More than 16,000 people responded to an online consultation proposing changes to PIP and other benefits. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has said that proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) outlined in a recent consultation have been met with “mixed” and for some, “consistently negative” responses by the pubic. The latest figures from the DWP show that claims for PIP are now at an all-time high, with over 3.
6 million people across Great Britain receiving financial support of up to £737.20 every month. In a question submitted to the DWP, the SNP’s Chris Law asked whether the UK Government plans to implement proposals in the ‘Modernising support for independent living: the health and disability green paper’, which was put forward by the then Conservative government in April.
The accompanying consultation proposed welfare reforms such as swapping cash PIP payments for a range of other support, including vouchers, one-off grants, a receipt-based scheme or choosing support aids from a catalogue. Other proposals include amending eligibility for PIP , reviewing the assessment process and passing PIP costs on to the NHS and local authorities. In a written reply to the Dundee Central MP earlier this week, Minister for Social Security and Disabilities, Sir Stephen Timms MP, explained how more than 16,000 responses were received during the 12-week consultation period which closed on July 22.
He continued: “This demonstrates the depth of feeli.