This is the second part of My Experience with Personal Independence Payment.
In March 2018, I was hospitalised due to being unconscious, contracting bilateral pneumonia and it was the beginning of a very long 9 month hospital and rehabilitation stay. It wasn’t until one day during my rehabilitation stay, that me and my OT were planning a trip into the city centre, we got on to the subject of PIP, and she questioned if I was still claiming it while I was in rehab.
Yes, I was still claiming PIP, we were now in July. When mum came to visit me that evening, I questioned her about it, to which she then read up about it online. She thought if the claimant is to be in hospital for longer than 28 weeks then they/someone on their behalf needs to make PIP aware of this.
But it wasn’t 28 weeks, it was 28 days. I had received, roughly, just over £2,000 in total, when I shouldn’t have. Being critically ill, it’s understandable that PIP wasn’t forefront in our minds. Mum contacted PIP the following morning, and thankfully, she spoke to someone and explained the situation. Credit where credit is due, the woman she spoke to was very understanding and reassured mum. For the time being, my PIP would stop and continue again once I was discharged home and reassessed, then a repayment plan would be sorted.
My Thoughts
I completely understand why a benefit would need to stop if the claimant was to be in hospital for a prolonged period of time, but if that is the only source of income for the claimant, what will they pay bills with? Do bills get to stop too? No, my view is that there needs to be some financial help available for people who are in hospital for a long time.
Second Attempt
In March 2019, I was reassessed and this time, the assessor would come to my home to carry out the assessment. The woman was absolutely lovely from the get-go, she had a distinct accent (Scottish, I think) and she really took her time with me and helped me to understand what she was asking of me.
I didn’t feel like I was being assessed, it just felt like I was telling someone what I can and can’t do, what I need assistance with, and if I used any aids. I was very fortunate to have two lovely and understanding assessors, however I am very much aware that this is not the case for everyone.
Overall, I think she was here for about 2 hours as she kept asking me to pause because she was writing what I was saying, word for word. Despite feeling like I answered every question to the best of my ability, and the overwhelm of negative stories online, I was convinced that I would be refused, or only receive the standard rates for both components.
I waited roughly 8 weeks for my decision letter. I had to read the letter several times to make sure I had read it correctly. They confirmed that I would be in receipt of Enhanced Daily Living and Enhanced Mobility, and that I would not be reassessed until May 2029. I cried with relief, knowing that it would be one less thing to worry about.
I was able to pay off the debt within 10 months.
How the Money Helps Me
If you are regular readers of my blog, then you might remember that I have a Motability car – this is because as I was receiving the enhanced rate for the mobility component, I was eligible to get a car from the Motability Scheme. Instead of PIP paying me the full amount (both components), they no longer pay me the mobility component but instead pay it to Motability for my car, therefore I only receive the payment for Enhanced Daily Living.
Having a WAV (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle) has given me so much more independence as it enables me to go out and about in my powerchair. With Motability, all I have to pay towards my car is the petrol – my mobility payment from PIP which is paid directly to Motability, covers the cost of repairs, tax, insurance and more. Completely stress and hassle-free which I love!
I receive £358.40 every month, for the Daily Living component. This money goes towards petrol, my share of the bills, food shopping , and other essentials to see me through the month.
Final Thoughts
When I began working at 16, after leaving school, I never wanted to claim benefits because, admittedly, I saw it as a shameful thing. This was solely due to the area I lived in at the time and the stigma around benefits was paramount. But like with many things, perspectives change when you experience something yourself.
Benefits are there to help and there shouldn’t be any shame towards claiming them. We all need help from time to time, and that shouldn’t be something to feel guilty about. PIP enables me to live a little more independently, and there’s nothing wrong about that.
