Appeal judgement denies disability benefits for mental ill-health sufferers

Last Updated: January 15, 2016By

[Image: madamepsychosis via photopin cc.]

An Upper Tribunal Appeal judgement means that mentally ill people who need to be accompanied on unfamiliar journeys will likely be denied eligibility for Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

The tribunal ruled that the PIP descriptor “Cannot follow the route of an unfamiliar journey without another person, assistance dog or orientation aid” only applies to a disabled person’s ability to navigate ‘in terms of following a route’.

People who meet the requirement of the descriptor are awarded 10 points, which on its own is enough to be eligible for the low rate PIP mobility component – worth £21.80 per week.

The new judgement overrules a previous decision that allowed mentally ill people prone to anxiety or panic attacks, and whom need to be accompanied, the “planning and following a journey” PIP mobility components.

Those affected by the ruling may still meet the requirements of PIP descriptor “Needs prompting to be able to undertake any journey to avoid overwhelming psychological distress to the claimant”, which is awarded just 4 points – not enough to qualify for PIP on its own.

Source: Appeal Judgement Denies Disability Benefits For Mental Health Sufferers | Welfare Weekly

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  1. NMac January 15, 2016 at 1:00 pm - Reply

    Nothing, but absolutely nothing, must get in the way of tax cuts for the already wealthy. Particularly the sick and disabled members of society.

    • Mike Sivier January 15, 2016 at 1:16 pm - Reply

      That seems to be the thinking process of the Conservative Government, yes.

      • Barry Davies January 15, 2016 at 2:01 pm - Reply

        It isn’t only mental illness or what is euphemistically called learning difficulties, but also invisible physical conditions that have difficulties in getting any sort of aid. M.E. and M.S. for example find it next to impossible although generally the sufferers of these conditions are unable to work.

  2. William Tyndale January 15, 2016 at 1:05 pm - Reply

    You know the British government is more than willing to use our taxes to pay for free loading families to come into our country, to live off benefits for their entire lives, even encourage disabled and mentally ill to come in, and no only benefits paid to them, as long as they are a family, but I believe vehicles also, and everything is found for them.

    Now we have some genuine disabled people in our country for whom we pay our taxes to support, and many of them have paid taxes themselves in their working lives. Do we not see the wickedness of government in supporting those that have given nothing to this country but trouble, and those that have worked and contributed to the finances of this country.

    • Mike Sivier January 15, 2016 at 1:15 pm - Reply

      You know all that stuff about “freeloading families” who immigrate here to “live off benefits” is a pack of lies, don’t you? Immigrants are net contributors to the economy, meaning they come here to work.
      You are creating a false division by trying to put British nationals claiming sickness benefits against non-existent foreign immigrants.

      • Barry Davies January 15, 2016 at 1:59 pm - Reply

        Only the ones that actually work add to the economy, although it could be argued they are preventing others from working in the same job, those that don’t work or send the money abroad to their families, or simply come for free health care don’t contribute.

        • Mike Sivier January 15, 2016 at 2:05 pm - Reply

          But it has been established that they don’t come here not to work, or for free health care. Those are lies. As for sending money abroad, I’m afraid there’s nothing to stop any of us from doing that. Perhaps you might want to question people who earn very large amounts of money and then send them to banks in the Cayman Islands (for example)?

      • STEVEN MCGUIRE January 18, 2016 at 11:11 pm - Reply

        mike sivier your living in in another planet ive worked on building sites with polish and also worked on a mosque a few years ago the asian guys told me about what they get upto claiming benifits for years and working in family shops they said we got say four tills in the shop but only 1 will get put through as legit to show ie tax man for tax returns the rest gets sent abroad to buy property or land the polish are the same they want to buy farms so how is it having these people here helping the uk they are takers not givers

        • Mike Sivier January 19, 2016 at 2:01 pm - Reply

          When you reported these transgressions to the appropriate authorities, what was the result?
          Or did you not report them?
          If you didn’t, then the rest of us will have to believe that your allegations are false.
          Don’t make up stories and think you can use them to persuade the rest of us; we’re not so easily-led.

  3. joanna January 15, 2016 at 3:06 pm - Reply

    Even illegal immigrants contribute, they get low paid jobs but they still have to buy things to survive here, and paying 20% VAT like the rest of us.

  4. Gary Bowman January 15, 2016 at 3:18 pm - Reply

    I have just had my PIP assessment, part is on these grounds plus epilepsy plus a destroyed right elbow all following a motorcycle accident nearly 4 years ago I was employed until September this year. Medication issues and uncontrolled epilepsy and uncontrolled pain have led to a recurrence of clinical depression and general anxiety disorder! I will let you know the outcome! I am 55 and have only had 2 years and 3 months not working for health reasons in the year 2000 to 2002!

  5. Rupert Mitchell (@rupert_rrl) January 15, 2016 at 3:36 pm - Reply

    I love your comments Mike and, of course, sending money off-shore is an entirely different matter if you are a Tory. I can be pretty safe in assuming that the appeal judgment was not made in any Labour premises.

    We all need to be concerned with how much more deprivation this Tory government will inflict on the non-millionaires, the sick and mentally ill if they are allowed to continue for another four years.

  6. Terry Davies January 15, 2016 at 5:48 pm - Reply

    to get into this country from outside europe is not easy and marriage is questioned by the immigration agency before getting any visa.
    european nationals have an easier time but migrants dont find it easy to get entry. Contrary to commonly held belief immigrants do not receive favourable treatment with housing or benefits.
    housing advice is given freely to all who want it. significantly there is regulation which prohibits benefits being paid to an EU Immigrant for longer than 3 months. They can then be asked to return to their country of origin if they dont find work.
    This is my current understanding.
    Its true that wages may be lowered by immigrants working for less however they bring skills which are lacking in the UK. its debatable whether they can be said to balance each other.

  7. Lynnette vaughan January 15, 2016 at 7:27 pm - Reply

    Disgraceful how can they make such a nit picking distinction at the end of the day they are unable to cope alone

  8. Phil Lee January 16, 2016 at 12:47 am - Reply

    That has to go up to the ECHR – it’s a clear discrimination against people on the basis of the type of disability they suffer from, which is criminal, and whoever sat on that tribunal must be one of the tory faithful to have participated in the conspiracy to commit that offence.

  9. Ed January 18, 2016 at 7:49 pm - Reply

    article about my dismissal for misconduct after I’d disclosed my depression http://holybatsex.com/2015/07/07/the-equality-act-2010-the-capability-policy-and-depression-in-the-workplace/

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