delayed, it's relevant to put that figure into context.

In March 2013, around when PIP was first introduced, there were 3.3 million claimants for DLA

In October 2019, there were 4.9 million registrations for PIP, of which 2.36 million were awarded, 2 million disallowed, and 87k withdrawn

For initial PIP decisions following an assessment - April 2013 to June 2019:
- There were 3.4 million initial decisions following a PIP assessment. Nearly seven in ten (68%) were awarded PIP.
- 780,000 MRs have been registered about the 3.4 million initial decisions.
- Just over three in twenty (16%) of completed MRs resulted in a change to the award (excluding withdrawn).
- Just over four in ten (41%) of completed MRs then lodged an appeal.
- Just under one in ten (9%) of appeals lodged were “lapsed” (which is where DWP changed the decision in the customer’s favour after an appeal was lodged but before it was heard at tribunal).
- Two thirds (66%) of the DWP decisions cleared at a tribunal hearing were “overturned” (which is where the decision is revised in favour of the customer).
- Just under one in ten (9%) of initial decisions following a PIP assessment have been appealed and around one in twenty (5%) have been overturned at a tribunal hearing.

So out of the 3.4 million initial assessment decisions (April 13 to June 19), 120k were changed at Mandatory Reconsideration and 180k were overturned at a Tribunal Hearing, which makes the successful Tribunal Appeal percentage at around 5.29% against the original number of registrations.

tl:dr - 70% sounds awful, real figure of 5.29% not so bad...

Lots of info here

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread.
 

My worry is those that don't appeal finding it too daunting , and they may well be entitled. I'm not blaming the DWP decision maker here, they can only go on the info supplied. However the assessors on these PIP claims are often not qualified to judge the disability in question; they obviously have targets, E.g. how is a physio supposed to judge the effects of autism ? ( this isn't hypothetical, I know it has happened). The system seems to designed to dissuade people from claiming or appealing. Those most in need are most vulnerable to this system, where you need to be 'in the know' as to what scores points. PIP is failure, the Govts aim was to cut costs and they've increased, and those most in need are most at risk of slipping through the net.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread.
 

It may be a failure, but more people are granted PIP than were given DLA...

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread.
 

If it doesn't get to the right people then that means nothing.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread.
 

The best thing for any claimant to do is seek advice from one of the benefit advice centres on how to go through the PIP process as it can be very confusing for some going through the process.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread.
 

Very true Den but not everybody knows where to go for help. You have to have a bit of knowledge to help yourself which is why those who are most vulnerable are at risk.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread.
 

l know Mr K that some find it very hard to go through the complex processes of PIP as it can be very wieldy and stressful for some.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread.
 

I totally agree Den, but the problem is that Government austerity cuts have led to the closure of many organisations that offered free help to those that needed it most.

A double whammy for the most vulnerable in society.

I had my PIP claim completed by a solicitor who specialises in Social Security law and everything went smoothly, but not everyone is lucky enough to be availed of this facility.

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread.
 

A useful online site is this one.

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/

Re: The state benefits system mega-thread.
 

Correct, they are not. What they are supposed to do is assess how the disability affects the person in their general day to day life.