Disability Rights UK fed into this response to the PIP 20m mobility consultation
The Disability Benefits Consortium strongly welcomes the decision to consult again on the mobility criteria for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). While we recognise that throughout the development of the benefit some steps have been taken to make PIP fairer for disabled people, we strongly believe that large and unacceptable numbers of those with the greatest needs are still set to lose the support they rely on to live their daily lives. We welcome the decision to compel assessors by regulations to consider whether claimants can perform activities, ‘safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable time period’ (subsequently referred to as the ‘reliability criteria’). However, while this is a positive step, we are deeply concerned about the decision to use a qualifying distance of just 20 metres for people to qualify for the enhanced rate of the mobility component of PIP.
We would also like to express our disappointment that the consultation period has been limited to just 6 weeks. This time period has proved a major barrier in enabling interested parties to provide the most comprehensive responses they possibly can. Furthermore, given the lack of evidence to support the government’s rationale and reasoning for the 20 metre qualifying distance, we feel that it has been very difficult to engage with the government’s reasoning behind this decision. Six weeks is a very limited time period for the government to expect interested parties to produce this evidence in the absence of its own research.
The DBC also sent a letter, with 10,409 signatures to the Rt Hon David Cameron MP and the Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, concerning PIP mobility 20 metre rule. you can view this at http://disabilityrightsuk.org/policy-campaigns/benefits/dbc-pip-mobility-cameron-clegg-letter
We have also included sample case studies gathered as part of our contribution to the Disability Benefits Consortium PIP 20m consultation response.
You can view the original consultation at at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-the-pip-assessment-moving-around-activity