Volunteers from learning disability charity Scope today handed a petition to the government with the voices of 100,0000 people opposing the cuts to welfare and PIP.
Today, members of the charity gathered at Downing Street after receiving the backing of people across the UK and the disabled community.
In March, Labour announced plans to save £5bn a year by overhauling the welfare system, plans which have been called ‘barbaric’ by campaigners.
Volunteers for the charity included Rachel Batton, 53, from Cardiff, who, if the government papers are given the green light, her PIP cuts would be halved.
She told Metro she was ‘really scared’ about the future and in ‘constant stress waiting on tenterhooks’ awaiting what cuts the government is going to make.
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Rachel has classical type EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome). EDS impacts Rachel by causing joint and muscle pain, easy bruising, frequent dislocations, and severe fatigue.
She also has Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which further affects her mobility and fatigue.
She said she felt ‘resilient’ but that there was a ‘black cloud’ over her everyday.
She said: ‘You feel like you’re walking through treacle, just because your symptoms are getting worse and things and your pain is getting significantly worse.
What is PIP?
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is not a means-tested benefit. Your earnings, other income or savings do not affect this.
If you struggle with everyday tasks or your mobility, you could be entitled to PIP.
PIP criteria
To qualify you must:
- be over 16 and have not yet reached State Pension Age
- have met the criteria for 3 months
- expect to meet the criteria for at least another 9 months
Benefits and Money also has condition-specific guides for:
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- autism
- bipolar disorder
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- fibromyalgia
- long COVID
If your child is turning 16
If your child is turning 16 and claims Disability Living Allowance (DLA), they will have to apply for PIP.
If you are over State Pension age
If you received PIP before State Pension age, you can continue to receive it.
Once you have reached State Pension age, you cannot normally make a new claim for PIP. Instead of PIP, you could consider claiming Attendance Allowance.
Getting PIP after you’ve reached State Pension age (Citizens Advice)
Applying for PIP
To apply for PIP, you need to contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). You can do this by:
- post
- phone on 0800 917 2222
- textphone
- Relay UK
- a video relay service
PIP: Contacting the DWP about a claim (GOV.UK)
It can take months to complete the PIP process:
- contacting the DWP about a claim
- filling in your PIP claim form and getting evidence
- attending an assessment
- receiving the outcome
If you have not received a reply from the DWP, contact them to check on the progress of your claim.
Source: https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/personal-independence-payment-pip
‘I can’t remember a time when my pain was as bad as this, because I’m stressing about it every single day.’
Rachel receives Personal Independence Payment (PIP) at the enhanced rate for daily living and the standard rate for mobility.
Without PIP, Rachel would not be able to afford to manage the extra costs she is faced with.
It’s like, it feels like this is a tick box exercise, and the decision has already been made, and they’re not going to change their mind but we’ve got to try.’
‘It’s like, it feels like this is a tick box exercise, and the decision has already been made, and they’re not going to change their mind but we’ve got to try.’
Rachel has a number of disability related extra costs and the amount of money she is about to receive from the government is going to be halved, she said.
She needs frequent hot baths and consistent heating to manage her symptoms. Fatigue and mobility issues make food preparation difficult, so she relied on more expensive pre-cut ingredients and ready meals
Scope said in the petition: ‘Needing more financial support is not a choice. Disabled people often live in pain and in fear of losing vital support.
‘After years of rising prices, many disabled people are already on the brink. Cutting disability benefits will deal another catastrophic blow to disabled people’s lives.’
Jessica Leigh, campaigns manager at disability equality charity Scope, said: ‘We’re here to urge the government to drop these catastrophic plans to rip billions from the welfare budget.
‘Life costs a lot more when you’re disabled, and these cuts will have a devastating effect on disabled people’s health, ability to live independently or work, as in Rachel’s case.
‘Without PIP, she won’t be able to afford the things she needs to manage her conditions and the pain which comes with them, meaning she could no longer be able to work.
‘The government must listen to disabled people and change course.’
Last year, Scope research found that on average, disabled households need an additional £1,010 a month to have the same standard of living as non-disabled households.
If you want to find out more information about the petition visit: https://www.scope.org.uk/
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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