UK: Disability benefits (UC, ESA and PIP) - news and updates 2024 and 2025

No I don't, I only became aware of GIRFT the other day from a thread on here. I looked through it but it seemed to me that it was more to do with physical interventions not psychological ones in terms of patient safety/harms in the context of the litigation bill it refers to. I could be wrong though, as I did not go into it in depth.

 

PIP VOUCHERS “NONSENSE”

Debbie Abrahams, chair of the Commons Work and Pensions Committee, has said that the idea of replacing personal independence payment (PIP) with vouchers is “nonsense” and will not happen.

In an interview with the Mirror at the end of December, Abrahams said that Stephen Timms, disability minister at the DWP, had already ruled out a voucher scheme.

However, whilst he might have given such assurances in private to Abrahams, there is no record of him having done so publicly.

Abrahams told the Mirror that "I think it's nonsense and I cannot see that happen. It is suggesting that it's ok for disabled people to be provided with a voucher instead of money - as though they aren't responsible with their money."

When asked if the idea of vouchers was insulting to disabled people, Abrahams responded "Absolutely. This is how confident I am that it won't happen."

Sadly, details of what plans Labour actually does have for the future of disability benefits will not be revealed until a Green Paper is published in the Spring.

Benefits & Work
https://www.icontact-archive.com/ar...4b7e81a15d03a3040ca2700682dadb514b7c01a8d57f0

 

More from today's Benefits and Work newsletter, this time on the ESA migration:

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/n...d Work&utm_content=15 January 2025 Newsletter

 

Benefits shake up faces delay after court ruling lands blow to Reeves The i online report of the outcome of yesterday's court case.

 

Congratulations every body. The incomes relied upon cannot be taken so soon. People cannot be pushed and shovelled into places they do not want to go, not for the price of a loaf of bread. The terror has abated. If not for all of you just being, for centuries, impossible to ignore, then I too would have been dead long ago.

This gives the doctors time to come to our defence. Medical exemption is sacrosanct. It secures the medically exempted choice because you know best. It secures the income for the costs of life. It secures the rent. Then you have your chance to stabilise, then another chance to optimise, and be at peace in your own home.

Thankyou @Maat for getting this news to me by the end of this week. Its time at last to celebrate by the end of the week

 

Just got off the phone to a friendly Dwp 2nd line agent after one hours wait. I was chasing up an award letter as the Blue badge expires and the local council has written saying they need 12 weeks processing time.

Apparently DWP have just started looking at review forms sent in last January 24! Some staff are working overtime - which sounded as if it was unheard of. Ours was sent back promptly in July so no badge for us for up to 6 months assuming status quo continues. But payments will not stop.

Also they tell us we can send in further evidence at anytime up to decision date. We did not realise this but as they are so behind it’s obvious conditions change and develop. We had no communication from them since last July.

I speculate they are overwhelmed with winter fuel pension credit and increased claims generally. I have to say it was a change to speak to two humans who did sound reasonable without a sarky agenda. They must have been drafted in from hmrc…

 

I also had to renew my blue badge whilst I was waiting in that massive queue for a PIP review.

The local authority website advised me to ask for a letter from my GP confirming my disability, which I did. The parking dept then emailed me to say they couldn't accept it because it didn't give the reason for my disability. I pointed out they'd been issuing me with blue badges for 20 years without ever knowing that, as all the DWP letters told them was that I'd been awarded higher rate mobility.

They then advised me to submit the summary award letter for the existing PIP claim as well as the GP letter. They warned me it could be a weeks-long wait, but when I uploaded my passport photo along with the evidence, the blue badge arrived almost by the next post.

 

A couple of years back I was in this position and the local blue badge people said to apply anyway using the old PIP Award letter and this worked with my badge being renewed.

 

For about six months I've been watching YouTube videos by Professor Tim Wilson who posts every day on various political and social issues. He is very knowledgable on a variety of subjects and his posts are a mixture of education, common sense and humour.
So today I was delighted to see his post on the subject of the government plans to get the long term sick back into work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFzoMtlPuN4

 

delighted to see him posting on the subject, or delighted to hear the content of his video? Guessing it's the former?

 

Actually both, the fact he's covering the subject and the fact he's calling out this nonsense in the video.

 

sorry John, i didnt expain well...

by 'the content' I meant whether the news is good or bad for claimants. Obviously it will be bad, I just thought for a moment that perhaps he'd spotted something encouraging for us & that the video was about it. Clearl not.

An too ill to watch it or to deal with the awful news about whats coming for us all

 

DWP doubles number of home visits as update issued for thousands of benefit claimants

DWP doubles number of home visits as update issued for thousands of benefit claimants

 

PIP could be ‘replaced’ as consultation begins on new benefit

PIP could be ‘replaced’ as consultation begins on new benefit

 

I believe this is the online survey:
https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90797...onal-costs-disability-payment-PIP-replacement

 

Just doing the survey. Strongly advise that someone else summarises its contents(I’m foggy) as it seems very clear what they want to do.

A separate authority to issue payments (not DWP) and an advocacy system for claimants. Lots of “your idea of a “good life” your barriers/your wishes” if it’s all so individualised, it’s hard to compare awards. And if we don’t have big expectations about our lives, we won’t need a big payment.


Also what’s this new “Deaf and Disabled people” terminology? Is deafness no longer a disability?

 

Summary of the process:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1r4xXiJvxXn2UUy2YgrIleUKOOsOAOhVGSsQVwbEYjE0/edit?tab=t.0

 

Thank you.

This idea of a new authority to make awards, plus a new advocacy service with people from charities working as advocates or an advocate coaching a family member, is a massive extra layer of admin/employment.

Puts me in mind of the fragmentation of social care where everything is a commissioned service, constant change and agencies and staff, a lot of money seems to goon layers of management with service users getting little scraps at the end.