Government scraps ‘unfair’ changes to PIP - Arthritis Research UK response
Thank you – you made your voice heard, and the Government listened
Today (21 March) the Government has been forced to listen to the voice of thousands of disabled people, including over 200,000 people living with the pain of arthritis.
It's announced that it'll drop its planned changes to the assessment of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
The changes would have had a major impact on thousands of people with arthritis who rely on these benefits. Some disabled people would have seen a drop in their support of up to £150 a week, or even been turned down for this support altogether.
We responded with deep concern to these plans when they were announced, and joined forces with the MS Society, Parkinson’s UK and the Motor Neurone Disease Association to launch a campaign to stop the cuts.
Thousands of disabled people emailed their MP as part of the campaign with other charities.
You made your voice heard, and the Government listened.
Voice of disabled people must be heard
Responding to the Government’s announcement, Tracey Loftis, our head of policy and public affairs, said: “We welcome the Government’s decision to scrap the changes to the assessment of the Personal Independence Payment, which could have had a devastating impact on the lives of 200,000 people with arthritis, affecting their ability to remain independent and live their lives with dignity.
“Over the weekend we had an overwhelming response from people with arthritis who rely on disability benefits, who are worried about their future.“There's still much to do to build a fairer welfare system for disabled people, and we welcome the Government’s willingness to discuss how we can achieve this together over the coming weeks and months.” Tracey Loftis, head of policy and public affairs
“The planned proposals caused needless uncertainty and distress among people living in pain who need to use an aid or appliance for basic tasks such as dressing or going to the toilet.
“It's vital that the Government listens to the concerns of disabled people and organisations, and properly assesses the impact of their decisions on the most vulnerable people in our society before embarking on further reform.
“There's still much to do to build a fairer welfare system for disabled people, and we welcome the Government’s willingness to discuss how we can achieve this together over the coming weeks and months.”
What next?
Arthritis is the number one cause of pain and disability in the UK, and over a third of people in receipt of PIP alone are living with the pain of arthritis.
The Government has said that it'll look again at how the benefits system works for disabled people. As part of this process, we’ll continue to fight so that people with arthritis receive a fair deal from the welfare system. Look out for more campaign updates by following us on Facebook and Twitter.
We're part of the Disability Benefits Consortium (DBC), a group of charities fighting on behalf of people living with disabilities, and are working with our partners from the DBC to deliver a fair deal for people with arthritis.
If you’d like advice on the welfare system and ensuring you receive the support you may need, the Citizens Advice Bureau are on hand to offer advice and guidance. Visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk for more information.
Do you live with pain and rely on disability benefits?
We want to hear from you on your experience of the benefits system. Please get in touch with our team on action@arthritisresearchuk.org if you’d like to share your story to help with our campaign work with MPs and through the media.
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Posted on Tuesday 22nd March 2016