Here is the link to the MS Society Campaign, should you wish to-
yep all done
i have signed
signed it
Nice one, let’s hope it has some impact.
Signed
Signed and sent the link to 6 friends who I know will sign too
Signed
I signed and then decided to share on FB and Twitter. Impossible! You can share the letter, but not the bit where you sign the letter… I spent about 20 mins trying to find a way without success. Shame as it would get more signatures if there was a way to share it.
Pat x
signed and added to facebook B
I signed an hour ago and then sent to my b/fs email and he sent it to his workplace and within that hour it went uo by 300 more people 
Cracking stuff!
Also done
all done
Done
I signed the letter re Action on PIPand had a letter from my MP this morning, it reads
'Dear MrsM
Thank you for your recent email that you sent regarding the letter by the MS Society to Esther McVey the minister for Disabled People. The points raised in this letter are extremely important and highlight the effect that these changes will have on the lives of many people who suffer from long term ill health not just those with MS. I have written to Esther McVey MP in support of this letter and I have enclosed a copy of it for your interest. I will of course forward you the response as soon as I receive it.
In the meantime if you require any more information or I can be of any assistance then please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours Sincerely’
This is the letter that he attached that he sent to Esther;
Dear Esther McVey MP
I am writing on behalf of several constituents who have contacted me in support of the recent letter you will have received from the MS Society.
This letter raises many important points about the harmful affect that PIP could have on people who suffer from MS. These points include the 50% of days or more rule which may prevent many people who suffer from short but severe fluctuations in their illness from receiving the help they require to get on with their day-to-day lives. There is also a concern that the mobility aspect is being reduced from 50 metres down to 20 metres and the removal of ‘reliably, repeatedly, safely, and in a timely manner’ from the regulations and into the guidance notes will negatively impact on those people who suffer from MS. A further point that has been raised is the need for clearer guidance on the necessity for face to face assessments because in the current form this could lead to a postcode lottery based on the discretion and experience of the assessor. In addition there are concerns about the length of the award and frequency of reassessment. Those people who suffer from long term illness and are awarded the highest rate of PIP should be awarded a long term award to minimise unnecessarry and stressful reassessments. Afinal concern is that they have not yet had sight of the guidance to assessors and they would like an assurance that the guidance will be made available on time for stakeholders to comment and amendments to be made.
The changes will have a significant impact on many people’s lives and it is important that the impact that PIP will have on disabled people is monitored and the policy reviewed if it is failing people in our communities.
I would appreciate your thoughts on the issues raised in the letter by the MS Society and I look forward to receiving your response.
Yours sincerely’
Done!
Got my reply : ) here it is
MILLICHEAP, Sam A sam.millicheap@parliament.uk
17:22 (22 hours ago)
to me
Dear Kim,
Grant would like to thank you for contacting him about how the Personal Independence Payment will treat people who suffer from MS. The open letter from the MS society is a useful summary of your concerns which Grant has asked me to address on his behalf.
First of all, Grant would like to stress that he thinks you are right to highlight the importance of this issue and he agrees that it is vital that the assessment criteria reflect the fluctuating and complex nature of this condition.
Part of the reason why it is necessary for most people to undertake a face-to-face medical assessment is so that decisions can be made on a case by case basis. This will inform the how much each person is entitled to and of course, how long they are entitled to receive it for. Awards for PIP will also be informed by the impact that an individual’s condition has on them and will be applied on likelihood of that person’s condition changing.
Although Grant recognises the stress that assessments can have on disabled people, it is also an opportunity for the individual to discuss face-to-face how their impairment affects their everyday life, instead of trying to self-assess through an over-complicated DLA claim form. It is important to note that nearly £200m is underpaid with DLA because people with degenerative conditions like MS, are not systematically reviewed and therefore do not receive all that they deserve.
In terms of guidance for assessors, Grant understands health professionals conducting the assessments will be required to have a broad training in disability analysis as well as access to information on specific impairments and conditions. Moreover, Grant can assure you that both of the organisations providing the assessment will have to conform to a rigorous set of quality standards regarding staff recruitment and training, which Department of Health will be closely monitoring.
Lastly under the Personal Independence Payment, figures show that Ministers are protecting the most severely disabled with a greater proportion getting the higher rates compared to DLA. The Government will continue to spend around £50bn a year on disabled people and their services. Moreover, the UK’s spending on disability-related benefits continues to be a fifth higher than the EU average which is a real testament to our country.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact Grant about this important issue and I hope that you find this information useful. However if you have any further questions please do not hesitate in contacting Grant or myself again.
Yours sincerely,
Sam Millicheap
signed, also sending letters to all the mp’s in my area aswell to get them involved, i hope that helps
In contrast to MrsM and kimbo, what I got was a boilerplate reply saying that it would be dealt with as soon as possible, and asking that if I lived in his constituency, would I provide my full name and address. So I did.
What I got back was the same boilerplate reply saying that it would be dealt with as soon as possible, and asking that if I lived in his constituency, would I provide my full name and address.
Guess which party he represents!
Geoff