So-called sickfluencers are helping Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits claimants cash in with successful claims to the welfare department. After being sacked by the DWP, 53-year-old Alison McRobbie has helped people claim thousands of pounds in disability benefits.
Former DWP Coach's Controversial Advice
Former DWP coach Alison charges £197 for an online course to advise people on how to access benefits. In one TikTok video, Alison admits that "being honest doesn't actually work in PIP assessments." She says: "People who have their legs off, amputees, people who have cancer and are dying, people who have leukemia and can't lift their head off the pillow, can't get PIP because they were honest."
Criticism from TaxPayers' Alliance
Shimeon Lee, a policy analyst at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "It is completely unacceptable for former government employees to cash in by flogging insider information that could easily be used as a playbook to commit benefit fraud. The massive explosion of PIP claims among young adults is no surprise when social media is flooded with 'how-to-claim' tutorials for invisible conditions. When the welfare state is turned into viral content and monetised, it is the taxpayers who pick up the tab. While those in genuine need must be supported, the Government must urgently crack down on this cottage industry of benefit coaching."
Former Assessor's Concerns
A former DWP benefits assessor said of Alison's guide: "It appears to coach people to emphasise anxiety-related difficulties, clearly aimed at achieving 12 points for enhanced mobility PIP to get access to the Motability scheme. Overall, it is heavily skewed towards PIP descriptors that are difficult to prove or disprove medically. They are easier for people to exploit and make exaggerated or dishonest claims. The guide actively advises people not to discuss their best days at all. That is deeply concerning, because PIP decisions require a balanced picture of a claimant's functional ability over time."
McRobbie's Defense
McRobbie said: "I strongly reject any suggestion that my work promotes or supports benefit fraud. At no point do I advise or encourage anyone to exaggerate or fabricate symptoms. My materials emphasise accuracy, consistency, and the importance of supporting evidence. The purpose of this work is to support individuals in clearly communicating the functional impact of their condition — not to obtain benefits improperly. I am not a sick influencer, I'm an influencer."
DWP Statement
A DWP spokesman said: "We condemn those who charge people for help with PIP applications and exploit our system for financial gain. Actively promoting, encouraging or assisting people with fraudulent claims to benefits is stealing money from taxpayers and those who need it most, and is a crime with a punishment of up to ten years prison. If you know somebody is fleecing the system, report it."
