Report identifies PIP process issues for visually impaired people
Lord Low urges the Department of Work and Pensions to work with charities to improve the PIP process for people with sensory loss
14 March 2017
A trio of charities has teamed up to launch a report in Parliament that aims to improve the lives of people with sensory loss.
In partnership, the Thomas Pocklington Trust, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and Sense have published the report entitled Experiences of personal independence payment (PIP) for people with sensory loss.
The paper highlights the experiences of people living with sensory loss in relation to navigating the PIP process and reveals that people with sensory loss received a better financial outcome on switching to PIP from Disability Living Allowance. However, it also reported the experience of people with sensory loss of going through the switch process was “overwhelmingly negative.”
A number of issues with the process are identified in the report, including a “one size fits all” approach and a “confusing” PIP2 claim form.
The report concludes by making a range of recommendations in order to improve the process and urges the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to work with the three charities to resolve them.
The Parliamentary launch of the report was sponsored by Nusrat Ghani MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Eye Health and Visual Impairment and was attended by MPs, representatives from the DWP and key stakeholders.
Welcoming the report, Lord Low said at the event: “The research being launched today is invaluable in highlighting the problem in the PIP application process for visual impaired people, and helping to bring about improvements.”
He added: “I support the recommendations make in this report and hope that the DWP will be willing to work with sensory loss organisations to make the necessary changes to improve the process and the experience of people with sensory loss.”
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