A Freedom of Information (FoI) Act response to DR UK shows that around half of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claimants who were in receipt of its higher mobility rate are still being refused it on their moving to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
In effect, this means that around half of DLA claimants have lost potential entitlement to the Motability scheme.
The DWP says that 471,000 DLA claimants who were receipt of the higher mobility rate of DLA had been reassessed by 31 October 2107.
Its FoI response says that:
- 241,920 (52%) were awarded the enhanced PIP mobility rate;
- 65,200 (25%) had their benefit reduced to the standard PIP mobility rate; and
- 65,200 (23%) lost their mobility rate entitlement altogether.
Those disabled people whose entitlement has been reduced to the standard mobility rate of PIP have lost £37.10 per week (the equivalent of £1929 per year).
They have also lost their entitlement to the Motability scheme (as it is restricted to those receiving the enhanced mobility rate of PIP).
Those disabled people who have lost all entitlement to mobility support have lost £59.75 per week (the equivalent of £3107 per year).
The figures given by the latest DWP FoI response show almost the same loss of mobility entitlement to the FoI response DR UK obtained in 2017.
Ken Butler DR UK’s Welfare Rights and Policy Adviser said:
“The latest DWP figures continue to show how damaging PIP is to disabled people’s income and independence.
“One of the main reasons for lower PIP mobility rates is the introduction of the “20 metre rule”, used to assess mobility in PIP assessments.
“Under DLA, someone was awarded the highest mobility rate if they could not walk the measure was 50 metres.
"Now, the PIP benchmark is just over 20 metres (roughly the length of two double-decker buses).
The distance of 20 metres is an arbitrary figure that lacks an evidence base and is barring thousands of disabled people who need the benefit the most.”
Ken added:
“While the DWP does publish some PIP statistics it does not publish information that shows the actual effect of the 20 metre rule.
"It is a scandal that for a second year DR UK has had to use FoI legislation to secure such figures.”