EIGHTY THOUSAND disabled people risk losing a vital mobility benefit, following today’s Commons’ decision to give the Government the power to remove the mobility component of the new Personal Independent Payment (PIP) for people living in residential care.
Commenting on the vote, Sue Brown, head of public policy at Sense, the national deafblind charity, said:
“We are disappointed with this result. This decision lets down the 80,000 disabled people who live in residential care and rely on this benefit to enjoy things we take for granted.
“The onus is now on the Government to design a fair system that does not target disabled people, including deafblind people, living in residential care and keep their promise of giving disabled people choice, control and independence.”
Guy Parckar, acting director of policy, campaigns and communications at Leonard Cheshire Disability, said: “It is devastating for disabled people that the powers to remove mobility payments from disabled people living in state-funded residential services are still in the Welfare Reform Bill as it moves into the House of Lords.
“Over the last few months, disabled people across the country have written to and met with their MPs to explain how the Government’s plans will affect their lives.
“Around 5,000 people also came together for the Hardest Hit march – the largest disability protest the UK has ever seen. Yet, the plans remain.
“This is a policy that would have an appalling impact on thousands of disabled people, and the Government must think again. We would like to thank MPs who did vote against this power, but it is now crucial that when the Bill goes to the House of Lords, peers act to remove it and save disabled people’s independence.”
David Congdon, head of campaigns and policy at learning disability charity, Mencap, said: “Removing this benefit will take us back to the dark ages, essentially stripping people of control over their lives and leaving them stuck in residential care homes.”
