Friday, 11 July 2014
The PIP chaos reveals the government’s contempt for disabled people
‘Last year, when I was waiting for a double lung transplant, my life felt terrifyingly unpredictable. My lungs were failing, and it was tough to cope emotionally, but one factor that made things slightly easier was the quick process to secure disability living allowance (DLA). This allowed me to make immediate decisions about getting carers to help at home, having the heating on more, and taking taxis to appointments. It made a very difficult time that little bit more bearable.
Compare my experience to that of Malcolm Graham, a 56-year-old from Romford. He was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in September 2013 and applied for personal independence payments (PIPs) on advice from Macmillan Cancer support and his local Citizens Advice. Pips are replacing DLA and are supposed to help people, whether in or out of work, to meet the extra costs their disability causes.’
