I stand before you as a disabled citizen, currently in receipt of both the Mobility and Daily Living components of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) at the standard level. The current plans to tighten PIP eligibility criteria for the Daily Living component threaten not just my independence, but also the independence of many others around me. These planned changes could lead us to lose these crucial payments that we have fought tirelessly to secure, whether by jumping through a plethora of medical hoops, drowning in a vast ocean of medical and DWP paperwork, being let down by NHS waiting lists, or dealing with inept disability assessors and unqualified 'decision makers'.

The unbiased Oxford University’s department of social policy and intervention reports suggest that tightening the PIP eligibility would leave over a third of people currently eligible for this crucial help without support. Instead of implementing stricter eligibility criteria, we should heavily rely on comprehensive medical evidence, General Practitioner's input, and thorough assessment questions. These factors accurately illustrate the challenges faced by individuals such as myself and many others whose quality of life is drastically improved with the aid of PIP.

Many PIP recipients work, and pay tax. Many PIP recipients support the idea that PIP must be reformed, but by stating that a claimant must score at least 4 points in one Daily Living activity is a deliberate attack on the system. As it currently stands, most Daily Living activities award 2 points if you meet the criteria. Some of these activities score 2 points for multiple descriptors, but they do not accumulate. 

Personal stories like ours, backed with solid clinical evidence, must be the foundation upon which eligibility decisions are made. Our independence, dignity, and quality of life hinge on this. We beseech you, do not let these unjustified changes subtract from this.
Join us in this important campaign by signing our petition to halt the changes to PIP eligibility criteria and focus on comprehensive medical assessment for a fairer system.

Do not believe the baseless rhetoric that disabled people don't work or don't pay tax, because many of us do; instead, listen to the disabled people of this country and stand with us so we can fight this unjust, cruel, and seriously ill-informed policy change. Listen to our experiences and our struggles, our problems finding suitable long term employment. Listen to why many disabled CANNOT work and stop confusing it with an unwillingness to work.