The target-driven system to decide disabled people’s personal independence payments (PIP) is leaving staff “overwhelmed” and in tears, whistleblowers have revealed.

One ex-assessor claimed that there was pressure to reduce the number of PIP awards, which can be worth up to 800 a month.

Disabled benefits claimants are anxiously awaiting the prospect of reforms, as the Government considers a “radically different” system.

Shorts

Former PIP assessors backed the idea of overhauling the “rushed and superficial” system. However, politicians from the major parties do not understand the kind of changes that are needed, they told The i Paper.

Work and Pension Secretary Pat McFadden recently told MPs that the PIP review, led by his colleague Stephen Timms, could see spending on the disability benefit reduced.

The Labour minister has suggested the current PIP system is struggling to keep pace with a surge in diagnoses of conditions that barely registered when it was set up over a decade ago.

Reform UK and the Conservatives want a dramatically cut-back PIP system, promising to axe eligibility for many with mental health issues and neurodivergent conditions like ADHD and autism.

‘Government doesn’t know how to fix system’

Those who have worked on the front line of benefits claims think eligibility for certain conditions is a distraction. The focus of reform should be on creating an assessment system that is more humane and accurate, they argued.

Currently, PIP claimants who score...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihgFBVV95cUxOU3E3MmtVZUluQmlrcjJjNTIw...