Policy chief claims disability benefits ‘are not for anxious’
THE HEAD of Theresa May’s policy unit has defended changes to disability benefits by suggesting the money should go to “really disabled people” rather than those who are “taking pills at home, who suffer from anxiety”.
George Freeman claimed reforms to personal independence payments (PIP) were needed to roll back the “bizarre” decision of a tribunal, which said claimants with psychological problems who cannot travel without help must be treated like those who are blind.
The tribunal also said claimants who need support to take medication should be assessed the same way as those managing therapies such as dialysis at home.
Responding to the upper tribunal rulings on Thursday as Westminster’s attention was on two by-elections, Disabilities Minister Penny Mordaunt said she was reforming the payments to “restore the original aim of the benefit” to make sure the most needy were given support.
Ms Mordaunt said no claimants would see a reduction in the amount of PIP previously awarded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
But Labour said the Government’s equality assessment showed 160,000 would miss out on money that was “rightfully” theirs.
Mr Freeman, the head of the Number 10 Downing Street policy board, said it was the right decision.
He said: “These tweaks are actually about rolling back some bizarre decisions by tribunals that now mean benefits are being given to people who are taking pills at home, who suffer from anxiety.
“We want to make sure we get the money to the really disabled people who need it.”
Challenged on his assessment of anxiety, Mr Freeman said: “I totally understand anxiety and so does the Prime Minister. We’ve set out in the mental health strategy how seriously we take it.
“My point was that these PIP reforms are partly about rolling back some frankly bizarre decisions in tribunals which have seen money that should go to the most disabled spent on people with really much less urgent conditions.”
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said that he was “furious” about the changes, which he claimed would amount to a £3.6bn cut.
He added Labour would press the Government to reverse the changes in next month’s Budget.
These tweaks are about rolling back some bizarre decisions. George Freeman, the head of No 10’s policy board.