New PIP rules

Posted , 4 users are following.

This is what i found out today. Not great news for those with mental health issues for the mobility part.

Yesterday the government made a surprise announcement that it is changing the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) rules. The change will mean that fewer people will be able to get this benefit.

The new rules they are introducing will:

Make it harder for people with mental health problems to qualify for the mobility component.

Make it harder for people to qualify for PIP who don't get therapy but who instead need help to both manage their medication and monitor their health condition.

The government has decided to act following two recent Upper Tribunal decisions.

In decision [2016] UKUT 531 (AAC), the Upper Tribunal said that entitlement to PIP mobility on the basis of being unable to follow a journey was not restricted to those with learning difficulties or sensory impairments, but also covered those who had problems in reliably following a journey due to overwhelming psychological distress.

In [2016] UKUT 0530 (AAC), the Upper Tribunal found that where someone needed substantial help both to take medication and to monitor their condition, this should be considered as support to 'manage therapy' allowing them to get more points under the PIP rules.

The changes to the PIP rules that the government are introducing will effectively reverse both of these Upper Tribunal decisions.

The new regulations will come into force on the 16th March. The government says that the changes will only apply to new awards after that date and will not lead to any existing awards being reduced.

This change will be for NEW awards only NOT existing awards.

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • Posted

    This post makes very interesting reading .thankyou !

    If its not gard enough already the government put another obstacle in the way x

    • Posted

      So true that. Very unfair to those with mental health issues and my daughter is one of them sad

  • Posted

    My mum claims p I p she's just been diagnosed with frozen shoulder peri oral dermatitis and bad depression should she tell p I p do you know

    • Posted

      That's entirely her choice but i know i wouldn't. If she tells them they'll send her another form to fill in because of those changes. The chances of her having another face to face assessment is very high.

      When is her current award due to end?

    • Posted

      Also she had miscarriage was abused and still fraught for her claim as soon as she went to tribunal twice she lost three stone I have to take her to hospital at times as she got bad back fibromyalgia diviculitus frozen shoulder tennis elbow asthma and she went threw all that on her own she's been to hell and back everybody knows she's on morphine now and noticed dramatic changes in her behaviour since oh and osteoarthritis plus she's just got over two tumours out her foot

    • Posted

      That's this year so really there's no point in reporting those changes. May as well wait for the review form.

  • Posted

    That is awful Denise.  I think the Govt introduced PIP purely to try and save money.  They then found that it still cost too much and that the successful appeal rate was far too high.  This is just another try at cutting costs.  Disgraceful.  x

     

    • Posted

      I can tell you my mum is angry and saddened what her and many thousands poor people gone threw they don't even give you form how does this affect your partner or offspring when they got careers .yet if you an alcoholic you get everything ?????

    • Posted

      Not necessarily Morag.  There are lots of people out there who don't understand mental health and will the same thing about that.

      Instead of joining in and demonising a certain group,  we should all  see through this divide and rule policy and stick together to get justice for all.  x

    • Posted

      The reason I said that there was an alcoholic in social security office laughing his head off saying he gets everything and it was really annoying to listen to when genuine people need help .my mums friend of 34 had stroke yesterday cause all stress do they really care ? If you disabled that's bad enough but look at all people suffering threw these things it's awful

    • Posted

      Ok one alki said that.  It doesn't mean that all are like him!   Apart from anything else alcoholism is a serious illness and recognised as such.  Alcoholcs don't 'choose' to drink - they are addicted and it is very difficult to fight such an addiction.  I consider them genuine.  x

    • Posted

      I agree with you hypercat. They don't choose to drink they have an addiction which is totally different. Being addicted to something whether it's medication or alcohol it's the same thing at the end of the day. People take morphine prescribed for them to combat their pain, myself included. Infact i've been taking it for years and don't know what i'd do without it. I couldn't just stop taking it, just like an alcoholic can't just stop drinking. Both are addictions.

  • Posted

    I wonder where I'll stand with this. My application was started on 21st February with the initial phone call, but I haven't got the form yet. I'm guessing it will apply to me. 🙁

    • Posted

      Hi,

      If you have mental health issues then yes it'll apply to you.

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