Whilst considering their mental health, the claimant was asked by the panel whether they ever used Facebook. The claimant replied that they did so ‘now and again’.
After all the evidence had been taken, the claimant and their representative returned to the waiting room while the tribunal made their facebook logodeliberations.
However, when they were called back before the panel to hear the decision, the claimant was accused of lying to the tribunal. The medical panel member had the claimant’s Facebook page open on their smartphone and was reading from it, clearly taking the view that the number of posts was too frequent to be regarded as ‘now and again’.
Because the evidence gathering phase of the appeal had ended, the claimant was not allowed to respond, they could only listen to the decision of the tribunal in shocked silence.
Thus they were given no opportunity to challenge the accusation that they were lying or to explain that their partner also used their Facebook page.
Read more: PIP refused for spending too much time on Facebook
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This is really sinister. Sounds like something from Kafka, Bleak House or Catch 22. Or, perhaps a show trial from 1930s Stalinist Russia or Nazi Germany. This is worrying in the extreme.
what does spending time on FB or anything else have to do with PIP payments? This is outrageous.
for many of us who are suffering from psychiatric disorders social media is the last shred of anything approaching “normal” we have that we can hide our broken heads in.
So now he or she gets forced into dire poverty, slave labour, or shoplifting or worse for doing something that is not illegal.
As if using face book has anything to do with PIP…..Time for the House of Commons to put there foot down.and the claimant’s M P to insist and help this claimant with a judicial review .I rely on the internet and Face book to keep in touch with the world, family and friends and to do my radio show .It helps keep me sane!
This will be appealed and thrown out – “Equality of Arms” means all information must be before all parties before a deciion can be reached. The Judge is in for a spanking from the senior one’s as its a basic basic rule. Its going to cost the courts now to sort out his and they won’t be happy at having to do it in public.
Plus its hearsay, the account is shared with their other half! So how can you tell who is posting what?
PIP is supposed to be paid for disability, not for job searching. Since when does a recipient of DLA/PIP need to keep a JSA-style log of their activities?