The PIP lie: Benefits assessment is not about claimants’ needs – it is about CUTTING COSTS

Last Updated: July 7, 2017By

Robert Donaldson, 66, says he has been unfairly treated by benefits assessors [Image: Daily Record].

Stories like that of Robert Donaldson are now so commonplace they are part of the furniture in modern Britain.

But that doesn’t mean they are acceptable.

The Conservative Party, in government, has always claimed that its benefit assessment systems – whether for IB, its replacement ESA, DLA or its replacement PIP – take into consideration the health and daily needs of claimants.

That claim has always been a lie.

The initials ‘PIP’ euphemistically stand for the words ‘Personal Independence Payment’. The benefit is said to be intended to allow disabled people to live independently, by covering the extra costs associated with their health conditions.

Cutting Mr Donaldson’s income by £242 clearly contradicts that!

Perhaps the benefit should be renamed ‘Starve The Disabled‘. That would be a more accurate description and the acronym – ‘STD’ – is already associated with unpleasant practices.

Perhaps the government would think twice if disabled people went around saying, “The Tories are giving me STDs”.

Here’s Mr Donaldson’s story:

An amputee pensioner with kidney failure, heart problems and hearing loss has had his benefits cut because he’s not sick enough.

Robert Donaldson has been told his £300 a week payment is being slashed to £58.

He is now frantic with worry about how he will buy food and pay his bills.

The pensioner used to receive £300 a week Disability LivingAllowance.

But that benefit is being replaced by the new Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and claimants have to undergo an assessment.

When deciding whether to grant benefits, the Department for Work and Pensions score people on how their disabilities affect their daily living needs and mobility.

To qualify for the basic living needs payment, wheelchair-bound Robert had to score eight to 10 points. He fell short by two points.

(Source: ‘I’m worrying about buying food’ Wheelchair-bound pensioner has benefits slashed by £242 a week)

ADDITIONAL: A commenter on the Vox Political Facebook page (and if you’re not subscribed to it, why not?) has reminded me that, of course, PIP costs more to administer than it saves, and the money goes to private contractors. Therefore the whole exercise is about giving public money to private business, by taking it away from taxpayers.

He’s right, although I’ll stick with my headline because the Tory plan is to cut the cost of benefit payment by ensuring the deaths of the claimants.

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No Comments

  1. Dez July 7, 2017 at 3:35 pm - Reply

    That is one massive drop in benefits but not clear if the orginal £300 payment was to
    pay for rent, rates, living costs additional gas, electric etc which if it was they will be miles short of the needed amount and will be causing no end of unnecessary
    stress

  2. Jenny Hambidge July 8, 2017 at 11:17 am - Reply

    I don’t think the amounts are factually correct- PIP/DLA are not worth that amount per week at the highest rate. This spoils the validity of the argument

  3. colin perfect July 10, 2017 at 12:23 pm - Reply

    I was told to claim PIP by the DWP for help with mobility issues. Filled out the form asking for a home assessment but was refused unless they got a letter from my Doctor, which was sent to them. My claim was refused because i could not travel the 30 miles to the assessment center as i could travel the 40 yards to my Doctors. Bloody Joke

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