The process followed by the Government to change the eligibility criteria for the mobility part of PIP has been ruled ‘lawful’ by a judge.
Earlier this month the Government was taken to court over the way they’d made a decision to change the criteria for the new benefit, PIP.
Now, if people who have a physical disability can walk just 20 metres, even using a stick, they’ll miss out on the higher rate of the mobility part of the benefit. The previous distance was 50 metres.
In court, legal teams argued that the decision was made without fair consultation and while the Government retrospectively consulted on the change, they had already committed to it in practice.
While the judge was critical of the decision making process, he ultimately ruled that it was lawful.
Bitterly disappointing
Claire Nurden, co-chair of the Disability Benefits Consortium and Senior Policy & Campaigns Officer at the MS Society, said: “Today’s result is bitterly disappointing. The case was a real opportunity to challenge the government about a decision that’ll have a devastating impact on more than half a million disabled people.
PIP is intended to help those most in need but it is exactly these people that are set to lose. We would strongly support an appeal of this decision.”
The legal teams will now look at where they can appeal the decision.
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