DWP announces major PIP changes that could see thousands lose their benfits

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to introduce some major changes that could see thousands lose their benefit payments.

Those suffering from depression or anxiety may see disruptions to their welfare which could see payments for mental health problems being replaced with talking therapy and social care packages, the Times reports. Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride is expected to publish a green paper on Monday which looks at changing rules around personal independence payments (PIP).

It comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced major welfare reforms earlier this month, in which he said "people with less severe mental health conditions should be expected to engage with the world of work". Mr Stride told the Times that the system should not pay for those dealing with the "ordinary difficulties of slide".

Read more: DWP benefit payments to be paid early next week including Universal Credit and PIP

He added: "There are those that have perhaps milder mental health conditions, or where perhaps there has been too great a move towards labelling certain behaviours as having certain [medical] conditions attached to them, where actually work is the answer or part of the answer.

“What we’ve got to avoid is being in a situation where we too readily say, ‘Well, actually, we need you to be on benefits’.”

While stating that cutting costs was not the main driving force behind the proposed change, he admitted that cost "has to be one of the considerations".

The key changes set to be introduced

Mr Stride's Green Paper will include the following three key changes to PIP:

• PIP's eligibility criteria to better reflect how certain conditions affect a claimant's day-to-day life

• Changing PIP assessments to be more linked to an individual's conditions - this includes removing assessment's entirely for some conditions supported by medical evidence

• Scrapping cash payments for some conditions - supplementing with either one-off grants for things such as home adaption' or "alternative means of support".

James Taylor, the executive director of strategy at disability equity charity Scope labelled the move part of a "reckless assault" on disabled people.

He also highlighted that it fails to fix the "real underlying issues". He added: "It’s hard to have any faith that this consultation is about anything other than cutting the benefits bill, no matter the impact.

"Life costs a lot more for disabled people, including people with mental health conditions. Threatening to take away the low amount of income PIP provides won’t solve the country’s problems.

"The government needs to end this reckless assault on disabled people and focus on how to fix the real underlying issues.”

It is believed around 360,000 people currently claim PIP for anxiety and depression.