The Prime Minister’s proposed Personal Independence Payments (PIP) reforms will ‘heap more misery’ on people with disabilities, charity says.
In a speech on Friday, Rishi Sunak announced that the disability benefits system is set to be reformed to ‘ensure it’s more accurately targeted at those who need it most’.
A consultation on PIP will explore changes to the eligibility criteria, assessment process and types of support that can be offered.
In particular, it will look at reducing the number of people who claim PIP due to anxiety or depression.
Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said: ‘The welfare reforms announced by the Prime Minister today will modernise the support available for those who need it the most, improve the value of the welfare system for taxpayers, and ensure that people are signed up to support back to work, not signed off.’
In response, James Taylor, director of strategy at Scope said: ‘Threatening to take away the low amount of income PIP provides to disabled people who face £975 a month extra costs isn’t going to solve the problem of economic inactivity. Sanctions and ending claims will only heap more misery on people at the sharp end of our cost-of-living crisis.
‘Much of the current record levels of inactivity are because our public services are crumbling, the quality of jobs is poor and the rate of poverty amongst disabled households is growing.’
