I would like to raise awareness of 1 of the many failings within the DWP and the new PIP assessments. 

Veterans who suffer from PTSD have been made to feel like they are lying by untrained professionals and having to wait months and months to be ‘assesed’ And still get turned down for PIP. Some have the courage to appeal that decision only to be let down yet again by an untrained person sat at a computer who hasn’t done a days military service and has no idea what a veteran/or still serving man and women has had to do or see.

Ive been fighting this battle for my husband for years and still haven’t got anywhere. Having heard so many stories none of which have a happy ending I wanted to try and help correct the system and see what changes can be made. 

We applied for PIP when it first came in due to My Husbands PTSD. We had already jumped through so many hoops to get it diagnosed by a clinical physiatrist (CP) as he didn’t leave through medical discharge he left as he couldn’t handle going back to Afghan and didn’t know he had PTSD until I saw the signs when we met In 2011. I am ex military also so had had dealings with this awful illness. After getting a diagnosis by the CP so the Armed Forces Compensatation scheme (AFCS) would actually accept his claim (I won’t go into their failings) even though he was diagnosed by 2 GP’s,was under going EMDR treatment and saw a counsellor regularly. When he went for the first PIP assessment he was awarded 0 points. Yes ‘0’. He can’t work due to flash backs,severe temper red mist episodes,anexity and depression he doesn’t like to leave the house unless it’s somewhere he knows whose going to be there and he’s been before so feels safe, he’s always tired as has nightmares ever single night which include shouting out and crying in his sleep he wakes up dripping of sweat and has a look of emptiness when he first wakes. Lying there listening to it breaks me. How anyone whose untrained and sits with a person for 20 mins can say yes you have  PTSD or no you don’t is wrong. Why are some being awarded and some not? Does it depend on your assessor? Does it depend on the person reading the assessors report and how they inturpit it? Does it depend on the person who gives the points? Does it depend on how you turn up if your shaven and smartly dressed etc? Who knows. 

I would like the system to change to help those who have already fought one system by having their PTSD recognised. Especially those who have had it recognised as being caused by Military service. Those who have had interim compensation from AFCS and have to wait 3 years before they decide wether to pay the full award. Those who are still under treatment and those who are unable to work or who work but find it very difficult but have no choice financially. 

I think the system needs a shake up there’s so much awareness of mental health and everyone wants to have their say but hundreds/thousands of veterans are being let down every year. 

My aim is to get this raised wherever I can and to see if the PIP claims for this are treated differently. I think that PIP should be awarded for anyone who has been diagnosed by a professional and has had or is waiting to be awarded compensation from the AFCS/war pensions for a period of 3 years with no assessment as long as relevant paperwork can be sited by DWP by the trained professional who has diagnosed PTSD. This would Lighten the Load for DWP,cut the waiting times for assessments for others,free up staff inputting the information and most of all give the person suffering PTSD a break financially so they can concentrate on trying to deal With the illness within civilian life and maybe cut their hours at work as their won’t be as much pressure on them. 

Thank you for reading and please sign and share.