PIP - Consultation on the PIP assessment Moving around activity

dori2o

I don't know if this has been mentioned in an earlier thread but I was sent this from Benefits and Work website.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-the-pip-assessment-moving-around-activity

From April 2013 Disability Living Allowance (DLA) began to be replaced for new claimants with a new benefit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Like DLA, PIP is intended to provide a contribution to the extra costs faced by people with disabilities and long-term health conditions. Whether individuals receive the benefit, and how much they receive, will be determined by an assessment of their needs. The PIP assessment has been designed to ensure that support is targeted at those individuals who face the greatest barriers to independent living.
The criteria used in the assessment were developed in liaison with a group of independent experts in health, disability and social care and with extensive engagement with disabled people and their organisations. We have already carried out 2 consultations on the first two drafts of the assessment criteria, in 2011 and 2012.
We have received feedback from some disabled people and their organisations saying that they are unhappy with the changes that have been made to the assessment criteria for the Moving around activity as a result of a previous consultation and want a further opportunity to have their views considered. We have therefore decided to carry out an additional consultation, seeking further views on the Moving around activity.

dori2o

dori2o wrote: »

I don't know if this has been mentioned in an earlier thread but I was sent this from Benefits and Work website.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-the-pip-assessment-moving-around-activity

Well, I've had a read of it.

It hasn't fully sunk in but that could be more to do with the Ketamine rather than a lack of understanding.

So, where do people stand on this issue?

rogerblack

dori2o wrote: »

So, where do people stand on this issue?

Either able or unable to, after standing walk more than 1m but less than 20m.

rogerblack

dori2o wrote: »

It hasn't fully sunk in but that could be more to do with the Ketamine rather than a lack of understanding.

On a more serious note - there is some spin and misleading facts in there.

The benchmark of 20 metres was intended to allow us to distinguish between those who are effectively unable to get around due to reduced physical mobility – for example, people who are only able to move between rooms in their house but go no
further

- this is misleading - the mobility component cannot be gotten for mobility problems indoors.

In reaching our decision we will consider how any potential changes might affect individuals and the numbers of people likely to receive the benefit. We will also consider the potential impact of any changes on PIP and overall welfare expenditure and whether this is affordable and sustainable. We will publish a report summarising the responses received and how we reached our conclusions, once we have completed the consultation.

In broad - this means 'Even if every single person responds that the '20m' should be put back to '50m' we are likely to ignore you.

dori2o

rogerblack wrote: »

On a more serious note - there is some spin and misleading facts in there.
- this is misleading - the mobility component cannot be gotten for mobility problems indoors.

I noticed that one too. It proves really that they just make it up as they go along.


In broad - this means 'Even if every single person responds that the '20m' should be put back to '50m' we are likely to ignore you.

Completely agree.

I have written to my MP on the matter. It probably won't do any good but she has raised disability related issues before in the commons so hopefully she can at least make other MP's aware of this.

Once their deciesion is released it would be interesting to see the i9nformation that has come back from responsents. A FoIA request may be required at that time.

dori2o

I've just read through the pack again with a clearer head and it really annoys me how the DWP are misguiding people and inserting complete mistruths into the information.

If it was a claimant who had made such a blatant misrepresentation of the fact they would have their benefits stopped and be liable to a charge of fraudulently claiming benefits.

It's clear, as Roger says, that this is purely lip service, and at the very least all the DWP will do is keep things as they are, at worst they could revise the regulations to make it even harder to claim.

CTcelt1988

dori2o wrote: »

I've just read through the pack again with a clearer head and it really annoys me how the DWP are misguiding people and inserting complete mistruths into the information.

If it was a claimant who had made such a blatant misrepresentation of the fact they would have their benefits stopped and be liable to a charge of fraudulently claiming benefits.

It's clear, as Roger says, that this is purely lip service, and at the very least all the DWP will do is keep things as they are, at worst they could revise the regulations to make it even harder to claim.

Knowing this Government, they will probably drop it to 10m instead.

Brassedoff

Yet another post deleted! What's wrong with saying they are swinging towards the physical and away from the mental health issues? Getting racked off with these boards

nannytone_2

sensory disabilities are also given short shrift.

gut DLA has always been difficult for those with sensory impaiments... so i guess nothing will change

schrodie

The important sentence in the consultation document is:-

"We will also consider the potential impact of any changes on PIP and overall welfare expenditure and whether this is affordable and sustainable."

So given that this con-lib government have brought in PIP and abolished DLA purely to throw at least 500,000 off DLA and then continue to save money there is little chance that any [further] changes to PIP which would involve more (or the same as HRM DLA now) people getting the enhanced rate of PIP Mobility won't happen because this mob want to CUT the number of people who'll be entitled to PIP and throw at least 20% off DLA in the reassessment process.

This government couldn't care less how many genuinely disabled people loose their independence by loosing their Motability car they're just interested in cutting welfare for the poorest and most vulnerable in society.

dori2o

Despite the fact that it's unlikely to change the way they plan to implement the benefit, I still think everyone who can, should make a contribution to the consultation. If we don't then we really do have no chance.

It does say it is possible to submit a 'group' submission to the consultaion. Maybe it would be an idea for us all to put our suggestions on here and elect someone to submit them on our behalf?