DWP update for people on PIP currently receiving enhanced rate of the mobility component
More than 14,100 people have signed an online petition calling for a mobility element to be added to Attendance Allowance alongside the daily living component to enable people over State Pension age with a disability or long-term health condition to access the Motability Scheme. The mobility component is only available to people claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult or Child Disability Payment (ADP) in Scotland and Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
However, the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work recently confirmed that people in receipt of PIP before they reach State Pension age, are still entitled to their award - including the mobility component - after they hit retirement age.
Mims Davies MP said: “No claimant over State Pension age will lose their mobility component or access to the Motability scheme providing they continue to meet the qualifying conditions of the benefit.”
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Minister made the comments in a written response to a query from Labour’ MP Navendu Mishra, who wanted to know how many disabled people “stopped receiving a mobility allowance and “lost access to the Motability Scheme as a result of reaching State Pension age in 2023”.
Ms Davies also said that during 2022-23, an average of 226,000 PIP claimants of State Pension age received the enhanced mobility award in England and Wales.
She added: “Any claimant in receipt of enhanced rate mobility can choose to exchange this for a lease on a Motability car, powered wheelchair or scooter.”
Online petition
The ‘Add a mobility element to Attendance Allowance’ petition has been created by Barry Razzell who argues that excluding the mobility component from the benefit is “unfair discrimination and needs to be addressed”.
The petition states: “We want the Government to reform Attendance Allowance so that people with mobility issues can get a mobility element for this benefit, and so access the Motability Scheme. This would bring Attendance Allowance in line with PIP and DLA.
“If a person receives DLA or PIP they can receive a mobility element for their benefit, and this continues once they reach State Pension age, allowing them to get a Motability Vehicle."
It adds: “A person of State Pension age claiming Attendance Allowance cannot get a mobility element or get a Motability Vehicle, even when there is a need, but they cannot claim DLA or PIP as they are too old. We believe this is unfair discrimination and needs to be addressed.”
The petition has passed the 10,000 signature threshold which now entitles it to a written response from the UK Government. You can view it online here.