Shock of PIP reassessment too soon

“I am currently ending an inpatient stay, due to a crisis brought on by the requirement to complete a PIP review. The papers arrived 11 months earlier than expected, claim due to end Feb 2023, papers arrived April 2022 to be completed in two weeks,” says Ms X.  “My PIP award is till 25/02/23 but … Read more

Urgent lobby vs Coronavirus Bill powers to stop older & disabled people’s support

The disability organisation Inclusion London is warning us that the Coronavirus Bill being debated this Monday 23 March would enable local government to withdraw services from disabled and older people. This breaks with any government responsibility for our survival and would put our lives at risk. Other powers would affect disabled children and mentally distressed … Read more

PIP reviews — press your case!

Reviews are happening now of people’s PIP claims.  This follows several legal wins challenging benefits discrimination, including Ms R F, whom we supported at court in 2017 (see the report by Public Law Project).  Because of these successes, the government had to agree to check 1.6m PIP claims on whether we are getting our full entitlements. But … Read more

“Thanks for giving me hope”

We got this message about our self-help information on exemption from face-to-face benefit interviews: “Hi, I’m emailing about the story you have online from June 2017 about the guidelines protecting people with severe mental illness getting a face to face assessment when applying for PIP. I’m from Northern Ireland and have a 20-year severe mental … Read more

Mental Health Resistance Network launches “We Demand”

Our friends Mental Health Resistance Network (MHRN) have published their own wide-ranging list of demands by people with mental distress, “We Demand”, ahead of tomorrow’s conference of high-up NHS professionals, Care Quality Commission and Mind, on: “Next steps for mental health services in England – funding, care quality and efficiencies” (20 November 2018).   MHRN are … Read more

Govt admits defeat on PIP discrimination

UPDATE and legal info: In a great start  (for us) to Esther McVey’s appointment as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, she has had to concede the PIP legal challenge.  As of 20 Jan 2018, the government dropped the discriminatory rules which stop claimants with mental distress from scoring full points for mobility needs, … Read more

Legal challenge vs PIP rules on people with mental distress

Tues 12 December 2017 1pm – 2pm Vigil outside the High Court Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London WC2A 2LL Facebook event Jointly called by: Disabled People Against Cuts, Mental Health Resistance Network, WinVisible (women with visible & invisible disabilities)  We are supporting a legal challenge by a woman with mental distress against the Personal Independence Payment … Read more