The Guardian is reporting that doctors who contracted Long Covid whilst working in the health service are being denied PIP, with some saying they will have to sell their house as a result.
A respiratory consultant who contracted Covid working on a ward in November 2020 applied for PIP in June 2021 after developing Long Covid. They were refused PIP despite having urinary incontinence, difficulty standing, preparing food, eating, washing, dressing or engaging with people face to face.
“I thought that I had illustrated quite clearly what my disability was,” they said. “When I got the report back, I thought ‘is this about me?’”
They also said that the process of making the claim was so taxing it made them ill. They have now used almost all their savings on private treatment and are now considering selling their home.
An infectious disease expert who developed long covid had their claim rejected in part because they can drive a car, which the assessor said showed they had “significant physical function” and “substantial cognitive powers”.
In fact, the healthcare worker had been obliged to sell their manual car and get an automatic with additional assistive features because Long Covid had affected their ability to drive.
The Benefits and Work guide to claiming PIP includes advice on how to anticipate and challenge the claim that being able to drive a car is evidence that you aren’t eligible for PIP.
Th expert has now requested a mandatory reconsideration of the decision that they are not entitled to PIP.
You can read the full story in the Guardian.
