‘I’m 66 and rely on PIP – benefits cuts would plunge me into poverty’
‘I’m 66 and rely on PIP – benefits cuts would plunge me into poverty’
Posted by theipaper
‘I’m 66 and rely on PIP – benefits cuts would plunge me into poverty’
‘I’m 66 and rely on PIP – benefits cuts would plunge me into poverty’
Posted by theipaper
13 comments
A grandmother has described the terror she is experiencing at the prospect of losing her [personal independence payment (PIP)](https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/pip-common-conditions-anxiety-adhd-3567908?ico=in-line_link) as she fears she will be plunged into the same financial misery she endured after her husband died.
Susan Hardman, 66, who lives in Bury, Greater Manchester, suffers from [atrial fibrillation, ](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/atrial-fibrillation/)which causes an irregular heartbeat and shortness of breath. She also has arthritis in the base of her spine and struggles with her mobility, and finds it difficult to stand for too long.
The grandmother-of-six began receiving PIP around 18 months ago, but under [proposed disability benefit cuts](https://inews.co.uk/news/i-receive-pip-labours-reforms-targeting-mentally-ill-people-3647437?ico=in-line_link), she faces losing the benefit as she would no longer qualify.
PIP is a benefit designed to support claimants with their daily activities and transportation.
[Under the proposed shake-up](https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/conditions-most-likely-lose-pip-benefit-labour-cuts-3700479?ico=in-line_link) to reduce the welfare bill by £6bn, PIP claimants would be required to hit four points per activity in the new test to hit the points thresholds.
Ms Hardman told *The i Paper* she will not qualify under the proposed new regime as she was awarded two points each for things like preparing food and washing, and clothing herself as she is able to manage using aids.
“I am extremely worried as I will be massively impacted by losing my PIP,” she said. “It is not just the fact that people are going to lose PIP – it is everything that comes with it. It is things like reduced council tax, free eye tests and glasses and dental treatment. If I lose PIP, I will lose access to these sorts of benefits too and won’t be able to manage financially.”
She doesn’t need it, yes she has health problems so do a lot of people her age, she has assets and a family which should support her, looks like she can afford plenty of food at the moment so there’s room to cut back in her budget.
so she owns her own outright? but we have to fork out for her instead of her downsizing. make it make sense
Ultimately I have sympathy for her.
Worked all her life, but has no pension? No savings?
People should stop being bailed out for not being financially responsible in planning their old age and we should stop bailing them out and paying for their irresponsibility.
PIP? She’s old and has a health issue. If every old person with an ailment was on PIP we’d be bankrupt in a week. She’s late 60s, does she expect to be in perfect health?
Sell your house, downsize and make your life more affordable, like we have to give up our netflix and avocado right?
As another commentor says, she has assets that exceed job seekers but expects PIP
Where’s her family?
So it isn’t actually much to do with the PIP really. She has no savings from when she used to work and is using PIP payments to offset that, as well as getting reduced council tax and dental treatment.
I sympathise with her. it’s a bad situation to be in, but that’s not what PIP is meant to be used for.
She could sell her house and buy a 1 bed flat which is all she needs.
I am really confused by this… She is 66 years old but put on pip at 65? So retirement age but needs Pip to survive ? What was her plan before going on pip ? Honestly sounds like she made terrible financial decisions and now using PIP as a pension…. This is like a great case study on why Pip needs reformed lol
I’m tired of seeing these pensioners with the same story over and over again cry me a river
She’s only had it 18 months, she survived 65 years without it. She’ll cope again.
Am I missing something? Why isn’t she on the state pension at 66? Did the “journalist ” go into this?
I don’t think pensioners can claim PIP, but they can claim Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance.
The lack of empathy towards the elderly and disabled is insane
This is definitely ragebait
This thread is crazy, so many heartless comments that do not even understand the full scope of the situation and just dithering out random speculation based on a few facts that doesn’t paint the entire pocutre. The whole purpose of benefits is to show humanity and have safety net for those in need.
Just because some abuse it doesn’t mean all should suffer. There definitely needs a more scrutinised system but not a cut. I can only imagine as younger people hit near retirement, the age where health concerns become more common to be in a similar situation through no fault of their own which could be you. And then you’re faced with people like in this thread saying essential “it’s your own fault buddy” dam man… raising children in world like this is scary
I dredd to think what life will be like if we keep pushing limits on things. Its truly going to be a dystopia.
Comments are closed.