I cannot believe my son has not been awarded ANYTHING!!

Hi, yes it's a hard slog but it is worth when you! Keep on fighting. The health assessor and Dwp said the same thing about my Son and living independently. He lives in a shared accommodation and is like your own Son with mixing etc. I told the tribunal, before I knew the decision had been reversed by Dwp, that my Son living in shared accommodation is very similar to assisted living only without the formal name! Because this is the truth. They use everything that is an achievement with our Sons, against them. Such as.... can drive, can work, lives independently etc when in reality these are achievements. And I put that on the papers too and I also told the Judge that when we had the last tribunal in 2017. My Son only lives relatively independently because he has a good support system within our family, hence needing support ! Keep on fighting.

How old are your sons?

I’m encountering my own problems.

I so feel for you and your son about the art based group closing, I just pray this won't result in him going downhill. The closure of a therapeutic garden centre years ago was awful for my late sister. I wish the state would join up the dots with more justice for service users, as it usually comes down to funding cuts, or the retirement/illness of key volunteers and there is no funding to pay someone to keep it going.

Hello Filey, Anji and others,

Everything you have said is so true - it feels as if every small achievement is held against you, while every failure is disregarded. (I did mention this in my M/R letter, but to no avail.) My son lives at home, not independently, does not drive, yet the assessor concluded he can cope with cooking a meal, budgeting, and planning and following journeys, just because he had been learning to drive prior to the assessment. His ability to drive and the fact that he has a job was mentioned in all her opinions regarding all the activities - yet he cannot drive alone, never having passed a test, and would not have a job without our help to get him up in the morning and take him to work. As I type, I can hear someone on the radio talking about how many more young people are claiming PIP for "mental health problems" these days, the inference being that they will all be successful - but this may not be the case. I would like to think my son could live independently one day, but even then, I know he would need a lot of help. Who will provide it when the whole system which is supposed to support people is stacked against them? (Don't worry, I don't expect anyone to answer this question!)

Best wishes to you all,

Wendy

Hi there, my son is 23, he has always had difficulties socially. He is very able intellectually but this doesn't mean that he can look after himself to an acceptable standard. If the health assessor's nose had been near his armpit she would have realised this!! 🤣

Thanks Wendy, these experiences sound so familiar. I was hopeful when I sent the original application off as I thought we had demonstrated how hard it is for my son to do some everyday living tasks. I actually said to the assessor, you don't realise how many steps are involved in planning and cooking a meal until you have to think of every thing you need to piece together to do it, and the planning which is really where his brain doesn't work.

When you support him you have to talk through each step then go on to the next one when that has been completed, otherwise he just forgets!!

My son gave up driving because he felt he was a danger, but again that was misrepresented and it was recorded that he gave up lessons because he moved away.

Good luck to everyone else!!