Families criticise 'poorly thought-out' Pip changes

Families of disabled people have spoken out against proposed changes to key disability benefits.

The government said it would tighten assessments for how much those receiving personal independence payments (Pip) would be paid for daily living, a component of the payments which is based on someone's ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.

Melanie Pringle from Corby, Northamptonshire, has a nephew with severe learning difficulties - she described the plans as "poorly thought-through" and said they would strip vulnerable people of essential support.

The Department for Work and Pensions said the reforms were driven by a "determination to help more people into work" but acknowledged public concerns.

Ms Pringle said her 32-year-old nephew had been "diagnosed with the mind of an eight-year-old, and that won't change".

"He couldn't go to the bottom of the street without getting lost. There's no way he could work," she said.

In March, the government released a green paper to spell out the details of its proposed shake-up of the benefits system.

The changes will make it harder for people with less severe conditions to claim disability payments.

Extra benefit payments for health conditions will also be frozen for current claimants and nearly halved for new applicants.

The government has not given a precise breakdown of the forecast savings but the bulk are expected to come from changes to eligibility for disability payments.

More than 40 MPs, including the Labour MP for Corby and East Northamptonshire, Lee Barron, said proposed welfare savings worth £5bn a year by 2030 had "caused a huge amount of anxiety and concern among disabled people and their families".

Ms Pringle's sister currently pays for her son to attend a specialist charity service which provides stability, structure and social contact.

"He wouldn't survive without them," she said.

"It will affect his social life, it will affect him in himself. It will be like an able-bodied adult losing their salary."

Ms Pringle also described how her nephew needs constant personal care, including help showering, regular changes of underwear, and a new mattress every three months.

Under the proposed reforms, she fears he will lose all of his benefit.

Julie, also from Corby, said her 16-year-old daughter, who is autistic and has ADHD, relies on Pip to cover essential costs, including travel to college and private medication.

"We use her Pip money for failings in other areas," she said.

"It's extremely stressful. If this is pulled away from her, she won't be able to go and fulfil her desires of doing a degree.

"All she wants is the same opportunities as everybody else."

The Department for Work and Pensions said there were about 370,000 current Pip recipients who would no longer qualify once the changes were made.

MPs will get a chance to vote on the plans because the government needs to pass primary legislation to make the changes to welfare payments.

The legislation is due to be published this month before making its way through Parliament in June.

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