Changes to PIP

PIP isn't an out of work benefit. I could do a WFH admin job (and have applied for 4 over the weekend 🤞), I'd still qualify for enhanced PIP in both categories because working doesn't mean any of the difficulties I face have gone away.

You seem to have misunderstood what PIP is.

The difference between having a disabled child and working and having any other child is that they often can’t attend after school or before school childcare and may also have a quite bewildering number of appointments with Drs/OTs/SALT etc so work can be extremely difficult. The reason many people use taxis rather than public transport is that for quite a few public transport isn’t an option.

It does need changing tbh. My son is severely mentally impaired and it baffles me that some people are on the same rate pip as him, when he's unable to live a normal life and needs life long care, let alone work. Obviously everyone isn’t the same but I’m sure half of the people on it could do some small admin / wfh in their own time and go on a lower rate. I personally know people on it and it does seem like a piss take when you compare them to someone like my son 🤷🏻‍♀️ I know everyone isn’t playing the system but the ones who do ruin it for everyone.

I disagree. I think that’s where everyone’s most people just don’t understand the set up and honestly think there are people driving about in Ferraris because they said they were disabled. It’s so far from the truth it’s a bit mind boggling, but I guess you don’t know if you don’t know.

Then you need to report them for fraud. You need enhanced mobility to qualify for a mobility car. Unless you're just making things up of course....

Qualifying Mobility Allowances:
Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

Daily Living or Mobility Needs:
You need to have daily living or mobility needs and need additional help because of an illness, disability or mental health condition.

Honestly it’s a waste of time even engaging with some of the fools on MN atm

Do you think they’re hired?

There’s a few on the Politics board and, bizarrely, the Royal Family board too!

And do you follow these people 24/7 to know they don't t have any issues with daily activities? 🙄

What does this have to do with motability? You don't drive, so won't be getting a car. And every working parent has to struggle with finding jobs to fit around schools - why is that different for you? And why is a taxi best value for money?

And I resent the attitude that any questioning of the status quo is akin to denying the existence of disabled people, or wishing them harm. It's simple minded and not helpful. There's not an endless supply of money, and if the only response is "we need more money, more accommodations and more flexibility that no one can ever question", we are never going to have a sustainable solution.

Obviously they are needed. It's hard to get. Why is there so many on benefits? The NHS needs sorting before any benefits are cut. I'm pretty sure not being able to get any appointments/long waiting lists aren't helping.

Yes. Some of them are also racists - they even manage to slip that in too on a thread from yesterday. It is a certain mindset that won’t change.

Honestly it’s a waste of time even engaging with some of the fools on MN atm 🤦🏻‍♀️

There is not much point arguing with these bigots. Facts won't cure their hatred of disabled people.

I have heard that people aged 18-24 are going to be targeted the most.

And the government is looking at making it illegal for influencers to post videos which coach people on how to get PIP.

I have always felt that the rise is partly due to social media. When my oldest dd was little, nobody really knew about disability benefits unless a medical professional advised them to apply. In our case, my daughter’s portage worker told us to apply. I had never heard of it then.

Sure you do.

Hey, you can have our motability car for free, but only if my DH's paraplegia is transferred to you too.

It’s not possible to rent a car through the motability scheme unless you have significant difficulty getting about.

They aren't owned by the people using them. They're hired.

There are almost 34 million cars in the UK, 815k of which are motability vehicles.

So how would you manage without a car, especially if you couldn't cycle due to disabilities? Or couldn't get public transport as you couldn't follow the timetable or manage the walk to/from the bus stop? Ot had to be accompanied everywhere as you had no sense of danger?
I am genuinely interested by the way. I'm not looking for a fight, but I want to understand why people who have none of the disadvantages of the disabled think that the help they do get is unnecessary. I think it's really important that people understand why these things are needed.
My son gets taxis to and from school. If he didn't he wouldn't be able to attend unless I took him in a private taxi each morning (I don't drive - awful driver when I did take lessons and can't afford the lessons or a car, let alone having the time to actually take lessons), which would mean I couldn't work while he was at school, unless you know of any jobs 2 hrs a day that pay enough to live on?

1 in 5 new cars are motability cars. Are you saying that 1 in 5 people purchasing a new car are unable to walk more than 50m? I don't think that stacks up.

I know several people with motability cars. Not a single one has any problems going about daily activities.

It beggars belief to me that you're envious of people judged unable to walk 50m and want to see them on buses. Is that who you wanted to be when you grew up?

Punch up, not down.

You do understand that a motability car is RENTED don’t you? You can sell your car and use that money as a down payment and rent one yourself if you like.

That sounds an incredibly expensive and demoralising idea. I wonder what you actually think people spend their PIP on?

Public transport round here is no better or worse than many other places in the UK. As a family we use a mix of bicycles, cars and public transport to get around. Our cars are decent, but all over 10 years old, and certainly not replaced by new cars every 3 years.

I'd be interested in the number of families that have a motability car as well as taxis to and from school costing thousands every year.

My reading of the changes is that

1. They are going to save money by not reassessing people who have lifelong disability.

Personally I’ve always found the reassessment of long term disabled a ridiculous waste of money. Limbs don’t grow back and many people born with life long disability are not going to suddenly not be disabled at all. There should always have been a category of people we accept can’t care for themselves and will always need support.

2. They are going to reduce the money they give to the most severely impacted disabled on UC and “share” that money with those more able so they can increase their opportunities to work.

Is this where the money should be found? Have we been giving profoundly disabled people too much money or are they just an easy target? I’m a bit shocked that these very vulnerable adults are being targeted in this way.

3. They are going to make it harder to receive the working benefit PIP reducing the number of people who qualify.

I thought the whole point of PIP was that it was supposed to foster independence so people could go out to work. Are we sure that reducing it will help more people get to work? I’d like to understand how they’ve come to this conclusion.

You are the naive one. A lot of folk choose not to work. And many others work as few hours as they can get away with.