Green Paper Proposed Changes to PIP.

Hello everyone.

I have just written to my MP to ask them to oppose some of the proposed changes coming up in the Green Paper regarding PIP and have done a little template that may help some of you if you would like to do the same.

Naturally this is a cause for concern for many of us and we want to get our voices heard.

As you cannot seem to attach a document here I have pasted it below:

Name of MP.

I am writing to you to respectfully ask that you do not vote for the amendments as proposed in the Green Paper for the changes to the PIP scoring system.

I understand that the benefit will be withheld from any individual who scores less than 4 points in any one category which I think is a ridiculous way of doing things. Us people who are affected by illness and disability often have very complex needs and overlapping conditions.

Unfortunately, I have quite a few health issues that prevent me from working and so I currently receive PIP at the (Highest/Middle) rate. In the Personal Care Categories I have scored nothing but (2’s/3s).

It must be understood however, that disability is a condition that in many cases is caused by the compound effects of several conditions which make a person ill and unable to work. Therefore, Disability should be considered wholistically as it currently is, and not just upon the scores as awarded in one category.

What the proposals have also not factored into the equation, is that many people have conditions such as myself that deteriorate over time, and so our conditions are in many cases different to what they were when originally assessed.

Unfortunately, my conditions have changed over and every time I contact the DWP to inform them of a change in my circumstances or diagnosis, they tell me not to worry as it will be revised in my next assessment.

However, from what I understand this will not happen. This is because it is the intention of the government to immediately stop any payments to all people with less than a score of 4 points scored in any one category without a further assessment.

Obviously should this happen, there will be a deluge of reapplications for the benefits, and many people will be successful in their reapplications because they will now meet the new criteria due to their conditions getting worse over time.

Honestly, it’s shameful in my opinion to even propose such things. Surely this is not what government policy should be about, and the money being spent on PIP could be negated using other changes in policy without making it an open season on the Disabled.

If this bill goes forward, I can assure you that it will cause widespread poverty and misery amongst the sick and disabled of our country.

Please vote against these toxic proposals. That will bring only harm to us Disabled, but not undeserving people.

Yours Sincerely,

(Name in Full).
(First Line of Address)
(Second Line of Address)
(Third Line of Address)
(Fourth Line of Address).

(Post Code).