#10YearsOfPIP
It's the tenth anniversary of PIP. But we won't be celebrating.
PIP should cover the extra costs of living with MS - like adapted vehicles or mobility aids. Instead, the assessment process is costing people their time, health, and independence.
10 years of a broken PIP system has meant a decade of stress, indignity and humiliation for people with MS. We need a plan to fix PIP once and for all.
That’s why we’re calling on the UK Government to launch a full review to fix PIP now.
Read about our #10YearsOfPIP petition hand in
PIP and MS: A decade of failure report
Our new report shows that many people with MS have been let down by the PIP process over the last 10 years. Too often they’ve missed out on the support they need.
Earlier this year, we surveyed over 3,500 people living with MS and found that:
- 2 in 3 (65%) said the PIP application process had a negative, or very negative, impact on their physical and mental health
- 6 in 10 (61%) said their assessment report didn't give an accurate reflection of their MS
- over 3 in five (62%) said their assessor didn’t consider their hidden symptoms
Read our report, PIP and MS: A decade of failure (PDF 8.2MB)
People with MS are speaking out
Bethen Thorpe, from Wells in Somerset, is 47 and living with relapsing MS. She’s been assessed for PIP three times now, and has had to take them to tribunal twice.
Bethen says: “I’ve had quite severe depression and my symptoms have worsened with the stress of PIP. I’ve been upset about it as you shouldn’t have to go to court two times! It has a huge effect on me mentally and psychologically.
The assessment doesn’t work at all and makes everything more of a mockery. What’s the point? It needs to be more evidence based and not about trying to catch people out all the time.
Our previous campaigning on PIP
We've been campaigning to improve disability benefits across the UK for years.
We launched our MS Enough campaign in 2015. Having MS is enough on its own. It shouldn’t be made harder by a welfare system that makes claiming support difficult and emotionally draining.
We’ve called on the Government to scrap the 20m rule and improve PIP throughout 2018 and 2019, with thousands signing petitions and emailing Ministers.
Read more on the MS Enough webpage
Keep up to date on our campaigns
When we speak up together, we're stronger. Stay in touch about this campaign and all our others.
