In July, the Government’s review into personal independence payments (PIP), a benefit to help people with long-term health conditions and disabilities cover extra living costs, found it is “not fit for purpose”. The bill is forecast to cost taxpayers more than £40bn by the end of the decade.
Critics say that people with some conditions shouldn’t be eligible, and that it’s unfair on those who need PIP to get by. Others say that without PIP, vulnerable people would be left unable to make ends meet.
So, should PIP be cut? Conservative councillor Lana Hempsall and personal finance expert Saq Hussain give their perspectives.
When we talk about money, we talk endlessly about pensions, tax allowances and savings. We rarely talk about the fact that the benefits system is often the hardest part of the financial picture to navigate. Often, it’s the people who are most financially vulnerable that need that help the most.
Personal independence payments (PIP) are a clear example of this for me. The PIP form doesn’t really specifically ask how ill you actually are. What it does is ask whether you can do certain tasks reliably, repeatedly, safely and to an acceptable standard, on your worst days as much as your best.
