DR UK raises concerns about PIP changes to the Minister for Disabled People

Tue,14 March 2017
News Benefits

Disability Rights UK has signed an open letter urging Penny Mordaunt MP, Minister for Disabled People to urgently address concerns about changes to the eligibility rules for Personal Independence Payments (PIP).

The letter reads:

Dear Minister,
We, the undersigned, as national organisations representing disabled people, are deeply concerned by imminent changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) which will leave at least 160,000 disabled people and those with long-term conditions without vital financial support.

The decision to amend PIP following Upper Tribunal judgments means that disabled people face losing £3.7 billion by 2022. We believe this undermines the principle of the PIP assessment and its ability to fairly provide financial support, regardless of impairment or condition.

PIP helps to cover essential and unavoidable extra costs faced by disabled people. Research by Scope shows that disabled people spend an average of £550 a month on disability related expenditure, including increased energy bills, specialist equipment and insurance. Those with mental health issues, learning disabilities and autism face just as severe barriers and costs as those with other impairments – these changes fail to acknowledge this.

We are also worried that the full scale and impact of these changes will not be understood before they come into effect. The Impact Analysis acknowledges a ‘significant risk that the numbers affected could be much higher' than currently estimated.

Our helpline and advice services have been inundated by calls about PIP since it was introduced. In far too many cases we hear that the system is continuing to fail people. The confusion and concern caused by these changes highlights the need for the system to be urgently improved. It must work for disabled people and accurately assess the support they need.

We would welcome the opportunity to discuss this issue with you further.

Yours sincerely:

  1. Steve Ford, Chief Executive, Parkinson’s UK
  2. Liz Carroll, Chief Executive, The Haemophilia Society
  3. Teresa Catto-Smith, Chief Executive, Autism in Scotland
  4. Sonya Chowdhury, Chief Executive, Action for M.E
  5. Ailsa Bosworth MBE, Chief Executive, National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society
  6. Philip Lee, Chief Executive, Epilepsy Action
  7. Chris Mackie, Director, AdvoCard
  8. Jan Tregelles, Chief Executive, Royal Mencap Society
  9. Karen Walker, Chief Executive, Multiple System Atrophy Trust
  10. Billy Watson, Chief Executive, SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health)
  11. Mark Lever, Chief Executive, National Autistic Society
  12. Alison Garnham, Chief Executive, Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG)
  13. Brian Carlin, Chief Executive, Aspire
  14. David Ramsden, Chief Executive, Cystic Fibrosis Trust
  15. Debbie Cook, Chief Executive, National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society (NASS)
  16. Amanda Batten, Chief Executive, Contact a Family
  17. Paul Farmer, Chief Executive, Mind
  18. Deborah Gold, Chief Executive, National AIDS Trust
  19. Steve Scown, Chief Executive, Dimensions
  20. Kate Lee, Chief Executive, CLIC Sargent
  21. Gillian Morbey, Chief Executive, Sense
  22. Jill Allen-King, National Federation of the Blind of the UK
  23. Dave Webber, Chief Executive, Livability
  24. Mark Atkinson, Chief Executive, Scope
  25. Barbara Gelb OBE, Chief Executive, Together for Short Lives
  26. Peter Corbett, Chief Executive, Thomas Pocklington Trust
  27. Mark Winstanley, Chief Executive, Rethink Mental Illness
  28. Neil Heslop, Chief Executive, Leonard Cheshire Disability
  29. Liz Sayce OBE, Chief Executive, Disability Rights UK
  30. Michelle Mitchell OBE, Chief Executive, MS Society
  31. Kate Steele, Chief Executive, Shine
  32. Andy Kerr, Chief Executive, Sense Scotland