Written evidence from Madeleine Moon MP (PEA0555)
I am writing to you regarding assessments for Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
for people with motor neurone disease (MND).
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on MND, which I Chair, recently ran an inquiry into acces to PIP. I have attached the report from the inquiry, which was published last month. I would like to highlight two of the findings which relate to assessments which I hope you will consider during your Committee’s inquiry.
Firstly, I wanted to address the issue of face-to-face asessments. Given the severe and disabling impact of MND, it is expected that people with the disease will have paper-based reviews in the majority of instances. This expectation is reinforced by the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) PIP assessment guidance which states, in section 2.5.10, that cases should “not normally” require a face-to-face assessment when:
“The health condition(s) is severe and associated with a high level of functional impairment which is consistently claimed. Examples might include…Claimants with severe neurological conditions such as motor neurone disease”.
However, despite this guidance, the APPG’s survey of people living with MND found that as many as 56% had received a face-to-face assessment as part of their PIP applicatin. Attending face-to-face assessments is burdensome for people with MND and causes significant stress and anxiety. I hope the Committee will investigate the implementation of the DWP’s guidance on face-to-face assessments as part of its inquiry.
Secondly, I would like to address reassessments. The APPG inquiry found that people with MND in receipt of the enhanced rate of PIP for both daily living and mobility are reassessed for the benefit. MND is a progressive condition with no prospect of recovery. Reassessing this cohort of people can only confirm facts that are already known and established. This is a waste of public money. It is also a major cause of stress and anxiety for people who are already coping with a condition of the utmost severity. We would like to see a similar reassessment exemption system introduced for PIP as that which was recently announced for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). This would mean people with severe and progressive conditions in receipt of the enhanced rates of PIP would not have to be reassessed.
I hope you will consider these important points during your Committee’s inquiry.