Concessions

Yesterday I was so depressed.  Firstly the DWP finally issued the PIP Assessment Thresholds and Consultation Document.  Benefits and Work have written up a review of this document, if you want a smaller version.  If I read this right I think I would only be eliglble for the Standard Rate of Mobility.  It is hard to interpret the thresholds clearly.  I also don't know what this would mean in monetary terms, or whether I would still be able to get my Blue Badge.

This kick in the gut was accompanied by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson's amendment being defeated in the Lords.  This amendment, 50E, was designed to slow down the process of introducing PIP so that the fiasco of the introduction of ESA is not repeated, hurting so many disabled and sick people. 

50E: Clause 80, page 58, line 26, at end insert-
"( ) The Secretary of State must lay before Parliament an independent review of the plans for implementation of the assessments under section 79 before the provisions are brought into effect, and such plans must in particular provide for-

(a) a trial period before any assessment process is implemented fully for new applicants and those transferring from DLA;

(b) disabled persons organisations to be involved in formulating the assessment process."

I was incredibly depressed about this defeat until I read Sue Marsh's post this morning.  I highly recommend reading this post as it clearly lays out all the concessions that Lord Freud had to make in order to defeat the inclusion of this amendment.

I feel that these concessions are a direct result of the campaigning that has occurred.  @LatentExistence put together a list of the media coverage the Spartacus Report campaign triggered on the day of the vote.

I still have to come to terms that these changes are happening.  I hate the idea and fear what is going to happen to me and other people in need of help.  It was so hard to get DLA, I fear it is going to be almost impossible to be awarded PIP. 

I shall wait and see what happens next.  Until it all begins to unfold, I can remain proud that I did all that I could do in order to fight for the rights of sick and disabled people.  I'm proud that I joined my voice with the thousands of others who wanted to stand up for themselves when the able bodied wouldn't.