petition for people on PIP and all other disability benefits to get £650 pay

fire**fly

The online petition states that all disabled people and unpaid carers should receive the payment .
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/617425

poppy12345

How would that be fair? PIP isn't means tested so you could be a millionaire and still claim it. Sorry but no signature from me.

Rubyroobs

It's ridiculous. As Poppy says people can be very wealthy and still claim disability benefits. I have helped many an elderly person to claim Attendance Allowance and they have 50K + in the bank. Anyone disabled and on a low income will be on  Uc/ tax credits/ Income related  ESA etc and will get the £650 that way. Sorry but no signature from me either.

fire**fly

hi poppy, think it is aimed at people who are disabled but don't get the high rate of care/mobility but still need help with ongoing disabilities/costs etc, some fall in the lower category of disability/pip/dla though they still struggle & don't get help with pension credit etc, surely if a person is disabled whatever their disability/illness all should be treated equally?

Disabled people should be included alongside carers in the £650 one off payment as part of the Cost of Living support package. We have larger utilities bills and food costs when compared to non-disabled people. We rely on these utilities and food to stay alive.Without including disabled people for the full £650 entitlement, many more disabled people could die. We might have to switch off or use our equipment less which is vital for our survival. We could be unable to purchase specific food for our dietary requirements. We might be unable to be warm. This could lead to more hospitalisations and death. Most Disabled people already suffer from mental health problems and this will only increase. This could lead to more suicides and death.

Rubyroobs

But a carer could be married to someone earning a very decent income and care for their elderly parent for example? Someone only receiving carers allowance would be claiming UC or other benefits as well unless they had significant savings. It really is impossible to lump all carers together as needing the £650. Those on a means tested benefit will receive it.

fire**fly

hi, an example i know of is a 79yr old who is registered blind doesn't receive any other benefits &  only receives low mobility because of being on the old DLA & couldn't change to pip, but a younger person with the same disability changed to pip & got the higher rate & can can get the £650 living allowance how can that be fair?

Rubyroobs

fire**fly said:

hi, an example i know of is a 79yr old who is registered blind doesn't receive any other benefits &  only receives low mobility because of being on the old DLA & couldn't change to pip, but a younger person with the same disability changed to pip & got the higher rate & can can get the £650 living allowance how can that be fair?

Being in receipt of a higher rate of disability benefit does not get you the £650. The £650 is received by being on a means tested benefit like Universal credit, income related ESA or pension credit. The 79 year old on low mobility DLA cannot get their mobility award increased after state pension age, so that is irrelevant. If they don't qualify for any pension credit then that is because it's considered  they have a reasonable income. If they are on low DLA care component then they could consider applying for Attendance allowance instead or asking for the DLA care component to be reviewed. If awarded middle rate care or AA then depending on their circumstances this may increase the likelihood of receiving pension credit. People on Attendance allowance have no mobility component at all.

annabanana82

I don't think unpaid carers should be included, I'm registered as an unpaid carer, I was happy to take the early vaccine but with my unpaid carer hat on I don't feel deserving of the £650.

I am however in receipt of tax credits and will qualify for the first installment, unlikely to qualify for the second. But again I don't think I should be a priority for the payment (or tax credits) due to my savings and set to recieve a 13.5% pay rise next month.

Benefits aren't always fair, and can’t always support everyone but a line has to be drawn somewhere 

poppy12345

fire**fly said:

hi poppy, think it is aimed at people who are disabled but don't get the high rate of care/mobility but still need help with ongoing disabilities/costs etc, some fall in the lower category of disability/pip/dla though they still struggle & don't get help with pension credit etc, surely if a person is disabled whatever their disability/illness all should be treated equally?

How would that work exactly? The disability award that a person maybe claiming has nothing to do with it. They could still be millionaires and still claim a disability benefit. They could have a partner that works and earns £100,000 a year and still claim the disability benefit.

fire**fly said:

hi, an example i know of is a 79yr old who is registered blind doesn't receive any other benefits &  only receives low mobility because of being on the old DLA & couldn't change to pip, but a younger person with the same disability changed to pip & got the higher rate & can can get the £650 living allowance how can that be fair?

That's simply not possible. A person claiming just PIP will not be entitled to the £650, regardless of what PIP award they have.

If that person only receives low rate mobility DLA then they can look at putting in a change of circumstances for the care part, or start a claim for AA if they have either daytime/night time care needs and or both.

NedS

fire**fly said:

hi poppy, think it is aimed at people who are disabled but don't get the high rate of care/mobility but still need help with ongoing disabilities/costs etc, some fall in the lower category of disability/pip/dla though they still struggle & don't get help with pension credit etc, surely if a person is disabled whatever their disability/illness all should be treated equally?

They are being treated equally. The £650 payment is means tested regardless of whether the person has a disability or not. And disabled people also get the £400 payment that is not means tested, again the same as everyone else so no discrimination there either.

If your arguments are based around disabled people having higher bills as a result of their disability and therefore needing extra help, that is covered by the £150 additionally available to everyone claiming PIP/DLA. Rather than petitioning to also receive the means tested £650 (which they may not be entitled to under means testing rules), you should maybe consider a petition seeking an increase in the £150 amount payable to disabled people as that seems to be where your arguments stand?

SingleSue

Rubyroobs said:

It's ridiculous. As Poppy says people can be very wealthy and still claim disability benefits. I have helped many an elderly person to claim Attendance Allowance and they have 50K + in the bank. Anyone disabled and on a low income will be on  Uc/ tax credits/ Income related  ESA etc and will get the £650 that way. Sorry but no signature from me either.

Most not all.....

I'm on a low income, receive PIP and chose not to claim a UC top up due to trying to preserve my mental health (weekly paid, variable hours). I work but wasn't doing enough hours to claim tax credits when they were available in this area.