The Experience of the Welfare System for Autistic Benefit Applicants

Abstract

Aims: The impact of Welfare Reform in the UK has been clearly described through recent literature. Much of this research has focused on the experiences of benefit claimants with physical and/or mental health conditions. This study aimed to explore the experiences of autistic women who have applied for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) since 2019. This study also explored the impact of applying for PIP on psychological well-being and identity. Method: Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with autistic women who had applied for PIP within the previous three years. Interview data was analysed via Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Findings: Five group experiential themes and ten sub-themes were constructed from the data. The themes highlighted the adverse impact of threat and uncertainty on women’s psychological wellbeing. Moreover, the themes outlined the negative impact of misunderstandings between assessors and autistic women due to mutual communication issues and assessor’s misconceptions about autism. The themes also described women’s experiences of isolation, alongside struggles to define their identity and resistance towards a deficit-focused benefits system. Discussion: The findings of this study were discussed in relation to the wider literature relating to autism and the benefits system. Clinical implications were also outlined.