The Welfare Reform Bill, which is in its final stages in Parliament, will mean significant changes to the benefit system. One of the key changes is the introduction of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to replace Disability Living Allowance. PIP will be introduced in April 2013 and the Government is currently consulting on the changes. Read on to find out more about the proposals and how you can have your say.
What do we already know?
A lot of the detail around PIP has yet to be finalised but the key changes are listed below:
- Most individuals will have a face to face assessment as part of their application.
- There will be regular reassessment of claimants to check if their entitlement to the benefit
- has increased or decreased.
- There will still be two components – called Daily Living and Mobility – and both will be paid
- at two rates, called standard rate and enhanced rate.
- To claim PIP you will have had the disabling condition for 3 months and expect to have it for another 9 months (a year in total).
11 activities will be assessed as part of the face to face assessment:
- Preparing food and drink
- Taking nutrition
- Bathing and grooming
- Managing therapy/monitoring health condition
- Dressing and undressing
- Managing toilet needs/incontinence
- Communicating
- Engaging socially
- Making financial decisions
- Moving around
- Planning and following a journey
From April 2013, anyone claiming DLA for the first time will instead be assessed for PIP,
using the new assessment process. Reassessment for people currently claiming DLA will not
begin until the autumn of 2013, after there is some idea of how the assessments are working.
Reassessments will start with people who are due a DLA award review and people who have
reported that their circumstances have changed.
Have your say!
The Department of Work and Pensions is currently running a consultation on the new assessment. Rethink Mental Illness, our national charity, will be responding and want to hear our views:
- Do you have any comments or concerns about a new face to face assessment?
- Do you think there are any key activities missing from the list above?
- What works well in the current system
- Any other concerns or thoughts
There are two ways to get in touch with Rethink Mental Illness to give your feedback:
1. Fill in our survey at http://surveymonkey.com/s/pip-mentalhealth
2. Call 020 7840 3147 for a hard copy of our short survey
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