I got the following email from Benefits and Work:
Dear Sue,
Even by this government’s standards it’s a shockingly cruel move.
Last month a tribunal of judges ruled that claimants with mental health conditions such as severe anxiety have a right to claim even the higher rate of PIP for help with going outdoors.
It was a decision that put an end to years of the DWP deliberately misinterpreting the law. It meant that many thousands of people with serious mental health conditions finally had a chance to gain a little bit more independence.
So the government acted with remarkable speed.
Bypassing the social security advisory committee, who are supposed to get the chance to comment on all changes to social security law, they published a statutory instrument that will reverse the judges’ decision.
In an effort to justify overturning the judges’ ruling, Tory policy supremo George Freeman mocked as “bizarre” the idea that claimants with mental health conditions should be eligible for PIP. Instead, he said, PIP should only be for “the really disabled people who need it.”
The changes will apply to all claims made from 16 March, 2017.
Just a few days ago we had the following feedback by email.
“Just wanted to say thank you so much for your amazing site! I have used your advice over the years for my son’s DLA applications with great success, have now had his PIP awarded for enhanced care, and after mandatory reconsideration, got the award for mobility as well (thanks to your advice about the tribunal rulings on this for people with a mental health issue).”
Unless attempts by the Lib Dems and Labour to overturn the statutory instrument are successful, and that seems a very long shot, we won’t be seeing many more emails like that.
ESA CUTS REGULATIONS FINALLY PUBLISHED
The DWP have finally published regulations removing the work-related activity component of employment and support allowance (ESA) for new claims.
New ESA claimants in the work-related activity group who are aged 25 or over will receive only £73.10 a week. They will not receive the additional £29.05 component that current claimants receive.
Similar regulations apply to universal credit claimants who have limited capability for work.
Claimants who made a claim for ESA before 3 April, or who are deemed to have made a claim before that date, as well as claimants who are still waiting to be transferred from incapacity benefits to ESA, will not be affected.
Claimants who qualify for the support group are not affected by the changes.
TRIBUNAL CHANGES
Sir Ernest Ryder, the Senior President of Tribunals, has confirmed that benefits claimants will be the Guinea pigs for changes to appeal tribunals due to begin in September 2017. From that date social security tribunals will move more and more online.
You can look forward to attempting to upload your personal data to the cloud, getting emails from tribunal clerks or judges which hopefully won’t disappear into your spam folder and to having a hearing – if you get one at all – via Skype or telephone.
We’ll keep you informed, and our appeals guides updated, as we learn more.
HAVE YOU BEEN ASKED TO JOIN THE DWP’S CLAIMANT PANEL?
DWP minister Penny Mordaunt told the Commons last week, in relation to PIP and ESA, that:
“One thing I have done to ensure that we get more timely information about where things are going wrong and where standards are not being maintained is to establish a claimant user rep panel, which will go live in the next few weeks. It will be rolled out on a very large scale across the country.”
We’re very keen to hear from anyone who has been invited to join this, until now, completely unknown body. Please contact us if you have.
HOME MEDICALS SURVEY
Many thanks to everyone who took part in our survey on PIP and ESA home medicals. We had almost 2,000 responses. There were a lot more additional comments than we had expected, so we’re making sure we go through them all before we publish our findings, which we plan to do in a fortnight.
Good luck,
Steve Donnison
Related
Two EDMs have been tabled to stop Tory cuts to disability support, with cross-party endorsement
Lords table motion to kill new Tory restrictions on PIP
I don’t make any money from my work. I am disabled because of illness and have a very limited income. But you can help by making a donation to help me continue to research and write informative, insightful and independent articles, and to provide support to others. The smallest amount is much appreciated – thank you.
Politics and Insights 
Thank you for posting such an informative article. I am in the process of trying to change my ESA to the Support Group as I suffer from depression, anxiety and have COPD. My daughter is now my carer as I struggle to look after myself and the stress of having to go to weekly work activity group meetings has taken it’s toll. Do you know if the changes will affect my claim at all?
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Personally from a visit by same rep working for atos I feel both government and atos should be dismiss as unfit personal,as to treasa may shame on you your a disgrace to UK with your ministers.hope the Scots backs independents this time and people will be better off.
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We had 6 years of camerons “for hardworking people mantra”, and this has alas lead to society making a shift against those who through no fault of their own can not work, but are being seen as spongers and a drain on society, somehow I can’t see the damage done being reversed any time soon or for people to readjust their perception of the disabled.
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The Tories are an evil sociopathic human sub-species who regard the sick and disabled as worthless non-productive units who bring shame on the Fatherland.
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sadly you speak as it is. not the voters but them in house of commons.
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Ther seems so much at fault ref pip etc, why and how are subject to these acts by callous, well off individuals. Surely there are better ways to provide for people with genuine needs. How infuriatlng when you see and hear of huge amounts being put elsewhere. Question, how much has it cost to employ autos etc,. Their actions that you hear about. I.e lying etc, and still government allows them to continue. Thank you ministers etc for looking after us.. lol
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Surely it is discrimination to treat mental health conditions differently to physical health conditions as both impact on those affected. The budget for mental health services are less than a quarter of the whole NHS and know they are trying to justify cutting very often isolated and marginalised individuals from getting the support they need.
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Welfare Reforms were specifically designed to stop claimants from receiving ANY benefits whatsoever via any dishonest and deceitful way possible! Let the scum starve to death IS government policy!!!
Welfare Reforms were NEVER designed to help people find work!
I am no longer interested in gimmicks by people ‘fighting’ this genocidal policy!
PEOPLE -ARE- DYING – EVERY DAY!!!
These welfare reforms are in DIRECT VIOLATION of Articles: 4,5,6,12,17b,22, 23a,b,c,24, and especially Articles 25!
EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS Crime Against Humanity, can not hide under Parliamentary immunity of not being held accountable, because under Articles 2 & 4 of the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE; Politicians, Government Ministers, ex-government ministers, civil servants, job centre staff and management, not only can be held accountable for these Crimes Against Humanity…….But WILL be held accountable for the suffering and thousands of deaths THEY ARE totally responsible for!
So why doesn’t charities such as MIND, SCOPE, MS, CR, Black Triangle, DPAC etc etc etc, unite and find a bloody good lawyer, and put these callous bastards in a dock facing Crimes Against Humanity charges???
Why???
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M*** is too busy sucking at the UKGov teat.
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Absolutely agree, until some organisation/s get together to stop these actions by govt, they will continue to create problems for those who have the need for assistance. So please can some of the relevant organisations get some action going to stop what could be criminal offences?
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The Conservative politicians are evil reptilian psychopaths incapable of human empathy or compassion.
However the evil, reptilian psychopathic Conservative politicians are capable of intense anger, hatred and rage for anyone they see as inferior or weak.
Truly the vile, repugnant and thoroughly evil Conservatives ideological policies on benefit, welfare, healthcare, and social security ideology are nothing less than Economic Darwinism, survival of the richest whilst pursuing a policy of economic and social eugenics.
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