A cancer patient who has lived with the disease for an entire decade has spoken out about feeling completely invalidated after applying for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) from the Department for Work and Pensions.
Living with advanced cancer
The 39-year-old individual explained they have been battling advanced cancer for ten years, experiencing periods of stability only while undergoing continuous treatment. They described how the illness has completely transformed their life, with the constant potential of death looming over them throughout this difficult period.
Despite achieving No Evidence of Disease (NED) status after six years of treatment, the patient continues to suffer from significant side effects and limitations from multiple surgeries that impact their daily functioning. They've recently experienced another recurrence and have begun a different treatment regimen that could last up to two years, depending on tolerance and effectiveness.
The devastating PIP assessment outcome
Seeking financial support through PIP due to the devastating impact of their condition and treatments, the applicant was awarded only standard daily living rate. What proved most distressing wasn't the financial outcome but the assessment report itself, which they felt completely misunderstood and dismissed their experience.
The assessor reportedly concluded that because the claimant hadn't received a formal anxiety diagnosis, they didn't experience problems with anxiety. The patient countered this assessment, explaining that their anxiety stems directly from living with cancer for ten years and the trauma of its unpredictability.
Additionally, the report stated that the claimant didn't sound fatigued during the telephone assessment, therefore they couldn't be experiencing fatigue. This dismissal occurred despite the patient providing extensive medical evidence and personal accounts detailing their ten-year cancer journey and its effects.
Widespread support and similar experiences
After sharing their experience in a Reddit post titled 'Absolute disgrace', the cancer patient received significant support from other users who recognized similar patterns in the benefits assessment system.
One respondent who underwent immunotherapy for stage IV cancer confirmed that fatigue represents a very real side effect of treatment, both during and long after completion. They expressed dismay that assessors lack knowledge about the severe side effects of modern cancer treatments.
Another commenter emphasized that PIP assessments should focus on the applicant's needs rather than specific diagnoses, suggesting the decision contradicted the DWP's own guidance. Multiple respondents described the system as disgraceful and called for investigation into what they perceive as discrimination against disabled people.
The original poster has stated they plan to file a formal complaint about their assessment experience, hoping to achieve better understanding and validation for themselves and others in similar situations.
