The Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC)

[AccessOfficer]

Consultation on the PIP assessment: Moving around activity

" Among the savings measures announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer during the Coalition Government’s Emergency Budget on 22 June 2010, it was announced that Disability Living Allowance would be reformed by the introduction of a medical assessment for eligibility.

He noted that the new benefit would be focused on ‘those with the greatest needs’ - a message that has subsequently been repeated by DWP Ministers.

While we support that general statement of policy, it is important not to overlook what it will mean for those whose needs are lower, yet still significant.

Specifically, it is important to consider the impact of the Government’s decision to reduce the threshold of the mobility test from 50 metres to 20 metres which effectively removes support from individuals who are restricted in their mobility, but who are nonetheless able to walk 20 metres.

The Department estimates that around 50,000 people will be adversely affected by this change.

Given the size of the numbers impacted, the fact that those affected would be at the higher end of the disability spectrum, and the extent of the losses incurred in each case, the Committee is disappointed that a detailed risk / impact assessment of the change has not been made available."

http://ssac.independent.gov.uk/pdf/ssac-consultation-response-pip-moving-around-criteria.pdf

Regards
AO

[devine63]

and overall the projection from the government is that 500,000 (yes, that's half a million) people who currently get DLA will not get PIP.  This is not because those people are frauds it is because the govt has moved the goalposts - the new, more stringent criteria  mean that the needs of those people will not have changed, but they will no longer get any financial help.  At least one charity is reported to believe that the number will be even higher.
regards, Deb