The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed plans for a major overhaul of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system, which currently provides assistance to over three million people with disabilities and mental health conditions needing help with daily tasks. The DWP claims that PIP has become 'expensive' due to a significant increase in claimants, primarily related to mental health conditions, in recent years.
Ministers are planning to dismantle the existing model of universal support, where claimants can receive up to £184 a week to cover costs associated with their condition. The plan has drawn criticism from charities labelling it a "reckless assault on disabled people".
READ MORE: Scores of PIP claimants set to lose cash payments as DWP confirms plans for major shake-up
The Government has now provided more details of its proposition ahead of a 12-week public consultation. We've scrutinised the proposed changes and identified five key alterations that could have the most significant consequences for claimants.
Foremost is the controversial proposal to eliminate cash payments for certain claimants perceived as not genuinely requiring them. This may include individuals with mental health conditions, such as anxiety.
Ministers express the intention to focus resources on providing better treatment for these individuals instead. However, while additional funding has been pledged, the specifics regarding its deployment amidst current pressures on mental healthcare remain ambiguous.
The Government has indicated: "We are also considering whether some people receiving PIP who have lower, or no extra costs, may have better outcomes from improved access to treatment and support than from a cash payment."
In an effort to ensure funds are utilised for their intended purpose and not squandered, certain PIP recipients might be offered one-off grants or vouchers to cover expenses like home modifications instead of cash payments. Importantly, the Government also mentioned that individuals could be "reimbursed" for outlays on items such as "aids, appliances or services", implying they would need to pay upfront and claim the money back later.
The Government elaborated: "We are considering options including one-off grants to better help people with significant costs such as home adaptations or expensive equipment, as well as giving vouchers to contribute towards specific costs, or reimbursing claimants who provide receipts for purchases of aids, appliances or services."
There's also talk of altering the qualifying period, which determines how long someone will receive PIP payments before their case is reassessed. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is exploring changes to these periods, which could result in claimants receiving PIP for shorter durations than before.
Ministers have announced: "We will also look at changing the qualifying period for PIP to ensure the impact that people's conditions will have on them over time is fully understood and consider whether we should change the test used to determine if a condition is likely to continue long-term."
Regarding changes to assessments, the process could be altered significantly. These assessments are essentially the hurdles individuals must clear to demonstrate their need for additional support.
For some claimants, such as those with obvious needs due to terminal or long-term illnesses, the controversial assessment might be scrapped entirely. The Government has acknowledged that the current assessment procedure is not always suitable.
In a statement, the Government said: "Through previous consultations, we have been told that the criteria currently used in assessments do not always fully reflect how a disability or health condition impacts on a person's daily life. The criteria have changed over time and no longer capture these different impacts as originally intended."
The statement continued: "We know some people continue to find PIP assessments difficult and repetitive and view the assessment as too subjective. We will consider whether some people could receive PIP without needing an assessment by basing entitlement on specific health conditions or disabilities supported by medical evidence."
"This includes looking at whether evidence of a formal diagnosis by a medical expert should be a requirement to be assessed as eligible for PIP. This will make it easier and quicker for people with severe or terminal conditions to get the vital support they need."
The DWP has expressed its intention to move away from the "one size fits all" approach when it comes to PIP, focusing towards more targeted support. It might transpire that some individuals who are currently receiving PIP might lose out if it's determined they don't require the financial assistance for their daily activities.
The Government commented: "We will explore alternative approaches to ensure people are given the right help to fulfil their potential and live independently. The UK has used a fixed cash transfer system since the 1970s but there are a number of international systems that look at the specific extra costs people have and provide more tailored support instead."
"For example, in New Zealand, the amount of Disability Allowance is based on a person's extra costs which are verified by a health practitioner. Norway's Basic Benefit requires people to provide a letter from a GP outlining the nature of their condition and the associated extra costs."
It was further added that some claimants "will have significant extra costs related to their disability, and others will have minimal or specific costs".
The key PIP changes to DWP's benefit system every claimant needs to know about
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06.05.2024
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed plans for a major overhaul of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system, which currently provides assistance to over three million people with disabilities and mental health conditions needing help with daily tasks. The DWP claims that PIP has become 'expensive' due to a significant increase in claimants, primarily related to mental health conditions, in recent years.
Ministers are planning to dismantle the existing model of universal support, where claimants can receive up to £184 a week to cover costs associated with their condition. The plan has drawn criticism from charities labelling it a "reckless assault on disabled people".
READ MORE: Scores of PIP claimants set to lose cash payments as DWP confirms plans for major shake-up
The Government has now provided more details of its proposition ahead of a 12-week public consultation. We've scrutinised the proposed changes and identified five key alterations that could have the most significant consequences for claimants.
Foremost is the controversial proposal to eliminate cash payments for certain claimants perceived as not genuinely requiring them. This may include individuals with mental health conditions, such as anxiety.
Ministers express the intention to focus resources on providing better treatment for these individuals instead.........
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