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At last! Clothes for diasbled people get a mention

Secretary of state for work and pensions Esther McVey.
Secretary of state for work and pensions Esther McVey. Photograph: Mark Thomas/REX/Shutterstock

Your headline takes the DWP statement too much at face value (Parkinson’s and MS sufferers spared benefit tests in U-turn, 19 June). Unfortunately, the announcement that certain people with long-term conditions will be exempted from regular tests for the disability benefit, personal independence payment, is not all that it seems.

First, the changes are administrative and do not change the law. This denies people the right of appeal if they feel they should be covered by it. Second, it is limited to people getting the highest (“enhanced”) rates of this benefit, yet the DWP is fielding staff at appeal tribunals with performance indicators based on stopping awards of the enhanced rates. Third, the evidence mainly relied on by the DWP about what to award in the first place (as well as “advice” about the long-term outlook of conditions) is provided by their private medical contractors who not only have a direct financial interest in recommending re-testing, but whose quality of work has been repeatedly shown to be sub-standard in evidence from numerous sources. People not being awarded the enhanced rates when they should is a particular concern.
Neil Bateman
Welfare rights specialist, Ipswich, Suffolk

• Good for you, Guardian! In the 44 years as mother to my disabled, wheelchair using son, Richard, I have never seen mainstream clothing for the disabled mentioned (Society, 18 June). It has been a real problem and the only efforts manufacturers have made are invariably very expensive. Firms like Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and M&S have included elastic-waisted trousers and soft topped socks in their range but very inconsistently. These firms could certainly have a small display covering clothing for the disabled. Keep up the good work and many thanks for raising the subject of disability so regularly in Society Guardian.
Anne Keat
Corsham, Wiltshire

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