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Labour spins out PIP voucher anxiety as it looks at consultation responses

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Labour is leaving millions of claimants in a state of anxiety as it reveals that it is looking at the responses to the Conservative’s green paper on PIP which suggested, amongst other things, the possibility of paying the benefit as vouchers rather than cash.

The Conservatives published a Green Paper on the future of PIP in April 2024.  Amongst the proposals were suggestions that instead of regular cash payments, PIP could be replaced with:

  • A catalogue/shop scheme
  • A voucher scheme
  • A receipt based system
  • One-off grants

The consultation period for the Green Paper ended on 22 July and we know that many of our readers took part and are desperate to know the outcome.

Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Thomas of Winchester tabled a question for the DWP in the House of Lords:

“To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to change the personal independence payment assessment.”

Yesterday, the answer came from Baroness Sherlock, the DWP minister in the House of Lords:

“We will be engaging with the responses people have made to the previous government's consultation on Personal Independence Payment, which closed on Monday 22 July.

“We want to thank the many people who invested their time in responding.

“We will be considering our own approach to social security in due course.”

The response by Baroness Sherlock makes it seem unlikely that there will be any official statement on PIP changes before the parliamentary summer recess, which lasts from 30 July until 2 September.

However, the House of Commons goes into recess again for the party conference season from 13 September until 6 October.

So, there is a real possibility that PIP claimants will be left without any news for several months.

Written questions by MPs to the secretary of state about the PIP consultation and about WCA changes have yet to receive answers.  We suspect that any responses will simply be stalling ones, but we’ll keep readers posted if we learn anything more.

 

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    James
    James · 1 months ago
    So much media hype over this voucher system. Sounds like a Donald Trump rally. Britain will not go down the road of America i.e food stamps and vouchers. I wish to see those really in need. I do not think PIP should go to everyone though. It should be means tested, after all if you have enough money, pay for it yourself. The same applies to the Winter fuel allowance - those in NEED!!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Laura
      Laura · 1 months ago
      @James Unfortunately they have done exactly that with school dinner money during holidays here - vouchers. It is embarrassing. I had to purchase a printer to print them - they wouldn't scan my phone due to covid. I lose them, I forget which has what on it. I can only use them at a certain number of retailers I must choose from their prescribed list and they won't take them for online shopping! I don't have the energy to cope with it at all. If they replace PIP with vouchers the disabled will be malnourished, hypothermic, homeless and in many cases given that - suicidal. None of this is going to save money in reality because they're not looking at the bigger picture. I for one would not be able to pay my bills so would need housing benefit I don't currently get (for a family of four). When we're underweight and hypothermic NHS will need more money to deal with what was avoidable to begin with. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      boris1
      boris1 · 1 months ago
      @A
      I am gob smacked you could even suggest it being means tested.
      Thousands of disabled claimants would lose out if that were to happen and why should we when we also have the 'extra costs of disability' these benefits are meant to cover.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      boris1
      boris1 · 1 months ago
      @Ian @Ian  it is a joke that some disabled people suggest that disability payments should become means tested.  I Am absolutely flabbergasted by such ignorance.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      boris1
      boris1 · 1 months ago
      @James @James so you think pip should be means tested?  That would penalise those of us who worked hard for many years, paid into the system and managed to get a bit of savings.     Why do you even consider that to be fair that we should not be entitled to disability benefits?

      We are just as much in NEED as any other disabled person!!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Ian
      Ian · 1 months ago
      @James Means tested what a joke 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    D
    D · 1 months ago
    Just wondering how many new buisnesss will be set up offering to take these vouchers and being run by politicians families and friends just like the covid corruption 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    D
    D · 1 months ago
    Read that its supposed to be mental health claims moved onto vouchers? can anyone corroborate this
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      boris1
      boris1 · 1 months ago
      @D Yes mental health is on of the conditions they are proposing to look at.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      lori
      lori · 1 months ago
      @D  Why is it less of a disability than hobbling around on a stick
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      boris1
      boris1 · 1 months ago
      @D @Jeanette   No because if they introduce vouchers then pip would no longer exist.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      mrfibro
      mrfibro · 1 months ago
      @D It will be everyone gets vouchers with no discrimination of illness gender.  That way DWP saves countless billions per annum.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Bud
      Bud · 1 months ago
      @D D, I believe that there will be changes of some sort, & this will mean it’s going to be much harder to claim benefits.  They could go for new claimants first, & those up for assessment.  If you do get an award, it could be at a lower rate as discussed several months ago by Stephen Timms.  So there could be high, middle, & lower rate.  Should the voucher scheme ever come about, it could be for those that didn’t get any award.  But that’s just my opinion. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    pollenpath
    pollenpath · 1 months ago
    I'm not defending Baroness Sherlock but all she has said is they will be engaging with people's answers to the Tories' consultation. To me that means they are reading what we've had to say on the proposals rather than screwing up our views and binning them before going right ahead and abolishing PIP as we know it. They actually want to listen to what we're saying, which is putting us at the centre of the process. They want to make some changes to the social security system but why are we just assuming the changes will be the same as those the Tories had in mind, and just as bad? 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Janet Atkinson
    Janet Atkinson · 1 months ago
    If this voucher business goes through then the government should be taken to court for taking human rights away from the disabled!!
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Fed up of politicians
    Fed up of politicians · 1 months ago
    It won't come in.

    It's too controversial, too complex,too expensive and too time consuming.

    Don't wrongly think just because they've got a majority it's a din

    Done deal and that it will merrily sail through without a fuss.

    On top of my last post about the processes and that it would be slow REALLY slow.

    There are more charities, activists,legal eagles, disability regulators and laws (that can't be changed easily either) protecting us.

    It isn't going to happen, neither is their planned ridiculous UC plans in the white paper.

    An 80% employment rate is not even possible.

    I know it's hard, but try not to let the *******s get you down.

    I did extensive research (see my other post) at the end of the day th DWP is now literally incapable of handling ALL existing backlogs, staff shortages, struggles and maintaining both staff and rules such as clearance timelines.

    There is more chance of Haley's comet landing in your living room tonight than any of this getting through.

    If and it's a HUGE IF it did we are talking 5-10 years away minimum. Look how long pip any UC have been around they can't even get that completd and right.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      wibblum
      wibblum · 1 months ago
      @Fed up of politicians I think you are right in many ways. Nothing will change overnight, and I believe the vouchers proposal has been deliberately resurrected (again) as an absurdly impractical Worst Case Scenario purely to frighten claimants. So that whatever measures are eventually actually proposed 'won't seem as bad'.

      I'll be very surprised if in the end, PIP eligibilty isn't further restricted and it doesn't become a means-tested benefit (at the very least). Although as you say, that could take at least 5-10 years to fully implement (and then add another 5 years to allow for DWP negligence and incompetence).
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Anon
      Anon · 1 months ago
      @Fed up of politicians You're right
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Kevin Barry
    Kevin Barry · 1 months ago
    I have not been consulted about if i want vouchers or not, why are we treated like those of the Victorian era?
    Starmers mob taking up ideas from the Tories 😄 that's because they are Tories parading as Labour 😡 we stand for the three card trick in this country. 
    Because people are disabled they are treated with contempt by these upper class leftovers from the days of the workhouse. 
    I want my payment in CASH right & not treated like crap, i don't tell them where to hide their offshore loot 🤔 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Carol wilde
    Carol wilde · 1 months ago
    Pip has gone up ,because no one can find jobs ,Mass lay offs caused by AI ,. 300 approx people applying for 23k jobs in London.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    M
    M · 1 months ago
    I worked nearly all my life, served the country, inland revenue took handsome amounts of money from me, no vouchers guys, I will just bin them, they won't be any use to me as I need PIP to get myself around. Government should mind their own business, it's personal, very personal. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Marie
    Marie · 1 months ago
    I use PIP to get around, what the heck are vouchers going to do 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Who Knows
    Who Knows · 1 months ago
    This may be me being a tad naive in the face of frantically trying to comfort myself in the face of rising anxiety but the Baroness said "our OWN approach to social security". I wonder why they would they say that if they're just going to adopt the ideas that the Tories came up with? That doesn't make any sense to me personally.

    I'm of the opinion that the Labour government doesn't actually know what to do when it comes to PIP. They feel a reform is needed but rendering people without money will also go against their whole policy of not plunging more people into poverty, as per their manifesto. Thus, I feel they're turning to the responses of this consultation to try and get a clearer view of the situation as opposed to just... coming up with something incredibly inhumane and heartless like the Tories did. Which... is a start, I suppose.

    Either way, I'm frustrated because they know the main reason so many people who want to work and aren't able to are off sick is because the NHS is in shambles and they can't get help. They stated this when Sunak came out with these proposals. They even outright said he was trying to use the disabled as a 'scapegoat' to distract from the main issue. The idea that they ARE planning reforms based around PIP anyway despite this and despite the fact it's been found that it's a benefit with a 0% fraud rate is ridiculous. I truly hope we get good news sooner rather than later.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Anon
      Anon · 1 months ago
      @A non-professional sick perso Good for you, but it's almost like your situation isn't everybody's and not everybody can live like you can. Because disabilities aren't a monolith and each one can affect people differently and with varying degrees of severity. 

      "So much self entitlement"? What we currently get on PIP is barely enough to help most people. What about people who need carers? Will they be able to pay them with vouchers? With one-off grants when home care can cost hundreds of pounds a month? 

      Your 'be thankful for what you have... which is actually next to nothing in reality' sentiment isn't helpful or even clever. It's just pure toxic positivity.

      Again, good for you that you've been able to work and provide for yourself but getting on your high horse and making out that the disabled should be thankful for pure scraps and calling people entitled for simply wanting to keep these scraps is disgusting and saying you're benefiting from such a system doesn't excuse you or make you any less narrow-minded, by the way, but nice try nonetheless.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      A non-professional sick perso
      A non-professional sick perso · 1 months ago
      @Who Knows I've only just been awarded PIP and I am grateful for anything. If its a grant end up with someday,- I get to do adjustments to my home to help me fine, if it's vouchers  well they will be well used and fine. I work, I've always worked and paid much on taxes. Now I'm older and almost at retirement my body physically knackered with a degenerating condition, I've lived with a life long neuro divergence too with all that comes with that too, it's come time to admit I need  help - that was hard. So pfft there you go. I'm just glad of the PIP I've been given. 
      So many people afraid of losing cash - does it matter if it's something that helps toward your living? There's a whole world out there who do not even have a welfare system. So much self entitlement. Wake up , no one is entitled to anything in life only what we earn and even that is not guaranteed.  Anything extra is something to be glad for. 

    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      TheDogmother
      TheDogmother · 1 months ago
      @Who Knows That also stood out to me.
      I did wonder about the "Our Own approach " too.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Sunny
    Sunny · 1 months ago
    This seems to be a ploy by the government to worry many vulnerable into taking their own lives so that they can save money.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    CarolK
    CarolK · 1 months ago
    It feels like they load the gun for us with all this awful workfare crap they spew out and leave the gun loaded for us to shoot ourselves with.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Pearl
    Pearl · 1 months ago
    It's unworkable and they know it. How will they assign vouchers to individual people's needs? They know that people won't be able to use these so called voucher, hence saving them money and neglecting the disabled person's needs. They can't even get right an assessment with the claimant talking to them direct, so how are they proposing to assign this? 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Jen
    Jen · 1 months ago
    Jen. it is ridiculous that people have paid their taxes and bills all their lives, then they don't get help when needed. As another person said, taxi drivers won't take vouchers, if some one gives you lift to hospital or doctors or shopping, it is only right you offer them some fuel money not vouchers. Some people need extra for special dietary needs , some gas and electric. Everyone is different, then the government would need to employ more staff for the amount of red tape and paperwork. I wonder if the MPs would accept vouchers instead of expense money. Not in their right minds . 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Dun F
      Dun F · 1 months ago
      @Jen Right on, well said, I completely agree with you, I'm dying from MS, this government is only going to help me to die faster in less comfort with no cash but for a paper book of vouchers, fabulous, who's bright idea was that?

    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Neal
      Neal · 1 months ago
      @Jen Wealth inequality
      Wealth inequality is a measure of how unequally wealth is distributed across the population. The wealthiest 10% of households held 43% of all the wealth in Great Britain in the latest period; in comparison the bottom 50% held only 9%.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Jim
    Jim · 1 months ago
    And not to mention nursing doctors ,  like iv been waiting 3 months on royal appointment  , there not getting paid ffs 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Melanie
    Melanie · 1 months ago
    Each and every government are a set of bastards do they honestly think majority of ppl on pips choose that life do they hell as like I don't get pips but I can see it is such an unfair system and bringing so much worry to ppl 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      C
      C · 1 months ago
      @Melanie Why does each government got the chronically ill and disabled to save money??? I can’t think of anything more absurd.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Seb
    Seb · 1 months ago
    To implement such a shift it would take some serious time. People, don't get upset over nothing. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      TheDogmother
      TheDogmother · 1 months ago
      @Seb 18mths for scans, scope test ,MH re assessment,  pain clinic. 
      I expect it will be a much longer wait. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Jim
    Jim · 1 months ago
    There is a gaping hole in public funds and it looks like it’s the disabled or ill who are going to pay the price. 

    We’re being clubbed from both sides, screwed by an inept NHS with a complete lack of care or treatments….and the solution?…..to tell us all we have to ‘get back to work’ 

    You can have one or the other, but not both. 

    If I become a burden on my wife and family I’m afraid of what I’d do. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    diceman24
    diceman24 · 1 months ago
    hopefully pip benefit stays the same had paid into bank account not vouchers. also close all these big fat contracts like atos etc and let peoples local health service do them ie peoples gps that will save millions straight away and where is stephen timms on this matter 

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