Like Sajid, the MS Society believes that returning to a 50-metre rule is a step in the right direction, but wants a holistic approach to assessments. On Tuesday, I had the privilege of attending the launch of our MS Society PIP report: One Step Too Too Far in Westminster. The impact of the 20-metre rule on people with MS. Five years after the introduction of the PIP, this is the first report to focus primarily on the impact of this new benefit on people living with MS. It doesn`t matter if you think that those who can only move up to 20 meters have greater or greater practical mobility costs or needs than those who can walk up to 50 meters. More than a year into the campaign, the rule is still in effect, causing difficulties for people who rely on the benefit to cover their travel expenses. Treatments and daily life. Enough is enough. PIP must change, starting with the abolition of the 20-metre rule by the UK government. I see no reason to introduce a new level of 20 meters. Let`s face it, if you can`t walk more than 50 meters, you`re severely disabled.
I can only see it as a way to denigrate, divide and punish the sick more. The Scottish Government has also committed to reducing the amount of time a person must have spent in Scotland to six of the last 12 months to qualify for disability support. The current rules mean that a person must reside in Scotland for two of the last three years. “We welcome the changes that have been made to ensure that more disabled people living in Scotland respect residency rules and have access to support. When this applicant switched from DLA to PIP, he suddenly lost his qualification for the mobility system. What for? The PIP form differs from the DLA form in that it offers options on the distance the client can go, less than 20m or 20-50m. Many customers, remembering the 50-meter rule, of course, chose this option. You will now receive the normal rate. If they had chosen the 20-metre rule option, they would have received both the premium fare and the Motability car. This means that they fall on the normal rate or worse, nothing, and therefore they had to leave the system.
The effect of the rule was immediately felt by the applicants. Emma, who suffers from multi-plaque sclerosis (MS), and Sajid, who has Parkinson`s disease, received lower PIP rates than ALD. The UK government says that if you can walk a step of more than 20 metres – even if you use a walker, you will lose the support for higher mobility. This is called the “20-metre PIP rule” and it makes no sense. Sign our petition: t.co/drcAyKISin #ScrapPIP20m. pic.twitter.com/GOIAAvjI7A However, the 20-metre walk rule remains unchanged in recent proposals. This rule means that people with disabilities who can walk just over 20 metres will be denied access to an enhanced mobility aid. Keith Robson is calling for major changes to the PIP – starting with the end of the 20-metre rule. As the campaign to abolish the 20-metre rule matures beyond its first year, people with disabilities will continue to fail the criteria.
MS society and those affected continue to demand changes in the social protection system. Are you affected by the 20-metre rule? Let us know on Twitter and Instagram to start a discussion. Have you heard of the 20m rule? While some may say that such a rule does not exist, the 20-metre rule is defined as follows: “If persons with disabilities can walk more than 20 metres, even with aids such as sticks, they are no longer entitled to the highest rate of the PIP mobility component. If you`re a Motability customer, this is a very important message and something we should all address. When Sajid went to his judgment, he knew nothing about the new rule or how it would affect him. “Without thinking, I said I could walk the length of two buses, but no more than that,” Sajid recalls. “I received a letter saying they were withdrawing my disability allowance because I could walk more than two buses. The 20-metre rule is part of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment, which is administered by the UK Department for Work and Pensions.
He said: “The Scottish Government is replacing PIP with ADP and as part of this new service, the Government has largely replicated the PIP eligibility criteria, including maintaining the 20m rule as part of the ADP assessment criteria.” Fatigue, both physical and mental, is one of the most debilitating symptoms of MS and other neurological diseases.