Don’t take the PIP! - review urges Goverment to save the mobility component for people in residential care
03 November 2011
Lord Low of Dalston has called on the Government to protect mobility payments for disabled people living in residential care, in his independent review report published today.
Lord Low said: "If payment of the mobility component to people living in residential care ends, this will be a serious step backwards for disability rights.
"Everyone has mobility needs, but we know that many disabled people face additional costs or require support in meeting these needs.
"It enables people to participate in their community, gain an education, and maintain a family life or work."
Sense welcomes the review’s recommendation that disabled people living in state-funded residential care should continue to be eligible for the mobility component when Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is replaced by Personal Independence Payment (PIP) from 2013.
The Welfare Reform Bill currently going through Parliament would give Government the power to stop paying the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment to 78,000 people living in residential care. The Bill has already passed through the House of Commons and is currently being debated in the House of Lords.
We are continuing to campaign to ensure deafblind people living in residential care do not lose this vital payment and are calling on the Government to remove this from the Bill.
Don’t want the Government to take the PIP?
We need the real life stories of deafblind people to help us campaign on the importance of DLA and PIP. Tell us your story by contacting the Public Policy team.