Tightening Pip benefit eligibility could save 9bn a year, says Reform
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Tightening Pip benefit eligibility could save 9bn a year, says Reform
"Anderson said that the system for applying for Pip was often manipulated, citing what he said were online videos tutoring people on how to fill in eligibility questionnaires. He said this was a particular issue when people were assessed remotely. If you do this remotely, it's kind of like doing a driving theory test and having the answers online for you, he said."
"Anderson and the head of policy, Zia Yusuf, said the party would bar people with less serious psychological conditions such as anxiety from claiming Pip and would ensure anyone getting the payments would first receive a face-to-face assessment. We are betraying our young people, said Yusuf, who was formerly the party chair. Reassessments are basically not happening any more. These young people are being labelled. They're being basically tossed on to a scrap heap for the rest of their lives. There's nothing about that that we are remotely willing to accept."
"We were the first point of contact for people who wanted to claim Pip at the time and we used to fill the forms out for clients before that application form went in. And I can tell you now, we were gaming the system, the Ashfield MP said. I know people who work with the CAB [Citizens Advice Bureau], they've got a 100% hit rate on benefit forms."
Reform UK proposes tightening eligibility for personal independence payments (PIP) by excluding claimants with less serious psychological conditions such as anxiety and requiring a face-to-face assessment for all applicants. The party projects savings of up to £9bn annually from the changes. Concerns are raised about widespread failures to carry out reassessments and the long-term impact on young disabled people who may be labelled and disadvantaged. The application process is said to be vulnerable to manipulation, with online guides and remote assessments facilitating coached responses. Some advisers reportedly assisted claimants in completing forms, contributing to very high approval rates.
#personal-independence-payment #disability-benefits #benefit-eligibility-reform #remote-assessments
Read at www.theguardian.com
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