The DWP have provided details of how many working PIP claimants in every Westminster constituency and local authority are at risk of losing their PIP daily living award, because of the proposed four point rule. It is information that is well worth sharing with your constituency MP and local councillors.
The detailed breakdown was provided by DWP disability minister Stephen Timms, in response to written question by Labour rebel MP Yuan Yang.
Information in a downloadable Excel document details the number of employed PIP claimants who do not score any 4-point descriptors as well as those who do.
The information is broken down into:
- Regions
- Parliamentary constituency
- Local authority
The same information is also given for self-employed PIP claimants.
The total number of employed PIP claimants who do not score 4 points for any one activity is 250,210 whilst 178,130 do score 4 points or more in at least one activity. This makes a total of 428,330 employed PIP claimants.
The figures for self-employed PIP claimants are 50.930 who score fewer than 4 points and 32,380 score 4 points or more. This makes a total of 83,760 self-employed PIP claimants.
The number of PIP claimants who don’t score 4 points or more for any activity varies widely by constituency. Liverpool Walton has the highest number, with 970 employed PIP claimants under threat. The constituency also has 150 self-employed PIP claimants with no 4 point or higher scores.
At the other end of the scale is Bristol Central with 150 PIP claimants with no 4 point or higher scores.
Many working claimants rely on their PIP daily living component to make work possible by paying for taxis or equipment that they can’t get via access to work, or simply by allowing them to work part-time when they are no longer able to manage full time employment.
So, the proposed PIP four point rule is likely to end up increasing the levels of unemployment amongst disabled claimants, rather than somehow reducing it.
It would definitely be worth readers looking up their own constituency and emailing the results to their MP.
The results for local authorities vary even more widely. Birmingham has 4,940 employed PIP claimants who have no 4 points or higher scores and 940 self-employed PIP claimants in the same position.
At the other end of the scale, Rutland has 100 PIP claimants who have no 4 points or higher scores and the City of London 10.
Higher unemployment amongst disabled residents in any given local authority will clearly place extra demands on a whole range of services, including housing, health and advice.
Readers who feel able, may want to pass on the figures for their local authority to their local councillors and ask them to share their concerns with MPs in their region.
With the vote in the Commons on the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill scheduled for Tuesday 1 July, every last bit of effort may make a real difference in influencing wavering MPs, especially Labour back benchers coming under enormous pressure from their ministers and whips.
