Council demands rethink on new disability rule
Plymouth City Council is calling on the government to rethink its proposed changes to rules on disability benefits.
Cabinet member for Co-operatives and Community Development, Councillor Chris Penberthy has backed the Disability Benefits Consortium’s campaign to prevent the introduction of the 20 metre rule.
Until now the mobility test for a disabled person to qualify for the highest rate of mobility benefit was 50 metres. Anyone unable to walk that distance receives the benefits. 50 metres is based on research and is considered the distance that an individual is required to be able to walk to achieve a basic level of independence.
As the government introduces the new Personal Independence Payment (PIP), it is proposing to reduce that distance to 20 metres. The Council's ruling Labour group believes this will leave many of those with the greatest needs without vital support and trapped in their own homes. They argue that those that no longer qualify will lose at least £33.25 per week or, crucially, access to their Motability vehicle.
Councillor Chris Penberthy said: “I’m deeply concerned about the government’s plans. If they take away the support that helps people stay mobile we could see disabled people forced to drop out of work or education and becoming more isolated. Disability charities are dealing with hundreds of calls from disabled people who are really worried this could have a devastating impact on their daily lives.
“There seems to have been no research into the new 20 metre rule, it automatically discounts thousands of disabled people who really need the benefit as they face the extra costs associated with a severe lack of mobility.
“We have signed an open letter to David Cameron and Nick Clegg that calls on them to reconsider this policy and reinstate the well-established and research based 50 metre rule.”
Ann Pointon, Chair of PADAN (Plymouth Area Disability Action Network) added: “20 metres is shorter than the distance for most people from their home to the nearest bus stop. It demonstrates how little understanding those in government have of the difficulties disabled people face in simply moving from their house to get to bus stops, shops, GP or hospitals, to work or college or simply to visit friends.
"The loss of £33.25 a week, or access to a Motability vehicle means that all disabled people who previously qualified but could manage to walk only 30 or 40 metres will face the prospect of dropping out of work, volunteering or taking up education, training and leisure opportunities.
“This unjustifiable measure has many very negative consequences and certainly contradicts the 2012 Paralympic dream of improving the inclusion of disabled people in our society.”
Oliver Colvile, Conservative MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport told The Plymouth Daily: "The Government has been taking the difficult steps over the last three years to bring down the welfare budget.
"Even those who can walk up to 50 metres can still qualify for the enhanced rate Mobility component if for example, regularly walking over 20 metres would have an adverse effect on their health or leave them fatigued.
"Ministers have recently announced that a further consultation will be launched on the mobility component of PIP, and will consider whether any further changes are necessary in light of these responses.
"I very much hope that everybody who has wanted to contribute to the consultation document has been able to. However, if they haven’t then I would urge them to contact me via email so that I can take up their issue with the Government.”
Gary Streeter, Conservative MP for South West Devon added: “The government are right to introduce substantial reforms to our welfare system including those relating to incapacity benefit.
"Sadly, amongst many genuine claimants there are those who are abusing the system and the new rules are designed to flush them out. I suspect these changes have the support of the vast majority of my constituents.”
