If there is one question I get asked all the time it is if people should consider trying to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for their BPD. Today I hope to answer that question as simply as I can without going into too much detail. But sadly (like most things in life) the answer is not as straightforward as you might think. So is it worth trying to claim PIP? First, let’s talk about what PIP is…
What is PIP?
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefits and financial support system for people who are disabled or have a health condition. You are eligible for this as long as you are over the age of 16 and have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability, you have difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around and/or you expect the difficulties to last for at least 12 months from when they started.
Here is some bad news. Your BPD isn’t going away anytime soon with people doing years of therapy and only managing to learn to live with it as sadly there is no magic cure here. So when it comes to “long-term” that certainly covers BPD. So the only real question you should be asking yourself is if your BPD causes issues with everyday tasks or getting around.
It’s Not Just About The BPD
I would say a lot of us with BPD do have difficulties in our daily lives, but you have to consider other factors relating to your BPD that could also cause “issues with everyday tasks or getting around”. Things like the medication you are on? Does it have any side effects? Do you have depression or anxiety? Do you rely on friends/parents or other family for things? Many people with BPD have issues relating to money matters and overspending due to impulsiveness or addictions, so they need the help of people to hold onto their money. Some people with BPD are also prone to fits of rage and even in some cases uncontrollable violence! Things you might consider part of your normal life and not normal at all and can be a consideration to the PIP assessment people. And this brings us nicely onto the next part…
The Dreaded PIP Assessment
If there is one thing that puts people off claiming for PIP is the stress of the assessment. At the end of the day the truth is the truth and there are times when you might have to fight for it! If your BPD really is affecting your daily life then you are eligible and it’s as simple as that. While some people say PIP assessments are fair and honest I am not someone who believes that. I do believe they ask “roundabout” questions to trip you up, I know for a fact that they get given targets to refuse a set amount of people. But what I also believe in is that if you present your case with enough evidence and detail most people with BPD should have no problem getting some award from PIP, even if it’s the lower end payments.
Be Brave
The best advice I can give anyone thinking of claiming PIP is to be brave, read the questions carefully and give as much detail as possible. Even if that means printing things off the internet for those assessing your claim to understand the difficulties people with BPD have. I hope this has put your mind at ease and answered a few questions you might have had, but feel free to contact us with any others. Our guide to claiming PIP for BPD is still relevant today and you can find that here: https://www.bpd.org.uk/pip-form-for-bpd
