Liz Kendall has today announced changes to the disability support system PIP (Personal Independence Payment).
Despite rumours that the government would scrap the benefit altogether, the work and pensions secretary has said PIP is here to stay, but it will be harder to qualify for.
Ms Kendall said the reforms will save £5bn a year by the end of the decade.
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But what is PIP, who is able to get it, what is the government planning to change and who would be impacted?
Here’s what you need to know.
What is PIP?
PIP is a tax-free payment given to people to help with the extra costs caused by long-term ill-health or disability.
There are two parts to it:
It’s possible to meet the criteria for one part or both parts, and payments vary for each.
Those who qualify for the daily living part are given either a lower rate of £72.65 per week or a higher rate of £108.55, and those who qualify for the mobility part either receive £28.70 or £75.75.
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What’s changed?
Essentially, rather than freezing PIP, Ms Kendall announced a change to the assessment for the benefit, which is aimed at helping the disabled with the increased cost of living associated with their conditions.
People will now need to score at least four points in one activity to qualify.
The adaptation will require a change in law, which Ms Kendall said the government plans to do.
How does the government make its decisions?
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) carries out an assessment to work out the level of help a person should receive.
A person’s needs are judged on a points system whereby the more severe the impact in a particular area and the greater the help that is required, the more points a person gets and the more money they receive.
For example, an applicant will get two points on the daily living score if they need to use an aid or appliance (like a prostheses or easy grip handles on utensils) when cooking a meal, or they will get eight points if they cannot prepare food or cook at all.
Similarly for the mobility score, the applicant will get four points if they can stand and move between 50 metres and 200 metres, and 12 points if they can only move between one metre and 20 metres.
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The answers are assessed by health professionals who then provide a report for DWP case managers with recommendations on what to give the applicant, if anything.
Applicants can provide assessors with additional medical evidence as part of a claim, but it is not a requirement, as a person’s self-assessment about the impact their condition is prioritised when making a decision.
Who is currently eligible?
People aged between 16-64 can get PIP regardless of whether they work if they expect their difficulties to last for at least 12 months from when they started.
Those who have been told they may have 12 months or less to live can also apply and may get PIP more quickly.
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Sufferers of both physical disability and cognitive or mental health conditions like anxiety can meet the criteria for both types of PIP.
There is no list of medical conditions that determine who qualifies for PIP. Instead, applicants are assessed on the level of help they need with specific activities.
For the daily living part, people might need help with things like:
For the mobility payments, there is assistance for things like:
