In particular Rishi wants to tackle the “unverifiable claims”.
See also this article in the Telegraph. The numbers are eye-watering.
We shouldn’t have too much to worry about: the figures suggest MS is a relative minnow and reasonably easy to verify compared to many conditions where claims have been approved.
However, in a consultation, officials said research showed that many recipients of PIPs used them to cover regular household expenditure such as bills. “We also know that some disabled people view their PIP award as compensation for being disabled rather than as an award for extra costs,” they said.
It does make one wonder: by culling the PIP numbers, would this not mean many of the current recipients become more eligible for UC as they become dependent on the state?
I’m all in favour of fairness. It’s not fair that hard-working tax-payers should have to prop up fraudsters who are taking the piss. The essence of the argument is perhaps that there should be more effort put in to determining the righteous claims from the iffy ones.
I agree with you. Several years ago the government in office tried to tackle DLA fraud by changing its name/rules etc and thus PIP came into being. I tackled my local MP about it at the time, suggesting those who obtained DLA fraudulently would find a way of doing the same with PIP. He toed the party line and was adamant it was going to work.
It’s absolutely right that the most vulnerable should be supported, but attempts to cut the benefits bill by successive governments generally means some of those who are most vulnerable suffering because they’ve not the energy or ability to fight it.
Yes, definitely more should be done to weed out the false or spurious claims.
I can’t see it happening though.
Rather than the more stark messages from the Telegraph articles, the BBC piece shows examples of people who get PIP.
A couple of things spring to mind:
Nobody is going to turn down the chance of free money
Once you get used to having the money, you will find ways of spending it, making it hard to take away again.
PIP is very “blocky”. A bit all-or-nothing which seems unfair. With better assessment, people could be paid something more akin to their real costs. The mobility allowance is used by some to fund a motability car, for others it’s bus & taxi fares.
I DO get PIP and I have spent it on aids and adaptations around the house, plus an electric wheelchair. These are things I need to maintain independence. Independence is the “I” in PIP - the original idea was that it should enable people to live independently, the alternative being unable to work or get about or be a burden on the state. Like @Flowerpot says, it’s become a bit of a free-for-all.
I get both components of PIP. I use it towards buying and maintaining powered wheelchair and twice daily care visits. It doesn’t cover the whole cost, but helps maintain some independence.
Independence is important to me.
What I do not get is it isn’t a lot of money. Given the choice of making £450;a week in a job or say on my backside claiming pip…I know which I would rather do.
They make it sound like PIP is£300 a week for nothing.
Being a long-term sicky, get me off the NHS waiting list, give me a job where all I have to do is show face, not over exert myself, please sign me up; this is of course on the proviso I get well enough to work again.
You plutocrats are so out of touch with we proletariats, the sooner you’re booted out of office the better imo.