Government consults on squeezing access to key disability benefit

2 mins read

Tuesday 7 May 2024

Tags: PIP, Personal Independence Payments, Government consultation on PIP

The government has launched a 12-week consultation setting out plans to make it harder for disabled people to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

PIP is a non-means tested benefit that helps with the extra costs of disability for people aged 16 to pension age. PIP replaces Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children when they turn 16.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has set out options for reforming PIP in England and Wales. The green paper Modernising Support for Independent Living includes:

  • Redesigning assessments to target disabled people and people with a formal diagnosis.
  • Making assessments more linked to a person’s condition.
  • Moving away from a fixed cash benefit system to vouchers or payments based on people submitting receipts for expenditure.
  • Placing more responsibility on local services to join up services to better to meet disabled people’s needs.

Derek Sinclair, Contact’s benefits specialist, said Contact was “extremely concerned”. The proposals seem to be driven by a desire to make spending cuts “regardless of the very serious impact this will have on many disabled young people.”

Ministers argue for reforms to control spending on PIP that they predict will grow by 63% over the next five years.

Tell the government what you think

If you want to contribute your views to Contact’s consultation response on the green paper, please email our health lead Amanda on [email protected].

You can read the green paper and share your views directly by responding to the consultation on the government website.