Personal Independence Payment: A Case for Change.

Abstract

In 2010 George Osborne announced that from 2013/14 that new and existing working age Disability Living Allowance claimants would be subjected to a new medical assessment in order to claim a new benefit called Personal Independence Payment.

The purpose of this briefing paper is to highlight the ongoing impacts of the introduction of Personal Independence Payment and considers the background, timetable, assessment, and outcomes. This change was expected to reduce the Disability Living Allowance caseload by 20% and save over a billion by 2014/15. Only around half of new claims for Personal Independence Payment are receiving an award and 23% of people that did not have a terminal illness who were on Disability Living Allowance and have been reassessed for
Personal Independence Payment have received no award.
Furthermore, many claimants are finding that they are waiting several months for an assessment and some have to travel a considerable distance to be assessed. Some claimants have also reported that they find the assessors unhelpful.

The consequences of the introduction of Personal Independence Payment have led to significant financial difficulties due to delays and people receiving no award. Thousands of people have also lost their motability car which they received when they were entitled to the higher rate of mobility through Disability Living Allowance and were
not found to be eligible when they were reassessed for Personal Independence Payment.