RNIB responds to the Government plans to bring PIP and ESA/Universal Credit Assessments

Sarah Lambert, RNIB Head of Social Change, said:

“The decision by the government to run a pilot bringing together assessments for different benefits seems great on face value, as blind and partially sighted claimants will not have to submit the same evidence about their condition multiple times.  “However, it’s important to remember that assessments for different types of benefits are looking at different things. The feasibility of bringing them together must be genuinely and fully considered as part of this pilot, in full consultation with disabled people, including blind and partially sighted people. “We support many people with sight loss who tell us on a daily basis that they feel that they are ‘put on trial’ when they go through the benefits process, and we know that assessments frequently get things wrong. Over 96 per cent of cases we take at appeal for PIP are successful. Therefore, we want to feel assured that any new system is more accurate and fit for purpose, so that the risk of one assessment going wrong wouldn’t mean the loss of all of someone’s benefits.”