This post is aimed at UK readers. If you’re outside of the UK, save your time.
I want to talk about PIP. There’s been a lot in the news recently about the government wanting to cut PIP. In order to get people back into work?
Let me make this clear. PIP – Personal Independence Payment – is a benefit aimed at… independence! Because I am disabled, I incur extra expenses for all sorts of things, for example for having to take taxis where an able-bodied person might drive a car, or even walk! But for me, it’s either take a taxi or stay at home. There you go. Independence.
I will get that payment until the day I am eligible for the state pension.
Whether I work or not. Yes, that’s right. PIP is not means-tested. Everybody eligible gets it, no matter their circumstances. They might be a pauper or a millionaire!
Please, please, please, don’t buy this shit about PIP being related to jobs. It’s not. They are two separate things.
As for the value of PIP, mine is £400/month. Do you really think people would get that amount of money every month, and “choose” not to work? Even the lowliest job would pay much more than that. Anybody in receipt of PIP would love to work!
Now, I can maybe live with the argument that too many people receive PIP. Actually I couldn’t – it’s bloody hard to get PIP and everybody is regularly assessed. But that’s a separate argument. Nothing to do with getting people into work.
The worst part of this. Politicians know this! Starmer knows this. So why do you think he bleats on about it? Because he’s joining the populist bandwagon that benefits are too high, that’s all. If you could magically put every PIP recipientinto work, you’d still pay exactly the same out in PIP benefits. Starmer knows this!
Mister Bump 
This is the same destructive attitude that’s also taken hold in the U.S., in the name of reducing budget deficits, while the Chump administration and GOP are set to pass more tax cuts for the wealthy. It’s sickening!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We all live in our little boxes these days, we don’t know much about anything unless it personally affects us. Malevolent politicians rely on that to try to pull the wool over our eyes. I have to say, the media should be informing us of this. Where are they?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Either oblivious or afraid to cross those malevolent politicians.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A very shortsighted decision
LikeLiked by 2 people
Everything they do is short sighted,
LikeLiked by 1 person
So unfortunate. It’s becoming the new normal
LikeLiked by 1 person
Upsetting scenario. Hope your benefit remains stable.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s a definite appetite here… But the key thing is that people don’t have the wool pulled over their eyes
LikeLiked by 2 people
Transparency is key, yes. 👍🏻
LikeLike
This is not too different to what they’re considering/assessing in Australia, too. Just because they created a system that isn’t perfect isn’t a good reason to stop the people who need these benefits from getting them. It’s the top end that needs to ensure they do the job right in the first place, not the user getting the kick up the [proverbial] because of bad contractual documents.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Very true!
LikeLiked by 1 person
the minute you said it was for people in GB only I had to read it. PIP seems as if it is equal to our SS disability payments. They are difficult to get, pay next to nothing, and the congress is constantly bleating about how the “lazy” disabled people should just go to work (like they could), and the money go for the travesty-of-the-day project they currently are pushing….Republicans bleat about it is “socialism” to pay the disabled a “living wage”…I’d LOVCE to see every congressional flunkey LIVE on less than #700.00 a month! It seems all countries have idiots in power.
LikeLike
I’ve noticed that socialism is a dirty word over there. For people who use the road outside their house, or the state school system. I wish people understood.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I never knew just how many Americans are just so bloody ignorant…and refuse to educate themselves. We seem to have become a country of idiots, fools and misogynists…to my shame.
LikeLike
I don’t think it’s just the USA. People everywhere are tuned not to ask for details any more. And other people will exploit that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
the minute you said it was for people in GB only I had to read it. PIP seems as if it is equal to our SS disability payments. They are difficult to get, pay next to nothing, and the congress is constantly bleating about how the “lazy” disabled people should just go to work (like they could), and the money go for the travesty-of-the-day project they currently are pushing….Republicans bleat about it is “socialism” to pay the disabled a “living wage”…I’d LOVE to see every congressional flunkey LIVE on less than #700.00 a month! It seems all countries have idiots in power.
LikeLike
Politicians are truly the worst kind of humans.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Sanjeet, how you doing?
LikeLiked by 1 person
College is almost done, but now I understand how brutal the job market is…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, me too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s extremely hard to get PIP. I tried hard to get it for my husband when he had his stroke but because we had been out of the UK for more than 3 years, we were entitled to nothing. Sad when we are from the UK and have paid taxes for many years.
LikeLike
Yes it’s a kick in the teeth to receive such little support when we pay so much in taxes.
If there’s one thing to our advantage… we see how bad the state is, at ages far younger than most. Where many people are into old age, and tired, we might still have the energy to do things about it. That’s why I get involved in politics now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good on ya Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Read it anyway. We’ve enough programs here in the US while not mirrors of PIP are outright unqualified giveaways. Your comments are justified and valid.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It irritates me that people who know better are effectively misinforming the public
LikeLiked by 1 person
We call those people here “Democrats.”
LikeLiked by 1 person