Can you spare 60 seconds to help with PIP

Just to remind members over 65 years of age, that they cannot be transferred to PIP,
as it can only be claimed up to 64 years of age.

The Government's intention had been to stop DLA for over 65's and as they couldn't claim PIP, they would have lost out. However, this has now been dropped and those in receipt of DLA 65 years or over when PIP is introduced will continue to receive DLA so long as their mobility and/or care needs remain. Despite rumours there are no plans to change this.

Also, those awarded PIP will now continue to receive PIP after they reach 65 years of age, Again this wasn't in the original Welfare Reform Bill, but was achieved by much campaigning.

Source: Letter From Maria Miller, Minister of State for Disabled People in response to letters from our MP sent by one of our former moderators, my husband Jim.

It is hard to say for sure as it is too early to know how things will be interpreted. It looks as if I would go from MRC to basic rate.

Mobility is more difficult as I am not sure whether they will take pain into account. If not, then I score 0 points. Even if they do, I think I would only get the basic rate mobilty, which would also mean losing my blue badge etc. It is highly likely that I would be unable to keep my car and thus become virtually houebound

I get low rate care on grounds of the cooking test but doubt I will get PIP because I can heat a ready-meal in the oven or microwave without supervision.

I thought the cooking test wasn't about cooking per se but how it indicated your level of functioning.

My multi-tasking function has gone so I can't co-ordinate parts of a meal, and memory and concentration problems mean I leave ingredients out or leave the gas on. These obviously create difficulties in other area of my life beside cooking. But I don't see any way of scoring PIP points for these.

I get DLA - MRC and HRM. I would go from that to maybe only Standard rate mobility PIP, maybe even nothing.

It is all very well losing DLA, that is not the end of it. I will lose my Severe Disability Premium on my ESA, also my Motability car and Disabled buspass.

I won't starve, but my quality of life will be compromised dramatically. At least i will be amongst millions of citizens in the same boat, working or otherwise.

We are all (mostly) in it together eh?

There dosn't seem to be any mention of severe discomfort when walking. I hope when it says how far you can walk unaided, it means before severe discomfort as in my case it varies between 0 and 50 Metres. Conversely, I cannot propel myself in a wheelchair. Also I have dexterity problems preventing me from lifting hot pans and peeling veg, yet my diabetes and heart desease means I need to eat a good diet (not processed food). Those descrptors need fully explaining as on face value there will be more than 20% of claimants losing their benefit.
Regards
peter

I currently get HRM and LRC.

On the descriptors I may just scrape the points for standard care but will lose my mobility entirely.

Setting the benchmark as high as basically wheelchair users who cannot propel their wheelchairs being the only contenders for Enhanced mobility, will throw approx 60-70% of us who walk poorly with an aid (I use 2 crutches but need a wheelchair for the weekly shop etc)off mobility altogether.

This will result in a huge swathe of disabled people being isolated socially, and cut off from normal everyday life: prisoners in their own homes so to speak.

The descriptors for mobility need to cover more of us who can hardly walk without pain, not just for those who cannot propel a wheelchair! At this rate the Govt will excede its target of getting 20% off DlA-PIP.. it will be more like 70%!