Problems persist despite changes.
Assessment for Personal Independence Payment is still causing financial and emotional distress.
There have been efforts to try to make things easier. Last month the government announced improved transitional arrangements to give people more time to appeal against loss of Motability payment.
Yet the number of requests for advice shows no sign of falling.
In the past month at Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead, our advisers opened cases that show what’s still happening:
Meanwhile another man had spent time in hospital being tested for a chronic migraine condition. Soon after discharge he had an accident at work as a driver which left him with severe bruising.
His convalescence hadn’t gone well and he had become very anxious.
When his statutory sick pay expired, he applied for Employment Support Allowance but was turned down on assessment and this was confirmed following mandatory reconsideration. It seems the assessment was unable to take full account of a combination of physical and mental health problems.