‘Sickfluencers’ accused of ‘coaching people’ on how to make mental health benefit claims for anxiety, ADHD and other conditions

Shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately has accused social media “sickfluencers” of coaching people to maximise Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims, amid a sharp rise in claims linked to some mental health conditions. She argues that expanding support may have had the unintended effect of drawing more people with milder conditions into the system, and says they could often be better supported in work.

PIP helps cover extra costs associated with long-term health conditions or disabilities and is not awarded solely on the basis of a diagnosis or ability to work; claimants must show significant effects on everyday activities. Since 2021, the number receiving PIP for mixed anxiety and depressive disorder has risen by 108 per cent, and there are now four times as many claims for it as for ADHD. Reports cited in the article describe online claim guides, including advice to exaggerate symptoms, and use of AI to draft applications; separate research found PIP claims among 16- and 17-year-olds with ADHD or autism rose faster in England’s least deprived areas than in its poorest.