Labour must ditch a “hugely worrying” proposal to replace benefit payments with vouchers, disabled claimants and campaigners have said.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has refused to rule out the previous Government’s plans to replace personal independent payments (PIP) with a voucher system.
Charities are also troubled by Labour pushing on with cost-cutting changes to out-of-work benefits affecting disabled people.
Plans to tighten the work capability assessment (WCA) criteria – which determines whether someone is eligible for universal credit and Employment Support Allowance (ESA) – could see more than 450,000 disabled people lose over £400 per month.
Yolanda Barker, who has secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) – when the condition gets steadily worse – relies on ESA as an out-of-work payment and PIP to support her daily living and mobility needs.
The 52-year-old from Kent uses her £150 weekly PIP to help run her mobility car, electric wheelchair and other specialist equipment. It also helps pay for regular physiotherapy sessions and vitamin supplements.
Ms Barker is dismayed that Labour ministers have not yet rejected Tory proposals to replace regular cash PIP payments with one-off grants or vouchers for equipment and other services.
“When it comes to PIP, the fact that they’re not ruling out a voucher scheme is a real worry, a huge concern,” Ms Barker told i, who is worried moving away from cash would undermine her independence.
“Vouchers could never cover all the different things we would need. I need PIP for so many things.”
She added: “The PIP assessment process is still flawed, with people not always able to get what they need. So how are we going to get an assessor able to accurately provide enough vouchers?”
Kendall told MPs on the Work and Pensions Committee last week that she was aware of “real concern” about the approach. But she refused to rule out vouchers and grants when Labour brings forward its own proposals for PIP.
Kendall also said she would bring forward new ideas for reforming PIP.
The Cabinet minister confirmed that the Government would try to save billions by pushing on with Conservative plans to limit who qualifies for the highest level of out-of-work benefits under the WCA process.
The DWP has estimated that 457,000 disabled and chronically-ill claimants currently judged unable to work – having limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) – will instead be classed as ready to prepare for work.
It means they will lose £416 a month in universal credit or ESA, and will be asked to attend training and other job-related activities. The Government estimates that it will save the Exchequer £1.3bn a year by 2028-29.
Ms Barker, who receives £138 a week in ESA after being assessed as having limited capability for work, is appalled that Labour will carry out Tory cuts.
She suffers from pain all over her body, sciatica, serious fatigue, brain fog and paralysis. It has left her unable to work over the past 20 years.
“It’s clear they want to cut the amount spent through the work capability assessment, which frightens me,” she said. “It’s difficult to see how we are going to support people successfully and cut money.
“Yes, there are plenty of disabled people who do work,” she added. “I hope they understand it’s completely impractical to ask some disabled people to work. There are days that even getting clothes out is exhausting.”
The 52-year-old is only partially reassured that changes to WCA process are not expected to affect current claimants whose circumstances remain the same – only to those making new claims. “Even if doesn’t affect me, is it going to affect the next group of people with MS?”
Ms Barker is also worried that the Government’s rhetoric about getting people “back into work” will unfairly demonise disabled people who don’t have a job as scroungers.
“It worries me hugely that if we are not working, then what are we seen as, other than a drag on society? Ministers and MPs should be able to understand what we’re facing. And if they don’t understand, then why are they not listening?”
Ross Barrett, policy manager at the MS Society, called on the Government to rule out PIP vouchers and “communicate this to disabled people as soon as possible”.
“PIP is a lifeline to so many, helping to address the extra costs of having a disability, from paying for adapted vehicles to charging mobility devices.”
Stephen Bunbury, an expert in disability law at the University of Westminster, said changes to the WCA process was “causing a lot of anxiety among disabled people”.
“The new Government might say it was their plan, but they are following on with the plans from the previous Government. It will still be based on the premise of cutting and saving.”
The Government has been approached for comment.
