MP demands change to disability benefit claims process

Tony Lloyd, MP for Rochdale

Tony Lloyd, MP for Rochdale, has written to the Cabinet Minister responsible for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) to ask for the removal of the 20-metre rule in assessments for PIP.

PIP is made up of two payments: one for care and one for mobility. The 20-metre rule means that if a claimant can walk one step further than 20 metres, even with mobility aids and despite the time taken, they will not qualify for the higher rate of mobility support. Under the previous benefit, Disability Living Allowance (DLA), this distance was 50 metres.

A report by the MS Society highlights one lady with secondary progressive MS who, under DLA, qualified for the higher rate for mobility, who later lost her car because of the move to PIP. Without a car she was unable to get to work and had to use pension savings to lease and adapt a new vehicle. After two appeals on her case were rejected, the Department for Work and Pensions reinstated her higher rate benefit just prior to going to tribunal.

The report also shows that 78% of people surveyed say that the move from DLA to PIP has had a negative effect on their financial security, as well as 74% on their daily life and 65% on their mobility.

Mr Lloyd said: “This Tory government has introduced a cruel, unjust and unnecessary measure which is playing havoc with real people’s lives. The PIP assessment process does not take account of all an individual’s symptoms, both obvious and hidden, and is simply unfit for purpose.

“This arbitrary yardstick is clearly having life-changing impacts. The loss of transport and other mobility adaptations restricts people’s ability to get around, and affects people’s finances, mental health, work and social lives. Twenty metres rarely covers the walk to the bus stop, and fails to consider the exertion and time it can take someone to achieve this.

“The government simply must reconsider the 20-metre rule urgently, and have some compassion for the lives they are hurting.”