UK: Disability benefits (UC, ESA and PIP) - news and updates 2024 and 2025

[rvallee]

Do we think the penny's ever going to drop in government that most disability in the UK is caused by chronic illness, not congenital or acquired physical impairments?

Which means people are always likely to need additional sick leave if they're to stay in work. Especially if they're not allowed to work at home on bad days, or are given no flexibility over the times and days on which they do their contracted hours?

The medical profession is still blaming TikTok. I wonder who they'd be blaming if they didn't have it to blame for everything they fail to do. But until the medical profession swallows its pride this won't happen.

Psychosomatics is an extremist ideology. It has no stop function or any way to relieve the pressure from its failures. It only ever commits further to the kayfabe.

 

[Dolphin]

MEA FB:

ME Association’s Welfare Briefing for Westminster Hall Debate

In a major moment for our community, Tessa Munt MP has quoted directly from MEA policy work during a Westminster Hall debate on support for people with ME.

Her speech raised serious concerns about DWP reforms and echoed the lived experiences of people with ME/CFS or Long Covid who are being failed by a system they can’t safely navigate. Read our response and what this means for the campaign.

Read the briefing that the MEA provided for Tessa Hunt, MP, here: https://meassociation.org.uk/hmm2

#pwME #MECFS #MyalgicE #TakingThePIP #WelfareReforms #Parliament #Debate

 

[John Mac]

Employment and Support Allowance: outcomes of Work Capability Assessments​

Employment and Support Allowance: outcomes of Work Capability Assessments

Work Capability Assessment outcomes, appeals and mandatory reconsiderations for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claims.

www.gov.uk

 

[Kitty]

That's an interesting graph. So few reassessments in the last year it barely registers.

 

[Kitty]

For anyone who'd like to join Benefits & Work but their budget's a bit tight, there's a special offer on for the next couple of days—you just need to enter the code when you register. They accept cards and Paypal.

 

[MEMarge]

@Robert 1973

 

[Robert 1973]

@Robert 1973

Thank you. I’ve just signed up with the Xmas25 33% discount.

 

[Eleanor]

Earlier this year I requested 'mandatory reconsideration' of a PIP decision which claimed I had no difficulty communicating or mixing with other people, when in fact those are some of the things I find most difficult due to cognitive impairments; I rely on my husband to do a huge amount of communication for me - if not for him I would need some kind of social care help. I'm really fortunate to have a GP who understands the impact of the illness and he wrote an excellent letter in support. Today I had a decision letter saying they would add two points for 'mixing', which takes me up into the enhanced rate for daily living, thank goodness. I hope that might be some encouragement for anyone else who's in a similar position.

Still 0 points for 'communicating', so I will eventually write to them and put a correction on record yet again, but there's no practical use in taking it to tribunal to get the facts established since it would not change the rate any further.

 

[Kitty]

That's good news for Christmas!

Still 0 points for 'communicating'

Same here, even though I'm diagnosed with autism. I think that bar's a particularly high one.

I let it pass; I'd got enough points on other things, including one where I didn't really expect to be awarded. Swings and roundabouts I guess.

 

[Eleanor]

That's good news for Christmas!

It really is.

Same here, even though I'm diagnosed with autism.

Me too!

(It really shows what nonsense it is that there's this supposed epidemic of people supposedly being "written off" and showered with disability benefits the second they get a diagnosis of something neurodivergent.) [edited to clarify, because I expressed that very badly: I mean it isn't happening, and it's nonsensical for the government and media to claim that it is happening.]

 

[MEMarge]

My daughter has recently sent off her appeal application form, as nothing was changed at mandatory reconsideration.
She was awarded the lower rate for the mobility award, which is OK, but only 6 points for the daily living component.
She can currently manage, as she lives with us, but we are going to tribunal now, while we are still around to support her.
The DWP asked for dates that she can't make from 3-8 months of sending the letter.
I will be spending much of January analysing the ass-essor's report and the decision letter, explaining changes in the 2021 NICE GDL and info from PSP and the Delivery Plan...
it's going to be a long reply.

 

[Eleanor]

My daughter has recently sent off her appeal application form, as nothing was changed at mandatory reconsideration.
She was awarded the lower rate for the mobility award, which is OK, but only 6 points for the daily living component.
She can currently manage, as she lives with us, but we are going to tribunal now, while we are still around to support her.

Hope that goes well for you all - it just should not have to be this way.

 

[MrMagoo]

Earlier this year I requested 'mandatory reconsideration' of a PIP decision which claimed I had no difficulty communicating or mixing with other people, when in fact those are some of the things I find most difficult due to cognitive impairments; I rely on my husband to do a huge amount of communication for me - if not for him I would need some kind of social care help. I'm really fortunate to have a GP who understands the impact of the illness and he wrote an excellent letter in support. Today I had a decision letter saying they would add two points for 'mixing', which takes me up into the enhanced rate for daily living, thank goodness. I hope that might be some encouragement for anyone else who's in a similar position.

Still 0 points for 'communicating', so I will eventually write to them and put a correction on record yet again, but there's no practical use in taking it to tribunal to get the facts established since it would not change the rate any further.

I got 0 points even though I can’t speak most of the day and have to use pen and paper to communicate (for which there is specific case law that says that scores points) they said this category is “for people who are deaf”

 

[Kitty]

I will be spending much of January analysing the ass-essor's report and the decision letter, explaining changes in the 2021 NICE GDL and info from PSP and the Delivery Plan...

I've been in receipt of disability benefits for 25 year but never mentioned anything like that. Never even said much about what ME/CFS is, only how it affects my ability to do the activities they're assessing.

My responses have all been "I'm unable to do X safely, reliably and as often as I need to because my ME/CFS means my muscles begin to fail after X number of minutes / X number of repeats..."

Others may have different views, but I'm not sure they have any interest at all in guidelines and clinical practice. They want to know how the condition affects that individual's ability to function, because that's what they're assessing.


ETA: After Christmas it might be good to get an informed opinion on this from Benefits & Work. For me it rings alarm bells about approaching it the wrong way, but of course I could be completely wrong.

 

[MrMagoo]

I've been in receipt of disability benefits for 25 year but never mentioned anything like that. Never even said much about what ME/CFS is, only how it affects my ability to do the activities they're assessing.

My responses have all been "I'm unable to do X safely, reliably and as often as I need to because my ME/CFS means my muscles begin to fail after X number of minutes / X number of repeats..."

Others may have different views, but I'm not sure they have any interest at all in guidelines and clinical practice. They want to know how the condition affects that individual's ability to function, because that's what they're assessing.

Seconded.
Benefits and work has a discount at the moment, also someone here recommended Charlie Anderson on YouTube, she has a few guides for free as well as her videos.

 

[Eleanor]

I got 0 points even though I can’t speak most of the day and have to use pen and paper to communicate (for which there is specific case law that says that scores points) they said this category is “for people who are deaf”

Absolutely infuriating that they can get away with this.

 

[MEMarge]

I've been in receipt of disability benefits for 25 year but never mentioned anything like that. Never even said much about what ME/CFS is, only how it affects my ability to do the activities they're assessing.

My responses have all been "I'm unable to do X safely, reliably and as often as I need to because my ME/CFS means my muscles begin to fail after X number of minutes / X number of repeats..."

Others may have different views, but I'm not sure they have any interest at all in guidelines and clinical practice. They want to know how the condition affects that individual's ability to function, because that's what they're assessing.


ETA: After Christmas it might be good to get an informed opinion on this from Benefits & Work. For me it rings alarm bells about approaching it the wrong way, but of course I could be completely wrong.

The original PIP application listed all the things she could not do repeatedly, reliably etc. We spent months on this using the excellent work and benefits info.
Her Mandatory reconsideration itemised again where she should have scored more points.
Her appeal letter summarised the above and said for further explanantion see original application and MR and a couple of her doctor's letters!

 

[Kitty]

Good points, @MEMarge, but I still think it'd be useful to find out whether referencing external factors will have any bearing on your daughter's case. I'm concerned there's a risk that focusing on them gives the assessor/judge scope to dismiss at least part of the appeal on the grounds that it's irrelevant. The Nice guideline doesn't affect your daughter's ability to do things she needs and wants to do.

As I understand it PIP is a test of functional needs arising from disability, and those needs are all that can be assessed. Not whether they're being met, or whether a policy says how they should be met. People with major impairments are likely to face living costs non-disabled people don't have to meet, and that's what PIP is for; it underlies the whole scheme. The test is whether (in their opinion) your daughter meet the various thresholds, nothing else.

 

[MrMagoo]

The original PIP application listed all the things she could not do repeatedly, reliably etc. We spent months on this using the excellent work and benefits info.
Her Mandatory reconsideration itemised again where she should have scored more points.
Her appeal letter summarised the above and said for further explanantion see original application and MR and a couple of her doctor's letters!

I will say to you, I understand as I have been there, you are falling into a trap of writing/evidencing more.
You need to instead keep stating what you’ve already said, say the same thing again and again - to all the different people. You will then be consistent and not tied up in volumes of paperwork and different reasonings, at the end of the day they want to know if you can wash your face and if so, why then can’t you chop a carrot, don’t tell them their job, the law, what the NICE guidelines say etc.
If you used B&W then you should have a great foundation in your earlier form/application.

You need to keep repeating your earlier claims, not making the argument bigger/better.

B&W also have a video up of “what a tribunal expects” I hear it’s good, not watched it yet.

I say this as someone who has done 3 tribunals, the second one I got the decision thrown out based on an error of law and got a re-hearing.

 

[Kitty]

I hear it’s good, not watched it yet.

It is. Long, but excellent.

I'd watch it with a pen handy to note down the timestamps for things you want to return to and mull over.