part two of my dwp series, as the great british state continues to try to define what constitutes “being disabled”, reporting from the semi-frontline in happyland from the job centre on lollipop lane
In 2019, my PIP assessments (there were 5 attempted in a row, for a long list of reasons), ended up two different assessments/assessors bodged together in the same report to recommend NIL points on daily living, and NIL points on mobility and a decision in October 2019 to stop my Disability Living Allowance (lifetime award - ha to the lifetime bit!).
Predictably mandatory reconsideration (which from memory was done amazingly quickly in around a month or so) upheld the original DWP decision-makers decision (which is not unexpected).
Then it was appealed to the First-tier Tribunal in late 2019.
The First-Tier Tribunal (somewhat delayed because of problems arranging face to face hearings at a closed court venue during the pandemic) in March 2022 awarded me enhanced on daily living for 5 years (from October 2019).
DWP (and HMRC) didn't honour the First-tier Tribunal decision, so I enforced the First-tier Tribunal decision (regarding the backdated amount of around 2 1/2 years) in the county court.
Two court orders (enforcing the Tribunal decisions) were issued in my favour. Then both DWP and HMRC managed to find the money.
Course if DWP hadn't as the party was the "Secretary of State for Work and Pensions" I would've been within my rights to take it out of the minister's salary. ;)
In October 2019 DWP extended my 5 year award to 6 years as it was getting a bit behind with PIP reviews (to October 2026).
I had a PIP assessment recently accompanied by my wife and have requested and read the draft report that results from it.
Rather amazingly (through some miracle), I've managed to score 6 points on daily living, but the scoring seems to have (unfortunately) somewhat overlooked the road traffic collision (somewhat ironically returning home from overtime as my first ever employee job started the month before) I was in in October 2023, and the 28 hours or so of therapy a week I have to have following the road traffic collision. As I haven't pointed out, the assessor has looked at the 2019 information, and other information held by DWP and used this to ascertain how I am in 2025 and written in his report there appears to be some inconsistencies (because yes, things change over 5 1/2 years!)
So from NIL points in 2019 (overturned at Tribunal) to 6 points in 2025. I suppose I should regard that as progress, but I see a mandatory reconsideration and possible Tribunal appeal in my future!
Strangely in 2022, the Tribunal (judge, doctor and disability member) awarded me enhanced daily living on the basis I'm on the autistic spectrum (which hasn't changed).
The downside to that appeal is that as it took 2 1/2 years, my representative died in an accident 2 months before the final hearing!
Such is the life of a working disabled person in the UK if they're middle class, autistic and know what they're entitled to!
Thanks for highlighting the system and for an interesting read (albeit one that strikes a personal tone to me at present). I need to (in the future) do more journalism in this area myself as I used to involve myself more in disability rights activism.
Hi John, Thanks for the comment and very interesting to read all of this.
I think this also sums up the inherent dysfunction and bias in the system - and also what you say about knowing how to navigate these systems, being middle class and autistic! I think that's very powerful, and I do believe the system is designed to be difficult to navigate. I am going to write soon about all the buzz words, and "newspeak" of DWP, as that has been an interesting journey too..
Congrats on fighting the good fight! And yes definitely do more journalism in this area!
Hi Dannie,
I too was also at a PIP assessment recently.
In 2019, my PIP assessments (there were 5 attempted in a row, for a long list of reasons), ended up two different assessments/assessors bodged together in the same report to recommend NIL points on daily living, and NIL points on mobility and a decision in October 2019 to stop my Disability Living Allowance (lifetime award - ha to the lifetime bit!).
Predictably mandatory reconsideration (which from memory was done amazingly quickly in around a month or so) upheld the original DWP decision-makers decision (which is not unexpected).
Then it was appealed to the First-tier Tribunal in late 2019.
The First-Tier Tribunal (somewhat delayed because of problems arranging face to face hearings at a closed court venue during the pandemic) in March 2022 awarded me enhanced on daily living for 5 years (from October 2019).
DWP (and HMRC) didn't honour the First-tier Tribunal decision, so I enforced the First-tier Tribunal decision (regarding the backdated amount of around 2 1/2 years) in the county court.
Two court orders (enforcing the Tribunal decisions) were issued in my favour. Then both DWP and HMRC managed to find the money.
Course if DWP hadn't as the party was the "Secretary of State for Work and Pensions" I would've been within my rights to take it out of the minister's salary. ;)
In October 2019 DWP extended my 5 year award to 6 years as it was getting a bit behind with PIP reviews (to October 2026).
I had a PIP assessment recently accompanied by my wife and have requested and read the draft report that results from it.
Rather amazingly (through some miracle), I've managed to score 6 points on daily living, but the scoring seems to have (unfortunately) somewhat overlooked the road traffic collision (somewhat ironically returning home from overtime as my first ever employee job started the month before) I was in in October 2023, and the 28 hours or so of therapy a week I have to have following the road traffic collision. As I haven't pointed out, the assessor has looked at the 2019 information, and other information held by DWP and used this to ascertain how I am in 2025 and written in his report there appears to be some inconsistencies (because yes, things change over 5 1/2 years!)
So from NIL points in 2019 (overturned at Tribunal) to 6 points in 2025. I suppose I should regard that as progress, but I see a mandatory reconsideration and possible Tribunal appeal in my future!
Strangely in 2022, the Tribunal (judge, doctor and disability member) awarded me enhanced daily living on the basis I'm on the autistic spectrum (which hasn't changed).
The downside to that appeal is that as it took 2 1/2 years, my representative died in an accident 2 months before the final hearing!
Such is the life of a working disabled person in the UK if they're middle class, autistic and know what they're entitled to!
Thanks for highlighting the system and for an interesting read (albeit one that strikes a personal tone to me at present). I need to (in the future) do more journalism in this area myself as I used to involve myself more in disability rights activism.
Hi John, Thanks for the comment and very interesting to read all of this.
I think this also sums up the inherent dysfunction and bias in the system - and also what you say about knowing how to navigate these systems, being middle class and autistic! I think that's very powerful, and I do believe the system is designed to be difficult to navigate. I am going to write soon about all the buzz words, and "newspeak" of DWP, as that has been an interesting journey too..
Congrats on fighting the good fight! And yes definitely do more journalism in this area!