Scott Watkin BEM opens up about what the government’s proposed changes to PIP could mean for him, and the anxieties that people with disabilities face. 

I am very worried about the possible changes to PIP the government wants to make. 

PIP stands for Personal Independence Payment. It helps with some of the extra costs you have to pay when you have long term ill health or a disability.  

The amount of money you get through PIP is worked out by assessing people in two categories - daily living and mobility. Daily living covers things like if people are able to make their own food, get dressed, or manage their money.  

The proposals to change to PIP affect this daily living category. In this category, different activities are given a certain number of points, and applicants will need at least 8 points to get the PIP payments.  

The new changes say we’ll need 8 points, but 4 of those points have to come from one single activity, like eating, washing, or communicating.  

With these changes, I am so anxious I won’t meet the criteria of the new rules. For many people with learning disabilities who live independently like me, it will be harder to qualify for PIP. 

The government has estimated 370,000 disabled people currently in receipt of PIP daily living will lose it and many more won’t receive it in the future.

So, what would happen if I lost my PIP for my daily living needs? 

PIP has helped me to get to my hospital appointments on the train and pay for my prescriptions. My contact lenses for my eye condition cost a staggering £60 per lens. PIP has also helped me to make adaptations to my home. These are all extra costs from having a disability and a sight problem. Life costs so much more when you have a disability. And these extra costs are what PIP is there for. 

It feels like the government is asking me to choose between being safe at home and putting food on my table. 

Which would you choose? 

The previous government also asked us to choose, and I had to fight to keep my PIP. I nearly went all the way to tribunal, and it was only thanks to Citizens Advice that I got to keep it. 

And now we are being targeted yet again. If the government want to get us into work or back into work, then they need to think about disability differently and consider all the knock on effects of removing support. For me, PIP has helped me to stay in my job, because it helps me stay healthy and afford the things that disability throws at you.  

Removing PIP is counter-intuitive. It’s not like our opportunities in life will increase.  

We need to look at this differently

There is a vote coming up on this change in parliament very soon. To all MPs I say: we need to look at this differently. 

At the end of the day you need to make sure money is spent in the right way. We know this, but this is not the right way to do it.  

And while there are no plans to do the same around PIP mobility rules, things still feel very uncertain for anyone who uses PIP. 

It scares me to think what my life will look like when the plans come into place. Please don’t continue down this path! 

It is not too late to have your say or contact your MP about these changes.  

We are members of Learning Disability England who have a helpful explanation of the changes and template letters you can use with your MP.

And the charity Scope has a petition that’s already got to over 100,000 signatures that anyone can sign.