Labour is leaving millions of claimants in a state of anxiety as it reveals that it is looking at the responses to the Conservative’s green paper on PIP which suggested, amongst other things, the possibility of paying the benefit as vouchers rather than cash.

The Conservatives published a Green Paper on the future of PIP in April 2024.  Amongst the proposals were suggestions that instead of regular cash payments, PIP could be replaced with:

  • A catalogue/shop scheme
  • A voucher scheme
  • A receipt based system
  • One-off grants

The consultation period for the Green Paper ended on 22 July and we know that many of our readers took part and are desperate to know the outcome.

Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Thomas of Winchester tabled a question for the DWP in the House of Lords:

“To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to change the personal independence payment assessment.”

Yesterday, the answer came from Baroness Sherlock, the DWP minister in the House of Lords:

“We will be engaging with the responses people have made to the previous government's consultation on Personal Independence Payment, which closed on Monday 22 July.

“We want to thank the many people who invested their time in responding.

“We will be considering our own approach to social security in due course.”

The response by Baroness Sherlock makes it seem unlikely that there will be any official statement on PIP changes before the parliamentary summer recess, which lasts from 30 July until 2 September.

However, the House of Commons goes into recess again for the party conference season from 13 September until 6 October.

So, there is a real possibility that PIP claimants will be left without any news for several months.

Written questions by MPs to the secretary of state about the PIP consultation and about WCA changes have yet to receive answers.  We suspect that any responses will simply be stalling ones, but we’ll keep readers posted if we learn anything more.

 

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    My son suffers with mental health and this is making him so much worse. He hasn't slept very well since and is extreamly worried about this so called voucher catalogue system. His depression has worsened and I as his mother an extreamly worried about what this is doing to him.

    They haven't thought about the consequences that this will cause those with mental health issues. 
    Plus surely this will cost more  issuing and printing vouchers, catalogues etc where is the money coming from to produce them. 
    This is taking everyone's rights to how they spend the money that helps them away from them it's all about control. 
    If labour bring this in I will never ever vote for them again as along with others 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    Pip vouchers will cripple those who need it most. What the government is forgetting is that pip money can go toward utility bills through equipment that needs charging or constant supply. We also buy ourselves equipment to make life easier. And it goes on taxis to Dr's or hospital appointments. They have not considered what people who are disabled have to face, they never have and I doubt ever will. Disabled people who are lucky enough to get around using mobility aides have gained independence back from these but we still face challenges when it comes to public transport, the state of pavements, the fact that dropped curbs are normal to high for us to use, or at ridiculous angles. The pain of travelling in a wheelchair or small mobility scooter being jostled constantly because our councils don't have the money to fix what broken properly. The rumble strips in my town are the bain of my life, they were put in originally to stop people stealing trolleys, they don't work for that purpose and hurt like hell.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    Kendall announced that she wanted the DWP to move from being “a department for welfare” to becoming “a genuine department for work. Does Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Kendall's statement mean transferring all those who cannot work like retired or disabled people to the charity trustees one day? Under the pretext that social care is a shameful thing against a human being and must be abolished, like eliminating a disease, the patient must be killed to get rid of the disease. This is happening in our country, where 15% of the population of the Kingdom own 80% of its wealth, and 85% of the remaining population of the Kingdom own only 20% of its wealth. Successive governments use devious and deceptive methods to convince people that what they are doing is good for everyone and not a shooting at social justice. They only back down when people's opposition is strong enough, then they back down from their shameful decisions against the people.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    I never vote Labour again if they change pip for voucher 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 2 months ago
      @Rocco Lib dem next then since Ed Davey wouldn't actual do this because of his son and understanding people with pip need it. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Rocco I agree, I am disabled and near retirement age
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Rocco You get what you asked for pip will not change best but now they add tax tax they sed this would happen me my vote was con not labour as for black hole rubbish just to make you pay the work class all ways loose 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Rocco It was Conservative who started this
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Rocco It's not enough my friend, the best plan is to protest and let your voice echoing for rallying others against these injustices. Your opposition and rejection will make the government go backwards, and if you do not oppose the train of anti-social projects, it will certainly crush us.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    I find it outrageous that this proposed plan to give us vouchers will  force us to be told where we can shop.

    My pip payment covers the cost of having a motability vehicle, and any remaining money goes into my bank,to help pay bills,
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    Sometimes I wonder if Kendall won't actually do anything, and all this fearmongering in the press is just to win support from Tories. I mean, if they actually wanted to do something it would have been in the King's Speech? But now we're looking at 2026 before anything could be brought in, if it even is. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @CarolK You're wrong to think so. FYI, they've said that they're going to produce a white paper setting out their welfare reform in Autumn, which if voted for, will become a legislative act.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    I can't believe that they're even considering this voucher and grant scheme.  In my opinion after speaking to some disabled friends and carers it will lead to a lot more people committing suicide , as they just won't be able to cope without the money . A lot of people are struggling now as it is . Let's hope Labour doesn't go ahead with this ridiculous idea . 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    How can it be 'Personal Independence ' if it does not give you the ability to choose how to use the benefit ! It will not allow any independence at all........ Another move to state control on one already compromised quality of life.

    They would be better tackling the employment discrimination that continues to exist by recruiting employers !  If you disclose a disability it's taken as a negative by employers !  
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    Would never vote Labour again if they go ahead with pip change never
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @lesley lesley  no those who voted Liebour assumed they would be compassionate towards the disabled community.   I never for one second ever assumed that Under Starmer and his bunch of muppet show party.
      Thanks for the suggestion but meditation is NOT needed.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @lesley Hey boris1, we never saw this coming. Don't believe in that old adage, so it's all my fault is it? I am sure that you are just as worried as we all are otherwise you would not be reading these posts. Take it easy and be kind and supportive to everyone. I suggest a bit of meditation.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @lesley You reap what you sow unfortunately.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Mary We were conned! I shall never vote for them again either.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    I don’t think they care at all and are the vouchers going to be of less worth I doubt it so how does that save money? It’s about control little bit of spending money for I’ll and disabled people and the government are going to tell us what we can spend it on there’s something very wrong about this
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    Lets be absolutely clear this scheme isn't about saving money if they claim claimants will get no difference just same amount in vouchers. Therefore you have to look at what do vouchers achieve? Well this all comes from the American model of welfare & the intentionally stigmatised food stamp programme originally state aid for the most vulnerable but anything not uber capitalist slit a throat to pull yourself out of starvation motivated by completely different priorities then in the UK food stamps are a built in means of discouraging take up a way for society to identify and shame the receiver so should someone/family to find their need so great its the only support available people genuinely have to no choice whatsoever because the level of public shaming & scandalous nature of being in crisis many choose to stave than the social death of food stamp association would cause. Currently disabled blue badge holders are regularly challenged by random members of the public demanding to informed of their disability medical history in order to satisfy the demands of a stranger who could not even park in a disabled bay but should the badge holder refuse to explain their personal medical conditions to a stranger they are harassed pointed at so others may witness a disabled fraud who is labelled a fraud because a stranger has assessed them as such. I have to acknowledge decades of Tory ideology that poverty is the result of choice & a safety net doesn't save & protect anyone but a fund for the dishonest to live on because being in genuine need is impossible, impossible in the same way as recovering 6 billion in covid loans handed to Torys & Tory donors is impossible. If mistakenly over paid the can trace every penny you have ever had where it currently is & every person it passed between to get there but 6 billion to people who you have personal interactions with fund your election campaigns absolutely not as soon as it left the treasury it became untraceable either the Tory party is funded by untraceable money or recovering any money would lose them far money in campaign donations both are criminal. All thats before you consider treatment of individuals souly upon having a disability goes against the disability discrimination act or how spending hundreds of millions per day feeding & housing people it hasn't been determined weather they should be in the country at all the lovely result of tory policy which served as a people traffickers business model pay them to cross the channel that fee buys years upon years of free food free housing in fact its against the law to work simply because the Torys could no longer blame all of the problems they created on Europe anymore illegal migration was their substitute everything is their fault, the fact that if applications are processed within 60 to 90 days boats crossing stop the same day because if the crossing is more expensive than living costs for 60 days its no longer financially viable to make the trip 700 million for a single person to voluntary go to Rwanda 700 million, millions daily housing applicants, the Truss economy crashing event, a coronation before the approaching coronation its all affordable but im sorry not the sick their the problem?  Publicly identifying them a brand if you will is the final welfare solution I final ironically because every change in political leadership party or national its always the same 'how can I show I'm in charge'? Reform welfare the most reformed department of government because this group has little power or recourse experiments on this group has become a prerequisite of any new political administration. Most policies only effect a targeted group unfortunately nearly every national policy introduced over 30 years always targets the sick & disabled bedroom tax tick universal credit tick health care tick every time its enacted sick & disabled people die, that is not for dramatic effect every time we fall through the cracks & one of us die. UC introduced sanctioning people unable to engage in a jobcentre environment unable is considered unwilling so more & more disabled people are forced over to UC sanction after sanction the unsupported but previously getting by are decimated because UC integrated all benefits into one means sanctions closing entire claims means all income stopped many go hungry in dark cold homes some a found dead as a direct result the lucky are traumatised instead of just fighting to get across their illness they have to fight a hostile environment where inability to jump through hoops results in sanctions which have a drastic impact because giving vulnerable people who cant budget their rent triggered evictions an outcome in no way foreseeable yes professionals voiced concerns the vulnerable people themselves voiced their concerns all disregarded. Then the introduction of PIP first assuring disabled claimants it wouldn't disrupt lives certainly not distroy them nothing would really change apart the name no change in amount or of any change of significance whereas DLA was awarded based upon the individuals testimony of their illnesses impact upon their but more importantly when confirmed by independent medical professionals such as Doctors or professionals involved within the treatment for said disabilities instead of those professionals with prolonged in person interactions during treatment & their observations their qualified input become irrelevant & PIP hired assessor while having little to no medical qualifications or experience such as a doctor who based their information upon diagnosed conditions arrived at through in person observations with the subject, the PIP assessors while lacking the qualifications to make any judgements did have the advantage that they could be contracted to tell PIP whatever PIP wanted to hear, Doctors take oaths & obliged to be honest assessors where in no such way disadvantaged they could ask if your home alone can you move around your home? Be told my home has had to be considerably modified for my needs so I can get around most of it in my wheelchair, which they would report applicant is able to get around their home themselves unaided the fact a wheelchair is an aid the home modifications also aid in achieving stated ability a gross misrepresentation of a person's life. Assessors brought in because all disabled people are frauds but now the word of a Doctors couldn't be believed the introduction of an assessors who could lie in service of their contracted objectives to devise ways to deny applications as opposed to providing the right award to disabled people highlighting the obvious choice to disregard Doctors & medical professionals who wish provide the correct treatment for their patients assessors were contracted to reduce the cost of disabled people linking to their job contracting of assessors was only viable if they denied enough applications to cover the cost of their contract & significant further savings. Unfortunately those priorities induced dishonesty on the part of assessors regularly claiming claimants had capabilities they did not & adding insult to injury claiming they not only could achieve something but was so easy they could do so unaided flat out lying calling claimants liers which caused untold suffering as well as accusations of dishonesty of the victims who were lied about leading to a case taken to the supreme court which ruled all misrepresentations of conditions all examples of wrongfully assessed capabilities which rely upon aid to achieve yet ruled the individual can do so & unaided going forward can no longer be incorrectly assessed & all instances where it took place going back five years previous must be amended. PIP is the worst most dishonesty run part of the DWP they regularly treat the safety net for the most vulnerable within society as a business where money withheld from a disabled person is the profit margin chased 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Justin Ebanks I don’t recall any person with a disability had a choice and to be fair and if this was real democracy the DWP should give the genuine claimant’s a choice to be payed in cash or vouchers or other, as it happens I prefer cash because Cash is mostly excepted just about anywhere; but it could be a case we could be better off using vouchers I need to see it first from the MPs claiming expenses and allowances paid by TAX PAYERS!!
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    Each disabled person has individual difficulties and needs  that requires support. PIP cash payments pays for taxis for the physically disabled. Treatments to relieve pain. Parking at hospitals. Private counselling for claimants with mental health issues, due to long NHS  Waiting lists. How on earth can vouchers etc cover all the costly needs of a disabled person. Also the cost of putting the new proposed voucher etc system into place would be astronomical. Not at all cost affective. There are state pensioners receiving PIP because they qualified before they were 65 years of age. They are no longer expected to work, and are of an age where their health deteriorates. All in all, disabled people will suffer, physically, and mentally if PIP cash payments are stopped.  
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    How can vouchers possibly assist us better?! We already lost most of our independence, now we have to lose our individuality too. Are we all to buy everything we need from the same shops? Do we have to grow our hair, or will there be specific hairdressers and have the same cut. Some of my PIP goes on the rent, and although I live in an housing association home, I'm expected to keep it and the garden up together. It's not just equipment, it's paying for other services that we we can no do alone.  If we had employer's we could strike, but we don't and we can't, so that's why we are the people who have to suffer. Exactly when did we become so unimportant?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    We are classed as no value to society and therefore not needed
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    Just another way to make to make their rich friends richer! Let's guess who you will be made to spend the vouchers with at silly over inflated prices. Let's watch the suicide rate increase then blame it all on the NHS! Well done fat cats at the top again! You haven't got a clue what it's like to live like this! 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    Can a disabled person demonstrate in large numbers against the new proposals that are painful for his life? No matter what his disability is, it will be difficult for him to go out to demonstrate because he is disabled and sick. And if he is forced to, perhaps someone will take a picture of him to accuse him of lying and cheating on public money. This means that a disabled person is an easy victim of government arrangements to collect money at his expense without opposition.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @lesley Great!!!!!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Neal
      Disabled persons have done it before and there is nothing the government hates more than seeing a lot of disabled persons in wheelchairs and on sticks and crutches on the march.  It's an embarrasement for the government.  March on Downing street to the Houses of Parliament. Please get in touch with any of your local disability groups to find out what they are planning. I shall definitely go if there is a campaign. I am not in a wheelchair but I am on crutches. So apologise if I have offended anyone who is worse off than me. Am not in a position to organise anything I shall just hobble along as a foot soldier.



  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    To be honest, I think Benefits and Work has engaged in fearmongering with its recent reporting, unnecessarily amplifying anxiety among disabled readers.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Zach They have only reported the facts of what they know at the present time.
      I fail to see how it is 'fear mongering' of b&w trying to keep its members informed.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Zach They are just stating the obvious - Labour are keeping us all waiting.  It’s not B&W’s fault that this paper was written and that Labour have kept quiet about it. 

      I would suggest keeping away from the news for a while if it makes your anxiety worse.  

      For me it’s different, I like to check the news in case there’s a glimmer of hope that things will get better under this government.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    They will do exactly the same as the tories labour are just red tories ,like the milk token totally thinned down so hardly anyone would get it , vouchers litterally are ridiculous 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    Also how is replacing money with the equivalent in vouchers saving money absurd l hope l didn't waste my vote for you Labour 

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